Rail transport in Mauritius
Encyclopedia
The history of rail transport in Mauritius began in the 1860s. The Mauritian rail network was quickly built and it soon provided service to most of the island. It was a key factor in the socio-economic development of Mauritius during its period of operation. However, due to persistent unprofitability from 1948 to 1953, it was finally closed in 1964.
The first line opened in 1864; it was named the North line. The second line, the Midlands line, started functioning in 1865. With developing urbanisation, secondary lines were gradually extended. All of these lines were (standard gauge
).
and Flacq
, to end at the station of Grand River South East.
The Midlands line covered 56 km (35 mi). It connected Port-Louis to Mahébourg
, and opened on 22 October 1865. This line contributed to the development of urban agglomerations by passing through the secondary stations of Beau Bassin, Rose Hill
, Quatre Bornes
, Phoenix, Vacoas, Curepipe
and Rose-Belle
.
industrial railway
lines, each connecting a sugar mill with nearby sugar cane plantations. Some of the steam locomotives used on these lines are now preserved, mostly at various sugar mills around Mauritius.
Secondary lines were crucial in boosting development in some of the rural villages, such as Black-River
, where plantations of tobacco
, sugar cane and aloe
s were the main economic activities; as such the railway provided an opportunity of commercial exchange for the rural areas. Goods and crops, mainly sugar cane, were carried with efficacy and in increasing quantity. From 1880 to 1910, approximately 100,000 tons of sugar cane was carried by trains. This changed with the introduction of lorries, in 1920.
The railway network also contributed to the field of education, as it provided transport to the major towns of the island, where the schools were found. The railway had a great impact on the lifestyle of the population; everybody traveled by train. From the richest to the poorest, the railway provided a relatively fast and affordable way of travelling between the different towns of the island. As a result, towns were getting ‘closer’ to each other; facilitating commercial exchanges. The development of the railway network also led to the creation of new agglomerations: future towns, near the stations.
While some villages progressed with the introduction of railways, the railway was also, at a certain point, a deterrent for the progress of villages such as Port-Louis, which saw a major exile of its population towards Curepipe
and Rose Hill. This was because the train gave opportunity to the population to leave the capital, which was considered an insalubrious place due to the raging epidemic of fever that was killing thousands of people in the capital and its neighborhood during the 1866-1968 period.
. At the same time, the road networks were developing quickly and the number of road vehicles doubled in the after-war period. Faced with the railway’s persistent deficit, the colonial authority decided to close the railways.
The last passenger train made its journey on 31 March 1956, between Port-Louis and Curepipe. Carrying of sugar, heavy goods and general merchandise continued till 1964. The railway network was then dismantled and sold as scrap metal. Some of the rolling stock
was sold to South Africa and some of it to Israel.
Beginnings
Mauritius was developing rapidly in the 1860s. To progress further, it needed to modernize its transportation system. As such, introduction of a railway network was essential for the future development of the island. With Port-Louis as hub, the railway network quickly developed and was soon covering most of the island.The first line opened in 1864; it was named the North line. The second line, the Midlands line, started functioning in 1865. With developing urbanisation, secondary lines were gradually extended. All of these lines were (standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
).
Network
Main lines
The North line covered 50 km (31 mi) and started operation on 23 May 1864. It passed through the districts of Pamplemousses, Rivière du RempartRivière du Rempart
Rivière du Rempart is a district of Mauritius. It is located in the North-East of the country.Besides nearshore Amber Island and close-by Îlot Maunick, also the uninhabited offshore islands to the north of Pointe l'Hortal , such as Gunner's Quoin , Flat Island , Gabriel Island ,...
and Flacq
Flacq
Flacq is a district of Mauritius, situated in the east of the island. The capital is Centre de Flacq. It is the largest district, having an area of 298 km², and as of 2000 has a population of 126,839....
, to end at the station of Grand River South East.
The Midlands line covered 56 km (35 mi). It connected Port-Louis to Mahébourg
Mahébourg
Mahébourg is a small city on the southeastern coast of the island of Mauritius. It is the capital of the Grand Port District.- Overview :...
, and opened on 22 October 1865. This line contributed to the development of urban agglomerations by passing through the secondary stations of Beau Bassin, Rose Hill
Rose Hill, Mauritius
Rose Hill is the third largest town in Mauritius, and is capital of the Lower Plaines Wilhems. It is a major commercial centre, second only to the capital Port Louis.-History:...
, Quatre Bornes
Quatre Bornes
Quatre Bornes is a town in Mauritius, located in the Upper Plaines Wilhems District, between the towns of Rose Hill and Vacoas-Phoenix. Covering an area of over twenty thousand square kilometres, Quatre Bornes is linked by roads to the north, east, south and west of Mauritius...
, Phoenix, Vacoas, Curepipe
Curepipe
Curepipe is a town centrally situated in Mauritius, an island country in the southwest Indian Ocean. It is second in size and importance to Port Louis, the capital....
and Rose-Belle
Rose-Belle
Rose-Belle is a village of southeastern Mauritius. It is located in Grand Port district, ten kilometers west of the district's well_known Village, Mahébourg....
