Ceylon Government Railways
1846 Thomas Drane, the company's engineer, undertook preliminary surveys for the new rail line.
1856 December. Captain William Scarth Moorsom, one time Chief Engineer of the Corps of Royal Engineers, was sent from England to assess the project.
1860 The Colonial Secretary refused to support Captain Moorsom's plan unless he published his full calculations. The Colony paid off the company rather than incur the heavy outlay which the Board and its engineers insisted upon as essential.
1862 The colony obtained and accepted a tender for the construction of the work upon terms which demonstrated that those offered by Captain Moorsom were in fact correct.[1]
1862 the Crown Agents for the Colonies accepted Mr. Faviell’s tender for the construction of 73 miles of a very difficult railway in Ceylon. [2]
The railway - the first constructed in Ceylon - runs from Colombo to Kandy. Heavy works and tunnels were required on the Kadugannawa Incline, of 1 in 45 for 12 miles, that caused anxiety and responsibility to the contractor.
1865 First 34 miles opened connecting Colombo and Ambepussa. Guilford Lindsey Molesworth, the first chief engineer, became director general of the government railway.
1867 The whole line was completed to Kandy
1874 Opening of the extension to Nawalapitiya, 17 miles in the hill country of Kandy.[3]
1875 Start of planning of an extension of the main line from Colombo southwards, following the sea coast.
1879 The 26 mile extension to Kalutara South was opened. Railway construction in Ceylon then ended for some time.
1899 297 Miles of railway open. W. T. Pearce, General Manager; W. Cantrell, Engineer of Ways and Works; A. E. Brown, Locomotive Engineer; A. G. Perman, Traffic Superintendent.[4]
1910 Total of 577 miles open (1909). Gregory, Eyles and Waring, Consulting Engineers; G. P. Greene, General Manager; E. H. Wade, Assistant GM; D. McMillan, Engineer of Ways and Works; G. E. Hooper, Resident Engineer; H. T. Cartwright and A. G. Cooper, District Engineer; H. G. Unsworth, Locomotive, Wagon and Carriage Engineer; T. A. Wylie, Traffic Superintendent.[5]
1918 Total of 605 miles open. Gregory, Eyles and Waring, Consulting Engineers; G. P. Greene, General Manager; E. H. Wade, Assistant GM; G. E. Hooper, Resident Engineer; H. T. Cartwright and A. G. Cooper, District Engineer; H. G. Unsworth, Locomotive, Wagon and Carriage Engineer; T. A. Wylie, Traffic Superintendent.[6]