In 1872, I. C. Johnson took over a quarry and tramway at Greenhithe which was used to provide ballast for ships returning to the Gar East without cargo. Stoyel & Kidner say that “The tramway ran from the quarry, approximately where the works was later built, under the South Eastern Railway to a pier. The Johnsons’ Works was opened in 1877; as I. C. Johnson did not purchase any locomotives, as far as is known, until 1891, he must have used those of his predecessor, but it is not known what they were, except that the gauge was presumably that used later, 3ft 9½ in.” [1: p26]
Stoyel & Kidner continue:
“The original chalk quarries were just to the south of the works, with another to the west towards Stone church, but when these were exhausted it was necessary to tunnel under the Dartford-Gravesend road to open up new ones. These finally reached as far as the A2 London-Dover road, being worked on two levels; the top level was closed in 1952 and the lower level ultimately reached a depth of 200 ft.
“The first step in modernising the works was taken in about 1903 when a rotary kiln was introduced. At about this time a line was laid to rise steeply to an exchange siding on the SE&C Railway to the west of the works. The Company joined BPCM in 1911. Then in about 1926 the works was closed for a time to enable it to be completely modernised and in the process of this reorganization standard gauge track was laid, as a temporary measure some of the line being dual gauge with three rails until the narrow gauge system was finally abandoned in about 1927. In 1928, one of the two lines running from the works to the pier was electrified on the overhead system, worked by motored bogie hopper wagons. These worked on 250V overhead supply, and carried a 25-ton load at 7 mph. They were built by English Electric (738-40) in 1928.
“The modernised works included eight new concrete silos 96 ft high, and a new concrete packing shed on the jetty, which had an extension built out into the river so that larger ships could berth there. The three hopper wagons (two in use, one spare) acted as a link between silo and packing shed, running under the former to load up, and unloading at the jetty by means of compressed air and screw conveyors. They were remarkably silent-running.” [1: p26]
The Kent Works deep-water wharf and works in on the left; to the right is Johnson’s Works wharf, with the works itself south of the railway. Note the line along the water’s edge which joined the two systems, and was the reason why Kent Works’ engines were frequently noted inside Johnson’s Works. [1: p21]I. C. Johnson’s Portland Cement Works sit at the centre of this extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey of 1907, published in 1910. One significant chalk pit sits t the West of the Works (at the left of this map extract). The company’s wharf on the River Thames is shown in an enlarged extract from the OS map below. Also shown below is the tunnel which connected the Works to the Chalk Pit to the South of London Road. [3]
Johnson’s Wharf and Dolphin’s Wharf both seem to serve I. C. Johnson’s Works. A bridge carries the North Kent main line over the lines connecting the wharves with Johnson’s Works. [3]
The site of Johnson’s Wharf in the 21st century (as shown on the ESRI satellite imagery provided by the National Library of Scotland (NLS)). The site is now used by Heidelberg Materials Aggregates – Greenhithe. [4]
The bridge which carried the North Kent main line over Johnson’s industrial lines is still in position and continues to carry the main line in the 21st century! [Google Earth 3-D view, August 2026]
This second enlarged extract shows the tunnel passing under London Road (A2). [3]
The approximate line of the tunnel on the map extract is shown on this satellite image by the read line. [6]
The Chalk Pits were extended further to the South as time went by. This extract is from the 6″ Ordnance Survey of 1938 to 1940 which was published in 1950.Modern development has substantially replaced the old chalk pit workings. [7]
Clay first came by barge down the Medway, then from various local sites. Some was dredged from the Thames, some came from a BCPM claypit at Bean, some from the APCM pits at Alkerden.
Johnson’s closed in 1970.
Locomotives
Locomotives on the early narrow-gauge railway (3′ 9.5″), all new unless noted otherwise: [1: p30]
Elephant – an 0-4-0ST – no details available.
Cement – an 0-4-0T built in 1891 by Bagnall, Works No. 1344, outside cylinders (9″ x 14″), 2′ 9.5″ wheels.
Samson – an 0-4-0T built in 1892 by Bagnall, Works No. 1417, outside cylinders (9″ x 14″), 2′ 7″
Clinker – 0-4-0ST built in 1897 Falcon, Works No. 249, outside cylinders (?? x ??), ???? wheels.
Mammoth – 0-4-0ST built in 1899 by Bagnall, Works No. 1582, outside cylinders (10″ x 15″), 2′ 9.25″ wheels.
Leviathan – 0-4-0ST built in 1900 by Bagnall, Works No. 1609, outside cylinders (10″ x 15″), 2′ 9.25″ wheels.
(Not named) – 0-4-0WTG built in 1900 by Aveling & Porter, Works No. 4537, compound cylinders (8.5″ x 14.125″ x 14″), 3′ 6″ wheels. Transferred from the APCM works at Cliffe in 1920.
Goliath – 0-4-0ST built in 1921 by Barclay, Works No. 1741, outside cylinders (12″ x 20″), ???? wheels.
New Elephant – 0-4-0ST built in 1924 by Bagnall, Works No. 2258, outside cylinders (10″ x 15″), 2′ 9.25″ wheels.
In 1927, with standard-gauge track now in place, new locomotives were required: [1: p30]
Stone – 0-4-0ST built in 1927 by Peckett, Works No. 1740, outside cylinders (14″ x 22″), 3′ 2.5″ wheels.
Darenth – 0-4-0ST built in 1927 by Peckett, Works No. 1741, outside cylinders (14″ x 22″), 3′ 2.5″ wheels.
Greenhithe – 0-4-0ST built in 1927 by Peckett, Works No. 1742, outside cylinders (14″ x 22″), 3′ 2.5″ wheels.
Southfleet – 0-4-0ST built in 1928 by Peckett, Works No. 1746, outside cylinders (14″ x 22″), 3′ 2.5″ wheels.
Longfield – 0-4-0ST built in 1928 by Peckett, Works No. 1747, outside cylinders (14″ x 22″), 3′ 2.5″ wheels.
The first three were supplied with low cabs and boiler mountings, so as to clear the tunnels, being classified as ‘Type W 6 Special’ by Peckett. The last two Pecketts were not cut down when delivered. They were however rebuilt at the works many years later to a similarly reduced height.
“In addition to these new locomotives the narrow gauge locomotives Goliath and New Elephant were rebuilt to 4ft 8½ in. gauge in 1927 by the makers and by the cement works respectively, and the following were transferred from other works:” [1: p30]
New Globe – 0-4-0ST, built in 1901 by Peckett, Works No. 889, outside cylinders (14″ x 22″) and 2′ 6.5″ wheels, from Globe Whiting Co., Greenhithe in 1929.
Globe No. 3 – 0-4-0ST, built in 1901 by Peckett, Works No. 925, outside cylinders (8″ x 12″) and 2′ 3″ wheels, from Globe Whiting Co., Greenhithe in 1930.
Thames – 0-4-0ST, built in 1899 by Bagnall, Works No. 1588, Outside cylinders (12″ x 18″) and 3′ 0.5″ wheels, from Trechmann & Weekes Works, Halling in 1935 (regauged from 4 ft 2 in.)
Stoyel & Kidner tell us that, “Johnsons clay-pit at Bean was worked by two Simplex petrol engines and two Planet diesels; later by five Rustons diesels (175137, 182147, 194769, 195850/1); however they were often switched to other works and not always on site.” [1: p30]
“Of the narrow gauge engines, Elephant and Samson had disappeared by 1932, the Aveling was scrapped in 1934 and Clinker, Mammoth and Leviathan a year or two afterwards. Cement was not scrapped until after the war, although it had been derelict since 1927.” [1: p30,36]
Stoyel & Kidner tell us that “The standard gauge locomotives gradually became redundant during the post-war period until completely superseded by diesel locomotives. They [were] accordingly … hired or loaned out to other works, or otherwise disposed of, as follows:” [1: p36]
Stone: Transferred to Frindsbury Works in 1962.
Darenth: Hired to Purfleet Wharf & Saw Mills Ltd in 1940-1945. Loaned to Kent Works, Stone, in 1947. Scrapped in 1963.
Greenhithe: Hired to Samuel Williams & Son Ltd, Dagenham Dock, in 1945. Transferred to Hessle Quarry, Yorkshire, in 1962.
Southfleet: Transferred to Frindsbury Works in 1960.
Longfield: Transferred to Holborough Works in 1960.
Goliath: Transferred to Grays Works in 1960.
New Elephant: Scrapped in 1960.
New Globe: Scrapped in 1960.
Globe No. 3: Scrapped in 1948.
Thames: Disappeared some time after the last war, no doubt scrapped: the cab and saddle tank were still visible in March 1952.
Additionally, Stoyel & Kidner tell us that one other locomotive spent time at Johnson’s in 1942 having come from the APCM chalk pit at Highsted, before being loaned to their Dunstable Works. In 1946, it returned to Greenhithe and in 1947 was returned to Highsted. This locomotive was:
Tay: an 0-4-0ST built in 1924 by Barclay, Works No. 1828, outside cylinders (12″ x 20″) and with 3′ 2″ wheels. [1: p36]
References
B. D. Stoyel & R. W. Kinder; The Cement Railways of Kent; Oakwood Press, Headington, Oxford, 1973, 1990.
Andrew Neale; Industrial Railways of the South-East; Middleton Press, Midhurst, West Sussex, 1984.
Kent Works was built between 1919 and 1922. It had an extensive 4ft 3in railway “which ran inland to large chalk pits, connected with the lines of the Stone Court Chalk and Ballast Co. and … to Johnson’s Works next door.” [1: p4]
According to Stoyel & Kidner the Kent Works were built between 1919 and 1922 by contractors P. & W. Anderson for the Kent Portland Cement Co. Ltd, “but only a year after its completion the company was acquired by APCM. It is situated on the Thames foreshore about ½ mile north-east of Stone Crossing Halt between the railway (and road) and the river, where there was a jetty. There were extensive store areas and sidings between the main works and the SR exchange siding immediately west of Stone Crossing Halt.” [3: p14]
“It is probable that chalk was originally taken from the pit south of Cotton Lane; however by 1930 a large pit east of this, south of Elizabeth Street, was being worked. … This was progressively opened out down to London Road, and finally a tunnel under that road reached the southernmost pit.” [3: p14]
“The method of working a face was to lay a double track approaching it, singling at the actual face. As the engine hauled away the full wagons, the empty train would be propelled under the excavator, thus losing no time. The six-coupled engines could take some 16 wagons, loaded to about 3-4 yards each; though with a split-level face the gradient to the top level was sometimes severe, it was always in favour of the loaded trains.” [3: p14]
“In 1963, a cutting was built to connect the pit with that of Johnson’s Branch: there had always been a certain amount of interchange between the two works by a line along the bank of the river.” [3: p14]
Apparently “there was a well-built locomotive shed on the western edge of the works area.” [3: p19]
Kent Portland Cement Works as shown on the 6″ Ordnance Survey of 1938, published in 1946. Note the location of Charles Street to the North of the Main Line Railway. [8]Approximately the same area as it appears on 21st century satellite imagery. There is no remaining sign of the Kent Works. Charles Street still sits where it did during WW2. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Looking East along Charles Street from close to the roundabout junction with Crossways Boulevard. [Google Streetview, May 2018]
Looking East again along the extension to Charles Street to the East of the modern green open space. [Google Streetview, May 2018]
Locomotives
Stoyel & Kidner tell us that the company purchased its first locomotives second-hand from the contractor that built the works. These were:
Stone 0-6-0ST Hudswell Clarke, Works No. 298, built in 1888, it had inside cylinders (12″ x 18″) and 3′ 0″ wheels.
Toronto 0-4-0ST Hudswell Clarke, Works No. 571, built in 1900, it had outside cylinders (10″ x 16″) and 2′ 9″ wheels.
It is the end of the line for these two different Hudswell Clarke 0-4-0ST locomotives. Note the different cab roof details. On the left of this image is ‘Toronto’ HC Works No.5710f 1900 and on the right is ‘Stone’ HC Works No. 298 of 1888, (c) Public Domain – photographer F. Jones. [25: photo No. 20]
Arthur 0-6-0ST Manning Wardle, Works No. 1601, built in 1903, it had inside cylinders (12″ x 18″) and 3′ 0″ wheels. Arthur continued in use at the works until 1967 [2: photo No. 23] and has survived into preservation, residing at The Middleton Railway in Leeds, although under a different name.
Apex 0-6-0ST Manning Wardle, Works No. 1657, built in 1905, it had inside cylinders (12″ x 18″) and 3′ 0″ wheels. [3: p19] ‘Apex’ was not as fortunate as ‘Arthur’, it only survived in use until 1960 and was scrapped in that year.
They were soon supplemented by other second-hand locomotives transferred from other works owned by APCM.
Hilton 0-4-0ST Peckett, Works No. 633, built in 1896, it had outside cylinders (12″ x 18″) and 2′ 9″ wheels. ‘Hilton’ came from Hilton Works, Halling. I have not been able to find a photograph of No. 633, Hilton. However, Peckett Works No.614 ‘Bear’ was also built in1896, and was of the same W4 class as Works No. 633, with the characteristic open-backed cab.
No. 614 ‘Bear’ at Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway 10th October 2023, The locomotives was moved to the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, in March 2024 for initial cosmetic repair, followed, in due course as time and resources permit, by restoration to operating condition, (c) photographer not known. [7]
Elephant 0-4-0ST Brush (Flacon/Henry Hughes), Works No. 287, built in 1899, it had outside cylinders (10′ x 18″) and 3′ 0″ wheels. This came from Tolhurst Works, Northfleet.
Clarence – an 0-4-0ST Andrew Barclay & Sons, Works No. ???, built in ????, had outside cylinders (10″ x 18″) and 3′ 3″ wheels. This came from Hilton Works, Grays. [3: p19]
Wouldham – Hatherill & Hatherill tell us that ‘Wouldham’, an 0-4-0ST Andrew Barclay & Sons, Works No. 1679 arrived at Kent Works in 1920. They provide the works drawing below which indicates that the cylinder size matches that of ‘Clarence’. It is possible that ‘Wouldham’ was renamed ‘Clarence’ on arrival at Kent Works.
Stoyel & Kidner tell us that Kent Cement Works rebuilt Elephant and Apex in 1927 and Clarence in 1928. Stone was rebuilt by its makers in 1909.
Two new locomotives were the next to be purchased:
0-4-0ST Peckett, Works No. 1804, built 1935 (outside cylinders, 14″ x 22″ and 3′ 2½” wheels)
0-4-0ST Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns, Works No. 7336, built 1947 (outside cylinders, 14″ x 22″ and 3′ 8″ wheels)
After the war another 0-4-0ST Peckett was acquired second-hand from the Woolwich Arsenal. It was Works No. 1985, built in 1940 (outside cylinders 14″ x 20″).
Cab roofs of the second-hand locomotives had to be adapted after arrival to suit the tunnels on site.
