[🇵🇰] Pakistan Railway History

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Source : https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=707472914904004&set=a.400780895573209

Pakistan Railways - North Western Railway of Pakistan (Khyber Pass) - 2-8-0 steam locomotive and freight train coming out of a tunnel on the Khyber Railway (vintage postcard)

The Khyber Pass is a mountain pass that links Pakistan and Afghanistan. Throughout history it has been an important trade route between Central and Southern Asia and a strategic military location.

This postcard is dated to the conclusion of the third Anglo-Afghan war of 1919, showing a train emerging from a tunnel on the Khyber Pass Railway.

By 1978, there was just one weekly train, a Fridays Only (FO) service that in theory ran to take people to the weekly market at Landi Kotal (8km from the border with Afghanistan). The train only ran with two or three coaches, and demand for the service was not great.

The FO service ceased sometime in the 1990s. There were at least a couple of attempts at running a regular tourist service, but the deteriorating security situation in the region, plus Pakistan losing its attraction as a tourist destination saw the last charter trips run towards the end of 2005.

Some of the Class HGS 2-8-0 locomotives may be tucked away in a shed at Peshawar, waiting to be reactivated should the opportunity ever arise.

 

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History of “Pakistan Railways"

The idea of a rail network was first thought of in 1847, with the possibility of Karachi becoming a major seaport. Sir Henry Edward Frere, who was appointed as the Commissioner of Sindh, sought permission from Lord Dalhousie to begin a survey for a Karachi Seaport and a survey for a railway line in 1858. The proposed railway line would be laid from Karachi (city) to Kotri. A steamboat service on the Indus and Chenab rivers would connect Kotri to Multan and from there another railway line would be laid to Lahore and beyond.

On 13 May 1861, the first railway line was opened to the public, between Karachi and Kotri, with a total length of 169 kilometres (105 mi). A Lahore-Multan 336 kilometres (209 mi) railway line was opened for traffic on 24 April 1865. On 6 October 1876 three bridges on the Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum rivers were completed and a Lahore-Jhelum railway line opened. On 1 July 1878 a Lodhran-Pano Akil 334 kilometres (208 mi) section was inaugurated.

By 1885, there were four railway companies operating in what would become Pakistan: Scinde (Sindh) Railways, Indian Flotilla Company, Punjab Railway and Delhi Railways. These were amalgamated into the Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railways Company and purchased by the Secretary of State for India in 1885, and in January 1886 formed the North Western State Railway, which was later on renamed North Western Railway (NWR). It was renamed Pakistan Western Railway in February 1961 and Pakistan Railways in May 1974.


It was the year 1857 when the idea was suggested by William Andrew (Chairman of Scinde, Punjab and Delhi Railway) that the railways to the Bolan Pass would have a strategic role in responding to any threat by Russia. During the second Afghan War (1878–80) between Britain and Afghanistan, there was a new need to construct a railway line up to Quetta in order to get easier access to the frontier.

On 18 September 1879, under the orders of the Viceroyal council, work began on laying the railway tracks, and after four months the first 215 km of the line from Ruk to Sibi was completed; it became operational in January 1880. Beyond Sibi the terrain was very difficult. After immense difficulties and harsh weather conditions, it was March 1887 when the railway line, over 320 km long, finally reached Quetta.

On 27 October 1878 a Kotri-Sukkur railway line on west bank of Indus river was opened for traffic. The Lansdowne Bridge over the Indus connecting Rohri and Sukkur was inaugurated on 25 March 1889. The completion of this bridge connected Karachi with Peshawar by rail.

By 1898, as the network began to grow, another proposed railway line from Peshawar to Karachi was in the works. It closely followed the route taken by Alexander the Great and his army while marching through the Hindu Kush to the Arabian Sea. During the early 20th century, railway lines were also laid down between Peshawar and Rawalpindi and Rawalpindi to Lahore.

Different sections on the existing mainline from Peshawar and branch lines were constructed in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early 20th century. months the first 215 km of the line from Ruk to Sibi was completed; it became operational in January 1880. Beyond Sibi, the terrain was very difficult.

After immense difficulties and harsh weather conditions, it was March 1887 when the railway line, over 320 km long, finally reached Quetta.tta.

In 1947, at the time of independence, 3,133 route kilometres (1,947 mi) of the North Western Railway were transferred to India, leaving 8,122 route kilometres (5,048 mi) to Pakistan. Of this 6,880 route kilometres (4,280 mi) were 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in), 506 kilometres (314 mi) were 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in), and 736 kilometres (457 mi) were 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge.

It was the year 1857 when the idea was suggested by William Andrew (Chairman of Scinde, Punjab and Delhi Railway) that the railways to the Bolan Pass would have a strategic role in responding to any threat by Russia. During the second Afghan War (1878–80) between Britain and Afghanistan, there was a new need to construct a railway line up to Quetta in order to get easier access to the frontier.

On 18 September 1879, under the orders of the Viceroyal council, work began on laying the railway tracks, and after four months the first 215 km of the line from Ruk to Sibi was completed; it became operational in January 1880. Beyond Sibi, the terrain was very difficult. After immense difficulties and harsh weather conditions, it was March 1887 when the railway line, over 320 km long, finally reached Quetta.tta.nally reached Quetta.

 

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Lahore Railway Station

 

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A reversing point for the Rail Motor (Railcar of past) at Landi Kotal.
It's a rare photo of our Railway's history.

Contributed: Kartikeya Lunia

 

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Rail:Line-Khyber Pass

Cost Rs 2 million in 1925
First train driven on 4th Nov 1925 by Mrs Victor Belay(wife of British Engr: who completed the project),when it steamed off on maiden voyage.
Climb 12000 meters
Rise nearly 2000 feet in 13 km
Runs 3500 feet above sea level.
Drop 872 feet in 67.5 km down to Landi-Khana.
Bogies of train pulled by Two Steam Locomotives,one in the front & one in the rear.
Tunnels 34 with an aggregate length of 5km.

 

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A 1920 rare photo shows the Rohri Junction which the train from Karachi used to cross for entering area now in India

William Edge (Civil Engineer) on one of Bolan Pass locomotives.

A North Western Railway locomotive on the Bolan Pass railway line with William Edge on it.

This locomotive was used for a short rack section on the Bolan Pass line under construction. It was later converted to use for shunting duties after the line was completed with an easier gradient.

Source: IRFCA

 

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1890 Map ...

 

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Attock Bridge on river Indus
1895

1935 Steam Locomotive
at resting place.

 

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The Bolan Pass Is Approximately 60 Miles Long (100 km) And Is At An Altitude Of 5,880 Feet (1,792 metres). Due To Its Strategic Location, The Pass Has Traditionally Been Used As A Gateway To India By Traders, Invaders And Nomadic Tribes. The Railroad Cuts Through The Pass En Route To The Afghanistan Frontier.

From The Macnabb Collection (Col James Henry Erskine Reid): Album Of Miscellaneous Views, Taken In The 1880's. The Bolan Pass Is A Gap In The Central Brahui Mountain Range, Balochistan Province, Pakistan.

 

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PR Electric car in resting place ,,

 

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Khyber Train

 

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The railways has 8 regional operating divisions:

Pakistan Railways Karachi Division
Pakistan Railways Sukkur Division
Pakistan Railways Multan Division
Pakistan Railways Lahore Division
Pakistan Railways Rawalpindi Division
Pakistan Railways Peshawar Division
Pakistan Railways Quetta Division
Pakistan Railways Gwadar Division (not active yet)

 

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Museum and Railway Station ... Golra Shatf, , Attock district, Punjab...

Inside the Museum you will find a number of historic relics including old uniforms, models, diaries of the original station master and train guards, and an old 8mm projector that would have played in train entertainment:

 

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More from Golra Sharif Railway Museum ...

 

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1880 Lahore

 

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Painting -- Lahore Railway Station ...

 

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