Kingston to Montego Bay railway explained

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.

Construction, operation and closure

The first 14.5miles of (standard gauge) track were laid from Kingston to Angels (just north of Spanish Town) in 1845 at a cost of £222,250, or £15,377 per mile against a budgeted cost £150,000.[1]

An 11miles extension from Spanish Town to Old Harbour was added in 1869[2] at a cost of £60,000.[3]

A further 24.5miles extension from Old Harbour to Porus was added in 1885 at a cost of around £187,000.[3]

The final 62miles from Porus to Montego Bay was completed in 1895.[4]

Much of the line closed in October 1992 when all passenger traffic on Jamaica's railways abruptly ceased. Some sections remain in use for bauxite and aluminium freight[5] while the section from Montego Bay to the Appleton Estate remained open for a while as a tourist attraction.

Gradients and curvature

From Kingston the line ran west along the coastal plain, within 50feet of sea level, for about 40miles before starting a gentle climb over 5.25miles from Bodles to 250feet near Lancaster Halt. From here there was a plateau for about 24.25miles to the Milk River and the start of the 20miles climb through Scotts Pass and Porus to 1500feet just north of Kendal.

Between Kendal and Mile Gully the line reaches its summit at around 1700feet; in this section the ruling curvature was 300feet and the ruling gradient was 1 in 30 (3.33%).[6]

From Mile Gully there was a gentle descent over 17miles to 500feet near Raheen. From here the line ran on the level across the Appleton Plain to Maggotty and the start of a climb to 1000feet near Stonehenge. From here to Catadupa the line ran on the level then descended to 500feet at Seven River. Another level section brought it to Long Hill Tunnel and the final descent into Montego Bay.

Stations and Halts

There were 22 stations and 17 halts:[7]

  • Kingston (Terminus)
  • Greenwich Town Halt
  • Marcus Garvey Drive Halt                 
  • Hunts Bay Halt
  • Gregory Park Station
  • Grange Lane Station
  • Spanish Town Station
  • Horizon Park Halt
  • Hartlands Halt
  • Bushy Park Halt
  • Old Harbour Station
  • May Pen Station
  • Jacob’s Hut
  • Four Paths Station
  • Rock Halt
  • Clarendon Park Station
  • Scott’s Pass Halt
  • Porus Station
  • Williamsfield Station
  • Kendal Station
  • Grove Place Halt
  • Greenvale Station
  • Comfort Hall Halt
  • Duck Pond Halt
  • Oxford Halt[8]
  • Balaclava Station
  • Siloah Halt
  • Appleton Station
  • Appleton Tourist Halt
  • Maggotty Station
  • Ipswich Station
  • Breadnut Walk Halt
  • Stonehenge Station
  • Catadupa Station
  • Cambridge Station
  • Montpelier Station
  • Anchovy Station
  • Ailford’s Halt
  • Gordon’s Halt
  • Montego Bay (Terminus)

Tunnels

There are 13 tunnels on the line:[9]

No. Name Distance from Kingston Parish Length
miles km feet metres
1 Scotts Pass 71.2 Clarendon 70 21.3
2 Scotts Pass 71.6 170 51.8
3 Comfort Hall 105.4 St. Elizabeth 688 209.1
4 Balaclava 70 112.6 348 106.1
5 Highworth 84 135.2 182 55.5
6 Y S 136.0 218 66.4
7 Ipswich 138.8 855 260.6
8 141.2 St. James 555 164.6
9 Merrywood 142.4 362 115.8
10 Anchovy 168.2 102 31.1
11 Ramble 108 173.8 182 55.5
12 Bogue Hill 174.6 1,276 388.9
13 Bogue Hill 175.0 458 139.6

Bridges

There were 51 significant[10] bridges and one viaduct on the line

Junctions

There were three branch line junctions, three railway works junctions and four estate railway junctions on the line:

Branch lines

Railway works

Estate railways

Bauxite lines

Piers

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3884/is_200303/ai_n9209497 The rise and fall of railways in Jamaica, 1845-1975
  2. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3884/is_200303/ai_n9209497/pg_3 The rise and fall of railways in Jamaica, 1845-1975 - Pg3
  3. The Jamaica Railway 1845-1945 by H R Fox, General Manager, Jamaica Government Railway in The Railway Magazine of November & December 1945.
  4. http://www.discoverjamaica.com/gleaner/discover/geography/history5.htm 1866 to 1913 Crown Colony Government
  5. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3884/is_200303/ai_n9209497/pg_18 The rise and fall of railways in Jamaica, 1845-1975 - Pg18
  6. The Jamaica Railway 1845-1945, H R Fox (General Manager, Jamaica Government Railway), The Railway Magazine Volume 91 Number 560 November and December 1945, pages 313-317.
  7. http://www.mtw.gov.jm/general_information/reports/TransportStatisticsReport2003_2004.pdf Annual Transport Statistics Report: Jamaica in Figures 2003-2004
  8. UK Directorate of Overseas Surveys 1:50,000 map of Jamaica sheet D, 1959.
  9. http://www.mtw.gov.jm/general_information/reports/TransportStatisticsReport2003_2004.pdf Annual Transport Statistics Report: Jamaica in Figures 2003-2004
  10. In this context, significant means mapped on the Directorate of Overseas Surveys 50K series of maps:
  11. http://www.demercado.com/ansell.htm#_Toc442061638 Volume 6 Number 7

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