Stoyel & Kidner tell us that “Stone and Toronto were scrapped in 1950 and in 1953 running numbers were allotted to the remaining locomotives as follows:
And finally, No. 2 at Northfleet Works was subsequently transferred to Stone, it became No. 9, it was an 0-4-0ST Peckett, Works No. 1702, built in 1926 (outside cylinders 14″ x 22″ and 3′ 2″. [3: p19]
Peckett & Sons Ltd. No. 1985 of 1940 was acquired after WW2 from Woolwich Arsenal and became Kent Works No. 7 Although a standard 0-4-0ST Peckett design (Class W6) with 14″ cylinders. Its appearance was changed by a lowering of the cab roof at the eaves to give clearance in the tunnels.
Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns (RSH) No. 7336 of 1947 became Kent Works Locomotive No. 8. This design of 16″ cylinder 0-4-0ST locomotives was used at several of the cement works in Kent. Like the Peckett design, these engines needed the eaves of the cab roof lowering to give clearance in the Works’ tunnels.
References
A & G Hatherill; Narrow Gauge & Industrial Album; RCL Publications, Gaendolbenmaen, Gwynedd, 2004.
Andrew Neale/Chalk Pits Museum; Industrial Railways of the South-East; Middleton Press, 1984.
B. D. Stoyel & R. W. Kinder; The Cement Railways of Kent; Oakwood Press, Headington, Oxford, 1973, 1990.
We start this next length of the journey along the Central Line in Tanzania at the capital Dodoma’s metre-gauge railway station which until the SGR line was opened was the main transport hub for the city, both for passengers and goods. The station is no longer used for passenger services to Dar-es-Salaam to the East nor for travel further West in Tanzania. The SGR line has (in 2026) reached Tabora and work on the line to Kigoma has now started.
Google Maps shows the MGR crossing Kikuyu Avenue (Nyerere Road on OpenStreetmap.org and MapCarta) at the West end of the station site. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Both the MGR and Mwegasila Road cross the Pombe River channel. [Google Maps, August 2026]
A level-crossing take the MGR across the Ndovu Road. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The line then bridges the Kikuyu River. [Google Maps, August 2026]
And then crosses the A104 on the level. OpenStreetMap.org and MapCarta call this road the ‘T5’. [Google Maps, August 2026]
As the railway begins to turn from a northwesterly heading towards the Southwest it crosses another (murram) road. [Google Maps, August 2026]
OpenStreetMap.org shows the next length of the railway in the western suburbs of Dodoma. [9]
Apart from a number of small culverts and a series of minor crossing points, the railway wends its way out of Dodoma. The next feature of significance is Zulu Railway Station.
OpenStreetMap.org shows the next length of the railway still in the western suburbs of Dodoma. The new SGR begins to run alongside the MGR again having travelled Northwest from Dodoma’s SGR station. The first halt along the route West from Dodoma Station is Zuzu. [10]Zuzun Halt is shown by MapCarta without any details of the SGR which runs very close to the MGR at this point. A passing loop is provided at the station. [11]
A closer view of Zuzu Halt/Station on the MGR. The main line is closest to the station build, the MGR loop next to the South and this has the wagon/ locomotive sitting on it. The SGR runs across the bottom of the satellite image. [Google Maps, August 2026]
As can be seen on the OpenStreetMap extract above the SGR provides some sidings and a long passing loop just to the West of Zuzu MGR station.
As the MGR and SGR routes begin to diverge the sidings and passing loop on the SGR can be seen on this map extract. Apart froma murram road crossing the line and various small culverts there is little of significance on the length of the MGR shown here. [12]This next length of the MGR continues a sinuous alignment as it heads away from Dodoma. Note the l;ine of the Dodoma Outer Ring Road marked in faint orange and white dashes. [13]
The first of two bridges over watercourses on the length of line on the OpenStreetMap.org extract above. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The Dodoma Outer Ring Road crosses the MGR and the stream to the South of the railway on two separate bridges. [Google Maps, August 2026]
A second bridge over a dry watercourse on the length of the MGR covered by the OpenStreetMap.org extract above. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The line continues to follow the stream valley for most of this next length. [14]
The watercourse location noted on the map extract above. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The dry watercourse and small bridge noted in the bottom-left of the map extract above. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The line continues West over open land with little worthy of note apart from the occasional culvert. [15]The same applies to this next length of the line barring the proximity of the SGR and MGR as they head Northwest. [16]
The MGR and the SGR in close proximity as shown on the map extract above. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Over this next length of the line trains are travelling North-northwest/South-southeast. There is only one significant location where a dry watercourse is bridged by both the SGR and the MGR. [17] [Google Maps, August 2026]
The next length of the line includes a road over rail bridge which has yet to be completed but which spans both the MGR and the SGR and a length of MGR track bed which is supported above the adjacent dry watercourse to cope with high water flows in the wet season.
[18][Google Maps, August 2026]
Given the relatively low number of significant locations on the Central line as it crossed open country, a longer length of line has been included in this next map extract. [19]
The first location marked on the map extract above is a significant dry watercourse, shown here which is bridged by the MGR, the SGR and the SGR service road. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Another dry watercourse, not highlighted on the map extract above which is similarly bridge by the access road, the SGR and the MGR. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Kigwe Railway Station on the MGR as shown on MapCarta’s mapping. [20]KIgwe Railway Station buildings. The three tracks sown on the MapCarta extract can just be made out. The SGR runs very close to the MGR and can be seen in he bottom-left quadrant of this satellite image. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Abandoned MGR passenger stock close to Kigwe Railway Station, (c) Allan Kaitila, January 2021. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Just to the Northwest of Kigwe MGR station the SGR bridges a murram road which crosses the MGR on the level and then both lines bridge another dry watercourse. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Located in the top-left corner of the OpenStreetMap extract above, this bridge has been constructed over both the SGR and the MGR. In this image, earthworks on the South side of the railways are nearing completion. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The next length of the MGR – apart from a number of relatively small culverts/bridges over dry watercourses there is only one location worth noting – some more significant structures spanning the watercourse shown below which sits near to the top-left of this map extract. [21]
The watercourse mentioned above. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The MGR continues to be accompanied by the SGR heading Northwest. [22]
Apart from a series of small culverts, close to the centre of the map extract above, the MGR bridges another dry watercourse to the Northeast of the bridge shown carrying the SGR over the same watercourse. [Google Maps August 2026]
The next length of the line passes through the MGR station at Bahi. A series of sidings on the SGR can be seen in the bottom-right quadrant of this map extract. [23]
Shown as sidings to the Southeast of Bahi. These dotted lines may well be the proposed site for Bahi SGR station which accommodates both passenger and freight services.. This i9s the first stop on the SGR to the West of Dodoma. [25]
Google Maps shows the passenger and freight facilities at Bahi in a complete condition. Freight workings on the SGR between Dar-es-Salaam & Dodoma commenced in July 2025. We still do not have a firm date for the opening of the Bali Freight terminal. [Google Maps, August 2025]
Bahi MGR station as shown on MapCarta. [24]Bahi MGR Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]A short distance Northwest of Bali MGR Station, the two lines MGR and SGR cross a first arm of the Buhu River. [Google Maps, August 2026]Three further arms of the Buhu River pass under both the MGR and the SGR lines. The central pair of rail bridges are only available for heavy wet season flows. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Two further sets of bridges carrying the lines over other arms of the Buhu River. Rice fields can be seen either side of the rail corridor for some distance to the Northwest of the Buhu (Bubu on OpenStreetMap) River bridges. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The Buhu (Bubu) River can be seen in the top-right corner of this next section of the MGR and SGR. Both run immediately adjacent to each other and together converge on the Singida Road, B129. [26]
Again, apart from various culverts for watercourses, it is worth noting that approximately at the centre of the map extract above, a road can be seen crossing the MGR and SGR. A bridge has been constructed at this location although Google’s satellite imagery suggests that the road embankments have as of August 2026 still to be completed. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The bridge which is to carry the B129 Singida Road over the MGR and SGR. At the time that this satellite image was taken, work on the bridge and approach roads was almost complete. [Google Maps, August 2026]
This next length of the MGR passes through Kintinku. [27]
Kintinku: A modern structure spans the SGR and MGR (OP27) waiting for approach embankments to be constructed either side of the two lines (bottom-right). Immediately to the Northwest of the modern overbridge is Kintinku MGR Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]The track layout at Kintinku Railway Station (the SGR is omitted) as shown on MapCarta. [28]A closer look at Kintinku Railway Station buildings. It is difficult to make out the trackwork shown on the MapCarta map extract above. The second (loop) line can just be seen to the left of the two trees in front of the station building. [Google Maps, August 2026]The two railway lines continue to travel Northwest immediately adjacent to each other (OpenStreetMap). [29]The first of a series of culverts under the line which carry irrigation water into the rice fields which surround the line. These culverts appear regularly as the lines head Northwest. [Google Maps, August 2026]The structures which span the natural river course which appears at the centre of the OpenStreetMap extract above. [Google Maps, August 2026]The upper-left quadrant of the OpenStreetMap extract above shows a series of sidings on the SGR. These are shown here. The MGR runs on the Northeast side of those sidings and the MGR and SGR are spanned by a structure which appears at the northwest corner of this satellite image and at the Northwest corner of the OpenStreetmap extract above. [Google Maps, August 2026]
This next OpenStreetMap extract shows a significant change in direction for both the SGR and MGR. Bottom-right of the map extract are the two Makutapora Railway Stations. [30]
At the bottom-right of the map extract this structure is shown . The span across the two railways is complete and the approach embankments are under construction. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The first Makutupora Railway Station encountered is that of the SGR, second is that of the MGR.
Makutupora SGR Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Makutupora was the terminus of the SGR for a number of years. The next phase of construction took the SGR from Makutupora to Tabora. Work to extend the SGR to Tabora commenced on 8th March 2022,
The extension to Tabora has the same design speed as the already constructed phases of the SGR – 160 km/hr and is 294 km in length. All design works, infrastructure construction, track laying, construction of seven stations, signalling, telecommunication, and electrification works are being carried out by Yapı Merkezi as a turnkey project. The total railway construction, including station tracks, was due for completion in early to mid-2026. At the time of writing, Yapi Merkezi says that approximately 12 million m³ of earthworks, 77,000 m³ of concrete construction have been undertaken using a total of 3.1 million man-hours. Earthworks and the construction of civil engineering structures along the route are ongoing. [30]
The Makutupora MGR Station sits to the Northwest of the SGR station. It station buildings can be seen just to the Northwest of the centre of this satellite image. The track arrangement covers most of the length of the line that appears in this image. [Google Maps, August 2026]Makutupora MGR Station as shown on MapCarta. [31]
A closer view of the MGR station buildings at Makutupora, and a view of wagons left at the Northwest end of the station site. [Google Maps, August 2026]
We continue to follow the MGR as it heads West and North from Makutupora. The first length heads North and is shown on the OpenStreetMap extract above. A number of culverts are again provided to allow water run-off and there are a number of murram road crossings which also have not been shown below.
The line then heads West
The MGR and SGR turn to the West. [32]The same area as it appears on Google Maps. The wide sandy strip is the construction work being undertaken on the SGR when the satellite image was taken. [Google Maps, August 2026]The next length of the MGR as it appears on OpenStreetMap. Note that the marked route of the SGR does not continue any significant distance to the West. [33]
This perhaps gives an indication of the date of OpenStreetMap.org’s mapping. The same applies to Google’s satellite imagery in this area. Both probably date from 2022/2023.
Quite a significant length of the line heading West shows no evidence of watercourses crossing the railway. This is the first watercourse and is bridged by a Warren Truss girder bridge.The location can just be made out on the OpenStreetMap extract above – just to the left of centre. [Google Maps, August 2026]
This next location shows a culvert under the line perhaps not much more than a couple of hundred metres beyond the bridge above. [Google Maps, August 2026]
It is quite some distance (8 or 9 kilometres) before the next structure supporting the line which is another Warren Truss girder bridge. The crossing point is visible on the OpenStreetMap extract above. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The MGR continues West through Saranda. [34]Saranda Railway Station as it appears on Google’s satellite imagery. Note the murram road crossing the line at the right of this image.
The murram road crossing at the East end of Saranda Railway Station site. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Saranda MGR Station as shown on MapCarta. [35]Saranda Railway Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]
A kilometre or so West of Saranda, this is the first culvert provided for west season water flows. Culverts appear at intervals along the line ahead. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The next bridge across a watercourse sits towards the left side of the OpenStreetMap extract above. It is a Warren Truss girder bridge. [Google Maps, August 2026]
This next length of the MGR Central Line passes through Manyoni and sees a branch line heading away North which will be covered in another article in this series. Four culverts, one murram road and a tarmac road are crossed on the way to Manyoni. A sits on the North sideof the MGR Central Line to the East of Manyoni Railway Station. [36]
The murram road crossing. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The East arm of the turning triangle and the metalled road to the East of Manyoni MGR station. [Google Maps, August 2026]Manyoni Railway Station and the turning triangle to the East. [Google Maps, August 2026]Two freight trains were passing at Manyoni MGR Station when this satellite image was taken! Goods wagons are also stored in the loop closest to the Goods Shed. [Google Maps, August 2026]A closer view of the MGR Goods Shed at Manyoni. [Google Maps, August 2026]At the same magnification , this staellite image shows the passenger facilities at Manyoni. [Google Maps, August 2026]Manyoni MGR Station as shown on MapCarta. The turning triangle can be seen clearly at the East end of the station site. The branch line to Singida to Kinyangiri can be seen turning away to the North of the MGR Central Line to the West of the Station. [37]This next extract from Google’s satellite imagery in Manyoni shows a murram road crossing immediately to the West of the MGR Station and the branch line to Singida to Kinyangiri heading North away from the Central Line. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The line crosses a further culvert before crossing ta murram and a metalled road to the Southwest of Manyoni town centre. [Google Maps, August 2026]
To the West of Manyoni, after crossing another three culverts, the MGR crosses the T18 (B129) road close to its junction with the T3.
The line crosses the B129 (T18) metalled road adjacent to a roundabout junction where the B129 meets the B141. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The MGR runs parallel to the modern B141/T18 road through Aghondi and its Railway Station. Six culverts and two murram roads are crossed before Aghondi is reached. [38]Aghondi MGR Station as shown on MapCarta. [39]Aghondi Railway Station has a passing loop. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The station buildings at the MGR Station at Aghondi. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The length of the MGR to the immediate West of Aghondi. Construction work on the SGR had commenced at the point when this image was created. The dotted line indicates the SGR route on the South side of the MGR. [40]The line continues on a heading just t the North of West. 25 culverts and 8 murram road crossings litter the line in the length covered by this and the map extract immediately above.[41]
The next OpenStreetMap extract shows the line passing through Itigi.
