Jamalpur, the Town the British Built

Dedication

This book is lovingly dedicated to
all Jamalpurians

and to my dear sisters and brothers:
Shanta, Vatsala (who is no more), Sundar, Nirmala, Venkat,

Murli, Ravi, Satyu (who is no more) and Jairam, who all
made my boyhood years in Jamalpur so memorable.

Acknowledgement for Images Used

Images and photographs used in the book have been taken from various sources and websites.
The author is indebted to all, for the use of their photographs which so richly illustrate the book.

Credits have been given in the image captions. Permissions have been taken for most
and have been sought for the remaining few.

Publication and Copyright

Publication: 2018
Text Copyright: © G S P Rao
ePUB Conversion: TEXTSOFT Solutions Pvt. Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without prior written consent
and permission of the author.

CONTENTS

Preface vii

1. In the Shadows of Historical Monghyr  1

2. Jamalpur emerges from obscurity  6

3. Jamalpur joins the Railway revolution  13

4. Jamalpur Locomotive Workshop  20

5. The Technical Institute and Gymkhana  30

6. Growth of the Township  41

7. The Social Life  48

8. Ananda Marga  56

9. GALLERY 59

- Viceroy Lord Bruce’s Visit 61

- Jamalpur Today – Google Earth Images 66

- Devastating Bihar Earthquake of 1934 71

- Duncan McEvoy’s Photos 74

- Red-Brick Buildings of East Colony 78

- Sights of the Town 80

- The Townsfolk – G Ramakrishna Rao’s Photos  83

- The Educational Institutions 86

- From the Family Albums 87

10. Reminiscences 93 Lake at the base of hill, Jamalpur. Photo courtesy: Premasagar, Flickr

11. Annexure – Rudyard Kipling Articles 131

World’s Oldest Working Locomotive ‘Fairy Queen’
Resurrected and maintained by the IRSME

Credit: ’75 Years of IRSME’

PREFACE twentieth centuries. The other parts of Jamalpur town have no
doubt changed over this long span of time.
Jamalpur locomotive workshop has played a historical role in
the growth of Indian Railways. Conceived within a few years The rich history and legacy of Jamalpur is relatively unknown
after the first train of the East Indian Railway ran between outside railway circles. This book is aimed at creating awareness
Howrah and Hooghly on 15 August 1854, the locomotive in the people on this charming little railway town, tucked deep
workshop at Jamalpur was the earliest and largest one in the into Bihar.
country. It dominated the steam locomotive era of the Indian
railways for over a century, till 1960s and 70s, and has effectively I am indebted to many people for helping me compile this
retained its relevance even thereafter. With establishment book. I am grateful to Mr Animesh Kumar Sinha, Chief
of the first technical institute to train mechanical engineers, Works Manager, Jamalpur Locomotive Workshop, for sparing
it became the cradle of engineering education in India. The his valuable time and generously sharing his books on the
engineers graduating from Jamalpur went on to occupy top Workshop. I also thank him for permitting me to use material and
technical and managerial positions all over the country, not just photographs from “150 Years of Locomotive Works, Jamalpur
in Indian Railways but many major Public and Private sector 1862-2012,” of which he is the editor. Mr Praveen Kumar, PS to
undertakings. Some even went to teach at foreign universities Mr Sinha, was very helpful in reproducing material for my use.
and work at prestigious institutions such as the World Bank. Mr Sudarshan Pandey of IRIMEE, took me around the Institute
to explain the various facilities and infrastructure it has. Mr
Jamalpur township was designed and built by British engineers. Debashish Ghosh, Sr Librarian at IRIMEE, made available
The place would have been just a hamlet before that. The books and material on IRIMEE. Mr Paras Mehendiratta,
idyllic setting at the base of the Rajmahal range of hills that had Probationary Officer, and Gaurav Raj, SCA, took me around
attracted the British, remains the same to this day. Little has Gymkhana to show all its facilities and shared old photographs
changed in the eastern part of the township – the East Colony, from the Institute’s archives. They made available to me a copy
designed and built for Europeans – in the last 150 years. Some of “Jamalpur – cradle of IRSME: 75 Years of IRSME 1927-2002.”
reconstructions were necessitated due to heavy damage caused I am thankful to Mr A K Gupta, Director, IRIMEE and Mr K
during the 1934 earthquake but the original layout remained Raman, Sr Professor, IRIMEE, for vetting the draft chapter on
unchanged. Jamalpur provides a glimpse into the life style ‘The Technical Institute and Gymkhana’ and making valuable
of European settlers in India during the nineteenth and early suggestions.

vi  Preface Some of the accounts included in ‘Reminiscences’ are old and
available in earlier publications and websites. However, they
I referred many sources for authentic information on Jamalpur are included here for the benefit of readers getting informed
Workshop, including the official website of Eastern Railway, about Jamalpur for the first time.
Wikipedia, and irfca.org. Websites and Facebook sites of
thejamalpur.com, jamalpuronline.in and mungerjamalpur. There is a selfish motive too in writing this book. We all have a
com all provided a lot of information on the workshop and the special place in our hearts for the place where we grow up. The
township. Of particular use was Dr Nitin Sinha’s authoritative impressions formed in those innocent childhood years - of our
article of 2012, “Entering the Black Hole: between ‘mini- home and parents, our neighbourhood and playmates, our first
England’ and ‘smell-like rotten potato’, the railway workshop school and teachers, our forays and discoveries - all leave deep
town of Jamalpur, 1860s–1940s,” in South Asian History and and lasting impact. In life, we move on to much bigger places
Culture, 3:3. BBC’s documentary “British Indian Railway – On and our worldview enlarges exponentially; still, we can’t get
tracks of Empire” (particularly the section ‘Unite and divide’ over those lovable impressions of formative years. It is always
Part II) by John Sergeant and the YouTube video “150 Years of a pleasure revisiting our childhood home and reliving those
Jamalpur Workshop” uploaded by Nitin Mehrotra were very joyful moments. Jamalpur is such a place for me, which has that
informative. I have used several images from these two. I am peculiar tug at my heart. It was here that I was born and grew
indebted to all these sources. up during the most momentous times in the nation’s history.

I corresponded with Ms Maureen Young (Sydney, Australia), Thus, this is essentially a labour of love I enjoyed doing, to
Yvonne Hussein Le Fort (Ontario, Canada), Peter Moss (Selangor, celebrate my birthplace. I hope it will serve the purpose of
Malaysia), Noel Thomas (Visakhapatnam), M Shanta Murthy presenting Jamalpur to a wider audience.
(Mumbai, my elder sister) and Madan Thakur (Jamshedpur) who
all lived in Jamalpur once. I interacted with Deepak Sapra, SCA GSP Rao
1992, who now lives in Hyderabad. All of them have generously Hyderabad, Aug 2018
shared their memories and photographs from family albums.
These recollections are included in the ‘Reminiscences’ section of Cover page photo: Visit of Viceroy, Lord Bruce and Lady Constance
the book and lend a personal touch to life in Jamalpur. Duncan Mary to Jamalpur Loco Workshop on 3 Dec 1897. Here they are seen
McEvoy from York, UK, sent beautiful photographs he took of departing after the visit. Copyright, The British Library Board, UK
trains in Jamalpur during Christmas of 1992. A few others too (Photo 15/8, 26).
have helped me with old and new photographs. Some of these
are used in this book. I am indebted to Duncan and all others
for their gesture in sharing their work.

