Cochin State Forest Tramway
{{Short description|Indian cable railway (1907–1963)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox rail line
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| name = Cochin State Forest Tramway
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| image = Cochin State Forest Tramway - Part of the main line with empty train on a grade. (Scientific American, 26 February 1910, p. 184-185).jpg
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| caption = Switchback on the main line
| type = Tramway
| system =
| status = closed
| locale = Palakkad and Thrissur Districts, State of Cochin
| start = Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary
| end = Chalakudy
| stations = 16
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| open = {{Start date|1907|df=y}}
| yearcommenced = {{Start date|1905|10|03|df=y}}
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| close = {{Start date|1963|df=y}}
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| linelength_km = 79.5
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| gauge = {{Track gauge|1000mm|allk=on}}
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The line in 1944 {{Cochin State Forest Tramway }}
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{{Infobox company
|name =
|location_city = Chalakudy
|location_country = India
|key_people = Rama Varma XV
|revenue = Rs 17.5 lakhs
|operating_income = Rs 2 lakhs
}}
The Cochin State Forest Tramway was a {{RailGauge|1000mm|allk=on}}[http://irfca.org/articles/CochinStateForestTramwayJournal.doc "Journal on the Cochin State Forest Tramway."] (*.doc file) Retrieved on 10 September 2020.{{cite news
|url=http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/04/stories/2010010455160600.htm |last1=Prabhakaran |first1=G.
|title=Tramway to a trade empire
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517120602/http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/04/stories/2010010455160600.htm
|access-date=2020-09-11|url-status=dead
|work=The Hindu
|date=2010-01-04
|archive-date=17 May 2014
|url=http://newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/article1410735.ece
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517140257/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/article1410735.ece
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=17 May 2014
|title=Public to get glimpses of the marvel of erstwhile tramway
|publisher=The New Indian Express
|access-date=2013-03-17}} cable railway line that ran from the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary in Palakkad District to the town of Chalakudy in Thrissur District in India. Operating from 1907 to 1963, it served the State of Cochin and brought prosperity by enabling the transport of teak and rosewood from the forest into town. These goods could then be exported abroad.
History
=Inception=
The idea of a forest tramway was put forward by J.C. Kolhoff, first Conservator of Forests of the city of Cochin, and was implemented by V. Alwar Chetty, a forest officer on special duty. British officers Haldwell and Floukes performed the initial survey and route. R.E. Haffield was the first tramway engineer who cleared the forests and laid down the lines. The tramway was built during the rule of Rama Varma XV, Maharaja of Cochin (1895 to 1914). Sir Oliver Russell, 2nd Baron Ampthill, the Governor of Madras, inaugurated its construction on 3 October 1905. The tramway began operating in 1907. On 26 June 1907, the Maharaja of Cochin passed the Cochin Forest Tramway Act, which provided for the protection and management of the tramway.
=Tram routes=
The tramway was divided into three sections: the first started from Chalakudy and ended at Anapantham, covering a length of 21 miles; the second ran from Kavalai to Pothupara, covering six miles; and the third ran from Komalapara to Chinnar, covering 22.5 miles. The total length of tramway was 49.5 miles (79.5 km).
=Machinery=
Chalakudy used to house the tramway workshop and timber yard. The section had two locomotives to pull the trucks and saloons. The locomotives, rolling stock and machinery for the tramway were supplied by Orenstein and Koppel of Germany. P&W MacLennan of the U.K. supplied the bridges and culverts. K.R. Menon was the last tramway engineer. The tramway system had double lines and worked on rollers and cables. Empty wagons were rolled up while loaded wagons were pushed down along the other rails.Edward Harran: [https://zenodo.org/record/1923056/files/article.pdf "The Cochin Forest Railway. In: Scientific American," 26 February 1910, p. 184-185.] Retrieved 10 September 2020.
=Demise=
In 1926, the special finance committee recommended the abolition of the tramway, but was rejected by the Government in 1928. Another special committee was set up in 1950 under the chairmanship of the Chief Conservator of Forests, which recommended discontinuing of the tramway. In 1953, another commission was appointed but given the report that tramway should be revived at any cost. Finally in 1963, after serving 56 years and making modern Cochin Port a present-day commercial harbour and Cochin City, the economic hub, the Cochin State Forest Tramway was abolished on the basis of a special finance committee report.
The staff was absorbed in various departments of Government.
Legacy
The tramway was an engineering wonder in that period for South India. The money was used for building ports, bridges, roads, colleges, schools, etc. Cochin Port, a major port on the Arabian Sea – Indian Ocean sea-route, was constructed by the earnings from the tramway. Willingdon Island, which was created during construction of Cochin Port, was also bankrolled by tramway revenues.
Rama Varma XV of Cochin.JPG| Rama Varma XV was the brain behind the idea of Cochin State Forest Tramway
Cochin State Forest Tramway - Incline 02.jpg| A section of the Tramway without locomotives
Cochin State Forest Tramway - Incline.jpg| Steep incline section of the Tram
Kochi City-sizzling port-W.ISLAND, that's created by Lord Bristow.jpg| Cochin Port, the cherry in Kerala's growth, was constructed from the earnings of the tramway
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
Further reading
- {{cite periodical |last1=Jackson |first1=Harold V. |title=The Cochin State Forest Tramway |magazine=The Industrial Railway Record |date=August 1971 |issue=38 |pages=104-105 |url=http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/38/Cochin.htm |publisher=www.irsociety.co.uk}}
- Travel article: [https://archive.today/20130411143944/http://traveller.outlookindia.com/issuecontent1.aspx?id=150&flag=issuehome "Forest Track", Outlook Traveller (November 2006).] Text and photographs by Sanjiv Valsan "The mountain route of the long forgotten Cochin State Forest Tramway is reborn as a jungle trail."
- {{cite book |last1=Joseph |first1=Sebastian |title=Cochin forests and the British techno-ecological imperialism in India |date=2016 |publisher=Primus |location=Delhi |isbn=9789384082659}}
- From UC College, Aluva, Department of History: [https://web.archive.org/web/20110511044446/http://uccollege.edu.in/history/news/cochin-forests-and-the-british/ An extract from the "Environmental History" chapter of Dr. Sebastian Joseph's 2010 thesis, Cochin Forests and the British], submitted as part of the Kerala Council for Historical Research's (KCHR) Post-Doctoral Fellowship. The thesis was the basis of above 2016 book.
External links
- {{URL|https://zenodo.org/record/1923056/files/article.pdf|Edward Harran 26 February 2010}}
- {{URL|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L2j5HFW-k8|2=A short film about the Tram line}}
{{Trams in India}}
{{Railways in Southern India}}
Category:Tram transport in India
Category:Metre-gauge railways in India
Category:Defunct railway companies of India
Category:Transport in Palakkad district
Category:Transport in Thrissur
Category:History of Thrissur district
Category:Railway companies established in 1907
Category:Railway companies disestablished in 1963