Sierra Leone Government Railways No. 85, a 1954 Hunslet 2-6-2T now preserved on the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway

The Sierra Leone Government Railway operated in the West African country of Sierra Leone from 1897 to 1974. It was unusual in that it formed a national railway system constructed solely to a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) rail gauge. Such a narrow gauge was usually confined to feeder railways. Image File history File linksMetadata HE_3815_a. ... Image File history File linksMetadata HE_3815_a. ... The dominant rail gauge in each country shown Rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the two parallel rails that make up a railway track. ... Comparison of standard gauge (blue) and one common narrow gauge (red) width. ...

History

There were a number of early proposals for a railway in the British colony of Sierra Leone dating from 1872, including a proposal for a trans-Sahara railway, all of which came to naught. Finally in 1893 a proposal financed by the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce was adopted, and surveying commenced. Survey parties confronted many difficulties, especially disease, which delayed completion of the survey. Construction commenced from Freetown in 1896, and the first section of railway was opened to Wellington (7 miles) by March 1897. Subsequent openings were: Location within England Coordinates: , Sovereign state United Kingdom Constituent country England Region North West England Ceremonial county Historic county Merseyside Lancashire Admin HQ Liverpool City Centre Founded 1207 City Status 1880 Government  - Type Metropolitan borough, City  - Governing body Liverpool City Council Area  - Borough & City 43. ... Chambers of commerce are business advocacy groups which are usually not associated with government. ... Freetown, population 1,070,200 (2004), is the capital city of Sierra Leone. ...

• Waterloo, April 1898
• Songo (32 miles/51.5 km) 1899
• Rotifunk (56 miles/90.1 km) 1900
• Bo (103 miles/165.8 km) 1903
• Baiima (220 miles/354 km) 1905
• Pendembu (227.5 miles/366 km) 1907

Other lines were also constructed. A short branch of 5.5 miles (8.9 km) length was built in 1903 from Freetown to Hill Station, at 748 feet (228 m) above sea level. The line allowed Europeans to live in the healthier hills area above Freetown, but with competition from motor cars was closed in 1929. Waterloo is a city in the Western Area and a suburb of Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone. ... Bo, Sierra Leone Satelite view of Bo (Landsat image viewed using NASA World Wind software) Bo, is the second largest city in Sierra Leone, with an estimated population of 472,919. ...

A more substantial branch was built from Bauya Junction to Makeni (84 miles/135.2 km) in 1914. It was later extended to Kambai (104 miles/167.4 km), but subsequently cut back to Makeni in 1930. At this time total route length was 311 miles (500.5 km). Makeni Makeni is a city located in Bombali District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. ...

The railways assumed increased importance in World War II. Apart from moving mineral resources from the interior to the coast, the railway was also important in supporting fighting in North Africa. Fighter aircraft were shipped to the end of the line, where they were assembled and flown on to Egypt. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... North Africa is the Mediterranean, northernmost region of the African continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa. ...

The equipment of the railway was renewed in the 1950s, with the introduction of diesel locomotives, and the purchase of some 155 new freight wagons. Both freight and passenger traffic was increasing during this decade. Independence came to Sierra Leone in 1961, and as an independence gift the United Kingdom gave 45 new passenger coaches.

Increased road traffic and changes in government policy in the 1960s saw a decline in traffic, and various proposals for its future. They included a new branch to serve a bauxite mine, and converting to a wider gauge. However the report of the United Nations Special Fund, which recommended closure, was adopted. The Makeni branch was closed in 1968, followed by the Kenema - Pendembu section in 1971. Further closures as far as Bo occurred in 1973, and final closure in 1974. Bauxite with penny Bauxite with core of unweathered rock Bauxite is an aluminium ore. ... Chuquicamata, the largest open pit copper mine in the world, Chile. ... The dominant rail gauge in each country shown Rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the two parallel rails that make up a railway track. ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ...

Locomotives

First locomotives supplied to the railway were two 0-6-0T built by the Hunslet Engine Company and supplied in 1897. These were quickly followed by a 2-6-2T design from Hunslet, a design that proved very successful and enduring, a large number were built between 1898 and 1920. Further locos of this design continued to be supplied throughout the steam era, the last two being built in 1954. Elements of this design were used in the construction of a locomotive for the Welsh Highland Railway known as "Russell". Irish Mail is typical of many small engines built at Hunslet for use in quarries The Hunslet Engine Company is a British locomotive-building company founded in 1864 at Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England by John Towlerton Leather, a civil engineering contractor, who appointed James Campbell (son of... The route of the WHR. The Welsh Highland Railway (WHR) is a narrow gauge railway in Wales, which originally ran from Dinas near Caernarfon to Porthmadog, with a branch line to Bryngwyn and the slate quarries at Moel Tryfan. ... Russell running on the Welsh Highland Railway in 1995 Russell is a narrow gauge steam locomotive originally built for the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways (NWNGR), but most famously associated with the Welsh Highland Railway (WHR) Russell has a complex history. ...

Five 2-8-2T from Hunslet were supplied in 1906, to be followed by two 4-8-0 tender locos from Naysmyth Wilson in 1910. Further 4-8-0 locos were built by North British and Hawthorn Leslie, bringing the total to 17 by 1921. 1926 saw the introduction of 2-6-2+2-6-2 Garratts from Beyer-Peacock, eliminating double heading of a 2-6-2T with a 4-8-0. The 2-8-2T had proved unsuitable, and all were withdrawn by the mid 1920s. North British may refer to: North British Railway North British Locomotive Company This is a disambiguation page, a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Limited, usually referred to as Hawthorn Leslie, was a [St. ... Garratt on the Welsh Higland Railway South African Garratt Diagram of a Garratt locomotive A Garratt is a type of steam locomotive that is articulated, normally in three parts. ... Beyer-Peacock Locomotive manufacturer with factory in Manchester from 1854 untill 1966. ...

