Whenever I have debarked at the Jamalpur station from Howrah,I have felt like brushing out the cobweb of memories,somehow playing the tune of “The Swami”(If I guessed right!!) in my mind so a kaleidoscope of images hit my senses and pineal subconsciousness.
Once you are out of the station ,one sees some of the biggest rickshaws (with some seats slipping out) ,an erstwhile product of the the Raj (beckoning at you with those quaint rubber horns) jostling for space with the trekkers going to Monghyr, Buses going to Kiul and other places in a 30 kilometer vicinity and yes probably that one bus (KumarBhai).
A rickshaw will charge roughly 10-15 rupees to most of the places but still bargain.It is worth it as in other places across the orient and beyond!!Moving forward you will find the oldest tailoring shop in Jamalpur(Dressco) run by a centurion an easy six footer ,with dark eyes and a mehndi beard extending up to his chest….!!
When I was in school when I did not know about hair dye I thought he got the beard colored by chewing on a lot of betel and it was practically dried betel juice!!No offence but that was me then…
Move forward and you hit the tea shops in a row .If you went inside you could hear snitches of what went on in the darker sides of Jamalpur but they made an excellent glass of lemon tea…!!
The biggest landmark this side of Jamalpur is the Jubilee Well, …Yes!! There is a pucca well in the middle of the road and it is a fork from where the left one went to Monghyr and the other went to the Railway Colony of the sahibs!
Once on the railway bridge you get an idea of the expanse of Jamalpur!!The white building you see at 11 O Clock with a NtD on top is Notre Dame Academy.But that is another epic story I guess!!
If you went to Jamalpur ,you had be pleasantly surprised to see all the roads named after the British Royalty .So now once you are coming down on the other side of the railway bridge(Badi Pool) on the left you will see once of those structures resembling world war II hangars .It is the cinema hall called the National Institute catering to the natives who came for the movies ,some cards,a small library but most of the times just to loiter,chat and stretch after a day;s toil at the Railway workshop.
O ….I do have stories for this place as well…just wait …but that is another generation ,once that came to Jamalpur in the 50s and 60s for season change,love ,a job and not necessarily in that order.
So now you see the Albert Road on the left after the National Institute ,you have the austere Notre Dame School building rising out and then the post office in front and the I.W(Inspector of Works) office in the right.
So now let me take the second longest road in Jamalpur.The ALBERT Road
As you pass the school on the right and the Jamalpur Municipalilty office on the left,what you will love is the defunct steam roller on which some generations of Notre Dame guys have played. Another relic from the Raj days may be….at least I like to romanticize that way.Move forward to find the East Colony Bank.Even though it is now shifted to the first floor the tea shop beside it of Jadav ji is a place you cannot miss. Dark,dingy,old world….that’s it!!His son Raju now has grey stubbles so what.Behind them is an entrance to th Notre Dame schoold dispensary and post that you have a saloon, Priya Studio,a liquor shop(may be it is no longer there) , an old ration shop with stairs winding up to no where and a big banyan tree.
Take a right and you will be on the workshop road but i will stick to my road.The next stop is Hira Mode.There used to be a hira’s hotel which used to supply the brown sahibs with jalebis anmd sweet meats.The last i saw it smelt of dank sweat,burnt wood,two mangy dogs ,a dry tube well and an old man sleeping ….Just beside it you have the star hotel of Jamalpur the erstwhile Madras Coffee House .They used to sell only idli dosas but now they have some accommodation rooms as well .
More to continues…
Patna: His father migrated to Britain from India decades ago and he speaks only broken Hindi. But Michael Luis Jans, a London-based software engineer, is in Bihar with his entire family looking for his ancestral roots and long-lost relatives.
Michael, in his 50s, says his family is the third generation descendant of Radhamohan, who lived and worked in the railway factory in Jamalpur town, about 200 km from here, in the early 19th century. And that’s where he arrived last week.
“My father Albert Luis migrated to England along with an English official before India’s independence and settled there. We lost connection with our relatives decades ago in the last century itself. Now we want to know them and are visiting Bihar,” Michael told IANS over telephone. Read the rest of this entry »
A group of robbers shot dead a train driver and looted cash and valuables worth Rs one lakh in Kolkata-Gorakhpur Poorvanchal Express at Lakhisarai district, police said today.
” Moti Lal Yadav, a Railways driver posted in Kolkata was shot dead by robbers near Kunder station in Jhajha-Kiul section last night when he resisted them from boarding the train. Yadav was on way to his native place in Deoria district of Uttar Pradesh,”superintendent of Railway police (Jamalpur) Vimal Kumar said.
About 20 robbers boarded the train at Jhajha railway station around 9 pm and robbed the passengers of two airconditioned coaches as soon as it left the platform, he said.