To the North of Itigi the T18 and T22 roads meet at a crossroads. The MGR passes through the southern half of Itigi. The SGR will run further South but its line is packed up again as a dotted line converging on the MGR from the South to the West of Itigi. A few local murram roads cross the MGR in the western are of Itigi and once culvert allows for the passage of west season water flows before the Station is reached. [42]
The culvert at the Southeast end of the MGR station site can be seen in the bottom-right of this image. The points which provide access to the passing loop are visible to the Northwest of the culvert. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Itigi MGR Station. The road marked in yellow on this map extract is labelled ‘T22’ on OpenstreetMap’s mapping and ‘B141’ on Google Maps satellite imagery. [43]The full length of Itigi MGR Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]A freight train can be seen in the loop at Itigi MGR Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]Itigi Railway Station: the image shows both the passenger facilities (on the right of this satellite image) and the goods shed (just to the left of the centre of the image. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Goods wagons sit adjacent to the goods shed and separate loading area to the Northwest. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Itigi Railway Station building, (c) Experience Tanzania, September 2025. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The same building from further South, (c) kilimotorbike, May 2021 [Google Maps, August 2026]
Looking Northwest through the station site. The main goods shed is on the extreme left of the image the secondary goods shed is middle-left, (c) Experience Tanzania, September 2025. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The station approach from the Northeast, (c) Experience Tanzania, September 2025. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The MGR and the B141/T22 span a dry watercourse to the West of Itigi. It seems as though there may have been a fire which has burnt off areas of grassland at this location or the area has some particularly dark soil. [Google Maps, August 2026]
A short distance further West the work to construct the SGR becomes visible again (in the bottom half of this satellite image). The MGR and the B141/T22 can be seen at the top of the image. [Google Maps, August 2026]A short distance to the West the B141/T22 crosses the line of the SGR construction work. The MGR is again at the top of this image. [Google Maps, August 2026]
To the West the T18, the MGR and the SGR construction work follow the same corridor. …
The T18 is towards the to[p of this extract from Google’s satellite imagery, the MGR runs across the centre of the image and the SGR is the large ‘yellow’ strip in the bottom half of the image. [Google Maps, August 2026]Now heading Northwest again the T18, the MGR and the SGR pass one of the contractor’s compounds for the SGR construction work which appears in the top-left of this image. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The line continues heading Northwest. …
This next extract from OpenStreetMap.org’s mapping takes us just beyond the MGR station at Kitaraka. [44]Kitaraka MGR Station and passing loop as shown by MapCarta. [45]Beyond Kitaraka the line continues Northwest and then heads West. All along this length the SGR construction work was in progress when the Mapping was drawn up. [46]
Other than the occasional culvert under the line allowing for wet season water flows and a few murram road crossings there is little to note on this length of the line.
The line turns to the Northwest again before once more heading West and passing through Kazi-Kazi Railway Station. The T18 continues in close order alongside the MGR to the North, with the SGR to the South and following a similar course. [47]The full length of the station site at Kazi-Kazi. [48]Kazi-Kazi Railway Station buildings. [Google Maps, August 2026]Beyond Kazi-Kazi, the three transport routes continue in a generally westerly direction with little worthy of note other than the sporadic murram road crossings and culverts for wet-season water flows. [49]The next station on the MGR Central Line is at Karangazi. [50]Karangazi Railway Station. [51]Karangazi MGR Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Karangazi Railway Station building. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Looking Northwest through Karangazi Railway Station on the MGR. The yeallow vehicle appears to be a Wickham trolley, a motorized light rail inspection and maintenance car (often referred to in the USA as a railroad speeder) manufactured by D. Wickham & Co. of Ware, Hertfordshire, UK, (c) Ali YÜKSEL, March 2018. [Google Maps, August 2026]
There is little of note on the remainder of the line covered by the extract from OpenStreetMap above – the usual culverts and murram road crossings aside.
This next length shows the MGR following the contours as it heads West. [52]
Another SGR contractor’s compound sits to the South of the MGR and has an access road leading North to the T18. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The sidings shown on the extract from OpenStreetMaps above are shown here – the compound served is a CCECC Tura (Total Fuel Facility). [Google Maps, August 2026]
This much closer view from Google’s satellite imagery shows sidings to the North of the MGR. [Google Maps, August 2026]The next length of the line passes close to Tura Airport and then runs through the MGR station at Tura and then on to the West. [53]Tura Airport is no more than a strip of murram road cut from the bush. The T18 passes its Southwest end and the R436 joins the main road at the West end of the airport. The MGR is visible at the bottom-left of this image. [Google Maps, August 2026]Tura MGR Station. [54]The full length of the passing loop at Tura Station appears on this satellite image. [Google Maps, August 2026]
A number of wagons sit at the east end of the sidings at Tura two clearly no longer in use as they sit abandoned beside the others. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Tura Railway Station building seen from above. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Tura Railway Station building, (c) Ali YÜKSEL, April 2018. [Google Maps, August 2026]
There is nothing further worthy of note on the length of line covered by the OpenStreetMap extract above.
The alignment of the railway over the next length shown here is again dependent on the contours. [55]
Again, there is little of note along this length of the line. It frequently crosses culverts provided for west season water flows, but little else.
This length of the line boast both a station and a river crossing. [56]Malongwe Railway Station on the MGR. [57]The Southeast end of Malongwe Railway Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Malongwe MGR Station buildings. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The Northwest end of Malongwe MGR Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Two bridges cross the Chomwe River. Steel girders span the main river course with a Warren Truss spanning the secondary channel. At the time of the satellite photograph, little water was flowing down the river. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Two further lengths of the line with little worthy of note apart from a slightly larger bridge/culvert. [58][59]Three further lengths of the line with little worthy of note apart from a slightly larger bridge/culvert on the econd, another bridge/culvert on the third and Nyuhua MGR Station towards the left of the third image. [58][59][60]
The larger culvert/bridge as shown on Google’s satellite imagery. [Google Maps, August 2026]
A series of culverts at the approximate location of the seasonal river shown on the third of the three OpenStreetMap extracts above. [Google Maps, August 2026]Nyuhua Railway Station which appears at the left side of the third OpenStreetMap above. The SGR when completed obliterates the three sidings shown on the right side of this map. [61]
Nyuhua Railway Station. [Google Maps, August 2026.
The line continues in a Westerly direction beyond Nyuhua. [62]The SGR contractor’s compound just a few kilometres West of Nyuhua. Other than this compound there is little of major significance on the length of the MGR on the OpenStreetMap extract above. [Google Maps, August 2026]This next length of the line takes us through Goweko (top-left). Again, there is little of significance on the line to the East of Gweko – just murram road crossings and culverts. [63]Goweko Railway Station. [64]Goweko MGR Station as shown on Google’s satellite imagery. It appears that the station layout shown on MapCarta is no longer in use with tracks either lifted or buried. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The MGR Station buildings at Goweko. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The line to the Northwest of Goweko (bottom-right). A part from more culverts design to manage run-off in the wet season, there is little of note on this length of the line. [65]Igalula is the next station on the line. [66]
Irrigated fields surround the next river crossing shown here. This is (I think) the Ugalla River. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Igalula MGR Station. [67]Igalula Railway Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Igalula Railway Station buildings. [Google Maps, August 2026]
This train has just passed through Igalula MGR Station and is heading for Tabora. [Google Maps, August 2026]
A closer view of the locomotive shown above. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The MGR to the Northwest of Igalula. [68]The next length of the line. The Wala River is shown South of the line being bridged at the bottom-right of this map extract, top-left of the last map extract. [69]
Towards the top-left of the OpenStreetMap extract immediately above, the line crosses the Wala River. [Google Maps, August 2026]
As this second image shows, Warren Truss girder bridges span the two river channels. [Google Maps, August 2026]
A further bridge, just a few hundred meters Northwest of those shown above provides for possible high flows in the wet season.This is the first of three similar structures. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Early construction work for the SGR shows a concrete culvert on the line of the SGR which enters this image bottom-right. The SGR crosses the MGR on a flyover which will be at the bottom-right of this image and which is shown on the OpenStreetMap extract above. [Google Maps, August 2026].
Culverts appear at relatively frequent intervals on the line as it heads Northwest.
After passing through Itulu, the next length of the line turns northward. [70] We will look at the station at Itulu below but note first the state of the construction work on the SGR station to the North of Itulu. …
The construction site to the North of Itulu where an SGR Station is being built. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Itulu MGR Station. [71]Itulu MGR Station building is at the centre of this satellite image. To the Northeast is the SGR under construction. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Itulu MGR Station buildings. [Google Maps, August 2026]
We have noted above the construction site for the SGR station North of Itulu. North of that station site the SGR turns away from the line of the MGR.
The MGR is now on its final approach to Tabora. It passes Tabora Airport and wends its way through the suburbs. [72]
Incidentally, Tabora Airport has two metalled runways and is design for more significant traffic than the airport at Tura.
Sikongwe Street crosses the line close to the airport. This is a relatively significant road which remains of murram construction. [Google Maps, August 2026]The first metalled road encountered for some distance is Kilimatinde Road. [Google Maps, August 2026]
We terminate this leg of the journey along the Central Line here at Tabora.
References
M.F. Hill; Permanent Way Volume II: The Story of the Tanganyika Railways; East African Railways and Habours, Nairobi, Kenya; Watson & Viney, Aylesbury & Slough, 1957.
The Tanganyika Guide, 1953; Information Office, Dar-es-Salaam, 1953. [3rd Edition Revised and Enlarged, 180 pages: earlier editions were – first ed 1936, second prepared 1939, but delayed until 1948.
Possibly as early as 1825, an extensive horse-drawn tramway network served the works.
The tramway was laid to 3ft 5.5in. “The gauge was measured to the outside of the railheads as the wheels had flanges outside of the rails. … They were the earliest railways in the area. … It is said that outside flanges were used so that the space between the rails could be built up into a firm level path for the horses. Fallen lumps of chalk could then be easily kicked clear of the rails.” [1: p4]
“The works lay to the north of the London Road and the tramway ran due north for 1000 yards to Bell Wharf. There was a whiting works to the west of the main works with a tramway to the pits near the cricket ground. The main pits were between the London Road and the South Eastern Railway. Some time before 1898 the tramway burrowed under the South Eastern Railway in a tunnel at Craylands and pits were opened south of the railway later extending for a considerable distance. There was a transhipment siding on the South Eastern Railway at Craylands during the time of the narrow gauge.” [30: p38,42]
“Steam locomotives were introduced in 1875, built by a variety of builders. “There were engines by Lewin of Poole, HE Taylor of Chester, Kilmarnock Engineering Co. and … Aveling and Porter of Rochester. By 1927, these charming workhorses were becoming increasingly difficult to maintain and so, with the need to increase production, the railway was re-laid to standard gauge and new locomotives purchased.” [1: p4]
Initially the industry was made up of a series of independent companies. These companies joined in 1900 to form ‘The Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers’ (APCM), often referred to within the industry as ‘The Combine’. After 1900 the various works continued to be known by their original names.
The modernisation of the railways at Swanscombe Works was completed by 1929. … The Works shifted to a busy, efficient standard-gauge system connecting the chalk pits, main plant, river Thames jetty, and British Rail interchange.
“When the standard gauge line was built a single track ran down from the exchange sidings on a steep and curving route to the works. The standard gauge ‘main line’ ran through the tunnel under Craylands, then turned more westerly than the old line, and passed under a footbridge across old workings, through a tunnel under a lane, then another tunnel under Alkerden Lane, and into a very large pit running almost down to Watling Street, a distance of 14 miles from the Works.” [30: p42]
The Works were among the most important cement production facilities in the country. Extensive railway infrastructure was required to handle raw materials and finished cement, resulting in a complex network of sidings, exchange lines, and industrial locomotives. Rail traffic included limestone and chalk movements, internal works shunting, and outward cement trains connecting with the wider British Rail network. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, the site reflected wider changes across the UK rail system. [11]
A sketch of the area around Swanscombe Works. The pier on the Thames, the Works and the quarries were on a North-South axis. This sketch is an extract from a broader sketch of the various Cement Works on the South side of the River Thames. [30: p10]
The series of map extracts and photographs below illustrate the development of the Works over the years.
Map of Works in 1864
The First Edition OS 1:2500 County Series Kent X.1 map surveyed 1864 (British Library), modified to National grid format. The plant in 1864 was in course of rapid expansion, still using the wet process static kilns originated by Frost. Chalk quarrying, initially north of the road, had spread to the area between the road and the railway, connected by a 4 m wide tunnel under the road – the first of five eventually dug. [
Map of Works in 1895
This pair of Ordnance Survey Map extracts are taken from the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1895, published in 1897. [7]
These three 6″ Ordnance Survey map extracts of 1938-1940 and published in 1950-1951 belong together. The top two overlap marginally North to South. [5] The third extract sits alongside the second – to its left. It comes from a different OS Sheet and shows the Works line extending to Chalk Pits near Knockhall and Alkerden Manor Farm. [6]
Swanscombe Cement Works began operations in 1825, when James Frost commenced making his “British Cement” using wet process bottle kilns. The plant was acquired by Francis and White in 1833 and made the same product. The partnership was dissolved in 1836 and John Bazley White and Sons commenced as a business in 1837, making both Roman and Frost’s cements at the Swanscombe site. [8]
Map of the Railway Network in 1965
Note that the Northpoint for this plan is turned through about 120 degrees. The Thames jetty is off the left of the plan. The chalk Pit Workings are off to the bottom-right. [12]
In 1965, the Works had seven 0−4−0STs to work the considerable traffic – six built by Hawthorn Leslie (four in 1928, one in 1929 and one in 1935) and the last by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns in 1948. All seven were painted green with the running number on each side of the tank. There were no diesels. One was tried but it could not manage the poor track and was continually “sitting down”. There is no prospect of having any until money can be spared for relaying several miles of track. [12] A number of other locomotives were used at different times after 1929.
The five identical Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST engines were delivered in 1928, followed by a sixth in 1935. They weighed 25 tons, featured 16in x 24in outside cylinders, and had a tractive effort of 21,425 lbf. [13]
The works can be divided into three areas. The first two are old chalkpits, dug each side of the main road, while the third contains the line to the workings. The first area is bisected by a private road with the cement works proper on one side. On the other side is the single road engine shed and works, and also an awning over one track where engines stand when not in use. A single line runs past the works, and across the marshy countryside to the jetty on the river Thames. [12]
“Another line runs across the road and winds its way around the main works until entering a tunnel under the main road. This brings it to the second old pit, where are situated two unloading tips for arriving trains. As can be seen from the map, a connection to British Railways struggles up and round the side of the pit. (Sand all over the rails shows the severity of the climb.) On the opposite side of the pit, another single line dips downwards into a tunnel under BR, a road and the connecting line, and emerges into a long, deep and wide cutting. There are two passing loops on the way to the workings, of which one has watering facilities, and another tunnel, and a high footbridge.” [12]
Chris Down, writing in 1965, continues:
“At the middle pit, an arriving train runs above one of the two tips, and backs down on to the tip. When the end wagon is on the tip, the wagons are braked, and the locomotive is uncoupled so that it can go up to the end of the line to obtain coal and water.
“The tips are similar to mechanical coaling plants on B.R. and deal with one wagon at a time. As each wagon is unloaded, it runs along the siding by gravity, until the train is reformed at the other end of the loop. The locomotive then comes back and couples onto the same end as before. The next train brings the single line tablet which is hung on a hook on a post. The first train collects the tablet and then goes down to the workings, the locomotive propelling the wagons.