A glimpse of Jamalpur before we begin

The Kharagpur hills beside which Jamalpur is situated. Image Courtesy: thejamalpur.com

Lake and the reservoir at base of the hill. Photo from hilltop by G Ramakrishna Rao

View of Jamalpur from the hill. The plain stretches right up to the Ganges at Monghyr (Munger), in the horizon in this image.
Image courtesy: “150 Years of Jamalpur Workshop,” YouTube. Nitin Mehrotra

Reservoir below the Water Works Dept., seen in red bricks amidst the trees. Photo by GSP Rao

1. IN THE SHADOW OF HISTORICAL MONGHYR

Jamalpur in Bihar is known for its Railway Workshop, the of Magadh seems to have killed Brahmadutta, the last
earliest and largest locomotive workshop of the Indian independent ruler of ancient Anga. This brought Anga under
Railways, established by the British more than 150 years ago the growing empire of Magadh. An epigraphic evidence of the
– on 8th February 1862 to be more precise. Jamalpur had no Gupta period suggests that Munger was under the Guptas.
known history prior to this. Located within 8 to 9 kilometres
from the fort at Monghyr (Munger in modern times) Jamalpur Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Hsuan Tsang (Xuan Zang), 608-664
remained in the shadows of history over the centuries. Monghyr CE, a scholar, traveller and translator of repute, who visited
has had a long and chequered past, with its fort known at least India in the 7th century, made a reference to Munger region in his
from the 13th century CE. Monghyr region has been identified writings. Probably this is the earliest historical reference to the
from much earlier periods and has been referred to even in the town. The fort in Munger, built on a rocky hillock, served as a
Mahabharata. bastion of power for a succession of rulers. When exactly the fort
was built, or by whom, is not known with certainty. However,
The present day Munger was christened Monghyr by the the town where the fort stood was under the control of Khaljis
British. The headquarters of Munger Commisionary and of in the 13th century, and under Muhammad Bin Tughluq in the
Munger District of Bihar, the town is situated on the southern 14th. Still later it was ruled by Lodhis followed by Sher Shah
bank of River Ganges. The river loops around the town Suri and the Mughals. The territory was ceded to the British by
on the west, north and east. Strategically protected thus, the Nawab of Bengal, Mir Qasim (1760-64 CE) after his defeat in
it was the seat of power under different rulers over a long the Battle of Buxar in 1764, along with his allies Siraj-ud-daula,
period in history. It formed the ‘Madhya Desa’ (mid region/ the Nawab of Awadh, and Shah Alam II, the Mughal emperor.
territory) of early Aryan settlers. The town has been identified The victory was so decisive that it established the supremacy
with Mod-giri (or Modagiri) mentioned in Mahabharata, of East India Company in the country. The consequent ‘Treaty
the capital city of an eastern kingdom near Vanga and of Allahabad’ gave the Company sovereignty over almost one
Tamralipta. Karna, hero of the epic, is referred as the ruler of eighth of India. Munger fort was of considerable importance to
Anga, comprising the modern-day districts of Munger and the British till the time of Indian independence in 1947. History
Bhagalpur. Around the middle of 6th century CE, Bimlisara records a ‘White Mutiny’ by disgruntled officers of East India

2  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built in Munger became an important factor for the establishment of
the Railway Workshop by the British at Jamalpur.
Company in precincts of Munger Fort that was quelled by Lord
Robert Clive in 1766. The mutiny broke out due to reduction of
an extra monthly payment called ‘Bhatta’ given to soldiers on
active duty.

Monghyr on southern bank of Ganges. Google Map Satellite image of Monghyr region. Google Map

During Mir Qasim’s rule, a factory for arsenal was set up in the Despite turmoil of history at the fort of Munger over long
fort for the manufacture of fire arms. This laid the foundation periods, Jamalpur seems to have remained unaffected.
for the gun-smithy industry in Munger, a tradition that has
continued to this day. Availability of skilled technical labour Munger now
Situated 60 Km west of Bhagalpur and 180 Kms east of
Bihar’s capital city of Patna, Munger is now referred as the

twin-city of Jamalpur. It is a Municipal Corporation and In the Shadow of Historical Monghyr  3 
district headquarters. It is the 5th largest city of Bihar, with a
population of 213,303 and literacy rate of 69% (Census 2011; Munger is located on National Waterway Number 1, running
see demographics below). Munger is well connected to all the from Allahabad in UP to Haldia in West Bengal. It is well
important cities of the country, including New Delhi, Mumbai, connected to cities like Patna, Bhagalpur, Varanasi, Kolkata
Kolkata, Bangalore, Surat, Guwahati, Lucknow, Kanpur, and Allahabad through the waterway on Ganges. Situated on
Visakhapatnam etc. as well as all important cities of Bhar and National Highway NH80, Munger is connected to all parts of
Jharkhand through railway services. India through interconnected national highways network. State
highways give access to all parts of the State.

“A View of the Fort of Mongheer, upon the banks of River “The East end of Fort of Mongheer”
Ganges” by William Hodges (1744-1797). Wikimedia Commons. by William Hodges. Wikimedia Commons.

The nearest commercial domestic airport is at Patna (180 Km) Jamalpur Railway Workshop is a major employer of local
and the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport at population. ITC’s cigarette factory, the oldest tobacco
Kolkata (480Km). manufacturing company in the country, is located in Munger.
Originally set up by Peninsular Tobacco Company in 1907, it

4  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built Bihar School of Yoga, Munger. Courtesy: Biharyoga.net
Kashtaharni Ghat, Munger. Courtesy: Hamara Munger
was acquired later by ITC and is one of the primary industrial
establishments in the district. ITC has also set up a modern
Dairy Plant in more recent times.

Gun manufacturing has been a 200-year old industry in Munger
with many small ancillary units. In fact, it is almost a cottage
industry in the town. The Government’s Ordnance Factory
was also set up here. Over the last few decades, Munger has
built a dubious reputation as hub of illegal gun-making, from
country made pistols to Kalashnikovs. During World War I
and Indo-China war of 1962, the district supplied armaments
to the Indian Army.

“The construction of railway lines in the second half of nineteenth
century brought rapid changes in the life of the people in the
region. It paved the way for the industrial education of people.
The unskilled labourers of these tracts learnt the various works
of railway construction under European Engineers. … The
locomotive workshop at Jamalpur did more for industrial
education than any number of industrial schools could have
done.” (‘Education and Social Changes in Bihar1900-1921’ by
Shreedhar Narayan Pandey, 1975, Bihar)

Munger district has long been famous for its mineral waters
and hot-water springs. There is a belt of thermal springs
along a zone from the Kharagpur hills to the Rajgir hills of
Patna district. The Sita Kund in Munger, a hot-water spring, is
associated with Ramayana lore and is a major tourist attraction.

Monghyr Demographics In the Shadow of Historical Monghyr  5 

Location: 25°23’ N ; 86°26’ E Rail cum road bridge under construction at Munger.
Area: 17.50 Sq. Kms. Courtesy: News18.com

Elevation: 43 m (141 ft.) average Hot spring at Rishikund in Munger. Courtesy: Trodly.com
Official Language: Hindi, Maithili
Other Languages: Angika, Bengali and Urdu.

