Sierra Leone Government Railway
| Sierra Leone Government Railway | |
|---|---|
| legal form | |
| founding | 1897 |
| resolution | 1974 |
| Seat |
Freetown , Sierra Leone
|
| Branch | traffic |
| As of May 14, 2020 | |
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Sierra Leone Government Railway (SLR) was the state operator and owner of the railway network in Sierra Leone, West Africa , from 1897 until the network was closed in 1974 .
background
SLR linked Freetown , Bo , Kenema and Daru . A branch led to Makeni .
Freetown's 5.5 mile urban network was served by the Sierra Leone Mountain Railway . In addition, there was an industrially used rail network in Kapspur from 1933 to 1975 and from 2011 , which was operated by the Sierra Leone Development Corporation Railway .
From the 1960s onwards, due to increasing road transport, the demand for rail transport decreased significantly. In order to revive, among other things, a route for the transport of minerals was planned as well as the conversion of the gauge of 762 mm. However, the United Nations recommended the setting, which began in 1968 with the branch line to Makeni, continued via Kenema-Pandembu in 1971 and was completed until 1974 by Bo. The SLR was wound up.
Locomotives
steam
From 1897, two 0-6-0T from the Hunslet Engine Company were initially used. This was followed a year later by the 2-6-2T, which were used in large numbers until the steam operation was discontinued in 1954.
Five Hunslet 2-8-2T were commissioned in 1906 and two 4-8-0 by Nasmyth, Wilson and Company in 1910. By 1921 the SLR had 21 4-8-0s, which were also built by the North British Locomotive Company and Hawthorn, Leslie & Company . In 1926, 2-6-2 + 2-6-2 Garratts were purchased from Beyer, Peacock and Company . At the same time, the 2-8-2T were retired.
During the Second World War in 1942 six Garratts and twenty 4-8-0s of were WG Bagnall and Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. bought. Six 2-8-0 were transferred to the SLR by South India Railways . In addition, five of the 2-6-2 + 2-6-2 Garratts were converted to 2-8-0 + 0-8-2. In 1956 fourteen 4-8-2 + 2-8-4 Garratts from Beyer-Peacock followed.
In 1950 almost the entire equipment of the SLR was renewed. Among other things, 155 freight wagons were purchased. The transport of goods and people increased significantly in these years. For independence in 1961, the SLR received 45 passenger cars as a gift from the United Kingdom .
diesel
From 1954, the first diesel locomotives were acquired from the SLR in parallel . There were initially three 0-8-0 from Hudswell Clarke , of which five more were put into service six years later. In 1958 and 1961, 24 2-8-2 were purchased.
When the SLR closed, it still had five steam locomotives and four diesel locomotives.
Special occurrences
In 1926 the workers of the SLR started a strike demonstrating against the discriminatory treatment against black employees. This lasted six weeks and led to the cessation of operations. The goals were not achieved, instead the strikers were punished with wage cuts and overtime.
During the Second World War , the operation of the railway became more important. Among other things, combat aircraft were dismantled, transported by the SLR to the terminus and assembled there for use in Egypt .
literature
- Phillip Beale, Vic Mitchell: Sierra Leone Narrow Gauge . Middleton Press, Midhurst, West Sussex, UK 2004, ISBN 9781904474289 .
- Anthony Coulls: Sierra Leone: Railway Adventure . Holne Publishing, Leeds, UK 2014, ISBN 9780956331779 .
- D. Trever Rowe: The Sierra Leone Government Railway , in: Locomotives International , No. 41, December 1997-January 1998.
- G. Thorne: Scrapbook of Narrow Gauge Drawings , 7mm Narrow Gauge Association, 1996.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Railways in Sierra Leone. Sinfin.net, accessed July 25, 2013 , 2011
- ↑ RailwaysAfrica , September 2009, p. 14