“I spent some time around the footbridge, photographing the trains which passed at frequent intervals. The maximum speed was about 20m.p.h., but trains lurched terribly, due to the poor track. When the track deteriorates so much as to necessitate its replacement, diesels will doubtless be purchased. From the opinion of many of the men to whom I spoke, however, steam should retain its supremacy for some time to come.” [12]
Satellite Image the Area of the Works of 2026
“Swanscombe cement works operated for nearly 165 years, one of the longest-lived cement works in the world and, for many decades, … one of the largest. For a hundred years from about 1826 until 1929 it employed a unique narrow gauge railway using outside-flanged wheels, with over thirty steam locomotives, many also unique. When modernised in the 1927-29 period, its new standard gauge railway was one of the busiest and most efficient in the industry.” [9]
Details of locomotives employed at the Works can be found below.
Production at Swanscombe Works measured in tonnes per year. [8]
Comparing 1915/1916 to the 21st century
A few images follow which compare locations on the Swanscombe Works network with modern satellite imagery. The plans and satellite images are supplemented, where available, with photographs from close to ground level.
Bell Wharf at the North end of the company’s rail network, as it appears on the 6″ Ordnance Survey of 1915/1916 published in 1923. [33]
The Wharf as it appears on the ESRI satellite imagery provided by the national Library of Scotland (NLS) [34]
The approach to the Jetty along the line of the old railway. This view looks North towards the jetty. [Google Streetview, August 2025]
The jetty seen from the South. [Google Streetview, August 2025]
Looking South across the marshes from the jetty towards the location of Swanscombe Works. [Google Streetview, August 2025]
The Cement Works in 1915/1916. A road can bee seen leaving London Road at the bottom-left of this map extract and running towards Manor Way Farm through the centre of the site. [33]
In the 21st century, the outline of the Cement Works site is still visible. A variety of primarily transport related companies use the site. Manor Way now runs from the bottom-right across the centre of the old cement works siteand the area is known as Manor Way Business Park. [34]
Looking Northeast along Manor Way in the 21st century. The majority of buildings which were present when the Cement Works was in operation have been removed. [Google Streetview, October 2024]
Narrow Gauge Locomotives before 1929
Although records are sketchy, Stoyel and Kidner give details of nearly 30 narrow-gauge locomotives which served at Swanscombe, all of which had wheels with outside flanges. These included:
Aveling & Porter supplied a total of eight 3ft 5.5in, outside-gauge, geared tramway engines to Swanscombe Works. These were all scrapped by 1929 after the standard-gauge works lines were built.
S. Lewin of Poole – Only a small number of locomotives were built by this company, including: an 0-4-0 locomotive of 1875, for the 1 ft 10 in (559 mm) gauge Cornish Hush Mine, Howden Burn; 0-4-0 Ant and Bee, for the 20 in (508 mm) gauge Great Laxey Mine Railway, Isle of Man; an 0-4-0ST for Seaham Harbour, County Durham; an 0-4-0 steam tram engine for Guernsey Railway; an 0-4-0 with rear tank, 3 ft 5 1⁄2 in (1,055 mm) gauge, outside flanged, (photographed below at) Swanscombe Cement Works; and an 0-4-0 Tiny, a 3 ft 9 in (1,143 mm) gauge loco for the Fayle’s Tramway on the Isle of Purbeck. [23][24]
S. Lewin only made a few locomotives. Erith “had the eccentrics on the front axle and the valves were on top of the steeply-inclined cylinders, the spindles being actuated by Stephenson link motion. Erith was rebuilt at Swanscombe Works in 1920 with the help of fitters from the Dorset Iron Foundry.” [30: p45]
De Winton supplied one vertical-bolier 0-4-0WT locomotive, Revolution, it had two 6″ x 10″ cylinders and 1ft 7in diameter wheels.
It is possible that Revolution “came second-hand in about 1890 and possibly from the Bute Works Supply Co. Cardiff, who were advertising a similar locomotive for sale in 1893.” [30: p45]
H. E. Taylor of Chester supplied six 0-4-0 side tank locomotives to Swanscombe Works between 1877 and 1882.
Stoyel & Kidner provide details of these locomotives:
Swanscombe, 0-4-0ST, 1879, outside cylinders other details not known.
Iron Horse, 0-4-0ST, 1882, outside cylinders (9.5″ x 18″), 2ft 6in wheels.
Dead Horse, 0-4-0ST, 1882, outside cylinders other details not known.
Millbank, 0-4-0ST, 1879, outside cylinders other details not known.
Liverpool, 0-4-0ST, 1879, outside cylinders other details not known.
Chester, 0-4-0ST, 1877, outside cylinders other details not known.
William Wilkinson & Co. built around sixty locomotives. Wilkinson’s also contracted out the manufacture of tram locomotives to Beyer, Peacock and Co, Black, Hawthorn and Co and Thomas Green and Son. Altogether 207 engines were built to Wilkinson’s patent. The Plymouth & Devonport Tramways steam locomotives were assembled at Wilkinson’s works in Wigan, the vertical boiler in each of these locomotives was made by the Steel Company of Scotland. Small bore cylinders acted upon a crankshaft that was in turn connected to the four, coupled wheels by means of cog-wheel gears. The axles, wheels and nearly all the working parts of the engine were made of Sieman-Martin’s best quality steel and all the brass workings were of phosphor bronze. The exhaust steam was superheated in the firebox before escaping to the atmosphere through the chimney. The fuel was coke and the emission of smoke was described as ‘scarcely perceptible’. The Plymouth locomotives were apparently from Wilkinson’s own works. They cost between £600 each for the non-condensing version and £1,100 for those fitted with the condensing apparatus. [26]
A number of the Wilkinson steam trams purchased by the Plymouth & Devonport Tramways for their abortive experiment with steam trams were bought by the Swanscombe Works in the late 1880s/early 1890s. [25]
A typical Wilkinson’s Steam Tram – this one was used on the Wigan network close to Wilkinson’s Works. It was built in 1886. These engines must have been an unusual sight working on an industrial railway! [27]
Wilkinson also supplied a single vertical-boiler locomotive to Swanscombe Works. It was built in 1884.
Kilmarnock Engineering Co. supplied five 0-4-0ST 3ft 5.5in outside-gauge locomotives to Swanscombe Works in 1920 and 1925. Kilmarnock Engineering Co. were not prolific engine builders. These five were some of a very few locomotives built by the Company.
These sturdy 0-4-0ST locomotives undertook most of the chalk haulage for Swanscombe Works in the 1920s. When the railway was modernised and the gauge changed the locomotives were scrapped. [1: p6]‘Hustler’ was one of this batch of locomotives from Kilmarnock Engineering Co., (c) Public Domain. (Kenn Nunn Collection/LCGB). [25: photo No. 26]
J. B. White& Bros, owners of the Swanscombe works, appear to have constructed at least one locomotive in use on their own site, Gravesend, another 0-4-0WT. It is also possible that a number of other locomotives used on the site were rebuilt there at various times. [30: p45]
Bagnall – one locomotive, Rede, an 0-4-0ST built in 1894, was built by Bagnall (Works No. 1413) and came second-hand in 1921. [30: p45]
Hudswell Clarke – one locomotive, Spry, another 0-4-0ST, was built by Hudswell Clarke and arrived at Swanscombe in 1923. [30: p45]
Stoyel & Kidner tell us that “on a visit to the works in December 1929, 12 narrow gauge locomotives were seen on a length of track awaiting scrapping. The old 3-road engine shed was rebuilt as a two-road standard gauge shed. … On the modernisation of the railway system in 1929 all the remaining narrow gauge locomotives were scrapped that year or in 1930, and it is thought that very few of them had been scrapped at an earlier date, although Plymouth and Devonport are said to have been broken up in 1922, and Swanscombe by 1920. The second-hand engines would have had their gauge altered on arrival.” [30: p45]
The narrow gauge wooden tipper wagons, “were shunted in 1929 into the passing loops half way down the tramway to the river, and remained there for many years. There were also a few left in an old pit south of Ingress Gardens.” [30: p45]
Standard Gauge Locomotives after 1929
“When preparations were made in 1928 for replacing the narrow gauge system by one laid to the 4ft 8½ in. gauge, an order was placed for a series of powerful new locomotives for the purpose. Pending their delivery three old locomotives were transferred from other works but they were usually employed two at a time in removing the overburden prior to quarrying, on track which had no physical connection with the remainder of the system.” [30: p45]
Those early standard-gauge arrivals were from two manufacturers:
Falcon – Henry Hughes and Company was based at Falcon Works. The firm experienced financial difficulties in the late 1870s/early 1880s. It was restructured as the Falcon Railway Plant Works in 1883 under the control of Norman Scott Russell. [31]
The factory remained busy with both railway and tramway locomotives and rolling stock. Among these were tank locomotives for Ireland, Spain and the Azores. Some were subcontracts from other firms, such as Kerr, Stuart and Co, at that time in Glasgow. [32]
The two Falcon locomotives came to Swanscombe second-hand, they were Works Nos 120 and 150 and were named Wolf and Delta. Delta was one of a number originally supplied to Gibbs Works, Essex. It had a dropped cab for passage through low tunnels. [30: p43, 45]
Falcon also provided a later second-hand arrival, Lion, (Works No. 205?) which was transferred from Stone Court in 1946. [30: p41, 45]
Manning Wardle – Guernsey, a 0-4-0ST, Works No. 1241 of 1892 came second-hand to Swanscombe at the end of the 1920s.
Hawthorn Leslie supplied five identical standard-gauge 0-4-0ST locomotives to Swanscombe Works in 1928. [1: p6] These locomotives were constructed with two outside cylinders of 16in x 24in, 3ft 3in diameter driving wheels and a weight of 25 tons and a tractive effort of 21.425 lbf. [13] A single further engine (No. 6) was supplied in 1935.
No. 1 was Hawthorn Leslie Works No. 3715. [13]
No. 2 was Hawthorn Leslie Works No. 3716. [16]
No. 3 was Hawthorn Leslie Works No. 3717. [15]
No. 4 was Hawthorn Leslie Works No. 3718. [14]
No. 5 was Hawthorn Leslie Works No. 3719. [17][25]
No. 6 was Hawthorn Leslie Works No. 3860. [18]
No. 5 was one of the fleet of standard-gauge Hawthorn Leslie Locomotives. It is seen here working the exchange sidings at Swanscombe, (c) Public Domain, (Andrew Neale Collection). [25: photo No. 27]
This image is embedded here directly from the Middleton Railway Website, it shows Hawthorn-Leslie No. 3860 Swanscombe ‘No.6’ which was gifted to the Middleton Railway in 1971 once the APCM turned away from steam- to diesel-power. [19]
Chapman & Furneaux – Kappa, another 0-4-0ST, built by Chapman & Furneaux (successors to Black, Hawthorn & Co) Works No. 1164 (of 1898) arrived at Swanscombe in the 1930s. [30: p45]
Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns supplied one slightly larger standard-gauge locomotive to Swanscombe Works – 0-4-0ST No. 7, RSH No. 7405 of 1948. [1: p6]
A General Arrangement drawing of the Lartigue locomotives built by the Hunslet Engine Company of Leeds, England, in 1887, (c) Adrian Stapleton-Garner, 1968. [3]A Hunslet sales catalogue sheet from the late 19th century. [4: p289]
Andrew Neale wrote a short introduction to these unusual Hunslet Locomotives which was carried by the Narrow Gauge& Industrial Railway Modelling Review in July 2007. …
“The line’s first locomotive had been built by Tubize in Belgium and had previously been used briefly on a short demonstration line in London. It had twin vertical boilers but was primarily used on construction, the three new Hunslets working the regular traffic. These were makers numbers Hunslet 431 to 433, with the first two leaving the works on 10th October, 1887 and the third one seven days later. Each locomotive had twin boilers with two 7 ins x 12 ins cylinders driving three 24 inch diameter wheels on the engine portion giving a tractive effort of 3112 lbs. All wheels on both boiler and tender were double flanged and the horizontal guide wheels were of 12 inch diameter. The two boilers had Salter safety valves, and the main brake reservoirs were mounted under each boiler. The cab and tender were also divided and the latter was fitted with two auxiliary cylinders of 5 x 7 ins. driving the two carrying wheels by means of a jackshaft and side rods to add a further 926 lbs to the tractive effort.
“The locos were painted dark green with large circular brass number plates on the tender and a similar brass patent plate on each cab side.” [4: p288-289]
The locomotives proved, in service, to be under-powered. Insufficient steam was generated to be able to make use of both the standard and auxiliary cylinders noted in the sales catalogue sheet above. Neale tells us that the auxiliary cylinders were soon removed and that double-heading of trains became standard practice on the line. Neale suggests that Hunslet’s drawing office was aware that the auxiliary cylinders, although specified by the customer, might not be successful. The drawing office prepared plans for the powered tenders requested and for a ‘conventional, non-powered one.
Driving these locos was not easy, there was considerable noise from the track and the driver also had to fire one of the boilers. Nonetheless, the line settled down to a effective existence for 36 years! It was only the advent of road motor competition which forced closure in 1924.
“Many relics of the former line have been painstakingly salvaged and put on display. … A short replica of the line has been built in Listowel using a replica Loco and coaches from Alan Keef Ltd. although sadly this is diesel-powered. ” [4: p289]
Oakwood Press No. LP33 – Reprint
First published in 1967 as a slim Oakwood edition by A.T. Newham, going through two print runs. In 1989, Oakwood issued a new edition. This 2025 edition, was reprinted with a new cover design,
The book is softback, has 112 pages of text, around 100 illustrations including many black & white photos, route map, detail maps and drawings of carriages and locomotives. Covers of earlier editions are shown below. [5]
A Centenary Publication
Michael Guerin: A book was published about the railway by the Lartigue Centenary Committee in 1988. [6]
The Lartigue Centenary Committee was formed in Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland, in 1988 to mark the centenary of the unique Lartigue Listowel and Ballybunion Railway. The group published a foundational local history book and later evolved into restoration and twinning efforts.
The committee arranged for the construction of about 1000 m of demonstration track on which a full-scale diesel-powered replica of the original carriage can operate.
A museum was set up in ex-CIE (Irish State Railways) goods shed, which shows a film of the original line in operation and a large-scale model of the Lartigue station. The site of the original Listowel terminus is preserved in a nearby park and some track foundations remain along the remarkably straight road to Ballybunion. [7]
The length of the Central Line which is covered by this article. The map was drafted in the early years of the 20th century under German colonial rule. The place names are the German spellings. This map is licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [32]
We start the next length of our journey on the Mittelland Bahn (the Central Line) at Mikese just to the West of the junction with the link line between Tanga and Ruvu.