.
Secondary lines
As the rural areas developed, the railway network was gradually extended. There were four secondary lines:- The Moka-Flacq line, which opened on 11 December 1876. It joined the Midlands line at Rose Hill, and ran through Plaines Wilhems, MokaMokaMoka is a town in Mauritius. It's also the home to the University of Mauritius, the Mahatma Gandhi Institute and the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation....
and Flacq to Rivière SècheRivière Sèche-References:**...
, where it formed a junction with the North line; it was 42 km (26 mi) long. - The Savanne branch joined the Midlands line at Rose-Belle and ran through the Savanne District to SouillacSouillac, MauritiusSouillac is a village close to the southernmost point of the main island of Mauritius. It is the capital of Savanne district. It was named after the Vicomte de Souillac, the island's governor from 1779-1787.-History:...
, measuring 18 km (11 mi). - The Black-River line, 21 km (13 mi) long, ran from Port-Louis to TamarinTamarin, MauritiusTamarin is a village on the western coast of Mauritius. It has long been the seat of the council district of Black River.Recently the district council has been moved to new headquarters in Bambous, this village being more accessible to the villagers....
; it became operational on 27 August 1904. - The Long Mountain branch, which was 6.5 km (4 mi) long, opened on 21 September 1903.
Rolling stock
At its apogee, the Mauritius Government Railways had a fleet of 52 steam locomotives, including six Beyer-Garratts, together with nearly 200 passenger coaches and 750 goods wagons. Mauritian rail vehicles and operating practices were predominantly British in style.Sugar mill lines
Mauritius also once had a number of narrow gaugeNarrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
industrial railway
Industrial railway
An industrial railway is a type of railway that is not available for public transportation and is used exclusively to serve a particular industrial, logistics or military site...
lines, each connecting a sugar mill with nearby sugar cane plantations. Some of the steam locomotives used on these lines are now preserved, mostly at various sugar mills around Mauritius.
Role of railway network in development of the island
The maximum length of the Mauritian railway network was 250 km (155 mi). The railways contributed, to a great extent, to the socio-economic development of the island from the late 19th century to the middle 20th century.Secondary lines were crucial in boosting development in some of the rural villages, such as Black-River
Black River (district)
Black River is a district of Mauritius on the western side of the island. Famous areas include Tamarin Falls and the Chamarel coloured earth. The district capital is Bambous. Previously it was Tamarin. It is the third largest District of Mauritius in area, but the smallest in terms of population...
, where plantations of tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, sugar cane and aloe
Aloe
Aloe , also Aloë, is a genus containing about 500 species of flowering succulent plants. The most common and well known of these is Aloe vera, or "true aloe"....
s were the main economic activities; as such the railway provided an opportunity of commercial exchange for the rural areas. Goods and crops, mainly sugar cane, were carried with efficacy and in increasing quantity. From 1880 to 1910, approximately 100,000 tons of sugar cane was carried by trains. This changed with the introduction of lorries, in 1920.
The railway network also contributed to the field of education, as it provided transport to the major towns of the island, where the schools were found. The railway had a great impact on the lifestyle of the population; everybody traveled by train. From the richest to the poorest, the railway provided a relatively fast and affordable way of travelling between the different towns of the island. As a result, towns were getting ‘closer’ to each other; facilitating commercial exchanges. The development of the railway network also led to the creation of new agglomerations: future towns, near the stations.
While some villages progressed with the introduction of railways, the railway was also, at a certain point, a deterrent for the progress of villages such as Port-Louis, which saw a major exile of its population towards Curepipe
Curepipe
Curepipe is a town centrally situated in Mauritius, an island country in the southwest Indian Ocean. It is second in size and importance to Port Louis, the capital....
and Rose Hill. This was because the train gave opportunity to the population to leave the capital, which was considered an insalubrious place due to the raging epidemic of fever that was killing thousands of people in the capital and its neighborhood during the 1866-1968 period.
Accidents
The most serious accident to occur on the network was on the 22 February 1894 at Pailles. Partly caused by a storm, six passenger carriages ended up in the Saint-Louis river, causing the death of 40 passengers and injuring many others.Closure
The railway network continued its operation, well after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. At the same time, the road networks were developing quickly and the number of road vehicles doubled in the after-war period. Faced with the railway’s persistent deficit, the colonial authority decided to close the railways.
The last passenger train made its journey on 31 March 1956, between Port-Louis and Curepipe. Carrying of sugar, heavy goods and general merchandise continued till 1964. The railway network was then dismantled and sold as scrap metal. Some of the rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
was sold to South Africa and some of it to Israel.
See also
- Rail transport in MauritiusRail transport in MauritiusThe history of rail transport in Mauritius began in the 1860s. The Mauritian rail network was quickly built and it soon provided service to most of the island. It was a key factor in the socio-economic development of Mauritius during its period of operation...
- Railway stations in Mauritius
- Transport in Mauritius
External links
- International Steam Pages: Preserved Steam in Mauritius – Page 1 – Page 2 - images of preserved narrow gauge steam engines in Mauritius.