Population: 213,303
-
- Males 113,291

Sex Ratio: Females 100,012

Literates: 883 Females to 1000 Males
-
- 146,507 82,590
Males 63,917
Children (0-6 Yrs): Females
-
- 30,484 16,011
Males 14,473
Females

(Source: Census of India, 2011, Bihar
Munger Division, Bihar (NIC, Munger))

2. JAMALPUR EMERGES FROM OBSCURITY Pir Jamaluddin’s mazar. Photo by Dhanesh K Mishra

Jamalpur as we know it, is essentially a town built by the True to its name, Jamalpur, situated beside a small hill, the
British soon after what they referred as the Sepoy Mutiny Kali Pahad, has an idyllic setting with a small, enchanting
of 1857, but for Indians was the first war of Independence. lake at the hill-bed, a sprawling maidan, now converted into
There is no known record of the place prior to that. “The East a golf course; and a waterfall that can be seen during the rainy
India Gazetteer of 1828 did not mention Jamalpur; prominent season. Beyond the hill that is a part of Kharagpur hills (falling
places in the Monghyr district were the ‘Monghir’ town and in the Rajmahal range of hills stretching from Jharkhand), lie
the nearby ‘Seetacond’ (4 miles east of Monghyr). In another forests that were once infested with wild animals, like tigers
gazetteer, compiled in 1858, the principal towns mentioned and leopards, that would stray into the maidan now and then
were Monghyr, Soorjgarh, Ghidore, Shekhpoor and the looking for a prey.
pilgrimage site of Sitakund. Of course, from the 1860s onwards,
when the (railway) workshops were transferred from Howrah
to Jamalpur, we find references to Jamalpur in the railway
proceedings of the Public Works Department.”1

Jamalpur would have been just a hamlet, or at the most a
largish village, with many muslims. The name seems to have
come from a Muslim saint, Pir Jamaluddin, who lived in this
habitat and whose mazar lies to this day on the Golf Course
Road. Jamal, an Arabic word, means beauty, or beautiful, and
is widely used as a masculine given-name across the Muslim
world. Not much is known of Pir Jamaluddin.

1 Nitin Sinha, “Entering the Black Hole: between ‘mini-
England’ and ‘smell-like rotten potato’, the railway workshop
town of Jamalpur, 1860s–1940s,” in South Asian History and
Culture, 3:3.

Jamalpur Emerges from Obscurity  7 

Lake at the hill-base. Photo by GSP Rao Seasonal Waterfall. Credit: thejamalpur.com

Picturesque Plain The fort at Monghyr that saw a succession of rulers from the
13th century was ceded to the British by Mir Qasim, the Nawab
It was this picturesque plain, stretching from the hill right of Bengal, in 1764. The fort was of considerable importance to
up to the Ganges at Monghyr to the north, that had attracted the British till Indian independence in 1947. Thus, there was
the British engineers of the East Indian Railway (EIR) presence and influence of the British in Monghyr during 1850s.
Company. They were looking for a large space to set up
their locomotive workshop. Some facilities had been set up
at Howrah a few years earlier, where space constraint had
come in the way of further expansion and growth. There
were problems of procuring supplies and getting skilled
labour too. There was also a talk of staff indiscipline that
contributed to the decision of shifting the locomotive shops.

8  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built Peninsular Railway (GIPR), had run over a stretch of 21 miles
from Bori Bunder in Bombay to Thana on 16th April 1853. The
Plain stretching from the hill to the Ganges at the horizon. line was extended up to Kalyan on 1st May, 1854 and to Khapoli
Photo by: Rajya Bardhan and Khandala in 1856. In the eastern sector, the first passenger
train of the EIR steamed out of Howrah station for Hooghly,
The planning and construction of the workshop at Jamalpur a distance of 24 miles, on 15th August 1854. This could have
started soon after the mutiny year of 1857. Monghyr was on happened a year sooner but for two major mishaps. The ship
the main railway line planned between Howrah and Delhi. bringing the first models of railway carriages sank in the sea.
The tunnel through the Kharagpur hills near Jamalpur was Another ship bringing the first locomotive was misdirected to
constructed in 1860-61 for faster progress of EIR tracks which Australia!
started off from Howrah to Ranigunj collieries near Asansol
(1855), reached Jamalpur (1862), Prayag (1862), Delhi (1866) It is of interest to note that the first Indian Railway rolled on its
and finally Lahore (1866). tracks just 28 years after the world’s first ever train had its run
Momentous times in England in 1825. (“Indian Railways: One Hundred Years”)
The 1850s were momentous times for Railways in the country. The decade of 1850s witnessed the historic Sepoy Mutiny in
The first ever railway train in India, of the Great Indian 1857 that swept across several cities and regions in North India
and came to be seen as the first war of Indian independence.
It was a few years after the mutiny that Mr David Wilkinson
Campbell, the Divisional Locomotive Superintendent of EIR at
Howrah, took the decision to shift the workshop to Jamalpur.
It was to become the first and largest locomotive workshop in
the country. A township to house the staff was also planned.
William St. John Galwey, a young Irish Civil Engineer, did the
survey work for the workshop, the offices and housing colonies
in Jamalpur, and oversaw their construction. He was the
Resident Engineer of the Workshop in 1862. Campbell became
the first Locomotive Superintendent at Jamalpur Workshop in
1863, a post he held for a record 24 years. If someone can be

called the father of Jamalpur, it should rightly be Campbell, Jamalpur Emerges from Obscurity  9 
who was responsible for its creation, and nurtured it during
the formative years. He was mainly instrumental in its growth and the European Institute (later Central Institute) with tennis
into a formidable and renowned locomotive production and courts, swimming pool, auditorium and dance floor, served as
overhauling centre to earn the sobriquet ‘Crewe of India.’ the cultural hub. Young men and women had lively time over
Crewe in Cheshire is best known as a large railway junction and the weekends at the Institute. Water Works department was set
home to Crewe Works, a major railway engineering facility, up on the hill, where rain water stored in tanks was pumped
established in 1840s. up and purified and made available to all the houses through a
network of pipes. East Colony was elegantly laid out and gave
As the noted British writer, Rudyard Kipling wrote in 1882 a picture of neat roads dotted with trees on either side.
during a visit to Jamalpur, “when it was laid out, in or before
the mutiny year, its designers allowed room for growth and The western part of the township, on the other side of tracks,
made the houses of one general design – some of brick, some had the general bazar and ‘Rampur Colony’ with quarters for
of stone, some three, four and six roomed, some single men’s the Indian clerical staff. These houses were much smaller, with
barracks and some two storeyed – all for the use of employees. tiny compounds. There were hardly any recreational facilities
King’s Road, Prince’s Road, Queen’s Road and Victoria Road and the roads were narrower and not as well-maintained. With
– Jamalpur is loyal – cut the breadth of the station; and Albert Sadar Bazar, the general market, and private houses and bastis
Road, Church Street, and Steam Road the length of it.”2 (small, congested colonies) of labourers, this part of the town was
crowded and unclean. There was very little intercourse between
The railway track, running north-south, divided the town into the inhabitants of the two parts of the town. The East Colony
two distinct halves. The houses for the British and Anglo Indian remained exclusive and European in culture while the western
families were built on the eastern side – hence, called the East part was typically Indian, just like any other small town.
Colony – at the base of the hill and around the spacious maidan.
The houses in red bricks were large and had big compounds with It was the work culture in the workshop that brought
trees and gardens. The East Colony had recreational facilities everyone together – the British engineers and managers, the
Anglo-Indian supervisors and technical hands, and the local
2 ‘A Railway Settlement’, first of the three articles of Kipling on workers. Educated Bengalis and people from other parts of
Jamalpur. Included in annexure. the country were the white-collared staff. The British ran the
workshop with strict discipline and the workers displayed
their loyalty. The Railway’s work ethos got reflected in every

10  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built The risks faced by early settlers in a new and remote place
became strikingly evident when, in 1864 – within two years of
aspect of life in the town. Almost everyone was dependent on
the Railway for their livelihood. The rest were shopkeepers or
service providers. Kipling called Jamalpur, “the unadulterated
Railway township.”