The town of Mikese sat some distance North of the MGR and over time a significant community grew up around the Railway Station, Kalungwana Mills and the Hospital. That community can be seen on this satellite image, the town was off to the North of this image. Both the two railways appear on this image. The MGR is at the top of the image, the SGR at the bottom of the image. The MGR station building can be be made out centre-top of this image. [Google Maps, June, 2026]The MGR Station at Mikese had a passing loop . This is how it appears on MapCarta. [2]Mikese MGR Station. [Google Maps, June 2026]A much closer view of the MGR station buildings at Mikese. [Google Maps, June 2026]
A dry water channel runs East-West on the North side of Mikese Railway station and is bridged by the murram road which leads North towards the small town of Mikese. The bridge and level-crossing tot he West of the railway station are shown here. [Google Maps, July 2026]
Heading just to the South of West the line heads away from Mikese station. small underbridges provide for water runoff in the wet season. [Google Maps, July 2026]
Another small underbridge/culvert. [Google Maps, July 2026]
These small underbridges occur at frequent intervals along the line. [Google Maps, July 2026]
Another of the small underbridges. [Google Maps, July 2026]
The nest road-crossing is for the road running South from the A7 toward the Standard-gauge line (SGR) on the approach to Mkambarani. [Google Maps, July 2026]
Another culvert under the line on the South side of Mkambarani. The A7 is to the North, a murram road immediately to the South of the line and the SGR only a relatively short distance further South. [Google Maps, July 2026]
Another feeder road which serves the Mahashree Agro Processing Tanzania Limited’s compound crosses the line in close proximity to its junction with the A7. The industrial compound sits immediately on the North side of the SGR. [Google Maps, July 2026]
The A7, the MGR and the SGR take close order on the approach to Morogoro. [Google Maps, July 2026]
Still to the East of Morogoro, the MGR and the SGR bridge a local watercourse. [Google Maps, July 2026]
The line is crossed by another minor road. [Google Maps, July 2026]
A series of three more culverts provide for wet season water flows. [Google Maps, July 2026]
Morogoro Alliance Tobacco is served by the short siding leaving this image top-right. Exchange sidings serve the tobacco plant and CCECC – Kingolwira (Total Fuel Facility) on the left half of this image. [Google Maps, July 2026]
The road-crossing at the West end of the fuel depot. [Google Maps, July 2026]
The SGR (to the North) and the MGR (to the South) running through/past Morogoro. On the right of this image, the point where the two lines cross, is a bridge carrying the SGR over the MGR and it can be seen in the first satellite image below. The next series of images take the MGR through Morogoro and then back to the line of the SGR to the Northwest of Morogoro. [4]
The older MGR is bridged by the SGR closer to Morogoro. [Google Maps, July 2026]
A short distance South if the SGR overbridge, the line crosses another more permanent watercourse. [Google Maps, July 2026]
The next crossing of a local road. [Google Maps, July 2026]
Another watercourse. [Google Maps, July 2026]
Not every road-crossing and watercourse/dry river bed is shown in these photographs, hopefully what is shown gives a good idea of the kind of crossings/bridges on the line.
Another road-crossing. [Google Maps, July 2026]
And another! [Google Maps, July 2026]
On the North side of the line, before reaching Morogoro Railway Station, is the Tanzania Institute of Rail Technology (TIRTEC) Morogoro Campus which is rail served by a dedicated short branch/sidings.
The Tanzania Institute of Rail Technology (TIRTEC) Morogoro Campus. [Google Maps, July 2026]The site of the Institute as it appears on MapCarta. [3]
At the Southwest corner of the Tanzania Institute of Rail Technology (TIRTEC) Morogoro Campus a metalled road is crossed by two lines. That towards the bottom of this satellite image is the TR Central Line, to its North is the branch running into the Institute’s site. [Google Maps, July 2026]
The gateway to the site of the Institute, (c) Aboubakari Jumanne, July 2025. [Google Maps, July 2026]
The Tanzania Institute of Rail Technology (TIRTEC) Morogoro Campus main building, (c) Musa Samwel, October 2021. [Google Maps, July 2026]
At the point where the two lines meet the railway bridges another watercourse (the Ngerengere River) immediately to the East of Morogoro Railway Station throat. [Google Maps, July 2026]
Morogoro Metre Gauge Railway Station. [Google Maps, July 2026]The site of Morogoro Railway Station (MGR) as it appears on MapCarta. [3]
The Metre-Gauge Railway Station is South of the centre of Morogoro, the SGR line runs across the North side of the city.
A much closer view of the Morogoro Railway Station. [Google Maps, July 2026]
Morogoro Railway Station Building, (c) Peter Lazaro, October 2020. [Google Maps, July 2026]
The rail side elevation of the same building, (c) Iman Frank, June 2017. [Google Maps, July 2026]
Morogoro’s legacy Metre-Gauge Railway (MGR) station is no longer used for passenger journeys. The modern Jakaya Kikwete SGR Station built for the new high-speed electric standard gauge rail network sits across the city to the North and now is the main passenger hub for the city.
To the West of the Railway Station a single track heads West across a local road and bridges another watercourse (which appears to be a tributary of the Ngerengere River. Just West of the river, the line divides as shown on the MapCarta image immediately below. [Google Maps, July 2026]Approximately the same area as that which appears on the satellite image immediately above. The more southerly of the two lines is a short branch which serves the Tanzania Tobacco Processors Limited (TTPL) site further to the West. [3]
The first road crossings on the two lines cary them across the Korogwe Raod in Morogoro. [Google Maps, June 2026]
The full length of the short siding/branch serving Tanzania Tobacco Processors Limited (TTPL). [3]Another metalled road is crossed both by the branch (bottom-left) and the main line (top-right) before the mainline continues out of Morogoro. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The A7/T1 road bridges the MGR as it leaves the central area of Morogoro. [Google Maps, August 2026][3]
The next metalled road crossed by the line as it wends its way Northwest is the Ujenzi Road. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The Mazimbu Road is the next metalled road crossing the line. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The railway next bridges another tributary of the Ngerengere River. [Google Maps, August 2026][3]
Still heading generally in the north-westerly direction the line cross a number of murram roads before bridging another dry watercourse. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Another murram road is crossed at level before the line encounters the SGR again. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The modern SGR bridges the MGR. [Google Maps, August 2026]The SGR follows the MGR relatively closely over the next few kilometres. [5]
Apart from murram road crossings and minor culverts, this dry watercourse is bridged by both the MGR and the SGR. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Msinbu has its own halt on the MGR Central Line. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Msinbu is only a small settlement, no provision is made for passing trains.
Over this next length of the route of the MGR it, at first, follows the contours. The SGR, with significantly greater power provided by its locomotives and with much more cash available to invest in the line, take a more direct route. [6]
Again, the line is crossed by murram roads and itself crosses dry watercourses culverted under the track. But little is worthy of specific note apart from the pair of structures over a dry watercourse shown immediately below.
Another dry watercourse which experiences significant water flows in the wet season. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The next feature worthy of note on this next length of the railway is the bridges over the Mkata River about a third into this map extract from the right side. The bridges are shown below. [7]
One arm of the Mkata River is crossed by three structures carrying the MGR, the SGR and the SGR service road. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The MGR made provision for significant flows in the wet season, providing three double box culverts. The SGR saw no need to proved additional flood relief. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The other (main) arm of the Mkata River is also bridged by three bridges carrying the MGR, the SGR and the SGR service road. [Google Maps, August 2026]
A short distance beyond the Mkata River is a halt on the MGR – named Mkata Railway Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]
This time, the SGR also provides a station just a few hundred meters to the West of the MGR halt. [Google Maps, August 2026]
This satellite image is provided primarily for the small consist on the MGR. It appears to be made up of one diesel locomotive and one wagon. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Bothe the Mgr and SGR are now running across open savanna with no significant interruptions and so head Weat on a bearing just South of West for some distance. Occasional culverts permit water runoff in the wet season.
A typical location on the MGR and SGR with culverts provided for wet season flows. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The next station on the MGR is at Kimamba, the next on the SGR is at Kilosa. In between the two are a series of storage sidings on the SGR. [8]Kimamba Railway Station on the MGR as shown on MapCarta. The facilities appear to be much reduced in the view available on Google Maps in 2026. [8]Kimamba Railway Station on the MGR – a passing loop appears to have been retained but the facilities shown on the MapCarta extract have either been removed or are overgrown. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Just to the West of the station at Kimamba a road over-bridge has been constructed which spans both the MGR and the SGR. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Between Kimamba and Kilosa Railway Station on the SGR, a series of sidings run alongside the SGR. The SGR is at high level and bridges a road. The MGR crosses the same road at a level-crossing just to the North of the SGR over-bridge. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The four-track SGR and the single MGR track then span a watercourse. [Google Maps, August 2026]
And a short distance to the West, another watercourse. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Kilosa Railway Station on the SGR sits to the East of the town – the MGR runs to the Northwest of the SGR. [9]Kilosa Railway Station on the SGR with the MGR to its Northwest. [Google Maps, August 2026]Kilosa MGR Station is at the West end of the town. From here the line meanders alongside the Mkondoa River. [9]The SGR crosses the MGR at high-level to the South of Kilosa town. [Google Map, August 2026]Kilosa MGR Station is further West. The SGR can be seen curving away at the top of this image. [10]Kilosa MGR Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]
To the West of Kilosa MGR Station , the line begins to turn to the Northwest, a branch line leaves the main line before it crosses the B127. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The branch line crosses the Mkondoa River on a shared railway/road bridge. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Mkondoa River Bridge, (c) Matanga Eunyo, August 2024. [Google Maps, August 2026]
On the west side of the river both the road and the branch line turn South. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The branch line which crosses the Mkondoa River serves Mikumi and will be covered in a later article. OpenStreetMap.com shows the line heading South, then Southwest and then South again passing close to the village of Mbamba, into the Mikumi National Park, running parallel to the Iringa Road for a short distance before crossing it and running alongside the T16, again heading South. It crosses the T16 close to Msowero and runs on to serve the ‘Kisombero 1’ Sugar Company and then meets the TAZARA line at Msolwa at the boundary of the Nyerere National Park.
We continue on along the Central Line from Kilosa towards Dodoma.
The SGR is once again alongside the MGR but at a higher level. It has passed through a tunnel close to the MGR Station at Kilosa. Here agin we see both lines crossing a dry watercourse with a road between them. [Google Maps, August 2026]
With the SGR a distance away to the North, the MGR crosses a tributary to the Mkondoa River. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Next a dry watercourse is bridged very close to the Mkondoa River which can be seen in the very bottom-left corner of this image. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Road and railway cross close to the bank of the Mkondoa River. [Google Maps, August 2026]
And cross again alongside the river. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Still alongside the river, the MGR passes under a viaduct carrying the SGR from a tunnel across the Mkondoa River at high level. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The MGR then crosses the river on a combined railway/road bridge. [Goggle Maps, August 2026]
The river, the MGR and the SGR can all be seen on this satellite image which is centred on the MGR Station at Mzangaza. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Mzangaza Railway Station with the river beyond, (c) Ali Yüksel, August 2019. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Still on the South side of the Mkondoa River. This drywatercourse would flow north when in spate. It appears to be bridged by a relatively modern structure. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The SGR and the MGR are again close further West. The SGR had the resources to tunnel through a bluff of land whereas the old MGR follows the river edge. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The MGR and the SGR are further apart when the SGR emerges from the North portal of the tunnel. The Mkondoa River can just be seen on the top-right corner of this image. [Google Maps, August 2026]Bopth the SGR and the MGR bridge the next river valley using relatively substantial structures. [Google Maps, August 2026]This next length of the line continues along the valley of the Mkondoa River heading Northwest. Again, the MDr runs with the contours and so follows the river. The SGR follows a more sinuous (smooth) alignment! [11]
Close to Kidete the MGR corsses another relatively significant tributary of the Mkonoa River. It is dry season so very little water flows in the river channel. [Google Maps, August 2026]
A little top the West, the SGR bridge is a more substantial structure! [Google Maps, August 2026]
Kidete Railway Station on the SGR is just a short distance to the Northwest, the MGR can be seen running parallel to the river on the right of this image. [Google Maps, August 2026]All along the route there are dry watercourses that carry runoff in the wet season. Both railways provide for these flows. This is another typical location. The SGR has a single span structure (bottom-left), the MGR has two culverts (top-right). Water flow runs towards the Mkondoa River to the Northeast of this location. [Google Maps, August 2026]Another similar location – here water flows to the North. The Mkondoa River is just off the North of the satellite image. [Google Maps, August 2026]The railways continue head Northwest following the valley of the Mkondoa River. Google Maps now gives the river the name ‘Kinyasungwe River. [12]Godegode MGR Station. [13]Godegode Railway Station on the MGR. [Google Maps, August 2026]To the West of Godegode, both railways and the accompanying road cross another dry watercourse (the Idiri River). At the time the image was taken, the road was closed and its bridge was being rebuilt. [Google Maps, August 2026]The road bridge over the watercourse under reconstruction.[Google Maps, August 2026]
To the Northeast of the SGR and road crossings the MGR crosses the Idiri Riverclose to the Kinyasungwe River – two spans across two different dry beds. The first is a modern concrete structure, the second, below, is older. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The older structure spans a narrower arm of the river. Continuing Northwest, the line crosses further smaller culverts/bridges carry water runoff to the Kinyasungwe River. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Some kilometres further Northwest the line spans another significant dry watercourse. This watercourse is not given a name on either Google Maps of MapCarta. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The MGR continues to follow the river valley. The SGR still running on its South side. There is little worthy of note along this length of the line. [13]Again, the two lines, MGR and SGR, continue to follow the Kinyasungwe River valley. At the top-eft of this map extract the two lines cross another significant dry watercourse.[14]The modern SGR bridge is shown in the bottom-left of this satellite image, the MGR bridge is toward the top-right of the image. [Google Maps, August 2026]
A closer view of the MGR bridge. Just to the Northwest of this bridge the MGR enters Gulwe Railway Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The next length of the two railway lines shows two stations the SGR station being to the West of the MGR station at Gulwe. [15]Gulwe Railway Station on the MGR. [Google Maps, August 2026]Gulwe Railway Station as shown on MapCarta. [16]A closer view of Gulwe MGR Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The murram road crossing at the Northwest end of Gulwe Railway Station site. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The next length of the line(s) – still following the river running Northwest. [17]
The road-crossing shwn on the MapCarta extract above. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The next length of the line runs through Msagali Railway Station and then turns towards the Southwest. [18]
A murram road passes under the SGR and across the MGR at a level-crossing immediately before the MGR enters Msagali Railway Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Msagali Railway Station on the MGR. The SGR and its service road are at the bottom of this satellite image, the MGR Station is at the centre of the image with the MGR running bottom-right to top-left. [Google Maps, August 2026]Msagali Railway Station as shown on MapCarta. It is difficult to make out the three lines shown here when looking at the satellite image above. [18]Beyond Msagali, the line is now drifting to the Southwest. [19]Major provision has been made for wet season flows from South to North across the line of both railways. On the SGR a substantial culvert is followed by two bridges. On the MGR, a single-span bridge is followed by a three-span bridge and then a further single-span structure. These structures are to the East of the Msagali TPS on the map extract above.[Google Maps, August 2026]
A short distance further West (before reaching the Msagali TPS), another culvert is provided beneath each line. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Culverts are provided under the SGR and MGR at regular intervals, suggesting significant wet season runoff on relatively flat ground.
