Bengal Provincial Railway

Bengal Provincial Railway was a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow-gauge railway from Tarakeswar to Magra, in Indian state of West Bengal.[1]

Logo of Bengal Provincial Railway

History

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The Bengal Provincial Railway opened by Bengali engineer Annadaprasad Roy in 1895[2][3] from Tarakeswar on the East Indian Railway to Magra, which was on the East Indian Railway broad gauge. Built by local interests, the line was 32 miles (51 km) long, until extended a further 2 miles (3.2 km) to Tribeni in 1904.[4] The railway mostly used small 2-4-0T locomotives.[5] There also was a branch line from Dashghora to Jamalpur.

Bengal Provincial Railway
km
 
 
 
 
50
Tribeni (BG)
 
 
 
50
Tribeni (NG)
 
 
 
 
 
46
Magra Ganj
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
47
Magra Junction
 
 
 
Kunti river
 
 
 
 
42
Sultangacha
 
39
Halusai
 
36
Mahanad
 
32
Dwarbasini
 
29
Goal Amra
 
27
Melki
 
25
Bhastara
 
23
Majinan
 
19
Rudrani
 
 
 
 
 
15
Dhaniakhali
 
13
Shamashpoor
 
12
Kani Nadi
 
 
23
Jamaplurganj
 
 
21
Sure Khalna
 
 
19
Chakdighi
 
 
16
Sri Krishnapur
 
 
 
9
Dasghara Junction
 
6
Gopinagar
 
 
0
Tarakeswar (NG)
 
 
0
Tarakeswar (BG)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sheoraphuli
 
 
km

Rolling stock

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2-4-0T locomotive No 5 of Bengal Provincial Railway, 1905

In 1936, the company owned three locomotives, 31 coaches and 69 goods wagons.[6]

Classification

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It was labeled as a Class III railway according to Indian Railway Classification System of 1926.[7][8]

Closure

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Increasing losses post World War 2 led to its closure in 1956.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Bengal Provincial Railway Co. vs Gopi Mohan Singh on 9 July, 1913". indiankanoon.org. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  2. ^ "অন্নদাপ্রসাদের ১৮৯৪ সালের প্রাইভেট রেল আজ বিস্মৃতপ্রায়". bartamanpatrika.com. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  3. ^ Chatterjee, Arup K. (25 January 2019). The Great Indian Railways: A Cultural Biography. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-93-88414-23-4.
  4. ^ "ভারতে প্রথম রেলযাত্রা সূচনার গৌরব বঙ্গদেশেরই হতে পারত". Eisamay (in Bengali). Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  5. ^ "The Chronology of Railway development in Eastern India". www.irfca.org. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  6. ^ World Survey of Foreign Railways. Transportation Division, Bureau of foreign and domestic commerce, Washington D.C. 1936. p. 224.
  7. ^ "Indian Railway Classification". Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  8. ^ World Survey of Foreign Railways. Transportation Division, Bureau of foreign and domestic commerce, Washington D.C. 1936. p. 223–226d.
  9. ^ Hughes, Hugh 1994 Indian Locomotives Pt. 3, Narrow Gauge 1863–1940. Continental Railway Circle.