St. Mary’s Church. Credit: Chandan Kashyap St. Joseph’s Church. Credit: thejamalpur.com

With a large number of Europeans and Anglo Indians living in establishment of the workshop – a tiger from the nearby forest
East Colony, soon the St Joseph’s Church for catholic Christians sauntered down the hill into the maidan and took a young
was built in 1863 and the St. Mary’s Church in 1867. Much later, Englishman by surprise. Thomas Quilem Roberts, just 27, was
in the 20th century, a Baptist Church was added too. A European a Foreman in the Erecting Shop. He was obviously alone at
School was established for the children of the British. In 1915, that time but gallantly took on the beast. Whether he had any
the ‘European & Anglo Indian Day School’ was started which weapon on him is not known. In the resulting combat both he
is now called the ‘Eastern Railway Mixed Primary School.’ and the tiger got mauled badly and succumbed to the injuries.
Their lifeless bodies were found, separated by some distance,
the next morning by the shocked townsfolk. Who was the

victor, and who the vanquished, in this fight to death? It hardly Jamalpur Emerges from Obscurity  11 
mattered as both lay stiff and cold there in the open maidan,
under a tree. They were interred there and tombstones erected day, after more than 150 years, and have become the most
for both, the brave-heart and the beast. These lie there to this iconic landmarks of the town.

A moving epitaph was engraved on the memorial of the
Foreman by his colleagues:

Epitaph to the Englishman. Courtesy: IRIMEE

12  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built

Tombstone of Thomas Q Roberts. Courtesy: IRIMEE Place where the tiger was buried. Ph by GSP Rao
Jamalpur Demographics
Literates: 80,089
Location: 25°31’ N, 86°49’ E - Males 44,780
Area: 10.65 Sq Km (4 Sq. Miles) - Females 35,309
Elevation: 151 m (495 ft) average Children (0–6 Yrs): 12,801
Official Languages: Hindi and Maithili - Males 6,825
Other Languages: Angika, Bengali, Urdu. - Females 5,976
Population: 105,434
- Males 56,072 (Source: Census of India 2011, Bihar)
- Females 49,362
Sex Ratio: 880 Females to 1000 Males

3. JAMALPUR JOINS THE RAILWAY REVOLUTION

The first successful steam locomotive was built by the British Many countries were quick to adopt railways, despite initial
Engineer George Stephenson in 1814 that could haul coal up scepticism and even criticism from various quarters. France
to 30 tons uphill. Later he created the first public railway for (1829), USA (1830), Germany (1835), Russia (1837), Holland and
steam locomotives. This had caught the imagination of people, Italy (1848) were all quick to emulate England in introducing
administrators and entrepreneurs alike. The first train in the railways. This development had gained global momentum and
world, consisting of 38 carriages laden with people and goods, was to spur the industrial revolution and economic growth in
ran between Stockton and Darlington in 1825 to wide acclaim the decades to follow.
and jubilation. This was to revolutionise the way merchandise
was transported and people journeyed from one place to
another.

George Stephenson’s rocket train, first steam powered locomotive, 1815. First train from Stockton to Darlington, 1825.
Courtesy: bbc.co.uk Courtesy: Wikimedia.org Public Domain image

14  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built a. The ship bringing the first models of railway carriages,
‘HMS Goodwin’, sank in the sea at Sandheads;
Within a score of years after the first train had chugged in
England, the East Indian Railway Company was established b. Another ship carrying the first locomotives was misdirected
at London in 1845. The Great Indian Peninsular Railway was to Australia!
also incorporated in 1849 by an act of the British Parliament.
Both these were to be the harbingers of economic progress First train in India ran between Bori Bunder and Thana
and social change in India. Mr (laterSir) Rowland Macdonald on 16 Apr 1853. Courtesy: oldphotosbombay.blogspot.in
Stephenson was the first agent of EIR Company and travelled The Great Indian Peninsular Railway Company was established
to India to conduct a survey from Calcutta to Delhi. The new in 1849 by an act of British Parliament with the objective of
company entered an agreement with East India Company to developing railways in the western and central parts of
develop railways in the eastern and northern parts of India. the country. The inventor of steam locomotives, George
The company was keen to construct a railway line between Stephenson, and Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy were among the first
Calcutta and Delhi, the two political centres of the country, Directors of this company. By 1853, considerable progress had
via Mirzapur. The survey established the commercial viability been achieved in laying railway tracks between Bombay and
of the venture. Strategically, it was decided to construct the Thana. The first train with 14 carriages carrying 400 guests ran
railway line along River Ganges, as till then the major mode of
transport of goods was through waterways along the Ganges.
This main railway line was to pass through Monghyr, on the
banks of Ganges.

Though the EIR Company was formed in 1845 itself, it took
several years to complete the surveys, get necessary approvals
from the Board of Governors and to raise resources. It was only
in early 1850s that serious work could commence. The company
authorised construction of railway line from Howrah to
Ranigunj as the first phase of the venture. In 1853, by the efforts
of Rowland Stephenson, the line was ready up to Pundooah
(38 miles) but two major mishaps prevented the running of the
first train till a year later:

between Bori Bunder (the Victoria Terminus) in Bombay and Jamalpur Joins the Railway Revolution  15 
Thana – a distance of 21 miles – on 16th April, 1853. The train
left Bori Bunder “amidst the loud applause of a vast multitude third-class passengers, a brake-van for the Guard, all
and to the salute of 21 guns,” as reported by the Bombay Times. constructed in Calcutta, left Howrah at 8:30 a.m. and reached
It took 45 minutes to cover the distance. The day was observed Hooghly after 91 minutes. By 3rd February, 1855 the line was
as a public holiday by all Government offices and banks. This opened up to Raniganj as originally planned.
was a historic landmark for Indian Railways, which joined the
railway revolution sweeping across the globe1. In South India, the first line was opened on 1st July, 1856 by
the Madras Railway Company. It ran between Veyasarpaudy
In the meantime, John Hodgson, the EIR Locomotive Chief and Walajah Road (Arcot), a distance of 63 miles. In North
Engineer, finding that the carriage models had been lost in India, the first line was laid from Allahabad to Kanpur on 3rd
the sea, set about building carriages locally with the help of March, 1859, and in the North-East, the first section was from
M/s Steward & Company and M/s Seton & Company. The Hathras Road to Mathura Cantonment which was opened on
locomotives that had been misdirected to Australia finally 19th October, 1875. And finally, in the North-West, the line
reached Calcutta by ‘HMS Dekagree’ in 1854. The first train from Darbangha to Jhanjharpur became operational on 1st Feb,
of EIR was flagged off full to its capacity on 15th of August 1883, bringing all regions of the country within the ambit of
1854, from  Howrah to Hooghly  a distance of  24  miles. the railways. With progressive extension of the railway lines
3000 applications were received for the first ride, but only into the hinterland, and their interlinking, the country was to
a few could be accommodated. The train having three be integrated through the railway network in the decades to
first Class, two second class and three “trucks” for the come. No other development had brought the people of India
together like this ever.

1 Indian Railways: One Hundred Years

16  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built

First train of EIR ran between Howrah and Hooghly, 15 Aug 1854.
Courtesy: oldphotosbombay.blogspot.in

Jamalpur joins the revolution Howrah Station, 1855. Courtesy- puronokolkata.com

The workshop of the Locomotive Department as well as EIR’s
carriage and wagon building works were all at Howrah initially.
It was soon felt that there was no room for further expansion
there. David Wilkinson Campbell, who was the Divisional
Locomotive Superintendent at Howrah was instrumental
in shifting the workshop of the Locomotive Department to
Jamalpur. Jamalpur was almost 300 miles away from the port
at Calcutta and Headquarters of EIR, as well as East India
Company. It also lacked natural supply of water.

