South Indian Railway Company
An up-country railway station | |
Reporting mark | S.I.R |
---|---|
Locale | Madras Presidency |
Dates of operation |
1 July 1874–13 April 1951 (76 years, 9 months and 13 days) |
Predecessor |
Great Southern Railway of India Carnatic Railway |
Successor | Southern Railway zone |
Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) |
Headquarters |
York Street, Westminster, London, UKGBI (R. O.) Trichinopoly, Madras Presidency, British Raj (Operations) |
The South Indian Railway Company was a railway company which operated in South India from 1874 to 1951.
History
The Great Southern of India Railway Company was established with its headquarters in England in 1853. The Carnatic Railway Company was founded in 1869.[1] The two companies merged in 1874 to form the South Indian Railway Company.[2] The new firm was registered in London in 1890 with Trichinopoly as its headquarters. In 1891, the Pondicherry Railway Company (incorporation in 1845[1]) merged with the South Indian Railway Company. The company moved its headquarters to Madurai and later, Chennai Central. The company operated a suburban electric train service for Madras city from May 1931 onwards.
The South Indian Railway Company was nationalised in 1944. On 1 April 1951, the South Indian Railway Company, the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Company and the Mysore Railway Company were merged to form the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways.
- Opening of the South Indian Railway between Tuticorin and Madura by Madras Presidency. Natives waiting to see the Prince in 1876