Spanish Town to Ewarton railway

Last updated

Contents

Spanish Town to
Ewarton railway
km
BSicon CONTg.svg
BSicon eHST.svg
0.0
Spanish Town
BSicon dRP1q.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G1BUE.svg
BSicon dRP1q.svg
BSicon ABZgl+l.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
BSicon dRP2q.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G2BUE.svg
BSicon dRP2q.svg
BSicon KMW.svg
100' contour
BSicon dRD1q.svg
BSicon SKRZ-GDBUE.svg
BSicon dRD1q.svg
BSicon dRD1q.svg
BSicon SKRZ-GDBUE.svg
BSicon dRD1q.svg
BSicon eHST.svg
1.2
St. John’s Road Halt
BSicon bWBRUCKE1.svg
irrigation canal
BSicon eHST.svg
4.8
Angels Halt
BSicon dRP1q.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G1BUE.svg
BSicon dRP1q.svg
Angels
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
Tunnel #1
100 m
109 yd
BSicon eHST.svg
9.5
Crescent Halt
BSicon hSTRae.svg
viaduct
70 m
77 yd
BSicon TUNNEL2.svg
Tunnel #2
160 m
175 yd
BSicon TUNNEL2.svg
Tunnel #3
110 m
120 yd
BSicon TUNNEL2.svg
Tunnel #4
665 m
727 yd
BSicon hbKRZWae.svg
Thomas River
15 m
16 yd
BSicon dRD1q.svg
BSicon SKRZ-GDBUE.svg
BSicon dRD1q.svg
BSicon eHST.svg
14.1
Bog Walk
BSicon hbKRZWae.svg
Rio Cobre
40 m
44 yd
BSicon exCONTgq.svg
BSicon eABZgr+r.svg
14.5
Port Antonio branch
BSicon KMW.svg
250' contour
BSicon dRP1q.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G1.svg
BSicon dRP1q.svg
BSicon dRP1q.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G1.svg
BSicon dRP1q.svg
BSicon dRP2q.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G2BUE.svg
BSicon dRP2q.svg
BSicon eHST.svg
16.5
Michleton Halt
BSicon dRP1q.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G1o.svg
BSicon dRP1q.svg
BSicon dRP1q.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G1.svg
BSicon dRP1q.svg
BSicon eHST.svg
19.3
Linstead
BSicon bWBRUCKE1.svg
Rio Magno gully
85 m
93 yd
BSicon exCONTgq.svg
BSicon eABZgr+r.svg
New Works branch
BSicon dRP2q.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G2.svg
BSicon dRP2q.svg
B13 road
BSicon dRP2q.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G2.svg
BSicon dRP2q.svg
BSicon dRP2q.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G2.svg
BSicon dRP2q.svg
BSicon bWBRUCKE1.svg
Byndloss gully
20 m
22 yd
BSicon eHST.svg
22.1
Sterling Castle Halt
BSicon dRP1q.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G1.svg
BSicon dRP1q.svg
BSicon bWBRUCKE1.svg
unnamed gully
40 m
44 yd
BSicon KMW.svg
500' contour
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon xABZgr.svg
23.7
Ewarton Works branch
BSicon exKMW.svg
750' contour
BSicon exKHSTe.svg
27.8
Ewarton Terminus
Railroad Crossings
Gated│Ungated
BSicon SKRZ-G2BUE.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G2.svg
A and B roads
BSicon SKRZ-G1BUE.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G1.svg
Parochial motorable road
BSicon SKRZ-GDBUE.svg
BSicon SKRZ-GD.svg
Unclassified road

The Spanish Town to Ewarton railway was a railway in Jamaica, built to serve the citrus growing regions in the interior of Saint Catherine, particularly those around the towns of Bog Walk, Linstead and Ewarton. [1] It operated from 1885 to 1992.

History

The 14 miles (23 km) of 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) track from Spanish Town to Ewarton were completed in 1885 at a cost of approximately £93,000. [1]

The section from Linstead to Ewarton was closed in 1947. [2] It was later reopened as far as the Bauxite processing plant just east of Ewarton.

The rest of the line closed to passengers in 1992 but it remains open for Bauxite traffic. [3]

The Spanish Town to Bog Walk section reopened briefly for passenger traffic in 2009/10 while the A1 road through Bog Walk Gorge was closed for major repair work. [4]

Gradients

The line climbs 700 feet (213.4 m) in 14 miles (23 km) (average gradient 1 in 106 or 0.0094%) from Spanish Town station (just under 100 feet or 30.5 metres [5] ) to its summit at Ewarton (800 feet [6] ).

Stations and Halts

There were 4 stations and 5 halts on the line: [3] [5]

Tunnels

There are 4 tunnels, [5] from south to north:

Bridges

There are 7 significant bridges on the line:

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 The Jamaica Railway 1845-1945 by H R Fox, General Manager, Jamaica Government Railway in The Railway Magazine of November & December 1945.
  2. Satchell, Veront M, Sampson, Cezley (March 2003). "The rise and fall of railways in Jamaica, 1845-1975". Journal of Transport History. p. 11. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. 1 2 Annual Transport Statistics Report: Jamaica in Figures 2003-2004 Archived 2013-03-15 at the Wayback Machine , Ministry of Transport and Works, July 2005, Table 3.5 - Mileage for JRC Stations, Halts & Sidings in relation to the Kingston Railway Terminus 2003-2004.
  4. "Jamaica Train Ride - Linstead to Spanish Town (09 AUG 2011) Pt # 2". YouTube. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 UK Directorate of Overseas Surveys 1:50,000 map of Jamaica Sheet L (1966).
  6. UK Directorate of Overseas Surveys 1:50,000 map of Jamaica Sheet G (1973).