Opening of EIR Burdwan Station, 1855. Jamalpur Joins the Railway Revolution  17 
Published in The Illustrated London News 14 Apr 1855
c. There was indiscipline among drivers and fitters at Howrah,
However, three major considerations swayed Campbell in all covenanted men from England who were living away
taking this decision: from their families. The last straw was when Campbell
found some of them merrymaking at a hotel opposite the
a. Howrah, being near Calcutta, had great drawbacks and was workshop, during work-hours.
too confined to admit expansion;
Though Campbell seems to have taken a decision to shift the
b. Jamalpur was adjacent to Monghyr (which had been known workshop sometime around 1860, William St. John Galwey, an
as the ‘Birmingham of the East’ for long) and could draw on Irish Civil Engineer had been sent to Monghyr in 1858 to carry
plentiful of skilled mechanics. Monghyr had for centuries out survey work. Galwey had joined the EIR in 1857 and was
been the hub of manufacture of iron-ware, notably of guns, assigned to work at Soane Bridge. However, due to widespread
pistols, spears and other weapons. Howrah lacked such disturbances owing to the Sepoy Mutiny that year, he could
skilled labour. not proceed to the site and was confined to Calcutta the whole
year. In 1858 he was sent to Monghyr. Due to developments
taking place with regard to shift of workshop to Jamalpur, he
carried out the survey in Jamalpur for the workshop, the offices
and dwellings. He also oversaw their construction. In 1862, the
year when the Jamalpur workshop started functioning, Galwey
was promoted as Resident Engineer2.

In 1863, Campbell became the Locomotive Superintendent,
Jamalpur, following the retirement of Charles Lingard Stokes,
and served in this capacity for 24 years. 1887, John Strachan
became Locomotive Superintendent on promotion of Campbell
as EIR Agent, a position he held till 1891.

2 Obituary, Inst of Civil Engineers Virtual Library

18  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built

the Headquarters of Locomotive and Traffic Department of
EIR. It grew into a formidable centre for manufacturing and
overhauling locomotives and was soon being compared with
Crewe Works at Cheshire in England.

Within a few years after the first train of EIR had run between
Howrah and Hooghly in 1854, Jamalpur had been catapulted
into the railway revolution gathering momentum in the
country. This was to bring about dramatic changes in the lives
of the people and the socio-economic status of the country in
the decades ahead.

Jamalpur Locomotive Workshop, 1897 photo. Courtesy: “150 Years of Emblem of EIR
Jamalpur Workshop,” YouTube

Alan Wood Rendell became Locomotive Superintendent when
John Strachan retired in 1890.

Jamalpur was initially only an engine changing station and
light repairs were carried out in the running shed there. It was
on the original EIR mainline between Howrah and Delhi but
with the opening of the First Chord Line (1871) and the Grand
Chord Line (1906), it became somewhat on the Sahibganj Loop.

In his long tenure as the LS of Jamalpur Workshop, David W
Campbell laid strong foundation for its expansion and nurturing
technical competence of its workforce. Jamalpur became

Jamalpur Joins the Railway Revolution  19 

Jamalpur Rly. Station. Courtesy: fibis.org. Hilary Williams, 1907 Railway Coach, EIR, 1905. Courtesy: irfca.com

Railway Coach, EIR. Courtesy: irfca.com. John Macey

Jamalpur Railway Workshop, another view. 1897.
Courtesy: “150 Years of Jamalpur Workshop,” YouTube

4. JAMALPUR LOCOMOTIVE WORKSHOP Jamalpur became the headquarters of both the Locomotive
and Traffic Departments of EIR. The latter was later shifted to
Jamalpur has been made famous by its Locomotive Workshop Howrah. The workshop has the distinction of being the largest
established in 1862. In this railway township, the workshop and the oldest locomotive repairs workshop with the most
is the main employer, others being banks or just small- diversified manufacturing activities in Indian Railways. The
time traders. The Workshop provides livelihood not only to task initially entrusted to the workshop was mainly assembling
practically the entire town but also to several thousand workers engines from imported parts and undertaking overhaul and
from Monghyr and other neighbouring towns and villages who repairs of steam locomotives and boilers. It excelled in achieving
flock to Jamalpur every day by special ‘worker trains’ run from
Monghyr, Sultanganj and Kajra.

Jamalpur Workshop. Erecting and Fitting Shop, 1939. All images in this chapter courtesy “150
Copyright, The British Library Board, UK (Photo 15/8,1) Years of Jamalpur Workshop,” YouTube, Nitin Mehrotra.

these goals. During the first decade of its operations, the Jamalpur Locomotive Workshop  21 
workshop had assembled over 450 locomotives. The various
shops were very well equipped with latest machinery. Kipling commented, “The heart of Jamalpur is the shops and
here a visitor will see more in an hour than he can understand
By the middle of 1880s, Jamalpur workshop was fully geared in a year.”
to make the complete locomotive except the wheels. The
renowned writer Rudyard Kipling had visited Jamalpur during It is of interest to note that in his celebrated novel ‘Around the
early 1888 and wrote three detailed articles on the township; the World in 80 Days,’ which was made into a popular movie, Jules
workshop that he called the Vulcan’s Forge; and the cultural Verne says that Jamalpur was “more than a European town,
life at that time. These articles were published in Pioneer1. for it is as English as Manchester or Birmingham with its iron
foundries, edge tool factories.” Some writers also alluded to
Jamalpur as the largest workshop ‘East of the Suez.’

Wheel Shop. Credit: ‘150 Years ..’ YouTube Boiler Shop. Credit: ‘150 Years ..’ YouTube

1 ‘A Railway Settlement’, the first piece was published in
Pioneer on 24the July, 1888, ‘The Shops’, the second piece on 4th
August, 1888 and ‘Vulcan’s Forge’, the last one, on 8th August,
1888.

22  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built

Wagon Manufacturing. Credit: ‘150 Years ..’ YouTube Wagon Repair Shop. Credit: ‘150 Years ..’ YouTube

Erecting shop, fitting shop, boiler shop and boiler machining modern electrically driven machinery than these (Jamalpur)
shop, along with ancillary shops like Machine shop, Mill- workshops.”
Wright shop and Wheel shop were the earliest to be set up.
With rapid expansion, many other shops were soon added, like Huddlestone writes in 1906: “Vast strides that have been
the Rolling Mill in 1879 and Steel Foundry in 1898, perhaps the made in the last few years, and the growth of the Locomotive
very first steel foundry in India. George Huddleston, who had Department of the rail way may also be gauged by the fact that
served as the Chief Superintendent of EIR, and as its Agent in 1863 the total engine stock was 247, and at the present time is
on his retirement, wrote the authoritative ‘History of the East 952. The shops are now or will be very shortly in a position to
Indian Railway,’ published in 1906. Writing about the various build locomotives to meet all the requirements of the line. The
equipment and facilities in the shops in Jamalpur, he wrote, work of building locomotives has been actually going on for
“There are of course larger railway workshops existing in some years but owing to the amount of repairs to existing stock
Europe, but few are are self-contained or better equipped with that is necessary, new-engine building has had to be kept back.

