Indian Railways in 1976 and 1980

PhilH

Western Thunderer
Photos taken on two trips to India in March 1976 and January 1980. They will cover the narrow gauge (2'-6" and 2'-0") and main lines (5'-6" and metre).

Starting on a high note - literally, with the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. Modellers in 16mm scale live steam (with suitably deep pockets) may be considering the latest production by Roundhouse Engineering - the 'C' Class 4-6-2, of which the DHR had two.


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Originally built for the branch running south from the main DHR line to Kishanganj in 1914, they were little used after replacement of that line by a new metre gauge line which was completed by January 1950. In March 1976 both locos were still at New Jalpaiguri, although not used for some time and the notice on 807 stated - "stored 1.4.69". 808 is in the shed behind 807 and was painted all black except for the red footplate valances and buffer beams. By the January 1980 visit 807 had left two months before for preservation in the Nehru Science Centre at Bombay, but 808 was still here and I noted that the cab and tender were now blue. 808 is now plinthed outside the Northeast Frontier Railway headquarters at Maligaon, Guwahati in Assam.


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Sukna at 11 miles from the terminus at New Jalpaiguri is the start of the hill section and from here to the summit at Ghum the line climbs 6874 feet in altitude at an average gradient of 1 in 30.5. Longer trains are split here into a number sections for the climb and in 1976 the mail train was split into three separate trains.


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783 waits for the arrival of the passenger train, and will head the second section.


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795 on arrival at the head of the combined train. It will take the first three coaches and a brakevan, 783 will take the next two coaches, the mail coach and a four wheel van,


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and 782 is already in the train on the last section with just three coaches.


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The trains run up the hill with sometimes only a short distance between them, and soon after leaving Sukna 795 and the first section are viewed from the second section.


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Several stops for water are made along the way and after leaving the first stop 795 and its train round a horseshoe curve.


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Looking back from the second section on the top part of the curve, 782 is now at the water tank with the last section of the train.


 
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Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
You are Colin Garratt & I claim my £5. :))
It was his books that opened my eyes to the world of steam - literally!! And gems such as that some British railway manufacturers were better known abroad than in the UK. Who would've guessed that Dübs was a Scottish outfit??!! :)
 

PhilH

Western Thunderer
You are Colin Garratt & I claim my £5. :))
It was his books that opened my eyes to the world of steam - literally!! And gems such as that some British railway manufacturers were better known abroad than in the UK. Who would've guessed that Dübs was a Scottish outfit??!! :)

Sorry Jordan no prize ! - I was just a humble tourist with a camera.

Henry Dubs was a managing partner, in effect works manager, at loco builders Neilson & Co. in Glasgow, and left to establish his own loco building factory in 1864 at Polmadie in Glasgow. In 1903 the three loco building firms in Glasgow - Dubs & Co., Neilson Reid & Co. (f. Neilson & Co.) and Sharp Stewart & Co. (who had moved to Glasgow from Manchester in 1888) amalgamated to form the North British Locomotive Co. Ltd., and at that time the three separate works formed the largest locomotive building facility in Europe. After 1903 North British continued to build the Class B locos for the DHR formerly built by Sharp Stewart, the next 7 were built at the former Sharp Stewart Atlas Works, but the last 9 were built at the former Dubs & Co. Queens Park Works.

The major locomotive builders had to rely largely on the export market as they were mainly 'frozen out' of large volume UK production by the railway companies setting up their own loco building facilities. In fact they were so worried that the railway companies might expand their loco production and in effect put them out of business that in 1875 they joined together to form the Locomotive Manufacturers Association and took out an injunction to prevent the railway companies extending their loco building beyond their own requirements. This veto lasted nearly 100 years until it was rescinded by the Government in the Transport Act of 1968.
 
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PhilH

Western Thunderer
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In January 1980 the up passenger train we travelled on ran in just one section with 3 coaches and a bogie brake van headed by 795. Here its backed into a siding between Rangtong and Chunbati as 790 passes on the down passenger train.


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Tindharia Works, the main railway workshops, from the line above. The line can be seen on the distant hillside to the right running just below the road and off to the right it turns to run along the hillside behind the works, climbing round the works with a 180 degree curve alongside the road. The connection into the works is just beyond the right hand edge of the photo by which point the line is level with the track in the works yard. It then continues for about ¾ mile to the right and then makes another 180 degree turn passing through Tindharia Station to where the train is now - heading to the left.


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There are three loops where the line turns through 360 degrees to pass over itself on the climb up to the summit at Ghum, and this is Loop No.3 between Tindharia and Gayabari. There is a fourth loop on the descent from Ghum to Darjeeling where the line does nearly two 360 degree turns.


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In addition to the loops as a means of gaining height there are also five 'Z' reversals, this is Reversal No.4 with 804 on the 2nd section of a down train just leaving the lower end in March 1976. Note the brakemen on the end of each coach. The 3rd section above left has just cleared the points on the upper level and is about to back down the middle leg of the 'Z' and cross the road. The line crosses the road 132 times on the way to Darjeeling !


