Shimla Rail Line and Bhalku who showed the way

 Shimla Rail Line and Bhalku who showed the way 

In my school days, I have ridden this train from Shimla to Kalka and back many times. One reason, there was discount offered to school boys. Another reason, my mother would not take the bus service as it induced vomiting in her and also in most other women, hence a better alternative was to take the train. What my parents did not know that we (other boys in my school) had taken the train from Shimla to the first station of Summer Hill many times, always free, giving the Guard a slip. The free ride is more fun than otherwise. Every time we took the train we indirectly paid high regards to Lord Curzon (The Viceroy at the turn of the century) who took personal interest in its construction and a plain daily wage earner with the name ‘Bhalku’ who made it possible for the train to reach Shimla. The interesting part is that we all know Lord Curzon well, however we hardly know “Bhalku” the man who made boring of the many tunnels on the route as well as the routing of the line possible. 

Lord Curzon flagged the first train on November 9, 1903. The engineering and survey had begun fifteen years earlier. Construction started in 1896. Early on it was decided that it will be a narrow gauge line, as mountains will not permit either broad gauge or even the meter gauge line. So it was decided that it will be a narrow gauge line. The yearly transfer of British colonial government from Calcutta to Shimla added to the urgency. The road transport via bullock cart or horse carriage was too slow. The cars/trucks had not arrived as yet. Hence completion of this train work was urgently needed. It took 10 years to survey and 7 years to build. Not only the laying of the train track, 96 km in length but building of 969 bridges/ Viaducts and boring of 103 tunnels through the mountain spurs was an engineering marvel of that era. Concurrently, 20 stations on the way were also constructed.

The train had a difficult engineering work of the route, rising from Kalka 2100 ft and going to Shimla 7,000 ft. The first mountain range, immediately after Kalka was Taksal- Dharampore range rising to 5500 feet. Three spiral loops with 1 in 33 slope were designed to climb that high. Spiral loops for rail line is a standard practice, but not at that time. Moreover, it needed the rail line to be manufactured with curves. Factories in Birmingham or Sheffield, took up the challenge successfully. The level up to Solan was not elevated rather a level slope, but by now the rail line had already negotiated 3000 feet of the 5000 feet to climb. Further climb began after Kandghat to Shimla. But the railway designers avoided all that loop work by locating the Shimla station not at the Ridge (7000 ft) but at a much lower elevation (present Shimla station) hence requiring only an additional 1000 feet to climb. This routing and tunnelling required Bhalku’s God given gift.  

A big issue for the British engineers was the routing of the loops. In all till 1890, three surveys were done to figure out the loop route. Still, there was no conclusion. In comes Bhalku, a daily wage earner, who offered to help. He was local of that area and was very well conversant with the mountains in the area. His British overlords gave him a simple compass and asked him to return in a year with his findings. Bhalku did not return for several years and the British were getting ready to send 4th or 5th survey team based on better local information, but then Bhalku returned. He brought with him the approximate mapping of loops as well further route to Shimla. Nobody took him seriously until, instead of sending more men in the inhospitable jungles, they decided to look at Bhalku’s suggestions. Later a survey party was formed to survey the route Bhalku had suggested. 

Hurrah!........ That route was found easier, simpler and on which 1 in 33 gradient line could be built. We have to thank Bhalku and his God given gift.

A bigger engineering challenge awaited the British engineers. A mountain spur stood in the way before the line reached Solan. It had to be tunnelled through. This will be the longest tunnel ever built in India about 1.1 km long, known as the Barog Tunnel. The British engineer Colonel Barog began boring from both sides to meet in the middle. The bored holes did not meet on his first trial. He tried again and unfortunately, same thing happened. Distraught Colonel Barog committed suicide. His grave is still there on the western side of the tunnel.  

The work was reassigned to Chief Engineer Harrington, who summoned Bhalku again. It is said that he was asked to route the tunnel so that the two ends meet. He had a God given gift to tap the rock face inside the partly bored tunnel with his staff and tell which way to bore further. He was right and the tunnel ends finally met. Later, his services were requisitioned a number of times to solve other engineering problems. There is a full review of these at the Bhalku Rail Museum:

https://blog.trainman.in/blog/baba-bhalku-rail-museum/

There is an interesting signalling system on this line. It is as old as the line itself. After laying the rail line and building Roman styled bridges/viaducts and boring 103 tunnels through the rock face, then came the critical task of operation and signalling. It is a single line system, hence a perfect signalling system was needed to signal the arrival and departures of the trains. Most people will laugh, but the ancient token system is still in use. It gives the train driver signal to move or not move from a station. He picks up the token at this station and deposits it at the next station and gets new one to move on. It is ancient but it is the perfect system. Head on accidents have never happened on this line, although trains have derailed due to excessive speed, but not head on collisions. It is an homage to the signalling system.

The engine and the rolling stock all came from England. The higher class passenger cabins were designed for comfort for the British. Travel in these was not allowed even to the aristocratic locals. It was comfortable 6 hours journey from Shimla to Kalka at roughly 22 km/hour. The train unless it was a mail train, stopped at all stations. To add to the creature comfort in about 1920s a “Rail Car” was introduced. It is a thirty seater bus with tired wheels replaced by railway wheels. It is a diesel bus/train wagon. It moved faster, although the gradient and slope will not permit any faster movement, it did not stop at all the stations (just 4 or 5 important ones). Post partition after continuous use, these Rail Cars were worn out and this service was discontinued. About ten years back the author had the pleasure of travelling in the Rail Car. It is comfortable, but refurbishing is not of the highest quality. 

Now coal fired engines have been replaced with Diesel engine. It pulls, the greater load. The whole train has been repainted in vibrant colors and this train service is competing with the bus service.

Now the Shimla - Kalka line is a UNESCO heritage line. Bhalku lived in the area post 1903. He went on a pilgrimage after that and disappeared into history. In his memory in 2011, a Museum was built to house all art affects of Bhalku and his era.....

Cheers.......