The next length of the SGR/MGR takes the line as far as Igandu. [20]
As mentioned above, culverts continue to be provided relatively frequently to accommodate wet season water flows. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Igandu SGR Station with the MGR running on the North side of the SGR. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The two lines to the Northwest of Igandu. The MGR station sits to the Northwest of the SGR station shown above. [20]Igandu MGR Station. [Google maps, August 2026]
Apart from the regular provision of culverts along the line and a couple of murram road crossings, this more substantive structure is worth noting. Again it carries the line over a dry watercourse. [Google Maps, August 2026]
This next length of the MGR heads North-northwest across open country. There is again little of real note along this length of the line. [21]
The SGR and the MGR continue Northwest immediately adjacent to each other through Mnase. [22]
Although there are buildings close to the MGR, there is no indication on MapCarta or Google Maps that there was/is a railway station on the MGR at Mnase. [Google Maps, August 2026]
There is, however an interesting structure which spans both the MGR and the SGR at Mnase. It appears that provision has been made for a future highway crossing the two railways.On MapCarta’s mapping the structure is marked ‘OP12’ and is shown as being a highway bridge already in use. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Further Northwest this watercourse is marked on the MapCarta extract above. Again, at the time this satellite image was taken, the watercourse was dry. [Google Maps, August 2026]
This next length of the line passes to the North of Chololo and to the South of Kikombo. A railway station on the MGR is provided at Kikombo. once beyond the watercourse at the Northwest end of Kikombo Railway Station site, the MGR and the SGR run immediately adjacent to each other heading Northwest. Apart from more culverts to allow wet season water flow across the line of the railway, there is little further of note on this stretch of the MGR, other than a couple of watercourses towards the top-left of this map extract. [23]
A well-used murram road crossing on the approach to Kikombo Railway Station on the MGR. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Kikombo Railway Station on the MGR Central Line. Note the bogie wagons stored in the siding to the East of the station. [Google Maps, August 2026]Kikombo Railway Station as it appears on MapCarta. [23]A closer view of the bogie-wagons stored at Kikombo Railway Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]A closer view of the station buildings at Kikombo MGR Station. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The murram road-crossing at the Northwest end of Kikombo MGR Station site and, just beyond it to the West, a bridge over a dry watercourse. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Another dry water channel which clearly takes significant flows in the wet season. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Another significant pair of structures crossing a second watercourse. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The next length of the line takes us across the South side of Ihumwa. [24]
Another watercourse is crossed by means of a Warren Truss Girder Bridge, just to the North of the flagged Dodoma TPS on the SGR shown on the map extract above. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Apart from the frequent culverts over dry watercourses this is the next interesting structure over the MGR. It is not shown on MapCarta but appears on Google Maps. It is a structure completed for a dual carriageway outer ring road for Dodoma for which the formation has been completed. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The planned Dodoma Outer Ring Road runs down the East side of Dodoma, starting at Veyula settlement located along the Dodoma –Kondoa trunk road traverses south east towards Ihumwa settlement located along Dodoma-Morogoro trunk road. From Ihumwa, it traverses towards south to the Matumbulu Settlement along Dodoma-Iringa trunk road before then running Northwest around the West side of the city. [25]
A well-used murram diversion from the Outer Ring Road crosses the MGR to the West of the incomplete bridge. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The MGR can be seen on this satellite image just to the North of the SGR yard. This location is about a third into the map extract above from the left side. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Further West the two lines bridge another dry watercourse. This watercourse appears at the left side of the MapCarta map extract above. [Google Maps, August 2026]
This extract from MapCarta shows the MGR and SGR as far as the centre of Dodoma and the MGR station. [26]
Close to the right of the map extract immediately above another dry watercourse is bridged by both railways. [Google Maps, August 2026]
While the SGR bridges the Iyumbu Road dual carriageway further South, the MGR crosses the dual carriageway at a level-crossing. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Another metalled road is bridged by the SGR but crossed at level by the MGR. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Another bridge over the MGR and SGR completed in advance of the construction of a road to link two suburbs of Dodoma. Culverts to handle water runoff continue to appear frequently. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Another metalled road passes under the SGR and crosses the MGR at level. A little further West a more significant structure carries the MGR over another dry watercourse (below). [Google Maps, August 2026]
Another relatively significant pair of structures carry the lines over another watercourse. The MGR and the SGR begin to separate as the centre of Dodoma approaches. The SGR skirts the centre of Dodoma to the South. [Google Maps, August 2026]
With the SGR sliding away to the South the MGR is accompanied on its way into Dodoma for a short distance by a metalled road to the North of the line. This next watercourse also requires relatively significant structures to cope with the likely wet season water flow, [Google Maps, August 2026]
Only a short distance further into Dodoma, two bridges carry the line over the next watercourse. [Google Maps, August 2026]
The MGR crosses the Morena Road (dual carriageway) at a level-crossing. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Closing in on the Dodoma MGR Station the line runs to the North of Kikuyu Avenue (OpenStreetMap and MapCarta have this as Jakaya Kikwete Road), crossing another watercourse and another metalled road (Hazina Road) as it does so. [Google Maps, August 2026]
Industrial units to the North of the line are rail served. [Google Maps, August 2026] [27]
More sidings not easily picked out on satellite imagery. [Google Maps, August 2026][27]
Dodoma Railway Station as shown on Mapcarta. [28]A similar area as shown on the map immediately above. It shows much of the site of the MGR station in Dodoma. [Google Maps, August 2025]A closer view of the main station buildings in Dodoma and the goods yard. [Google Maps, August 2026]Approximately the same area as it appears on OpenStreetMap.org’s mapping. [29]
Dodoma Railway Station on the MGR was constructed by the German occupying powers in the early 20th century.
The Metre Gauge Railway Station in Dodoma, (c) Victor Mikheev 2015, and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [30]Another view of the MGR Station, (c) Zenj Online Tv, 2021. [Google Maps, August 2026]A rail-side view of the same building, (c) Ali YÜKSEL 2018. [Google Maps, August 2026]Dodoma Railway Station in 1953. [31: p48]
References
M.F. Hill; Permanent Way Volume II: The Story of the Tanganyika Railways; East African Railways and Habours, Nairobi, Kenya; Watson & Viney, Aylesbury & Slough, 1957.
The Tanganyika Guide, 1953; Information Office, Dar-es-Salaam, 1953. [3rd Edition Revised and Enlarged, 180 pages: earlier editions were – first ed 1936, second prepared 1939, but delayed until 1948.
Egyptian National Railways (Al-Sikak al-Ḥadīdiyyah al-Miṣriyyah) is the national railway network of Egypt. Founded in 1854, it is the oldest railway system in Africa and the Middle East. [1]
The featured image for this article is an Egyptian National Railways (ENR) GE ES30ACi locomotive in the Alexandria railway station yard, (c) Abdelrhman 1990and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [6]
The National Authority for Egyptian Railways is one of the largest economic institutions in Egypt and the Arab world, and it is the largest in the field of transport services (passengers and goods). It is considered the backbone of passenger transport in Egypt. Its share of passenger transportation is more than 30% of the total transportation volume at the national level. The Railways Authority transports both people and goods. Passenger transport is provided in: [2]
Luxurious first and second class air-conditioned high-speed trains (all lines);
Luxury turbo trains (Cairo – Alexandria line);
Luxury sleeper trains (all year long in Upper Egypt, and in summer from Cairo to Marsa Matrouh);
Express trains in regular and mixed grades;
Line trains, and suburban areas in the same class. [2]
With regard to the transportation of goods, the authority provides two types of service: [2]
Urgent freight transport service on passenger trains – for luggage, parcels, light transport, foods, newspapers, publications and letters.
Non-urgent freight transportation – heavy goods on dedicated movements supported by the best available traction – bulk and packed grain, coal, sugar cane and its products, petroleum products, iron ore, phosphate ore, manufactured fertilizers, salt and all kinds of minerals. [2]
Egypt claims to have the second oldest railway in the world. It has 9,570 km of railway, 705 passenger stations, 1330 level-crossings, 3500 thousand passenger coaches, 10,000 goods wagons, 820 locomotives. [2]
920 passenger services run each day. 4.8 million tons of goods are moved per year on dedicated goods trains, which still only represents 1.2% of the goods by weight that enter Egypt. [2]
The statistics provided by the National Authority for Egyptian Railways indicate the following: [2]
Passenger transport: 500 million passengers annually (about 1.4 million passengers per day). [2]
Cargo transportation: 6 million tons annually. [2]
Rail network: The total length of the network is 9,570 km. Four-line tracks – 20 km. Double-line tracks – 1,466 km. Single-line tracks – 3,667 km. This excludes railyards, workshops and warehouses. [2]
Stations: The total number of stations, as noted above, is 705, including: 22 central stations; 59 significant stations; 60 medium stations and 564 small stations. [2]
Bridges and tunnels: 885 bridges and tunnels as follows: 511 Rail bridges over the Nile and other obstacles; 58 vehicular bridges over the railway; 157 tunnels under the railway for cars and pedestrians; 137 overhead pedestrian bridges. [2]
Locomotive fleet: 342 German locomotives capacity of 2,475 horsepower; 45 Canadian locomotive, capacity 2,475 horsepower; 30 American locomotive, capacity of 1850 horsepower; 253 Canadian locomotive, 1650 hp; 30 Spanish shunting locomotives, 1,200 hp; 80 new American GE locomotives, 4000 hp; 40 new American EMD locomotive, 3245 hp; horsepower. A total of 820. [2]
Passenger transport: 3500 coaches of which 850 are air-conditioned. Services range in speed from 90 to 120 km/hour. [2]
An EMD G16 used by the Egyptian National Railways: 16 are operating in Egypt Nos. 3301–3316. They were built in 1960–1961, photographer not known, available under a Creative Commons licence (CC0). [4]
The locomotive fleet noted above is outlined in more detail on Wikipedia here. [4] Given the extent of the detail provided in that Wikipedia article, it is not repeated in this article.
Despite the major role railways play in Egyptian transport, the rail system falls short in at least two critical areas: passenger safety and moving freight. The World Bank is providing two loans to the Egyptian government to help the Egyptian National Railways (ENR) tackle these issues. A $440-million loan will support safety and service quality improvements along the Alexandria-Cairo-Nag Hammadi railway corridor, while another $400-million project addresses rail logistics. [3]
Both of these projects aim to reduce the climate and environmental impacts of transport by moving more people and goods from roads to rail — a change that can’t come fast enough. In the Middle East and North Africa Region, air pollution is responsible for 270,000 premature deaths every year, which bear a huge economic cost of around 2 percent of GDP per year. A large culprit of this pollution is transport emissions. In Egypt, the proliferation of private cars, taxis and trucks on the road triggered a 75% increase in transport emissions between 2005 and 2019, demonstrating how rapid motorization comes with serious implications for health and the environment. [3]
Moving freight from trucks to trains
Trucks still move the vast majority of Egypt’s freight, about 96 percent of it. Railways move only about 1.9 percent. Part of the reason is that only three freight trains per direction per day can travel between Alexandria’s seaport and the 6th of October dry port outside Cairo. Capacity constraints on rail, roads, and the Nile River weaken the links between ports, cities, and industrial zones. These kinds of inefficiencies are costly, and improving logistics is necessary to expand trade competitiveness. Further, a lack of targeted regulations distorts the market and gives road transport an unfair economic advantage over rail. [3]
The Bank-supported Cairo Alexandria Trade Logistics Development Project is intended to ease the pressure by co-financing the creation of a railway bypass around Greater Cairo, which will greatly increase network capacity and reduce the competition between freight and passenger services. [3]
The project will also help modernize railway policies and regulations. Right now, publicly-owned ENR is the only operator that can carry freight on the rail network. A new system will change that and allow private operators to use railway tracks in exchange for a toll, which will be paid directly to ENR. By encouraging private operators to enter the freight rail market, these reforms are expected to boost capacity and efficiency across the network. [3]
Together, these initiatives will help improve the rail system and move freight on a larger, more reliable network, cutting transit delays. Egyptian rail has already more than quadrupled the amount of freight it moves to approximately 25 million tons annually, up from 4.6 million tons just five years ago. [3]
Making travel safer for everyone
Ninety percent of Egyptian National Railways’ operations involve moving passengers, and they, particularly low-income riders, will benefit from safer, more reliable, and faster services. The World Bank’s financing will lead to railway reforms that improve the Egyptian National Railways’ (ENR) safety and efficiency to cut down on air pollution, speed access to jobs and services, and make rail service safe and accessible for all. [3]
Typical older, yellow-and-gray train operated by Egyptian National Railways. The train is waiting at Misr Ramses Station in Cairo. It part of a fleet undergoing reform. Photographer not known. [7]
Safety and service quality are driving much of the engagement between the World Bank, the Egyptian Ministry of Transport, and ENR. This includes extensive upgrades to the signalling system along the Alexandria-Cairo-Nag Hammadi corridor, an all-important 763-kilometre railway route that connects densely-populated areas across the country. [3]
But the concept of safety extends beyond hard infrastructure to the feeling passengers get when they ride Egypt’s trains. This involves, for instance, creating a stronger safety culture with a focus on safe operations and maintenance. As part of this, the World Bank is supporting the creation of a database for safety incidents, which will help ENR monitor and analyze incidents in a more systematic way to prevent reoccurrence. The Bank is also supporting ENR’s efforts to rethink the design of stations and level crossings, especially to enhance the “beyond-rail” elements of the design – safety, security and accessibility – utilizing design principles from best international practice. [3]
In parallel, to ensure these initiatives translate into lasting results, the Bank is working with the Egyptian Ministry of Transport and the Korean experts to facilitate local training and knowledge exchange. The objective is to help train the next generation of Egyptian planners, engineers and managers, and to enhance the country’s technical capacity across the railway sector. [3]
Other developments in the rail network and associated modes of transport, including trams in Alexandria and Cairo, the growing monorail network in Cairo, its trams and Metro services are covered in a separate article which can be found here. [5]
This is the second book written by Heather Hurley which focuses on railway history. The first concentrated or the early tramways/tramroads of the Wye valley. [2] A short review of that earlier book can be found here. [3]
In this latest publication, Heather Hurley provides a social history of the lines which served the area between Ludlow in the North and Chepstow in the South – the area shown in the map below.
The area covered by the book. [1: pvii]
Given the essentially rural nature of the Southern Marches, it is sometimes easy to forget the industries which existed in the area and the manifest need, in the 19th century, for the railway connections which developed over time.
This book is an obvious successor to Hurley’s earlier study of the Tramways in the Wye valley. It is “written by a local historian, not a railway enthusiast, who has delved through the archives of 18 railway companies: two were abandoned from the start, four remained open, with another partly restored as a heritage line. Apart from the documentary research, a great deal of fieldwork was undertaken [by Hurley] in the counties of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, Brecknockshire and Radnorshire, in order to provide important visual information.” [1: pix]
Hurley’s account, “follows the challenges, disappointments, financial gains and losses throughout a period of railway mania and beyond. The account has been thoroughly researched, drawing on Acts of Parliament and tables of tolls, company minutes and accounts, plans and maps, newspapers, journals and books, with contemporary and modern photographs to illustrate the railways, trains and people involved, the enormous task of construction, opening celebrations, and the history of each line until its fate was decided.” [1: pix]
The different individual railways have been well recorded in many publications, but this is the first book to give an overview of the relatively haphazard development of the railway network in the southern marches. It highlights the incredible social significance of the developing rail network during the 19th century and chronicles their impact on the industries, local economies and growing population during the nineteenth century.
