'ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1860-61' [‎35v] (66/164)

[Bombay^
PUBLIC WORKS—RAILWAY.
SIND RAILWAY.
miles of permanent waylaid, the workshops just commencea, ana a tair quantity
of rolling stock ready.
The works have been departmentally carried on, with the exception of the
central district, which was let in June last to Messrs. Swan and Appleby; and
the nrooress on all has been very creditable, considering the difficulties of
*. , wntpr. few supplies, and few inhabitants.
man or beast.
On the 1st May the road was laid through from Kotree to Kurrachee
Station 108 miles long; almost all the fencing was finished, all the bridges
but three, and all the main works of the line, were completed: it was not,
however fit for public traffic, both for want of this fencing and for signals, and
other securities at stations and sidings; and these necessary provisions were not
supplied till the 13th May, when, three years after its commencement, the line
was opened with the usual formalities.
The masonry of the stone bridges is particularly good ; one viaduct over
the Bahrun, 600 yards long, deserves special notice for its design, the excel
lence of its work, and the rapidity with which it was executed. Six of the larger
bridges are of Warren’s Girder, laid upon masonry piers ; one is on plate girders;
all have been subjected to the usual tests. The road is in excellent condition,
the banks and the ballast being of first-rate material; the permanent way is of
the usual kind, viz. double-headed rails connected by fish-plates, supported on
wooden cross sleepers. Deodar has been much used for the latter, lire line is
single from the workshops to Kotree, and when finished will be double from
Keeamaree to the workshops, 5 miles. A very complete range of Locomotive
and Carriage Workshops have been finished at Kurrachee, and machinery for all
species of work erected; they are too good, too extensive and expensive for a
line 112 miles long.
At Kotree, a Steam Ferry has been started in the past year, for the
accommodation of passengers from Hydrabad; it has broken down once or twice,
though it has not yet been exposed to the inundation freshes, but all deficien
cies are now, it may be hoped, repaired.
Of works in progress and not finished, are :—
The extension of the main line to Keeamaree (the seaport of Kurrachee;,
3 miles long.^—This has been delayed for want of the iron work required to bridge
over the opening, which has to be left, in order to carry out the scheme of the
Kurrachee works.