Jamalpur Locomotive Workshop  23 

Tool and Template Shop. Credit: ‘150 Years ..’ YouTube Machine shop. Credit: ‘150 Years ..’ YouTube

Almost all the parts of a locomotive can now be manufactured — Brass Foundry, Forge, Smithy, Pattern, Carpenter, Bolt and
in the shops, including all steel castings, and the actual cost of a Nut, Brass Finishing, Tin and Coppersmiths’, Cold Saw, Chain-
locomotive built at Jamalpur is therefore considerably less than testing, Wheel, Boiler, Millwright, Paint, and Tender Shop. In
one purchased and imported. The Jamalpur built engines have addition to which there was a large Detail Store3.
given most satisfactory results.2”
By the turn of the century, the workshop had progressed to
Huddlestone describes in full each of the sections of the producing its own locomotives. The first locomotive to be
Jamalpur workshops, which comprised - Steel Foundry, Iron indigenously produced in the country, Lady Curzon, was fully
Foundry, Laboratory, Rolling Mill, Erecting & Fitting Shop, designed and built in the Jamalpur workshop with shop-cast
Point Crossing & Signal Interlocking Shop, Machine Shops. wheels in 1899. This was yet another feather in the cap of the
Other workshops:
3 Ibid
2 As quoted in Fibis.org

24  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built all over the country. Several Special Class Apprentices had
assumed leadership roles not just in Indian Railways and the
workshop. The manufacture of steam locomotives continued
till 1923, by when 216 locos were manufactured. Water Works Department atop the hill.
Credit: ‘150 Years ..’ YouTube
The workshop became the first and the only one in Indian
Railways to set up its own captive power station of 5MVA,
and meet the requirement of the shops as well as the township.
The Power House, a 130’ by 12’ building, was set up in 1901.
The electricity produced also solved the problem of drinking
water, which till then was taken from wells. Whenever there
was water shortage for the shops and the township, water was
transported from the Ganges at Monghyr by tank wagons.

Since 1912 the workshop is getting its water from the Ganges
through a 8 Km long, 1.5’ diameter pipeline, with two pontoons
fitted with 4 pumps of 7.3 lakh gallons per hour capacity at
Monghyr. Water thus pumped is stored in a settling tank,
known as the North Tank. It is the pumped to Water Works
over the hills, 300’ high, where it is filtered and then supplied to
the shops and the township through gravity feed. The railway
quarters do not have overhead water tanks.

The steam locomotive era in Indian Railways lasted till
1960s-70s. The Jamalpur workshop was at its peak during
this period. It had scaled great heights with its engineering
skills. The technical school attached to the workshop had
produced thousands of apprentices – officers, supervisors
and technicians – who were serving the Indian Railways

Railway Board, but also in many Public and Private Sector Jamalpur Locomotive Workshop  25 

Undertakings. Jamalpurians were playing a significant Diesel Locomotive. Credit: ‘150 Years ..’ YouTube
140 T Rail Crane. Credit: ‘150 Years ..’ YouTube
role in the industrial revolution sweeping the country after
independence. Indian Railways had heralded this growth.

50,000 Locos – A Record!

The Jamalpur Workshop carried its core activity with full
steam and by 1952 (ie, in 90 years after its establishment)
had overhauled around 30,000 locomotives and carried out
intermediate repairs on another 11,000 locos. By late 1960s, this
figure touched a staggering 50,000 locos, a record indeed!!

Steam locomotive activities at Jamalpur workshop had peaked
in 1962-63 with 600 standard units having been handled. This
started steadily declining thereafter and came to a complete
halt by 1992. This had a strong impact on the workload and
morale in the shops. The steam locomotive era gave way to
the diesel locomotive era. But the workshop has had a strong
tradition of adapting to changes in technology and reinventing
itself to retain its relevance. Now under the new development,
the workshop diversified into overhauling and repairs of Diesel
locomotives. It also embarked on maintenance and repairs
of various types of wagons; manufacture and overhauling
of diesel-hydraulic Breakdown cranes of up to 140 tons and
Tower cars; and manufacture of heavy duty Lifting Jacks,
known as Jamalpur Jacks used in Railways, Steel plants and
allied industries.

26  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built Major achievements of Jamalpur Workshop:

Jamalpur Jacks. Credit: ‘150 Years ..’ YouTube • It is the only workshop in Indian Railways that has a captive
The workshop now also manufactures wheel sets for coaches Power Plant
and wagons. It was a significant supplier of cast-iron sleepers
as well. Starting in 1961, the workshop produced several Rail • Was the first to manufacture a steam locomotive and a
Cranes, and also Electric Arc Furnace (the first in the country to locomotive-boiler in the country
do so) and Ticket Printers. It has also been undertaking special
repairs of locomotives owned by PSUs like NTPC, SAIL etc. • Was the first to set up a Rolling Mill, probably in the entire
Thus, diversification and innovation have been the hallmark country, in 1870
of this workshop that has kept its significance alive in an ever-
changing environment. • The first to establish a Railway Foundry in 1893

• The first to manufacture a Rail Crane in the country with
indigenous know-how in 1961

• The first to manufacture high-capacity Electric Lifting Jacks
and Ticket printing, chopping, slitting and ticket-counting
machine

• The first and only Railway workshop to manufacture Electric
Arc Furnace of ½ Ton capacity in 1961 for production of
steel castings

• The first to establish Signal Equipment shop in 1894 to
produce interlocking frames of different sizes for EIR

• The first and only workshop to manufacture 140 Ton Diesel
Breakdown Brakes.]

4-Wheeler Tower Car. Credit: ‘150 Years ..’ YouTube Jamalpur Locomotive Workshop  27 

Earthquakes 23 staff members of the workshop dead and hundreds injured.
The impact of the seismic tremor was so severe that most of the
Jamalpur suffered two major earthquakes, the first one on Jun buildings of the workshop lay flattened, with heavy damage
12, 1897 and the second on Jan 15, 1934. The former, measuring to structures and equipment. A large number of Railway staff
8.7 on the Richter scale and with its epicentre in Meghalaya, is quarters in East Colony and Rampur colony, as well as churches,
considered one of the most powerful quakes to have hit India markets and various bastis of Jamalpur were extensively
in modern times. Its impact was pretty severe even at Jamalpur, damaged. This brought about untold misery and suffering
with a number of buildings in the workshop and elsewhere to Jamalpur as a whole. It took three years to reconstruct the
getting damaged. Reconstruction led to alterations in the facilities, and the workshop rose again, phoenix-like from
layout of the shops. However, it was the quake of 1934 that the ashes, and became operational with renewed energy. The
completely destroyed the workshop and the colony. The ridge extensive renovation resulted in major changes in the plan of
area of the quake was Monghyr-Saharsa, in close proximity to the workshop.
Jamalpur, and the quake measured 8.4 on Richter scale. It had
caused havoc both at Monghyr and Jamalpur, and left behind East end of the Workshop after 1897 quake.
Copyright, The BritishLibrary Board (Photo 15/8, 23)

28  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built During second Word War, many tons of non-ferrous bars were
re-rolled in the Rolling Mill at Jamalpur to meet the needs of
The Administration Block had to be redesigned and built anew. various Ordnance Factories of India.
The upper floor of the Technical School, which was a two The quality and efficiency of operations done in the shops were
storeyed building, was damaged beyond repairs. The School of a very high order and came for much praise. The Gazetteer
became a single storeyed block after reconstruction, as we see notes that “there was not a single rejection by the Ordnance
it today. There were several other changes too. Factory at Kirkee from the stock of 3-inch Trench Mortar
Bombs manufactured and finished in these shops at a rate of
Mahatma Gandhi had visited Monghyr after the 1934 quake to 50,000 per year during the war.” Many variants of the grenade
share the distress of people and lend his moral support to the were produced, one of which was for firing from a rifle. Even
ongoing reconstruction work. in 1960s, Jamalpur was called upon to manufacture hand
grenade shells in the aftermath of the Chinese War of 1962. (V
The last major earth quake was in 1988 which again saw a Anand “Jamalpur – Where our souls reside”, 150 Years of Loco
number of buildings getting damaged. However, the impact of Workshop, Jamalpur)
this was nowhere near the destruction left behind by the 1934
quake. EIR Volunteers, 1874. Courtesy: Fibis.org

Volunteer Rifles and Role in Wars

Headquarters of Voluntary Rifles was based at Jamalpur and
by 1905 it was 2300 strong with units of Artillery, Engineers,
Light Horse or Mounted Rifles and Rifles.