Hurley does not claim to be a railway historian, but she has collated, “A richly detailed and illustrated account of the railways formed between 1845 and 1900 across Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, Brecknockshire and Radnorshire. Unpicking an often haphazard network, the book traces the lines and infrastructure, the stations, bridges and tunnels, the investors, engineers and navvies, and the charismatic steam locomotives that criss-crossed the region up until the 1960s.” [1: back cover]
Preliminary chapters look at:
the history of the Welsh Marches, their industries and communications. The earlier tramways in the area are dealt with in Hurley’s earlier book. [2] Although reference is made in this book to both the Leominster Canal of 1791 and the earlier long-distance tramways.
the arrival of steam powered railways, including: locomotives, wagons and coaching stock; and the work and life of the navvies that built the lines.
Succinct chapters deal with the development, acts of parliament and incorporation, construction, life, eventual demise of most of the railway companies and lines covered, and present day remains (mainly buildings, bridges and sections of the line):
The South Wales Railway and The Monmouth & Hereford Railway.
The Newport, Abergavenny & Hereford Railway.
The Shrewsbury & Hereford Railway.
The Hereford, Ross & Gloucester Railway.
The Worcester & Hereford Railway.
The Coleford, Monmouth, Usk & Pontypool Railway and The Coleford Railway.
The Leominster & Kingston Railway and The Kingston & Eardisley Railway.
The Hereford, Hay & Brecon Railway.
The Ross & Monmouth Railway.
The Wye Valley Railway.
The Mitcheldean Road & Forest of Dean Junction Railway.
The Newent Railway and the Ross & Ledbury Railway.
The Golden Valley Railway.
The Severn & Wye Railway.
Clearly there is insufficient space in a volume of this nature for detailed descriptions and historical investigations, nonetheless this book is an excellent introduction to the railways of the Southern Marches and a good starting point for any reader wanting to study any of these railways.
It is a well-written and well illustrated social history of the railways of the Southern Marches.
I noticed only a couple of minor points worth questioning in the whole volume:
The Worcester Mile is mentioned [1: p53] as providing a direct route from South to North from Barrs Court Station. I believe that the Worcester Mile ran South to North from Barton Station. [4]
Colonel Rich [1: p156] is noted as ‘the chief Great Western Railway engineer’. In fact, Colonel Frederick Henry Rich (8th March 1824 – 22nd August 1904) was a British soldier, who served with the Royal Engineers and was initially seconded to the Board of Trade as an Inspector of Railways in 1861. He continued in this role after his retirement from the Royal Engineers, serving as Chief Inspecting Officer of the Railway Inspectorate between 1885 and 1889. It was normal for the Board of Trade to inspect newly constructed railways prior to their opening for public use. [5]
References
Heather Hurley; The Railways of Herefordshire and the Southern Marches; Logaston Press, Eardisley, 2026.
Heather Hurley; Horse-drawn Tramways of the Wye Valley; Logaston Press, Eardisley, 2022.
During the early years of the German Protectorate, consideration had been given to building a third main railway in German East Africa. That railway would have run from Kilwa on the coast to Lake Nyasa (now usually referred to as Lake Malawi). Its name in Swahili is ‘Ziwa Nyasa’. [2]
In 1905. work got as far as the undertaking of a survey of the proposed line for 86 kilometres inland from Kilwa before the Maji-Maji rebellion brought the work to a close. In 1907, the length from Manda Bay on Lake Nyasa to Songea was surveyed. However, it was gradually becoming clear that the Southwest of German East Africa could best be reached by means of a branch line from the Mittelland Bahn.
This proposed alternative was intended to follow a route studied by Herr Denninger from the Central Line “to the Iringa Highlands, llongo and Mbeya. From Mbeya the projected line ran to Fife on the Rhodesian border. Thence a branch was planned to the north end of Lake Nyasa at Mwaya and another to Kasanga on Lake Tanganyika. The whole scheme involved some 1,250 kilometres of railway, through very difficult country requiring several rack sections, and it was estimated to cost 360 million marks (£18,000,000). [However,] the cost and the difficulties were too great and the scheme was abandoned.” [1: p101]
Hill continues:
“In 1907-1908 and 1910-1911 the possibility of reaching the navigable stretch of the Kilombero river from the Rufiji, or from Ruvu, Ngerengere, Mikese or Kilosa on the Central Railway, was investigated. From the Kilombero valley it was proposed to extend the line to Manda Bay on Lake Nyasa. In 1913 five million marks was allocated by the Reich for a scheme to make 125 miles of the Rufiji river navigable. In the years 1912-1914 a detailed survey was also made for a metre-gauge line from Lindi to Masasi through the Lukuledi valley with the idea of an eventual extension to the middle reaches of the Ruvuma. … In 1915, there was a reconnaissance survey for a railway joining the Mittelland Bahn with the Nordbahn. The routes examined lay between Mikese and Kilosa on the Central Line and between Korogwe and Mombo on the Northern Line. [1: p101]
Ultimately it was not until after WW2, that significant progress was made in constructing a metre-gauge line in the Southern Province. …. Hill says:
“The ill-fated East African Groundnuts Scheme had its origin in a world shortage of edible oils and fats which seemed likely to continue for a long time. Proposals for such a scheme were first considered by His Majesty’s Government early in 1946. After a thorough investigation and a most optimistic report which paid inadequate heed to several vital factors, including the notorious variation in the yield of the groundnut crop along the Central line, the scheme was approved. It was proposed, within a few years, to bring into cultivation over 3,000,000 acres of land in Tanganyika, Kenya and Northern Rhodesia. Nearly 80 per cent. of the total acreage projected was to be in Tanganyika. The first areas to be developed, at Kongwa and Urambo, were served by the Central line, but by far the largest area planned was in the Southern Province. This entailed the building of a new railway and a new port equipped with deep-water berths.” [1: p267-268]
Hill’s comments about the development and value of the Southern Province Railway can be found here, together with an assessment of how much we can accurately establish about the route of the line. [3]
The line finally opened in January 1954 but was to cease operations in February 1963 (or July 1962 according to one source. [9]) It outlasted the ill-fated Tanganyika Groundnuts Scheme by a few years in the forlorn hope that it would significantly enhance the economic prospects the South of the country.
Both steam (the RV Class/21 Class; G Class and NZ Class locomotives were used) and diesel locomotives were used (the 80 Class, 81 Class and 83 Class locomotives). [4][9] The diesel locomotive classes referred to in the Wikipedia article about the Southern Province Railway [4] and in David Burton’s book [9] are small diesel shunters. If correct, this suggests than main line movements were powered by steam until the closure of the line.
For more details of these three different classes of steam locomotive please click here. [7]
The diesels used on the Southern Province Railway were:
80 Class (later 32 Class) 0-6-0 Locomotives
80 Class No. 8004. [10]
81 Class (later 33 Class) 0-6-0 Locomotives
81 Class No. 8102. [10]
83 Class (later 43 Class) 0-8-0 Locomotives
83 Class No, 8306. [10]
A little more about these 3 classes of diesel locomotive can be gleaned here. [10] Were larger diesel locomotives in use on the Southern Province Railway? One website suggests that they were. [11] However, its illustrations seem to relate to the TAZARA railway and not the Southern Province Railway.
Passenger traffic existed between Mtwara and Nachingwea for which a second hand Diesel Motorized Units of the former Kenya and Uganda Railways was used. [4] The diesel motorized units of the former Kenya and Uganda Railways (KUR/KURH) notably included a small fleet of metre-gauge, 200-horsepower diesel railcars built by Wickham in 1939 and delivered in May 1946. These 58-seater double-bogie units were initially deployed on the Kisumu–Butere branch line before serving on the Southern Province Railway. Two of the class of three locomotives are shown below.
Metre gauge 200hp Wickham Rail Car No. 3, one of the three 58 seater railcars built for the Kenya & Uganda Railways Kisumu-Butere branch line. Works Nos. 2828-2830 ordered in January 1939 and finally delivered in May 1946. Fitted with Saurer BXDL engines, (c) Public Domain [5]Metre gauge 200hp Wickham Rail Car No. 2, numbered 2829 and delivered after WW2, (c) Public Domain. [6]
As the 20th century unfolded another line was to traverse the Southern Province – the TAZARA Railway. This will be dealt with in different article.
References
M.F. Hill; Permanent Way Volume II: The Story of the Tanganyika Railways; East African Railways and Habours, Nairobi, Kenya; Watson & Viney, Aylesbury & Slough, 1957.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Malawi, accessed on 29th May 2026. Lake Malawi is also known as Lake Nyasa in Tanzania and Lago Niassa in Mozambique, is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system, located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania.
Egyptian National Railways is the national railway network of Egypt. Founded in 1854, it is the oldest railway system in Africa and the Middle East. [7] A separate article provides more detail about the history of the railways of Egypt which can be found here. [9]Other articles are under preparation in July 2026.
This article focuses on relatively recent news about the railways of Egypt. …
A. Cairo Monorail Project: The 56.5km East Nile line began operations in March 2026, serving 22 stations with driverless technology, reducing Cairo congestion. A second line, bringing the total network to over 100km, is under development.
B. High-Speed Network: Siemens Mobility is constructing a 2,000 km network, featuring Velaro and Desiro HC trains traveling up to 250 km/h, covering 60 cities.
C. Modernisation: of Egypt’s 10,000 kilometre rail network. ……
A.Cairo Monorail Network
Recent articles about various railways in Egypt include the news that Egypt has just opened a new monorail, 56 kilometres in length.
The featured image shows one of the twenty-two station s on the route. [1][2]
Solomon Ekanem reports that Egypt has officially launched the 56.5-kilometre East Nile monorail – Africa’s longest – marking a major milestone in the country’s push to modernise urban transport and expand green mobility infrastructure.
The East Nile monorail, connects Cairo’s Nasr City to the New Administrative Capital. It is a driverless monorail which calls at 22 stations. It is intended to ease congestion and improve urban connectivity. It is Africa’s longest single monorail line and part of the continent’s largest monorail network when combined with a second line. The eco-friendly, automated system reduces energy consumption by 30% compared to conventional electric rail.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi inaugurated the driverless system on Friday 20th March 2026 and then travelled alongside families of fallen Egyptian soldiers on the monorail from the Al-Fattah Al-Alim Mosque station to the Financial District, passing through key residential zones.
Transport Minister Kamel al-Wazir described the project as a “civilizational leap,” noting that it aligns with government efforts to deploy eco-friendly transport systems that reduce fuel consumption and road congestion. The rubber-tyred, fully automated system operates on elevated tracks, minimizing disruption to existing road networks.
El-Mosheer Tantawy Mosque sits close to the monorail, one station of the monorail can be seen beyond the mosque in this image. [1][2]
“The East Nile monorail … is part of a broader network — the “Cairo Monorail” system — which includes a second line linking 6th of October City. When both lines are combined, the network stretches to about 96 km, making it Africa’s largest monorail system overall. In simple terms, the East Nile route holds the record for a single line, while the full Cairo network holds the continental record for total system size. Built by a consortium including Alstom, Orascom Construction, and Arab Contractors, the project features 40 trains capable of reaching speeds of up to 80 km/h, with intervals as short as 90 seconds. The system integrates with Cairo’s Metro Line 3 and the Light Rail Transit (LRT), with future links planned to Metro Lines 4 and 6.” [1]
“Equipped with platform screen doors, LED displays, and accessibility features, the monorail is expected to play a central role in reshaping Cairo’s urban mobility and supporting the shift toward sustainable transport.” [1]
Ekanem’s report is echoed by a report in Egypt Today. [2]
Cairo Monorail was first conceptualized in the late 2010s to combat the rise of traffic in the Greater Cairo area, and to provide a rapid transportation option for suburban residents. The Monorail was also thought of as a rail link between Cairo and Egypt’s New Administrative Capital. “Funding for the project was secured and obtained through a mix of local and international investments. This included a substantial loan facilitation agreement between the National Authority for Tunnels and JP Morgan Europe Limited, as well as contributions from other financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB). The total funding amounted to approximately 4.5 billion Euros.” [4]
It was reported in August 2019, that French rolling stock manufacturer, Alstom, would lead a consortium which includes The Arab Contractors: Osman Ahmed Osman & Co and Orascom. The consortium would sign a 2.7 billion Euros contract to design, construct, operate, and maintain the two monorail lines. Upon completion of construction, the consortium will operate and maintain the network for 30 years. [4]
Hill International highlighted their involvement with the project in a post on LinkedIn four years ago. They were providing project management, design review, and implementation supervision services for the New Administrative Capital City and 6th of October City (East and West) Lines. [3]
B. High-Speed Network: This network is a planned 2,000 km network which Siemens Mobility is constructing. It will feature Velaro and Desiro HC trains traveling up to 250 km/h, covering 60 cities. The network will include three lines:
Line 1 (Green Line): Connects Ain Sokhna to Marsa Matrouh via Cairo. Line 2: Connects Cairo to Abu Simbel. Line 3: Connects Qena with Hurghada and Safaga.
The project includes 15-year maintenance by Deutsche Bahn and involves upgrading 7 key rail stations via Thales, focusing on increasing freight capacity to 13 million tonnes annually.
Egypt has a bold vision to build one of the world’s largest high-speed rail networks. Siemens Mobility is committed to delivering fully integrated, sustainable transportation solutions tailored to Egypt’s unique environment. The High Speed rail project “will span over 2,000 kilometres. It will ultimately connect all the major cities and reach nearly 90% of the population. Once complete, Egypt will have the sixth-largest high-speed network in the world. It will significantly reducing travel times, cutting CO₂ emissions, and boosting sustainable local economic development.” [6]
Siemens Mobility’s 15-year maintenance commitment covers the entire fleet for Egypt’s new high-speed rail network ensuring long-term operational excellence. This network will cut travel times by up to 50%. It will offer millions of passengers safer, more reliable, and more comfortable journeys. [6]
Currently completed to over 65%, the first phase of Egypt’s Ain Sokhna to Marsa Matrouh high-speed train is set to begin operations in 2027. The 670-kilometre line will include 21 stations! [6]
C. Modernization: In addition to new lines, Egypt is modernizing its existing 10,000 km network with new trainsets from Talgo, locomotives from Progress Rail, and new traffic control systems to improve efficiency.