After looting the passengers, they pulled the alarm chain and disembarked near Kunder station, Kumar said.
An FIR has been registered by GRP, he said, adding that one of the suspects has been picked up for questioning.
The Railway age in Eastern India started on August 15, 1854
The Railway age in Eastern India started on August 15, 1854, exactly ninety-three years before Independence. A locomotive, carriage and wagon workshop was set up in Howrah to put to commission imported rolling stock of EIR and also to render economic repairs to them. The railways spread very fast, perhaps faster than the anticipation of EIR. Within a short span of eight years, it became necessary to shift the site of shop, as there was hardly any scope for expansion at Howrah.
Jamalpur Workshop
The British chose Jamalpur as the new site of this workshop due to ready availability of skilled workers who were descendants of acclaimed gun makers and fabricators of weapons of steel for the Nawabs of Bengal and Orissa. Jamalpur is also geographically well located, on the western side of a hill range while the Ganges flow 7 KMs north of it.
The workshop has a number of FIRSTS to its credit, a few of which are: -
The FIRST to manufacture a steam locomotive and a locomotive boiler- 216 of which were manufactured between 1899 and 1923.
The FIRST to have set up a rolling mill not only on the railways, but probably in the country in 1870.
The FIRST to establish a railway foundry in the year 1863.
The FIRST to manufacture a rail crane in the country with indigenous know-how in 1961.
The FIRST to manufacture high capacity electrical lifting jacks and ticket printing, ticket chopping, ticket slitting and ticket counting machines.
The FIRST and the only railway workshop to manufacture electrical arc furnaces of ½ tonne in 1961 for production of steel castings.
This is the only workshop in the country manufacturing 140 T ART cranes for Railways to-day.
The gradual eclipse of steam traction on Indian Railways, steam locomotive activities, which had peaked at 600 Standard units per month in 1962-63, started declining in the late 60’s and finally the steam activities came to a complete end in August ’92. The closure of steam activities was to some extent overcome with the switching over to the repair of Diesel Locomotives, repair of unloadable wagons and manufacture of Diesel Hydraulic B.D. Cranes and Tower Cars.
Jamalpur Workshop has the proud privilege of being the only railway workshop , where broad gauge cranes for railway’s use are manufactured. This is the only railway workshop where large, microprocessor controlled 140-Ton capacity break down cranes for Indian Railways are manufactured indigenously with very little import content.
This workshop has completed over 140 years of glorious performance and dedicated service to the Nation. Ironically it stands alone in the Industrial desert of the northern part of Bihar in general and in Munger District in particular.
This is the only workshop in Indian Railways to have been equipped with its own 5 MVA power house.
The first to manufacture a steam locomotive
(The first one, CA 764 ‘Lady Curzon’, was produced in 1899.) at a cost of Rs. 33,000/- which served for 33 years. The manufacture of Steam locomotive was stopped in the year 1923 .
Jamalpur Workshop built 216 locomotives and locomotive boilers – between 1899 and 1923.
The first to have set up a rolling mill not only on the railways, but probably in the country in 1870.(now closed)The first to establish a railway foundry in the year 1893.
The first to build a rail- travelling crane in India with indigenous know-how in 1961.
The first to manufacture high capacity synchronised electrically operated lifting jacks popularly known as “Jamalpur jacks” in 1962 and ticket printing, ticket chopping, ticket slitting and ticket counting machines.
The first and the only railway workshop to manufacture electrical arc furnaces of ½ tonne capacity in 1961 for production of steel casting
‘The Express’ – the sister of ‘Fairy Queen’ built 1855.
Amunition valley - Jamalpur
I came across this wonderful resource : Railway Colonies in India by John Alton Price
First locomotive on East Indian Railway
When quite a child in India I had gathered, from the odd word I happened to overhear, or the odd attitude one observed when the subject of Railways was mentioned there seemed to be an antipathy towards ‘those Railway people’.
Forest Camp Jamalpur, Bihar
This rather upset me and I thought the attitude was somewhat curious, not to say unfair. I found out as I grew older and a bit more knowledgeable that the Railway people were considered a bit ‘Racy’ and not quite up to the mark or shall we say a bit common. In much later days I was to discover for myself that these opinions were positively unfair and rather, or downright ignorant. I had in my ‘growing up’ days had very little contact with railway people in India, except for the occasional meeting through rail travel.
Railway Siding in Jamalpur
Sunday walk - hills near Jamalpur
During my service in the Military I was to be Posted to a quite important Railway Station called Jamalpur, in Bihar. It was early May 1942 and our Unit was transported to a wooded area to set up Camp.