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787 filling up at a water tank near Gayabari.
I didn't make a note of the number of water stops on the way up but there must have been at least 5.


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791 on an up goods train between Tindharia and Kurseong.


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783 on up passenger train between Tindharia and Kurseong with the usual crew of 5. In addition to the driver and fireman on the footplate, there's one on top of the coal bunker to pass the coal to the fireman and two on the front to sand the rails if required - apparently not required here as they're sat on the sandbox lid. Both steam sanding and gravity sanding were tried but found to be not as effective as sanding by hand. Jumping on and off the train seems to be a favourite pastime of the local youth !


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Down the line from the same location the line turns through 180 degrees and runs back below, and looking down can be seen 788 on down train of 3 coaches and a brake van. If you were modelling the DHR indoors you would need a room with a very high ceiling !
 

Osgood

Western Thunderer
The wooden bar located on the bunker and tank of 783 and others - would I be right in thinking this was for re-railing purposes?

I've had an interest in this line since the age of 12 after an old chap in our village who had worked out in India (I believe with the British High Commission), learning of my interest in railways, presented me with a delightful 1921 Guide to Darjeeling and its Mountain Railway published by the Railway Company.
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PhilH

Western Thunderer
The wooden bar located on the bunker and tank of 783 and others - would I be right in thinking this was for re-railing purposes?

Yes that's correct - big wooden lever, suitable piece of rock or timber from the lineside to act as a fulcrum and plenty of manpower, who needs screw jacks !

DHR Cartoon.jpg

and derailments do occur (fortunately not during my visits)

The braking system was quite unusual then, and bear in mind it was over 40 years ago when I visited and I think the NDM6 diesels that now mainly work the line have air brakes which are no doubt continuous through the whole train. In the 1960s trials were made with vacuum brakes and pipework could be seen on some coaches, but general fitting of this system was not proceeded with. The only brake on the locomotive was the hand operated screw brake and there were individual brakes on each coach. On the uphill trains there were usually men sat on the coach roofs, these would include the brakemen who obviously had little to do on the upward journey.


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On the downhill run they would stand on the small step at the uphill end of the coach, holding on to the handrails on the end or on the edge of the roof. When braking was required they would apply the brake with their left foot on the long lever running across the end of the coach which was connected by rods and cranks to the brake shoes on the bogies. I don't imagine they would pin the brakes down with the train in motion, that would be a little difficult ! The brakes would only be pinned down when the coaches were parked.
 

richard carr

Western Thunderer
I finally managed to get to Darjeeling in October 2001, unfortunately they were not running any trains from New Jalpaiguri Junction to Darjeeling, so we had to take a taxi, which only takes 2 hours compared to the 6 hours the train was taking, my girlfriend was very happy to find that out ! They were still running a tourist train to and from Ghum, it cost 600 rupees one way, about £10 back then, we were the only people on it. Unfortunately I can't find my photos of it, if I do I'll post them up.

Great photos Phil

Richard
 

NickB

Western Thunderer
Wonderful photos. In the late 80s I visited the Railway Museum in New Delhi (once the taxi driver had found it!). It is still there and is worth a visit if you are in the area. I recall a fantastic collection of locos, from an enormous broad gauge Garrett that required a team of three firemen, down to a little 0-3-0 (go figure).

Nick
 

PhilH

Western Thunderer

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Kurseong is about halfway up the hill section and in this view looking towards Darjeeling the main line is on the left with two passing loops adjacent to the right and then two sidings where the coaches are standing. Behind the camera is a small two road loco shed. The station itself with three tracks is on a spur off the main line to the left just beyond the end of the passing loops. The end of the station building with the name is in the centre of the photo.


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In March 1976 the up and down trains were both running with three sections and crossed here, so that there would have been six trains here at the same time. Three trains occupied the station tracks while the others used the passing loops. Viewed from near the end of the station tracks, the trains are from right to left: 787 and 795 on up trains, they will reverse out of the station to resume the journey to Darjeeling, and a down train which has reversed into the station headed by 794. There is an additional siding in the foreground and part of the turntable pit is visible on the left. (annoying when someone wanders into view when you're taking a photo - usually, but maybe not here :) )


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794 departs from Kurseong, crossing the road to rejoin the main line. 794 is one of the three locos supplied by Baldwin (USA) in 1917.


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801 raises the dust as the road and railway are closely hemmed in by buildings on each side between Kurseong and Sonada.


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795 on the first section of an up train taking water at Sonada.


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795 is one of the three locos built at DHR's Tindharia Workshops, although probably some of the major parts would have been supplied from elsewhere. All these Class B locos are saddle + well tanks, the well tank between the frames extending from behind the front buffer beam to just in front of the firebox and connected to the saddle tank by the curved copper pipes above the cylinders. The canvas bags usually seen hanging from the brackets at the front of the saddle tank carried extra sand. The sandbox itself is in front of the smokebox covered by sacking.


