First Train In India Bombay to Thane - Old Print 1853

First Train In India Bombay to Thane – Old Print 1853

This page is an old print of the first train in India from Bombay to Thane. Certainly a rare page from The Illustrated London News (newspaper) of 4th June 1853. That gives an account of the first train that ran from Bombay or Mumbai (Bori Bunder) to Thane (Tannah) on April 16, 1853.

The images shown read- Station And Bridge At Byculla; Embankment Across Sion, Between Bombay And Salsette; Coorla Cutting and Station (Kurla); and Ghaut Kooper Cutting, Salsette (Ghatkopar). The 5th image is about news from abroad. Excerpts of the news- “The inauguration on the 16th of April was altogether a most interesting scene.

By half-past three o’clock the majority of the company had taken their seats on the train…..The state carriage was occupied by Sir William and Lady Yardley, Sir Charles…..At half-past three o’clock, a Royal salute was fired from the Ramparts of Fort St George, immediately after which the well-filled train, consisting of fourteen first, second, and third-class carriages, drawn by three

locomotive engines, and containing in all, it was said, above five hundred persons, started for the terminus at Boree Bunder. Tens of thousands of persons surrounded the spot; and, as the moving mass swept along the way, still there were tens of thousands looking 0n…..finally when the train has passed the more densely populated parts, still the surrounding fields were studded with

spectators……The train stopped at Sion, going out to allow the engines being watered. At no time was the speed above thirty-five miles an hour, and generally it was much under that. On the train approaching Tannah, the crowds lined the sides thickly for than a mile and were kept in order by the Ghat police. The time taken to reach Tannah (twenty-four miles), including the stoppage at Sion,

was fifty-five minutes. The return trip occupied only forty. Arrived at Tannah, the party found, under an immense tent, at once a cool retreat and a splendid Tiffin. Major Swanson, the senior Director present, took the chair; supported by the Hon. Sir William Yardley…..and a distinguished company, comprising the elite of Bombay.

At a separate table laid out for the Parsi passengers were Messrs Cursetjee Jamsetjee, Bomanjee Hormusjee, Manockjee Nusserwanjee…” Read more about- 34 km journey that changed history. See my post on-Antique Print Opening Of The Madras Railway. The page measures 16 x 11 in.

Did you know- Contrary to popular belief, the first train to run in India was goods train from Red Hills to Chintadripet (Madras Presidency) in 1837. Sir Arthur Cotton was credited with this railway project, it was mainly used for transporting granite.

From the collection- Photo Calcutta Horse-Drawn Tram 1880., Photo British India Polo Player., Vintage Postcard Bangalore The City Market., Antique Print Carvings Of Victoria Terminus Mumbai