World War 2 saw great demands placed on the railway, and its importance was demonstrated by the railway being supplied with a number of new locomotives. Six new Garratts were supplied in 1942, and twenty 4-8-0's were built by W.G. Bagnall and Barclay. Additionally, six 2-8-0 locomotives that had been built in Switzerland were brought in from the South India Railways. In an effort to further increase capacity, five of the earlier 2-6-2+2-6-2 Garratts were converted to a 2-8-0+0-8-2 wheel arrangement so as to increase tractive effort. Experience with these modified Garratts influenced the final steam class purchased by the railway. In 1956 fourteen modern 4-8-2+2-8-4 Garratts were purchased from Beyer-Peacock. These locos increased the maximum load over 1:50 grades from 200 tons to 270 tons (203.21 t to 274.333 t). German soldiers at the Battle of Stalingrad World War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the worlds nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. ... W.G. Bagnall was a locomotive manufacturer from Stafford, England. ... Steel Company of Wales No. ... A tonne (also called metric ton) is a non-SI unit of mass, accepted for use with SI, defined as: 1 tonne = 103 kg (= 106 g). ...

In the meantime the railway had turned to diesel traction. The first were purchased in 1954, being three 145HP, 20 ton 0-8-0's built by Hudswell Clarke primarily for shunting duties, followed by five more in 1960. A class of larger diesels was supplied by the same maker between 1958 and 1961. The class consisted of twenty-four 225HP 29 ton 2-8-2's for mainline use. These locos were a limited success, speeding up operations and reducing costs, however were not without their problems. Batteries supplied on the locos were not large enough to start the motors, and a van with additional batteries had to accompany them as a tender. Overall the railway had difficulties in maintaining the diesel locos, and steam locos continued to operate. At closure the railway possessed five operating steam locos, and four diesels. A typical Hudswell Clarke Diesel Locomotive from the 1950s Hudswell Clarke was an engineering and locomotive building company in Leeds, founded in 1860. ...

Engineering

The railway was built with 30lb rail, limiting axle loads to 5 tons. Some of the extensions were built as "tramways", with rail weight reduced to 20 and even 15lb. In an effort to increase axle loadings and the speed limit above 20mph (32.2 km/h), some sections of the line were rebuilt with 40lb rail in the 1950s. Pound rail is a railroad term that indicates the weight of rail per yard. ... It has been suggested that Vignoles rail be merged into this article or section. ...

Most of the line was built with a 1 to 50 gradient, but some sections were as steep as 1 to 39. The Hill Station line had a gradient of 1 to 22. There were 139 bridges with a span of over 20 feet (6.1 m) on the line, the longest being of six spans and 716 feet (218.24 m) across.

Preservation

At closure in 1974 one of the 2-6-2T Hunslets, together with some coaches, were purchased and shipped to the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway in Wales, where they continue to operate in tourist service. The loco happened to be the last of the Hunslets built for the railway. 823 The Countess and 822 The Earl - the two original W&LLR engines. ... This article is about the country. ...

In Sierra Leone a collection of rolling stock was retained at the former railway workshops to form a museum. Locos included one of the 4-8-2+2-8-4 Garretts, a Hunslet tank, and a couple of the diesel locos. Several coaches were also kept, including the Governor's coach, and a coach specially prepared for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1961. Through the years of civil strife and war this collection disappeared from sight and it was feared it had been destroyed. However the collection survived despite the workshops being used as a centre for displaced persons. Following the initiative of a British army officer, Colonel Steve Davies, restoration of the equipment has commenced in 2004. The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, has visited the workshops site and indicated his support for restoring the museum and preserving the railway heritage of Sierra Leone. The Louvre Museum in Paris, one of the largest and most famous museums in the world. ... For other uses, see Governor (disambiguation). ... Elizabeth II in an official portrait as Queen of Canada (on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002, wearing the Sovereigns badges of the Order of Canada and the Order of Military Merit) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) (born 21 April 1926), styled HM The... Combatants Government of Sierra Leone Sierra Leone Army / South African mercenaries Royal Irish Rangers Revolutionary United Front Armed Forces Revolutionary Council West Side Boys Commanders Ahmad Tejan Kabbah Foday Sankoh Johnny Paul Koroma The Sierra Leone Civil War began in 1991, initiated by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), led by... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... An officer is a member of a military, naval, or if applicable, other uniformed services who holds a position of responsibility. ... Ahmad Tejan Kabbah (born February 16, 1932) is the President of Sierra Leone (1996–1997, 1998–present). ...

See also

• Transport in Sierra Leone

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References

• Durrant, A.E., A.A. Jorgensen, & C.P. Lewis 1981 Steam in Africa Hamlyn. ISBN 0-600-34946-2
• Rowe, D.Trever The Sierra Leone Government Railway in Locomotives International No. 41 Dec 1997-Jan 1998.
• Thorne, G. 1996 Scrapbook of Narrow Gauge Drawings , 7mm Narrow Gauge Association.

• Sierra Leone President visits railway collection at workshops.
• World-wide 30" Gauge Railways