The manufacture of fish bolts and dog spikes were concentrated
in the locomotive workshop of EIR at Jamalpur, steel being
supplied from Sakchi in the form of billets, which were rolled
down to the required sections. The monthly production was
around 60,000 dog spikes and over 75,000 fish bolts and nuts at
Jamalpur. (Handbook of Munition Board, 1919).

Jamalpur Locomotive Workshop  29 

Main Administrative Block in the workshop. Ph by GSP Rao ‘Miss Muffet’ with life-size models, opposite the Administrative
Block in the Workshop. Photo by G Ramakrishna Rao

Loco on the pedestal in front of CWM since 1907. ‘150 Years ..’ Gate No. 1 of the Workshop. Credit: ‘150 Years ..’ YouTube

5. THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE AND GYMKHANA

The Gymkhana at Jamalpur is one of the best known and a specially mentioned the large railway workshops in India, like
hallowed institution in the town. It is the hostel of Special Class at Jamalpur, and the technical schools and drawing classes
Railway Apprentices (SCRAs or just SCAs), the blue-eyed boys attached to them - which till then were reserved for Europeans
of Indian Railways. They train for 4 years at the Indian Railway and Anglo Indians - being thrown open for Indians as well.
Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (IRIMEE), These recommendations led to Jamalpur, with its widely
tagged to the Locomotive Workshop. The SCRA programme acclaimed Locomotive Workshop and the training programmes
was introduced in 1927 to train Mechanical Engineers in India, there, being identified as most suited for setting up of a
to be inducted into the Indian Railways. Till then mechanical Technical Institute for training Mechanical Engineers. The SCA
engineers serving the Railways, whether Europeans or Indians, scheme was introduced to select the brightest young Indians,
were trained in England. The scheme was also a part of the
effort to Indianise the higher echelons of the Railways. This IRIMEE within Workshop complex. Photo by GSP Rao
was the first scheme to train mechanical engineers within the
country and laid the foundation for engineering education in
India. It was, therefore, an event of historic significance.

The demand for Indianisation of various services, particularly
the Railways, was stridently taken up by nationalist leaders like
Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya
during the early decades of 20th century. This led to setting up
of (William) Acworth Committee in 1920, which recommended
preference being given to Indians in technical recruitments,
and provision being made “to provide better educational
opportunities in India” to attain this goal. The Committee

The original two-storeyed building of the Technical Institute. The top floor The Technical Institute and Gymkhana  31 
was extensively damaged during 1934 Bihar quake. The ground floor was
also started into IRSME in 1951. Though for some time training
reconstructed, which today houses the IRIMEE. of direct recruits was located at Kharagpur, finally by 1997-98,
Source of all photos in this chapter except otherwise mentioned ’75 Yrs of training of both the streams came under the control of Director,
IRIMEE and Jamalpur became the exclusive cradle of IRSME.
IRSME’
Since 1927, admission to the limited number of seats in the
from across the country, for training at the Railway’s country’s first engineering institute have been hotly vied.
largest workshop, followed by one-year stint in the United Now the entrance examination is conducted by UPSC, with
Kingdom. The selected candidates were required to appear an estimated 2.5 lakh candidates competing for about 42 seats!
and pass the Mechanical Engineering Degree Examination This entrance test was the forerunner of today’s intensely
held by Engineering Council (London). With this began competitive IITJEE. The SCA scheme has continued to draw
the Indianisation of what was then called the Mechanical the country’s best talent after independence and has provided
Engineering and Transportation (Power) Department (METP). Indian Railways with its top-ranking officers in all walks. Many
Much later, in 1970, METP was renamed as the Indian Railway of the Institute’s alumni have also held leadership positions as
Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME). Chairmen, CMDs, Directors etc. in a large number of Public
and Private sector organisations. Many have won international
Till Indian Independence in 1947, all recruitment to the accolades for having achieved excellence in their chosen careers,
IRSME happened through the SCA scheme at Jamalpur. After which include inventors, academicians, entrepreneurs, and
Independence, direct recruitment of mechanical engineers was high-ranking officers in other nations. Rajendra K Pachauri,
1958 batch SCA, went on to win the Noble Peace Prize in
2007 as the Chairman of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC).

The first batch of 6 students joined as SCAs on 14th February
1927, with H V M Stewart (popularly ‘Hal’ Stewart) being
recognised as the very first SCA of Indian Railways. The SCAs
stay at the Jamalpur Gymkhana during the four years they
undergo training as undergraduate engineers. They have been
doing so since 1929 when the Gymkhana was built.

32  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built

Jamalpur Gymkhana. Source: ’75 Yrs of IRSME’

With its architectural splendour and excellent facilities for The SCA scheme was a male bastion for almost five decades
games and sports, including cricket, football, tennis, basketball, till Kalyani Lal (later Chadda) became the first female to be
billiards, etc, the Gymkhana was, and continues to be, a dream selected in 1983 and hailed as the ‘First Lady’ of IRSME. The
hostel for the Apprentices. Gymkhana has always been an second lady was S Saraswathy of 1986 batch. Later several
exclusive zone in Jamalpur, open only to privileged few on women have been inducted into this special cadre and have
special occasions. In the earlier decades, the smart SCAs would held very senior positions in the Indian Railways.
all bicycle together to the Technical Institute in the mornings
– a sight I would watch sometime on my way to school - and IRIMEE has been constantly adapting to the ever-increasing
return in the evenings. In more recent times the cycles have needs of training in the IR and upgrading its facilities. Besides
given way to motorbikes. the undergraduate course for SCAs, it conducts professional
courses for in-service Officers and Supervisors of IR; multiple
training courses for IRSME probationers during their 18-month

The Technical Institute and Gymkhana  33 

Arvind Mathur, former Director of IRIMEE has this to say:
“Over the years the training scheme has undergone a number of
changes to suit the changing needs of IR but the base principle
of a ‘sandwich course’ has served the Railways and the nation
well. This is because it gives due importance to practical
training and shop floor observation and enables the same to
be given in parallel with classroom instruction. Alumni of this
Institution have made significant contributions, not only to the
development of Indian Railways but also to the growth and
progress of industries in the country as a whole – both in the
public and private sector.” (75 Years of IRSME)

‘Hal’ Stewart on right, first SCA Kalyani Lal Chadda (R), 1983
with JS Chokkar (1963) with S Saraswathy, 1986

attachment to the Institute; training programmes for Apprentice The Tennis court and the football ground, with the hill in the
Mechanics (Diploma) and Intermediate Apprentices of ER; background providing an idyllic setting. Excellent Sports heritage.
Special courses for Trainee Supervisors of ER; as well as Special
courses for Trainees of Corporate sector and Foreign Railways.
To meet these training requirements, it has an auditorium,
several modern class rooms, well-equipped laboratories, and
a library with a large collection of technical and managerial
books and journals. It has a modern simulator for training
of diesel loco drivers and other such technical equipment to
impart effective hands-on training.