The Railway Gazette International reported in September 2025 that Hitachi Rail has deployed a centralised traffic control system to manage 19 stations on the 200 km Cairo to Alexandria line. [5]
“The initial contract for the programme was signed in 2013, and has since been extended to encompass more than €100m of investment. The mechanical and electrical signalling has been replaced with a modern electronic system, including digital interlockings, new signals and motorised drives. A fixed and mobile telecommunications system has been installed, with drivers able to communicate with the operations manager in case of emergency or failure. Level crossings have been modernised, and technical buildings constructed.” [5]
“The modernisation project will enable Egyptian National Railways to increase the maximum speed of trains by 40 km/h to 160 km/h, reducing the journey time between the two cities to 2½ h. The route’s throughput is also set to grow by 40% to a maximum of 286 trains/day. A progressive increase in the number of freight trains is planned, allowing the line to carry 15 per day in 2030 and 50 per day by 2060.” [5]
In November 2025, TravelMole.com reported that Egypt had showcased a new high-speed train. [6]
“On 10th November 2025, German technology giant Siemens unveiled the Velaro high-speed train in Cairo, which had been specifically adapted to withstand the harsh climate conditions of Egypt. The official presentation occurred during TransMEA 2025, the region’s leading exhibition for transportation and logistics in the Middle East and Africa. The Siemens Mobility Velaro high-speed train is specially adapted for Egypt’s desert conditions. It can reach a speed of up to 250 km/h and offers seating for 489 passengers. The company will deliver 41 Velaro trains to the Egyptian rail network.” [6]
On the same day, “the Desiro HC regional train successfully completed its first train run on newly constructed tracks near the 6th of October Depot, West of Cairo. The Desiro High-Capacity regional train is a key element of Egypt’s new high-speed rail network, with 94 trains set to provide efficient and comfortable regional transport. Specially adapted for Egypt’s climate, each train offers up to 849 passenger spaces and advanced features such as air conditioning,” [6]
“With a top speed of 160 km/h, the Desiro HC fleet will play a vital role in connecting cities along the Green Line. This line consists of a 660 km network connecting Cairo to Ain Sokhna, Alexandria, and Marsa Matrouh. The Green Line is already referred to as the ‘Suez Canal on Rails’.” [6]
Freight – in June 2026, reports the Railway Gazette, Egyptian National Railways signed four freight corridor upgrade contracts.
An Alstom-led consortium has signed four contracts worth €690m with Egyptian National Railways for the modernisation of two strategic freight rail corridors. Together with Rowad Modern Engineering and Concrete Plus, Alstom will upgrade the 6th October City – Alexandria and Belbes – 10th Ramadan City lines. The upgrades aim to reduce transit times by up to 80 minutes and improve connections between Egypt’s logistics hubs and seaports. [8]
In addition to these ‘Heavy Rail’ commitments, Egypt is also seeking to modernise its tram networks and Cairo’s Metro.
Egypt’s major tram modernization focuses on the historic Al Raml tramway in Alexandria, which suspended operations on 1st April 2026. Managed by the National Authority for Tunnels (NAT), the €236 million overhaul converts the 14.1 km heritage line into a fast, digitally controlled light rail system slated to finish by late 2028. [10]
Hitachi Rail has secured a contract to deliver the rail systems and digital technologies that will modernise and upgrade the Alexandria Raml Tram – the first modern tramway project of its kind in Egypt. The contract was awarded by the Hassan Allam Construction and Arab Contractors joint venture and will significantly improve speed, capacity and reliability on one of the world’s oldest continuously operating tram systems. [10]
The Alexandria El Raml Tram is the oldest tramline in the Middle East and Africa, dating back to 1863. Despite its age and limited modernisation since the 1960s, it remains one of the few tramways globally to operate double-deck vehicles in regular service. The new contract marks a major step in the line’s transformation. [10]
Under the agreement, Hitachi Rail will supply advanced signalling and communications systems, a modern Operational Control Centre, SCADA, CCTV and access control, passenger information systems, and on-board equipment. Together, these systems will help deliver a faster, safer and more efficient public transport service aligned with Egypt’s Vision 2030 goals for sustainable mobility. [10]
The modernisation programme includes the reconstruction of 24 stations and 13.2 km of track. Once completed, the new system will:
reduce travel time from 60 to 35 minutes
double operational speed from 11 km/h to 21 km/h
cut headways from 9 minutes to 3 minutes
increase capacity from 4,700 to 13,800 passengers per hour per direction
This capacity boost will ease congestion, support modal shift and reduce CO₂ emissions while improving daily mobility across Alexandria. [10]
The El Raml Tram upgrade represents a significant milestone for Hitachi Rail’s growing presence in Egypt’s rail and metro sector. The company is already involved in key national programmes, including the Greater Cairo metro network, the LRT and monorail systems, and AFC modernisation initiatives. [10]
Hitachi Rail continues to expand its local footprint through engineering, financial, legal and operational teams established in Egypt. The company has increased localisation of IVVQ activities for CBTC systems and developed automated fare collection (AFC) projects that promote high-tech employment and diversity. These align with Egypt’s industrial and economic development priorities.[10]
Digital passenger information and multimodal payment systems are becoming central to Hitachi Rail’s offering in the region. For example, the upcoming Abu Qir Metro in Alexandria will integrate TRANSCITY™ AFC, enabling payments via QR codes, contactless cards, EMV bank cards and NFC mobile devices. [10]
“The contract will see us modernize and upgrade the oldest electric tram system in Africa, transforming it into a reliable, efficient, and digitally enhanced transportation system. The project underlines the capabilities of Hitachi Rail technologies in the rehabilitation and modernization of tramway systems,” Carlo Piacenza, SRS MEA Regional Director, Hitachi Rail, said. [10]
Urban Transport Magazine reported in April 2026 that, “with the closure of the long-established Ramleh tramway, Alexandria is currently undergoing one of the most radical system transformations in urban rail transport in North Africa. The project exemplifies a global trend: replacing historically evolved tramway systems with higher-capacity light rail infrastructure — and the associated trade-offs.” [11]
Alexandria’s tramway network is among the oldest in the world: opened as early as 1863 and electrified from 1902, the Ramleh line in particular developed into one of the city’s most important east–west corridors. With around 80,000 passengers per day and a route length of approximately 32 km, it was a central component of the urban transport system. [11]
At the same time, the system suffered from decades of underinvestment. Low average speeds of around 11 km/h, ageing infrastructure and limited reliability significantly constrained its performance. Against the backdrop of increasing congestion and ongoing urbanisation, comprehensive modernisation gradually moved to the forefront of transport policy. [11]
Until its closure, operations on the Ramleh tramway were characterised by a remarkably heterogeneous and ageing fleet. The core of the services was provided by modernised vehicles from Kinki Sharyo, complemented by locally Tatra Yug units. In addition, a number of second-hand high-floor trams originally built by Düwag in the 1960s and acquired from Copenhagen remained in service. This mix of vehicles from different generations and technical standards reflected both the long operational history of the line and the prolonged lack of fleet renewal, resulting in increasing maintenance complexity and declining reliability in the final years of operation. [11]
The transition to the new system began in early 2026 with a phased shutdown. Following initial restrictions in February, operations were completely suspended on 1 April 2026. Since then, the existing infrastructure — including tracks, power supply and stops — has been undergoing comprehensive dismantling. The complete interruption of services represents a deliberate break with historical continuity, in contrast to many European modernisation projects, where upgrades are often carried out while operations continue. [11]
In place of the conventional tramway, a modern light rail system with significantly altered parameters is being developed. Approximately 13 km of the route will be fundamentally upgraded and partially realigned. [11]
Key elements include:
Increase in average speed from 11 to around 21 km/h
Reduced stop density (approximately 500 m spacing)
Modern signalling and control systems
Introduction of 30 high-capacity vehicles (Hyundai Rotem)
The project is thus clearly aimed at increasing capacity and efficiency, and conceptually aligns more closely with light rail or metro systems than with traditional tramways. [11]
Since early 2026, operations on the Ramleh tramway have been gradually wound down: following initial test closures in February, partial suspension began on 11th February, before services were fully discontinued on 1st April 2026. [11]
In the weeks leading up to this, the network saw something of a series of “farewell runs”, before the final trams ceased operation in early April. In parallel with the closure, comprehensive dismantling of the infrastructure began, including tracks, overhead lines and, in some cases, adjacent urban spaces. [11]
The transformation has met with considerable criticism in Alexandria and is the subject of intense public debate. While the government presents the project as a necessary step towards modernisation to increase capacity and speed, many residents view it as a profound intervention in the city’s historic urban fabric. [11]
A central point of criticism is the planned elevation of the route. More than half of the future line, which will be around 13 km long, is to run on viaducts. Critics fear that the existing tree-lined right-of-way will be replaced by “concrete stilts”, leading to a loss of the city’s characteristic urban landscape. [11]
Furthermore, it is argued that the shift towards a faster system, more strongly segregated from general traffic, may bring operational advantages but could come at the expense of urban integration. Urban planners warn that the new infrastructure is geared more towards throughput and speed, and less towards public realm quality and local accessibility. [11]
Transport impacts have also been viewed critically: even during the construction phase, the suspension of services has exacerbated traffic problems, as replacement services have only been able to compensate for demand to a limited extent. Some observers see this as an indication that, in the short term, the transformation could even lead to increased reliance on private motorised transport. [11]
Finally, the loss of cultural heritage plays a central role in the public debate. For many residents, the tramway is not merely a mode of transport, but an integral part of the city’s identity. Critics therefore speak of a tension between modernisation and “cultural dislocation”. [11]
Reopening is scheduled for the end of 2027. Whether the new system will meet expectations in terms of performance and attractiveness will depend largely on how successfully operational efficiency can be balanced with urban integration. [11]
Cairo’s Metro:–
As of 2024, Cairo’s Metro has 84 stations of which 5 are transfer stations, with a total length of 106.8 kilometres (66.4 mi). The system consists of three operational lines numbered 1 to 3. It is part of an integrated transport network.
Map of Cairo Metro, LRT, and Monorail lines. Thick lines indicate lines in operation and hollow lines indicate lines under construction or in planning, (c) BasilLeaf and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence, (CC BY-SA 4.0). [12]
As the biggest and most densely populated megacity in Africa and the Middle East, Greater Cairo had a strong case for a metro. In 1987 that population stood at 10 million residents, not counting the two million or so commuters who came into Cairo every day to work. The capacity of Cairo’s public transport infrastructure was around 20,000 passengers/hour, which increased to 60,000 after the construction of the metro. [13]
In the 2020s, “Cairo has more than 20 million people in its metropolitan area, and the chaos on the surface can be disorientating for anyone arriving for the first time: gridlock that stretches for kilometres, constant horns, intersections that follow no obvious logic. But beneath all that noise there is a system that organises the movement of millions of people every day. The Cairo Metro — officially the Cairo Metro or مترو القاهرة — is the backbone of public transport in this megalopolis, the first metro ever built in Africa, and the first in the entire Arab world.” [14]
In 2023, Cairo Metro carried 1,460 million passengers, which works out to around 5 million journeys a day — a figure that puts it among the most heavily used metro systems in Africa and the Arab world. For most of its passengers, the metro is not an alternative to other options; it is the only realistic way to cross the city in a reasonable amount of time. [14]
What makes this system distinctive is not only its history but its composition. Line 1 was born from the conversion of existing suburban railway corridors, combining surface sections with a few kilometres of tunnel through the historic heart of the city. Line 2 was a first for the continent: it crosses the Nile through a tunnel, the first railway tunnel under that river anywhere in Africa, a genuinely complex engineering achievement. Line 3, the most modern, was under construction in phases for over a decade and represents the biggest technological step forward in the system, with better stations and newer trains. It was completed in 2024. [14]
For travellers arriving in Cairo, the Metro is an indispensable tool for connecting the historic centre with modern districts, Ramses train station and the main residential areas. At present, the Cairo Metro does not reach the Pyramids of Giza. [14]
The density of Greater Cairo makes any underground construction extraordinarily complicated. Several sections were built directly beneath narrow alleyways, centuries-old markets, multi-storey buildings and layers of pre-existing infrastructure. Expropriations in historic districts such as Khan El Khalili, or in densely populated residential neighbourhoods, required lengthy and costly negotiations. In some stretches engineers opted for cut-and-cover construction with minimal disruption; in the historic centre, tunnel-boring machines were the only viable approach. [14]
The system at present operates trains from different generations depending on the line.
Line 1 still runs sets from the original era — nine-car trains with capacity for over 2,000 passengers, revised and upgraded over the decades. Some were refurbished by Hyundai in the early 2010s. [19] Others are being refurbished by Mitsubishi at present. [14][17]
Line 2 has more modern stock acquired in the 1990s and early 2000s. [18] The National Authority for Tunnels has awarded CAF three contracts totalling more than €450m for the modernisation and maintenance of trainsets on Cairo Metro Line 2 and the maintenance of trainsets on Line 1. [14][20]
Line 3 works with the newest trains, some of them from contracts signed with Alstom in 2020/2021 for the supply of new Metropolis units. [14][21]
Line 4 connecting to Giza is under construction. The line is ultimaely intended to be 42 kilometres in length. [15] A first phase of 18-19 kilometres and between 15 and 17 stations planned, it will connect the El-Malek El-Saleh area with north-west Giza, bringing the Metro significantly closer to the Pyramids zone for the first time. The project includes lifts for passengers with disabilities and modern access management systems built into the original design. Opening is estimated at being in the first half of 2028. [14][16]
Phase 1 runs largely underground, serving 17 stations, from the boundary between Cairo and 6th of October City to Grand Egyptian Museum, Remaya Square, Haram Street, Giza Station, El-Malek El-Saleh and Fustat. Gewaily says that Line 4 will carry approximately 2 million passengers a day when completed. [16]
Four high-performance Herrenknecht tunnel boring machines were deployed for tunnel construction. They commenced excavation at the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024, ensuring efficient and precise tunnelling under challenging geological conditions. [15]
Mitsubishi is supplying 23 trains for the line, the first of was scheduled for delivery In May 2026, construction of depot facilities and the installation of electromechanical systems. Civil works are being undertaken by domestic firms Arab Contractors, Orascom, Concord, Petrojet, and Hassan Allam Construction. [16]
A Mitsubishi Kinki Sharyo train manufactured for the Cairo Metro Line 4. Phase 1 of Line 4 is scheduled to open in the first half of 2028.The contract includes supplying 184 metro cars to be delivered between 2026 and 2028.The trainsets are being shipped from Kobe, Japan, to Alexandria, Egypt. [16]
The government is currently considering three further phases for Line 4:
Phase 2: Fustat – New Cairo Phase 3: Hadaeq El Ashgar – Hosary Square, and Phase 4: New Cairo – the Capital Airport. [16]
The extended line will provide interchange with the planned metro Line 6, the Light Rail Transit (LRT) network and both the East of Nile and West of Nile monorail lines. [16]
Also planned is an extension to Line 3 to reach Cairo International Airport. It will add roughly 7 kilometres and 5 new stations from the Heliopolis area to the airport terminal. As of mid-2026 there is no confirmed opening date: the project has been announced on several occasions, but financing and timescales are not yet settled. [16]
Line 5 and Line 6 and the long-term network. The Greater Cairo master plan envisages a network of up to six metro lines plus complementary systems including the monorail, long-distance high-speed rail and extensions to the new satellite cities. Line 6 is planned to connect Shubra with Maadi, providing a new north-south axis that takes pressure off Line 1. All of these projects extend beyond 2030. [16]
Roger Farnworth 
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