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City Thameslink railway station</span> Central London railway station

City Thameslink is a central London railway station within the City of London, with entrances on Ludgate Hill and Holborn Viaduct. The station is on the Thameslink route between Blackfriars to the south and Farringdon to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanish Town</span> Town in Middlesex, Jamaica

Spanish Town is the capital and the largest town in the parish of St. Catherine in the historic county of Middlesex, Jamaica. It was the Spanish and British capital of Jamaica from 1534 until 1872. The town is home to numerous memorials, the national archives, and one of the oldest Anglican churches outside England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holborn Viaduct railway station</span> Closed London railway station

Holborn Viaduct was a railway station in the City of London, providing local and commuter services. It was located to the southeast of Holborn Viaduct, and east of Farringdon Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Coastway line</span> Railway line in Sussex, England

The East Coastway line is a railway line along the south coast of Sussex to the east of Brighton, England. Trains to the west of Brighton operate on the West Coastway line. Together with the West Coastway and the Marshlink line to the east, the line forms part of a continuous route from Havant to Ashford. The Brighton Main Line route to Eastbourne and Hastings, via Plumpton and Cooksbridge, shares the East Coastway line east of Lewes station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lapstone Zig Zag</span> Bridge in New South Wales, Australia

The Lapstone Zig Zag was a zig zag railway built between Emu Plains and Blaxland stations on the Main Western Line of New South Wales in Australia. Constructed between 1863 and 1865 to overcome an otherwise insurmountable climb up the eastern side of the Blue Mountains, the zig zag and associated Knapsack Viaduct, a sandstone arch viaduct, were designed by John Whitton, Engineer-in-Charge of New South Wales Government Railways, and were built by William Watkins. The zig zag was listed on the Blue Mountains local government heritage register on 27 December 1991; while the adjacent Knapsack Viaduct was listed on the New South Wales Heritage Database on 2 April 1999. The Lapstone Zig Zag was the world-first Zig Zag constructed on any main-line railway.

The Vale of Neath Railway (VoNR) was a broad gauge railway company, that built a line from Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare to Neath, in Wales, mostly to transport the products of the Merthyr iron industries to ports on Swansea Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nottingham Arkwright Street railway station</span> Former railway station in Nottingham, England

Nottingham Arkwright Street was a railway station in Nottingham on the former Great Central Main Line which ran from Manchester Piccadilly to London Marylebone. The station opened with the line in 1899 and closed in 1963 as part of rationalisation; it reopened four years later upon the closure of Nottingham Victoria railway station, only to close in 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transport in Jamaica</span>

The Railways of Jamaica, constructed from 1845, were the second British Colony after Canada's Champlain and St Lawrence Railroad of 1836 to receive a railway system. Construction started only twenty years after the Stockton & Darlington Railway commenced operations in the United Kingdom.

The Bog Walk to Port Antonio railway was a railway in Jamaica built to serve the banana, cacao, citrus and coconut districts of St Catherine, St Mary and Portland.

The Kingston to Montego Bay railway was the main railway in Jamaica, which from 1845 to 1992 linked the capital Kingston with the second city Montego Bay, passing en route most of the major towns.

The Linstead to New Works railway was a railway in Jamaica constructed in 1921 to serve a citrus growing region to the north east of Linstead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wye Valley Railway</span> Disused railway in England and Wales

The Wye Valley Railway was a standard gauge railway that ran for nearly 15 miles (24 km) along the Lower Wye Valley between the towns of Chepstow and Monmouth, crossing several times between Wales and England. Opened on 1 November 1876, it was leased to, and worked by, the Great Western Railway (GWR), before being fully absorbed by the GWR in 1905.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanish Town railway station</span>

Spanish Town railway station opened in 1845 and closed in 1992 when all passenger services in Jamaica abruptly ceased. It provided rail services to Kingston and Montego Bay, Port Antonio, Ewarton and New Works. It was 11.75 miles (18.91 km) from the Kingston terminus. It is on the list of designated National Heritage Sites in Jamaica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montego Bay railway station</span>

Montego Bay railway station opened in 1894 and closed in 1992 when all passenger services in Jamaica abruptly ceased. It served the Kingston to Montego Bay main line with branches from May pen to Frankfield, Spanish Town to Ewarton, Bog Walk to Port Antonio and Linstead to New Works. It was 112.75 miles (181.45 km) from the Kingston terminus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albany railway station, Jamaica</span>

Albany railway station opened in 1896, closed in 1975, reopened in 1977 and closed for good in 1978. It was on the Bog Walk to Port Antonio branch line, 42.5 miles (68.4 km) from the Kingston terminus, and served the surrounding agricultural community, providing a means for bananas to reach and be exported from Port Antonio. It was destroyed by fire sometime after closure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troja railway station</span> Jamaica train station

Troja railway station opened in 1896, closed in 1975, reopened in 1977 and closed for good in 1978. It was on the Bog Walk to Port Antonio branch line, 31 miles (50 km) from the Kingston terminus, and served the surrounding agricultural community, providing a means for bananas to reach and be exported from Port Antonio. It was vandalised some time after closure.

Ewarton is a town in the parish of Saint Catherine, Jamaica.

Kemp Town branch line was a railway line running from Brighton to Kemptown in the UK that operated between 1869 and 1971. It ran from a junction off the Brighton to Lewes line between London Road and Moulsecoomb stations, to Kemp Town railway station. It opened in 1869 and was expensive to construct, requiring a tunnel and a large viaduct.