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On the January 1980 trip we were allowed into the works, but from what I recall we were not allowed to take photographs. 801 was in steam, being tested after repair, and 799 was completely dismantled under repair. Today by contrast you can get a tour of the works on Google Maps - just type "Tindharia, India" in the search box, find the works, go to street view and you get a complete tour. Mind you it does look very 'sanitised' - a bit too neat and tidy.
 

PhilH

Western Thunderer
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801 at Ghum on the second section of an up train. Ghum Station is the summit of the line at an altitude of 7,407 feet and just over 40 miles from the start of the hill section at Sukna. From here the line drops nearly 600 feet of altitude in the next 4 miles to the terminus at Darjeeling.


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The fourth loop known as the Batasia Loop is located on the descent to Darjeeling and trains do a double spiral when passing through it. A plan of the loop is conveniently illustrated on the left hand page of Osgood's book in Post #7. It was constructed in 1919 to ease a section of 1in 20 gradient. Ideally the best way to photograph it is to climb up the hillside above, but I didn't have the time (or energy) to do that so the best I could do is this sequence of photos illustrating the passage of a train headed by 788 climbing up the loop towards Ghum. First (top left) the train approaches the lowest level, then disappears from view while circumventing the bottom spiral, passing under the top level track (top left) then running round the top spiral (bottom)


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and finally reaching the top level and exit from the loop.


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Darjeeling Station in late afternoon, with the open sided loco and coach shed on the right.


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The line continued beyond the station for about ¼ mile to a goods depot, but the extension had apparently not been used for some time. At the terminus was a run round loop, two sidings, a large goods shed and a crane.


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806 waiting to depart on a late afternoon train down to Kurseong.


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Its early morning and 803 named 'Himalayan Bird' receives some attention at Darjeeling Station. Several locos carried names at one time or other. Accommodation for the crew is fairly basic and the only weather protection when running in reverse is the drop down canvas screen rolled up under the roof. 803 is one of nine locos built by North British in 1926-8. Previous locos built in Glasgow were supplied by Sharp Stewart from their Atlas Works or North British after 1903 from the Atlas Works. However by 1926 the Atlas Works was in the process of closing down so production of this last batch was transferred to the former Dubs & Co. Queens Park Works. After the amalgamation to form North British in 1903 each of the three works retained the distinctive shape of their works plates from their former owners - Hyde Park Works (f. Neilson Reid) were round, Atlas Works (f. Sharp Stewart) were oval and Queens Park Works (f. Dubs & Co.) were diamond shape, thus 803 carries diamond shaped works plates.
 

readingtype

Active Member
The major locomotive builders had to rely largely on the export market as they were mainly 'frozen out' of large volume UK production by the railway companies setting up their own loco building facilities
I'm sure it has been recommended already, but the relatively recent book 'Built in Britain' by Dr Michael Bailey, published by the Railway and Canal Historical Society, is an excellent read for those who would like to know more about the fate of this industry in Great Britain up to 1900 -- and it keys nicely with many of Colin Garratt's photos as mentioned above. I write as a satisfied customer!

Ben
 

ianlbsc

Western Thunderer
An absolutely wonderful photo set. I was there about the same time period, I managed a couple of days away from a merchant Navy ship which was on the buoys in the River at Calcutta. Some 'interesting' train journeys to get there and then up and down and back. Sadly I had no camera until a visit to Kobe 2nd hand emporiums the next year. These photos have certainly brought back a lot of great memories. Thanks for posting them. It has inspired me to become a supporter for the Darjeeling Tank that was in the care of the late Adrian Shooter. See Home | Darjeeling Tank for others likewise inspired. Cheers, Ian Mac in Blackpool
 

PhilH

Western Thunderer
Something a little bit bigger on the 5'-6" gauge:


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14004 a Class WT 2-8-4T at Ranaghat Junction, north of Calcutta. 30 of these locos were built in the period 1959 to 1967 by the Chittaranjan Locomotive Works in West Bengal for heavy suburban passenger traffic.


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34278 a Class XF 0-8-0 at Naihati Junction. One of six similar locos designed as shunters and built by Beyer Peacock, Manchester in 1928.


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Indian footplate crew dress code could be described as 'informal'.


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North from Calcutta the line was double track up to Ranaghat Junction and then single track on to Krishnanagar City Junction. The line was electrified but with some services still worked by steam. 24248 a Class HPS1 built by Vulcan Foundry in 1946 is on a southbound train at Krishnanagar City Junction in 1976.


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Four years later, 24260 a Class HPS2 built by Vulcan Foundry in 1949 leaves Krishnanagar City Junction with a southbound passenger train.


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At Krishnanagar City Junction a connection was made with a 2'-6" gauge line from Shantipur Junction (where it connected with another broad gauge line), via KCJ and then running north to Nabadwipghat, a distance of 28Km.


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The narrow gauge line was worked by four small 2-4-0Ts, two built by Bagnall in 1926 and 1935, and two similar locos built by the Yorkshire Engine Co. in 1932. No.776 is the 1935 Bagnall seen here at Krishnanagar City Junction.


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and further along the line towards Nabadwipghat.


 
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