34  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built After their all-rounded training in technical and leadership
1940 Cricket team skills at IRIMEE, SCAs build their career in Indian Railways,
1990s Hockey team and go on to hold important positions like Chief Engineers,
DCMEs, GMs and DGMs of various Zonal Railways. Some of
them have risen to the prestigious positions of Chairman and
Member of the Railway Board. The first Mechanical Engineer
to become the Chairman of Railway Board was K S Rajan (1940
SCA) in 1977. SCAs have also been instrumental in establishing
and heading new production units of IR across the country,
like the Integral Coach Factory at Chennai, Diesel Locomotive
Workshop at Chittaranjan, the Rail Wheel Factory at Bangalore,
the Rail Coach Factory at Kapurthala, etc. Besides Railways,
SCAs have also contributed to the top management of other
Public Sector Undertakings in India in a big way. These have
included such major organisations like SAIL, BHEL, ONGC,
HEC, DVC, MMTC, STC, etc. Thus, the alumni of IRIMEE
have made a very significant contribution to the industrial
and economic growth of the nation after Independence. Some
have served at world renowned institutions like the World
Bank, MIT, Carnegie Mellon University, IIM Ahmedabad, etc.
bringing further laurels to their alma mater. This has been the
remarkable success story of IRIMEE.

Distinguished Alumni The Technical Institute and Gymkhana  35 

International Honours Rajendra K Pachauri (1958), Padma Bhushan & Ch’man, IPCC,
Nobel Peace Prize, 2007 at Oslo. Courtesy: The Telegraph, UK
1958 R K Pachauri Nobel Peace Prize as Ch’man, IPCC, in
2007

National Honours

1938 K L Bery Padmashri
1941
1944 A C Chatterjee Padmashri
1945
1947 P C Luther Padmashri
1947
1957 M M Suri Padmashri
1958
P C Chaudhuri VSM

M L Khanna VSM (1971)

N C Sinha Mentioned in Despatches (1971)

Rinkesh Verma Padma Bhushan

Field Marshall Manekshaw pinning VSM K S Rajan (Right, 1940 batch) the first IRSME Ch’man of Rly Board with
on Lt. Col. M L Khanna (1947) B Basu (1927) first Indian DCME of Jamalpur Workshop

36  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built

VISITS OF DIGNITARIES

Madhav Rao Scindia, MoSR Nitish Kumar, Rly Minister, 2002 Manoj Sinha, MoSR, 2016 Dr Shri Krishna Singh, first CM of Bihar
1987 CM of Bihar on a visit to the Workshop

SPECIAL POSTAL STAMPS RELEASED ON 8 FEB 2012 TO COMMEMORATE 150 YRS OF JMP WORKSHOP

History of the Technical Institute The Technical Institute and Gymkhana  37 

IRIMEE has had a long history of over a hundred years. The with headquarters at Kharagpur, South Eastern Railway in
Jamalpur Locomotive workshop has given great importance 1988. An OSD there coordinated the training with the Director.
to training and education of its staff right from its inception. By 1997-98 the HQ of IRSME was shifted to IRIMEE, Jamalpur.
As far back as 1867, i.e. 5 years after the establishment of the In 1999, a MOU was signed with BITS, Mesra, Ranchi for Joint
Workshop, a night technical institute was started for European Collaborative Degree Programme of SCAs. IRIMEE now caters
and Anglo Indian apprentices. In 1876, it obtained Government to the training of SCAs and IRSME probationers as well as
recognition and grants. ‘Trade Apprenticeship Scheme’ was professional training of in-service IRSME officers.
started in 1888, and in 1905 a Technical School was started
which was attached to the Locomotive Workshop. ‘Apprentice A Students’ Chapter of the IMechE was opened in IRIMEE
Mechanic Scheme’ was started for Anglo Indians the same year in April 2016, in the presence of Mr. R.S.Kochak, Additional
and this scheme was opened up for other Indians in 1911. The Member (PU), Railway Board and Chairman, India Branch of
Jamalpur Technical School was established on its own in 1924 IMechE. 
and the ‘Special Class Apprentice’ scheme commenced in 1927.
Jamalpur Gymkhana was built in 1929 to serve as the hostel IRSME Day
for SCAs. The hostel for Apprentice Mechanics was already
there on the Queen’s Road and that for Trade Apprentices at In commemoration of the day when it all began for the first
Rampur colony. batch of SCAs way back in 1927, the 14th of February is now
celebrated as IRSME Day every year. It is a major event in the
Jamalpur Technical school was renamed as ‘Indian Railways annual calendar of IRSME as well as Jamalpur Gymkhana.
School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (IRSMEE) in While many alumni turn up to re-establish contact with old
1963. Training on Diesel Traction started in 1966. The School friends, special invitees are members of the golden jubilee
was given the status of Centralised Training Institute and batch, i.e. those who had joined as SCAs 50 years ago. Many
further renamed as ‘Indian Railways Institute of Mech & Elec turn up with their spouses to relive the memorable years
Engineering (IRIMEE). Railway Board brought IRIMEE under they had spent at the base of the hill at Jamalpur. In the social
its direct control in 1978. Training of all IRSME probationers engagement at the Gymkhana, much camaraderie is seen
was centralised under the control of the Director, IRIMEE but among the respected elders and youngsters still learning the
ropes. Joviality and cordiality add to the celebratory mood.
The present incumbents of Gymkhana take it as a challenge to
make a huge success of the special Day.

38  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built Official Insignia of IRIMEE.
Cast in Jamalpur Shops, this insignia (four and half feet high
IRIMEE Milestones
and made of solid cast iron) decorated the special
1862 : Locomotive Workshop in Jamalpur established Train of Lord Mayo, the fourth Viceroy of India in 1870
1867 : Night Technical Institute founded for European and
Anglo Indian Apprentices Official motto of Jamalpur Gymkhana
1876 : The institute got Govt’s recognition and grants
1888 : Trade apprentice Scheme started
1905 : Started as Technical School attached to the Locomotive
Workshop. Apprentice Mechanic scheme started for
Anglo Indians
1911 : Apprentice Mechanics Scheme started for other Indians
1924 : Jamalpur Technical School was established on its own
1927 : SCRA Training was started
1929 : Jamalpur Gymkhana (SCRA’s Hostel) came into existence
1963 : Jamalpur Technical school renamed as ‘Indian Railway
School of Mech & Elec Eng’g (IRSMEE)’
1966 : Training of Diesel Traction started
1974 : The school was given the status of Centralised Trg
Institute and renamed IRIMEE
1978 : The Inst came under the direct control of Railway Board
1988 : Trg of IRSME Probationers was centralised under the
control of Director, IRIMEE but with HQ at Kharagpur/
SER where there was an OSD to coordinate the trg with
the Director
1997-98 : The HQ of IRSME Probationers was shifted to IRIMEE,
Jamalpur
1999 : MOU signed with BITS, Mesra, Ranchi for Joint
Collaborative Degree Programme of SCRAs
2016 : Opening of Students’ Chapter of the Instiution of
Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) (UK), at IRIMEE

The Technical Institute and Gymkhana  39 

VIGNETTES OVER THE YEARS

Formal meeting on IRSME Day Group photo

Informal events and camaraderie on IRSME Day

40  JAMALPUR: The Town the British Built

Parents’ Day at Gymkhana. Dinner at Gymkhana, 1940s Man-eater leopard hunted down
Courtesy: Deepak Sapra Courtesy: D Nagarajan

Centenary Celebration of Jamalpur Workshop (1862-1962) on May 9, 1962