Railway line past No 2 sub-depot
I was to discover that Jamalpur had the third largest Railway Workshop in the World (or so I was told) and was responsible for the training of Railway Engineers who came to the Workshops after they had passed out of their particular schools of academia. Consequently most male members of the town were Railway Engineers of one kind or another, However high or low in status I found them most agreeable. I was never able to have a guided tour of the workshops but I’m sure the inner workings of the railway would have been interesting. In the front of the Workshop buildings, on a three foot high pedestal was placed a Locomotive which happened to be the first Engine to ride the rails of The East Indian Railways. I have a photo of the beautiful machine.
Some times a question hunts the mind why a place like Jamalpur was selected as a site for EIR Company’s Locomotive Workshops.
Jamalpur was at a very far distance from the Bengal and Bihar coalfields, which was the most important criterion for selecting the place for locomotive workshop way back in 1860s. The place is also off the mainline of EIR. The most mportant fatal draw back was the place has no natural water supply. This can be construed as a great blunder on the part of EIR.
The probable reasons for selecting the place may be listed as follows:-The place was adjacent to Munghyr, which was that time considered as “Birmingham of the East.”
There would be a plentiful supply of skilled mechanics from Munghyr because inhabitants of Munghyr had been the mechanics by trade for centuries, famous for manufacturing of iron wares, guns, pistols, spears and other works
When the selection was made it was probably thought that Jamalpur would be on the proposed mainline of EIR which was subsequently changed and was directed to Delhi via Ranigunj, Gaya, Mughalsarai, Allahabad and Kanpur.
Initially, Jamalpur was only a engine changing station and light repairs were done in the running shed there. The original headquarters of the locomotive department of EIR was located at Howrah had a great draw back because it was too confined for extensions as and when needed. At Howrah, the original workshop was supposed to handle building of locomotives, carriage and wagons.
Mr. John Strachan, late Locomotive Supdt. of EIR Company as accounted for the cause of the removal of locomotive workshops from Howrah to Jamalpur. It was in the early 60s (1860) that Mr. D.W. Campbell decided to remove the workshop to Jamalpur and this was because the drivers and fitters giving troubles. They were all covenanted men from England who had left their families, and hotels and billiard rooms were their only amusement. It was not in common for them to leave the shops during working hours and adjourn to a hotel “then situated opposite the Railway Station, Howrah”. Kept by a very old Ship Steward named Bobby Deans who could always give them something to eat as well as something to drink and a game of billiards. There were also several other places of amusements in Howrah and Calcutta to which men could go and among these, was a place known as Wilson’s Coffee Room.
One day Mr. Campbell was returning from weekly meeting at the Agents Office (29,Theatre Road) happened to call at Wilson’s Coffee Room for Tiffin and their he found three of his Principal Workshop Foremen and two Engine Drivers enjoying themselves in rather a boisterous manner. They also asked him to join them in having a peg. What he said in reply has never been recorded, but the men there quickly retired and after that Mr. Campbell never rested until he had the workshops and the locomotive workshop officers removed from Howrah to Jamalpur.
At the early stages different narratives have stated that there were 26 foremen and Asstt. Foreman and about 180 Europeans and East Indian Mechanics of which a large portion was recruited directly from England. The whole staff was housed in quarters built by EIR at Jamalpur and live within easy distance of the workshop. There were also other buildings, a church, Roman Catholic chapel, Mechanics Institute, Swimming Bath, Hospitals with separate buildings for infectious diseases. A school for children of the employees both European and Indian. There were also a building house in which 40 Europeans and East Indian Apprentices could be lodged and cared under the charge of resident Master and Matron. It was for the first time in India that a system of training indentured apprentices was conceived and implemented. Initially, recruitment of sub-ordinate services grade was done by introduction of men from England that gradually suitable staff trained in the workshop were inducted to take the appointments and expenditure of importing men was saved. Jamalpur was also the headquarters of East Indian Volunteer Rifles with about 2300 strong personnel and necessary armoury and headquarters staff in Jamalpur. It is still there in the form Territorial Army Organisation of Eastern Railway.
The Gymkhana at Jamalpur which later became a renowned school of Railway officers was started during this period for the recreational facilities.
Among the hectic activities during early 1900, the workshop was equipped and developed in manufacturing of locomotives, in addition to several other small jobs for Engineering Stores, Collieries ( EIR had its own Collieries at this time ) Carriage & Wagons Departments, cast iron sleepers, all signalling and interlocking gears, posts, cranes, etc.
A few important shops which are no more now are listed below.
STEEL FOUNDRY : The first in India was commenced in 1898 and had a capacity of 10 tons per day.
IRON FOUNDRY : A very large shop covering about 100,00 sq. ft. was fully mechanised with about 1800 staff which included a few women also.
Laboratory : Chemical and metallurgical laboratory existed close to the foundry shop. The laboratory still exists catering for scientific analysis of metallic parts of IR.
ROLLING MILL: Started in 1879 was closed down recently. It had 3 mills , steam driven Power hammer, fish plate machine, billet shears, The mill was driven by steam from boilers placed on the top of the furnaces and heated by gas from the furnaces. It produced about 400 tons of rounds, channels, angles and fishplates per month.
SIGNAL EQUIPMENTS SHOP: More popularly known as “Points and Crossing and Interlocking shop” was started in 1894. produced entire requirement of Interlocking frames of different sizes for EIR.
Other shops were Brass Foundry, Machine shop, Forge , Smithy, Pattern, Carpenter, Bolt & Nut, Brass finishing, Tin & Coppersmith, Cold Saw Chain Testing, Wheel, Boiler, Millwright, Paint, Tender and a very large Detail Stores.
Jamalpur Shops had their own Power House, and produced Electricity for the entire Workshop and the Staff Qrs. This was commenced in 1901, with with a 100 KW output. The Generators were driven by STEAM at 150lbs pressure supplied from a battery of 14 boilers. Natural drought was supplied by two steel chimneys, each 120 ft. high having a clear diamter of 5ft. 6 inches and these chimneys were built by Jamalpur and erected section by section. The boundary of the workshop was lighted by arc lamps.
A devastating earthquake on 15th. January 1935 flattened everything including the staff quarters which had to be rebuilt.
Source : History of East Indian Railway – By George Huddleston.1906 and other documents consisting of Interviews from retired British staff of E.I.R.
The Present activities of Diesel Organization are:
POH AND REPAIR OF DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE:
This activity was started in the year 1982 along with repair of Steam locomotives. After closure of Steam loco activities, it has become one of the major activities of the Workshop catering to the full demand of Eastern Railway. Special Repairs to accident locomotives and POH and repair of locomotives owned by Public Sector Undertakings is also carried out. Performance for the last few years is as follows:
Rehabilitation of Accident Damaged Diesel Locomotives:
Over the years Jamalpur Workshop has been actively involved in the rehabilitation of Accident damaged locomotives. Both Railway and Public Sector locomotives, which are badly damaged, are commissioned successfully. The 55th rehabilitated locomotive was successfully put in service in October 2000 after extensive repairs and complete overhaul.
Repair of PSU Locomotives:
Various PSUs such as NTPC, CPT, SAIL are having locomotives, which are critical for their outturn. This workshop, being a specialized loco repairer, caters to the needs of all PSU’s in the eastern region. Starting from a very humble beginning in the year 1987, the activities of repair of PSU locomotives came to a firm footing by 1996-97. The total cash inflow from the 92 PSU locomotives repaired till date is about Rs.28.40 crores.
MANUFACTURE OF WHEEL SETS:
Indian Railways supply wheel sets to all coach manufacturers in India. As there was a growing demand for EMU coaches, Railway Board entrusted Jamalpur to supply assembled wheel sets to M/s. Jessop and M/s. BEML and tyred wheels to ICF. This Workshop has successfully executed the full order. A new order from M/s. JESSOP has been received and this workshop is regularly supplying assembled wheel sets to M/s. JESSOP.
Statistics:
Fin. Year
WDM2
PSU
WDS-6R
TOTAL
94-95
75
95-96
68
96-97
66
97-98
80
98-99
85
99-00
86
00-01
87
01-02
02-03
03-04
04-05
05-06
70
06-07
74
07-08
76
08-09
Highlights:
Lowest ever cycle time of 36.3 days for POH/IOH of Diesel Locomotive have been achieved with POH of 7 Locos in Jan’08.
Cycle Time for POH of Diesel Locomotives reduced from 57 days in 06-07 to 46 days in 07-08 in terms of calender days.
significant reduction in reported incidences per month from 13.41 in 06-07 to 8 in 07-08.
Stock Review of all rubber items done to weed out materials beyond shelf life.
All it’s activities hovers around mechanical organizations. Functionally it’s activities can be broadly divided into two groups: Repair & Manufacturing. All activities are carried out under different mechanical organization headed by a JA Grade officer:
Crane Organisation Headed by Dy. Chief Mechanical Engineer (Crane)
Activities:
140 Ton Crane Manufacturing,
20 Ton Crane Manufacturing
Tower Car Manufacturing
POH of 140 Ton Crane
POH of 20 Ton Crane
Statistics:
Fin. Year
140T Mfg.
20T Mfg.
Tower Car Mfg.
140T POH
20T POH
05-06
3
06-07
45
8
07-08
9
08-09
Highlights:
Trouble Shooting guide for 140T crane (Old design and New design) prepared.
Do’s & Don’ts issued for crane operating and supervising staff.
Workshop for Divisional officers on maintenance and operation of 140T crane organized.
Heat Treatment of weld joints of bogie bolster and side bearers introduced.
Welded joints in hydraulic pipe line have been reduced and hydraulic testing of weld joints introduced.
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