Enjoy the Fun Watching This Video: I have not seen; but a similar train started running in 1920 between Kulasekampatn am to Manapad (developed similar to Chennai then with a harbour connecting Sri Lanka) of current Thoothukkudi district of Thamizh Nadu, India during my mothers childhood days and the original plan of South Indian Railways (SIR had its Headquarters in Thiruchirapalli) was to connect Thiruchendur and Thoothukkudi by a narrow guage train, jointly operated by the Parry & Co and SIR. This train was operated by the Parry company (manavai/n_train.htm), who were procuring Palmyrah sap to make jaggery in their factory at Manapad, which could be used in their confectionery factory in Nellikuppam. Passengers were also allowed to travel. My mother had said that the inspectoress of the school used to come in this train on school inspection days, as it has a station in Idachivillai as well. They used firewood to operate such stream engines. Running this train proved unprofitable, as the Palmyrah sap contractors mixed sea water with Palmyrah sap (பதனி) and the operation of the train was halted in 1940. During the Second World War, as they were needing steel and rails, Parry & Co allowed the government (in all the railways 51% of share was held by the British government in India)to dismantle the railway lines. Still the building that was used as a railway station exists, but was a ration shop some years back. I do not know who uses it now. Similarly there were buses too operated with firewood.
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:28:17 +0000
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