Darjeeling Himalayan Railway: The Origins

Reverse No. 5, seen here soon after completion, was constructed in 1883 as Reverse No. 3.

Historically, the origins of the DHR dates back to 1878, when Franklin Prestage, an agent of the then Eastern Bengal Railway (EBR), proposed a hill tramway of two-foot gauge (610mm), following the Hill Cart Road from Siliguri to Darjeeling. The EBR had interests in developing rail links to the town as they and the North Bengal State Railway operated the respective broad and metre-gauge systems connecting Calcutta to Siliguri (both systems merged to become the East Bengal State Railway by 1887).

Construction of the railway by the Darjeeling Steam Tramway Co. commenced in 1879, the work being carried out simultaneously on unconnected sections to enable completion in the quickest possible time.

Kurseong town, seen here in 1942, is considered to be the half-way point and it is certainly worth putting on extra clothing as the temperature drops.

The line finally reached Darjeeling in July 1881, and in September the company’s name was changed to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Co.

A short extension to Darjeeling Bazaar was built in 1885, and in 1889 the first ‘B’ Class locomotives began to arrive, a design which was to stamp its mark indelibly on the DHR.

Managing agents were appointed to oversee legal and financial matters and the firm of Messrs Gillanders Arbuthnot and Co. of Calcutta was engaged. This relationship endured for over 50 years, until the DHR was effectively nationalised and taken over by Indian Government railways, in 1948.

Reverse No. 6, seen here in its early days, was constructed in 1883 as Reverse No.4.

The steep slopes of the Himalayan foothills presented a major challenge to the line’s builders. This led to two significant types of engineering works being used; the loop and the ‘Z’ reverse. These enabled the line to attain height within the power and adhesion limitations of the locomotives of the day. Despite the use of these methods the ruling gradient of the line is between 1 in 16 and 1 in 22 – amazing for an adhesion railway.

The choice of the two-foot gauge for the DHR was influenced by the terrain, but also because a set of engineering principles for hill railways had, at the time the DHR was proposed, been published by Charles Spooner who also had connections with the Ffestiniog railway in Wales – another steeply graded line.

This is a view of the retaining wall at Rangtong station in 2009 during following a minor landslip.

When the line was built, this was a gentle slope. Movement of the hillside continues even today and locomotive crews keep a watchful eye on the gap as trains take the curve into the station.

Clinging to the sides of the foothills, as the line does, the DHR faces a major and never-ending challenge in coping with the annual heavy monsoon rains.

The railway and Hill Cart Road need constant repair and the number and siting of the loops and reverses (Z's) have changed significantly over the years, so caution should be exercised when attempting to locate them from descriptions in older books and articles as their numbers change.

The original loop number one, seen here at the end of freight operations, in 1987.

The loop was washed out during the monsoon of 1991 and not replaced. Instead, the line now has a much more severe incline.

Remains of the bridge can be seen even today, if you know where to look.

Chunbhati, Chunbatti, Chunbhatti or even Choonbatty in early documents – however you spell it, all are in common use but Chunbhatti is correct for Nepali pronunciation.

What is certain however, is that this famous loop is now loop No. 1, so, as usual, one has to ignore any numbering written before 1992. Such are the constant changes of this railway. Chunbhati was loop No. 3 until the 1942 monsoon, and No. 2 until 1992.

The landslip of 1998 devastated Pagla Jhora (Raging Torrent). Not for the first time either. The DHR line crosses this waterfall twice. A mere trickle in winter, it is a devastating force during the monsoons.

The picture shows the scene during its reconstruction in early 1999. It had to be crossed by a handful of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society Members, a 13-year-old Lauren Jenni Charlesworth among them, in a small bus. A hair-raising experience!

This picture by David Charlesworth shows lower Pagla Jhora, this time in November 2016. It is the same location as in the 1999 picture shown previously.

The ability for the landscape and the railway to recover is astonishing.

Just before the aforementioned Pagla Jhora, is 14th mile, as seen here in 2011. A major landslip closed the line for five years. The edge of the Hill Cart Road and DHR track can be seen in the centre, with the houses and people standing on the edge.

A view of the 14th mile slip, from 2016.

Now open and with trains running, this view, from close to the village of Mahanadi, clearly shows the scale of the devastation and the railway in the landscape.

An up train on the Teesta Valley line, approaching the Kali River bridge. These bridges have been replaced by a new one a little higher up the valley.

Between 1914 and 1915, two branches opened from Siliguri westwards to Kishanganj and north-eastwards to Kalimpong Road in the Teesta Valley.

By 1949, most of the Kishanganj branch was converted to metre-gauge and linked with then Bengal & Assam Railway Company’s lines to Barsoi Junction and then Manihari Ghat, on the banks of the Ganges.

The Teesta Valley line was washed away in the severe floods of 1950.

In recent years Indian Railways has begun to devote more resources and management oversight to the DHR, which is to be welcomed given the historic status of the line underpinned by its UNESCO listing (in 1999).

Refurbishment of the steam locomotives and new blood in the form of more diesel locomotives indicates that the future of the DHR, including the retention of steam-hauled trains on some workings, can be contemplated with a greater degree of optimism than was thought when the line reached its nadir in the 1990s. It is truly fortunate that in the 21st century passengers can still ride on this engineering marvel and, if travelling by steam train, the journey will be very much like the one undertaken by our forefathers over one hundred years ago.

An Oil painting by David Charlesworth GRA of Reverse No. 3, just below Tindharia. It was originally Reverse No. 1.

The wonderful railway to Darjeeling and its history creates a feeling of excitement, adventure and drama in every visitor and traveler. This is constantly shown in the form of art, photography and cinema.