Madras Railway
The Madras Railway (1845-1908) was a pioneer in railways in southern India.
Amongst the constituent railways of Madras Railway were Kolar Goldfields Railway, Nilgiri Mountain Railway and Shornapur Cochin Railway
1845 Madras Railway Company was launched. The chairman was J. Arbuthnot
1853 Madras Railway Company, registered in Chennai (Royapuram) began work. It had as its objective, connection of Chennai on the east coast with the west coast, as also linking up with Bengaluru and the Nilgiris, and to link up with the line from Mumbai.
1856 The Broad gauge line received Government Guarantee[1]
1862 The link with the west coast was first established with a line to Beypore, which served as the western terminus of the Madras Railway.
1865 609 miles in operation
1868 John Hawkshaw, Consulting Engineer; W. G. Smart, Chief Engineer.[2]
1871 An extension up to Raichur was linked with an extension of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway from Kalyan to Raichur, thereby establishing the Chennai-Bombay (Mumbai) link
1875 858 miles in operation
1885 Main line running from Madras to Beypoor on the Malabar coast with branches to Bangalore and the Neilgherry Hills (around 520 miles). Also the north-west line at Arconum Station, 42 miles from Madras. Total of 861 miles in operation. Julian Byrne, Secretary; Sir John Hawkshaw, Consulting Engineer; A. M. Saunders, India Agent and Manager; W. R. Robinson, India Chief Engineer; H. E. Church, Traffic Manager; F. H. Trevithick, Locomotive Manager.[3]
1888 The western terminus was moved to Calicut - now known as Khozikode
1899 The Chennai-Vijayawada link was established enabling the way for opening of the Howrah-Chennai main line
1899 Lines open are - Main south-west line of 414 miles (opened 1862); South-west line of 116 miles (opened 1888; North-west line of 318 miles (opened 1871); Kolar Gold Fields State of 10 miles (opened 1894); Arcot - Ranipet extension of 4 miles (opened 1899); Nilgiri line of 17 miles. Total 869 miles. Julian Byrne, Secretary; J. C. Hawkshaw, Consulting Engineer; L. S. Moss, Agent and Manager in India; E. W. Stoney, Chief Engineer; F. W. Read, Traffic Manager; C. E. Phipps, Locomotive Superintendent.[4]
1901 The southern part of the East Coast State Railway (from Waltair to Vijayawada) was taken over
1903 Extension to Mangalore started see Azhikal-Mangalore Railway
1908 Merged with the Southern Mahratta Railway and became the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway