>Rdp060707 at 05:53, 19 June 2021

2021-06-19T05:53:11Z

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{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name = Gwalior Light Railway
| logo =
| logo_width =
| logo_alt =
| image = Gwalior_Light_Railway,_June_2017.jpg
| image_width =
| image_alt =
| caption = GLR at Gwalior Railway Station, 2017
| locale = [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[India]]
| start = [[Gwalior Junction]]
| end =
| stations =
| open = 1904
| close = 2020<ref>[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/heritage-narrow-gauge-rail-track-to-chug-into-history/articleshow/77531972.cms Heritage narrow gauge rail track to chug into history]</ref><ref>[https://lifestyle.livemint.com/news/talking-point/western-railway-is-killing-off-the-last-of-its-toy-trains-111608022543082.html Western Railway is killing off the last of its 'toy trains']</ref>
| owner = [[North Central Railway]], [[Gwalior]]
| operator = North Central Railway, Gwalior
| depot =
| stock =
| linelength_km = 199
| tracklength_km=
| gauge = {{track gauge|2ft|lk=on}}
| map = {{Gwalior–Sheopur Kalan branch line}}
| map_state = collapsed
}}

'''Gwalior Light Railway (GLR)''' or Maharaja Railway<ref name=hindustantimes>{{cite web |title=MP's heritage railway track to fade away into history |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/bhopal/mp-s-heritage-railway-track-to-fade-away-into-history/story-m2nPLWXDnwKaqNIrusia4K.html| date=3 September 2015| first=M.| last=Poornima| work=[[Hindustan Times]]| accessdate=1 November 2017}}</ref> was a {{track gauge|2ft|lk=on}} [[narrow-gauge]] railway network in [[Gwalior]]. It was set up for [[Gwalior State]] during the times of [[British India]].<ref name=gwaliorplus>{{cite web| url=http://www.gwaliorplus.com/gwalior/around-gwalior/from-the-heart-of-gwalior-gwaliorlight-railways/| title=From the heats of Gwalior, Gwalior Light Railway| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607060750/http://www.gwaliorplus.com/gwalior/around-gwalior/from-the-heart-of-gwalior-gwaliorlight-railways/| archivedate=2012-06-07| website=Gwalior Plus}}</ref> Until its closure in 2020, the railway was the longest {{TrackGauge|2ft}} gauge railway in the world.<ref name=hindustantimes/>

== History ==
[[File:Gwalior Light Railway train.png|thumb|Train at Gwalior Station in 1904]]
[[File:Gwalior 1914 showing light railway.jpg|thumb|Gwalior in 1914 with the Gwalior Light Railway highlighted in red]]
The Gwalior Light Railway was built by the Maharaja [[Madho Rao Scindia]] of the [[Gwalior State]].<ref name=LocoReview>{{cite news |title=Locomotives working the Gwalior Light Railways |work=Locomotive, Railway Carriage and Wagon Review |date=15 September 1905 |pages=153-155 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UebNAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA153}}</ref> It was originally a 14-mile long private tramway.<ref name=Bromyard/> Construction began in 1895 of the 53 mile [[Gwalior]]–[[Bhind]] line.<ref name=report/> By 1897 it was 34 miles long and was used to bring in supplied to relieve the famine.<ref name=Bromyard/> Both this section and the Gwalior–[[Shivpuri]] section opened on 2 December 1899 by [[George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston|Lord Curzon]] the [[Governor-General of India|Viceroy of India]].<ref name=Bromyard>{{cite news |title=Viceroy tiger shooting |work=Bromyard News |date=7 December 1899}}</ref> The Gwalior-[[Joura]] branch opened on 1 January 1904 and on 12 January 1904 the extension to [[Sabalgarh]] was opened. A further extension to [[Birpur]] opened on 1 November 1908 and the full line to [[Sheopur]] opened on 15 June 1909.<ref name=report>{{cite book |author=Commonwealth Shipping Committee |title=Appendix 9: History of railways constructed and in progress |work=Report for 1920/22 |date=1913 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015087752351&view=1up&seq=192 |page=172}}</ref> In October 1900, the Indian Midland Railway Company agreed to operate the railway on behalf of the Maharaja.<ref>{{cite book |title=Report on Indian Railway |page=331 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.c2630260&view=1up&seq=377 |date=1902 |location=Delhi |publisher=Manager of Publications}}</ref>

In 1942, the Gwalior Light Railway was renamed the '''Scindia State Railway'''. In 1951, the system was purchased by the [[Central Railway zone|Central Railway]].<ref name=irfca>{{cite web |first=R.R. |last=Bhandari |title=Gwalior Lines |url=https://www.irfca.org/articles/isrs/isrs082004-steam-history.html |publisher=Indian Railways Fan Club}}</ref>

The railway was initially worked with steam locomotives, but later diesel locomotives were used. There was a plan to [[Railway electrification system|electrify]] the railway in the 1920s from a generating station below the [[Shin-Takasegawa Pumped Storage Station#Nanakura Dam|Nanakura Dam]], but this scheme was abandoned.<ref>{{cite book |author=Shiv Narayan |title=The Parbati River Project |work=Hydro-electric installations of India |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.31175012182906&view=1up&seq=202 |page=182 |date=1922}}</ref>

== Permanent way ==
The track was {{convert|30|lb/yd|kg/m|abbr=on}} [[Rail profile#Flat bottomed rail|flat-bottomed]] steel rails laid on a mix of [[Shorea robusta|Sal wood]] and iron sleepers. The minimum radius curve on the line was {{convert|955|ft|m}} and the steepest gradient was 1 in 40.<ref>{{cite book |title=The railway year book |date=1903 |page=261 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433012635631&view=1up&seq=377 |location=London |publisher=Railway Publishing Co., Ltd.}}</ref>

== Locomotives ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Number
!Builder
!Works number
!Image
![[Whyte notation|Wheel arrangement]]
!Date built
!Date scrapped
!Notes
|-
|
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|
|[[File:Gawlior Light Railway original locomotive.png|200px]]
|{{whyte|0-4-2|T}}
|1893
|
|The railway's original locomotive<ref name=LocoReview/>
|-
|1
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|
|[[File:Gwalior Light Railway, Kerr Stuart locos.png|200px]]
|{{whyte|0-6-4|T}}
|
|
|<ref name=LocoReview/>
|-
|2
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|
|
|{{whyte|0-6-4|T}}
|
|
|<ref name=LocoReview/>
|-
|3
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|
|
|{{whyte|0-6-4|T}}
|
|
|<ref name=LocoReview/>
|-
|4
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|
|
|{{whyte|0-6-4|T}}
|
|
|<ref name=LocoReview/>
|-
|5
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|
|
|{{whyte|4-6-0}}
|1904
|
|<ref name=LocoReview/>
|-
|6
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|
|
|{{whyte|4-6-0}}
|1904
|
|<ref name=LocoReview/>
|-
|7
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|
|[[File:Gwalior Light Railway locomotive No. 7.png|200px]]
|{{whyte|4-6-0}}
|1904
|
|<ref name=LocoReview/>
|-
|8
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|
|
|{{whyte|4-6-0}}
|1904
|
|<ref name=LocoReview/>
|-
|9
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|
|
|{{whyte|4-6-0}}
|1904
|
|<ref name=LocoReview/>
|-
|10
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|
|
|{{whyte|4-6-0}}
|1904
|
|<ref name=LocoReview/>
|-
|11
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|
|
|{{whyte|4-6-0}}
|1904
|
|<ref name=LocoReview/>
|-
|12
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|
|
|{{whyte|4-6-0}}
|1904
|
|<ref name=LocoReview/>
|-
|18
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|
|
|{{whyte|4-6-0}}
|1915
|
|<ref>{{cite news |title=2-8-2 Locomotives, Gwalior Light Railway |work=Locomotive Magazine |volume=XXII |date=15 August 1916 |pages=153-154}}</ref>
|-
|
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|
|[[File:Gwalior Light Railway Kerr Stuart locomotive.png|200px]]
|{{whyte|2-8-2}}
|1917
|
|<ref>{{cite news |title=An Indian Light Railway Locomotive |work=The Railway Magazine |volume=41 |date=1917 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101076428851&view=1up&seq=323}}</ref>
|-
|26
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|4400
|
|{{whyte|2-8-2}}
|1928
|
|<ref name=Gazette/>
|-
|27
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|4401
|
|{{whyte|2-8-2}}
|1928
|
|<ref name=Gazette/>
|-
|28
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|4402
|
|{{whyte|2-8-2}}
|1928
|
|<ref name=Gazette/>
|-
|29
|[[Kerr, Stuart and Company]]
|4403
|
|{{whyte|2-8-2}}
|1928
|
|<ref name=Gazette>{{cite news |title=Locomotive for the Gwalior Light Railways |work=The Railway Gazette |date=19 April 1929}}</ref>
|-
|34
|[[W. G. Bagnall]]
|2453
|
|{{whyte|4-6-2}}
|1931
|
|<ref name=engineer1933>{{cite news |title=Two-Foot Gauge Locomotive for India |work=The Engineer |volume=153 |issue=6 |date=5 February 1932 |pages=164-165}}</ref>
|-
|35
|[[W. G. Bagnall]]
|2454
|
|{{whyte|4-6-2}}
|1931
|
|<ref name=engineer1933/>
|-
|36
|[[W. G. Bagnall]]
|2455
|
|{{whyte|4-6-2}}
|1931
|
|<ref name=engineer1933/>
|-
|37
|[[W. G. Bagnall]]
|2456
|
|{{whyte|4-6-2}}
|1931
|
|<ref name=engineer1933/>
|-
|38
|[[W. G. Bagnall]]
|2457
|
|{{whyte|4-6-2}}
|1931
|
|<ref name=engineer1933/>Preserved on the [[Vale of Rheidol Light Railway]]<ref name=VORRMC>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rheidolrailway.co.uk/museum-collection/|title=Vale of Rheidol Railway Museum Collection|date=|accessdate=2 June 2019|publisher=Vale of Rheidol Railway}}</ref>
|-
|39
|[[W. G. Bagnall]]
|2458
|
|{{whyte|4-6-2}}
|1931
|
|<ref name=engineer1933/>
|-
|40
|[[W. G. Bagnall]]
|2459
|
|{{whyte|4-6-2}}
|1931
|
|<ref name=engineer1933/>
|-
|41
|[[W. G. Bagnall]]
|2460
|
|{{whyte|4-6-2}}
|1931
|
|<ref name=engineer1933/>Preserved on the [[Vale of Rheidol Light Railway]]<ref name=VORRMC/>
|-
|42
|[[Baldwin Locomotive Works]]
|74071
|
|{{whyte|2-8-2}}
|1948
|1995
|<ref name=ifrca-baldwin>{{cite web |title=Vital statistics of locomotive No. 43 built by Baldwin Locomotive Works (NH/4 757) for Scindia State Railway (later Gwalior Light Railway). |url=https://www.irfca.org/gallery/Steam/narrowgaugesteam/preindependenceng/img187.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1 |publisher=Indian Railways Fan Club}}</ref>NH/4 class
|-
|43
|[[Baldwin Locomotive Works]]
|
|
|{{whyte|2-8-2}}
|1948
|
|<ref name=ifrca-baldwin/>NH/4 class. Preserved.
|-
|44
|[[Baldwin Locomotive Works]]
|
|
|{{whyte|2-8-2}}
|1948
|1995
|<ref name=ifrca-baldwin/>NH/4 class
|-
|45
|[[Baldwin Locomotive Works]]
|
|
|{{whyte|2-8-2}}
|1948
|1995
|<ref name=ifrca-baldwin/>NH/4 class
|-
|
|[[Nippon Sharyo]]
|
|
|{{whyte|2-8-2}}
|1959
|
|NH/5 class
|-
|
|[[Nippon Sharyo]]
|
|
|{{whyte|2-8-2}}
|1959
|
|NH/5 class
|-
|
|[[Nippon Sharyo]]
|
|
|{{whyte|2-8-2}}
|1959
|
|NH/5 class
|-
|
|[[Nippon Sharyo]]
|
|
|{{whyte|2-8-2}}
|1959
|
|NH/5 class
|}

== Conversion to broad gauge==
The [[Gwalior]]–[[Bhind]] section and the [[Gwalior]]–[[Shivpuri]] section were converted to {{track gauge|1676mm|allk=on}} [[broad gauge]] in the early 2010s. The [[Gwalior]]–[[Sheopur]] Kalan section is under conversion to {{track gauge|1676mm|allk=on}} [[broad gauge]] as of 2020.<ref>[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/heritage-narrow-gauge-rail-track-to-chug-into-history/articleshow/77531972.cms Heritage narrow gauge rail track to chug into history]</ref><ref>[https://lifestyle.livemint.com/news/talking-point/western-railway-is-killing-off-the-last-of-its-toy-trains-111608022543082.html Western Railway is killing off the last of its 'toy trains']</ref>

==See also==
* [[Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Gwalior topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gwalior Light Railway}}
[[Category:Transport in Gwalior]]
[[Category:2 ft gauge railways in India]]
[[Category:Defunct railway companies of India]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1907]]
[[Category:History of Gwalior]]
[[Category:1907 establishments in India]]
[[Category:2020 disestablishments in India]]
[[Category:Railway lines closed in 2020]]

Gwalior Light Railway - Revision history

>Rdp060707 at 05:53, 19 June 2021