235
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
וויין ווייס
Reference :--
885/26
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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subject to periodic revision by the company and the Government. No preferential rates may be allowed except to the Government. The Government may, subject to the consent of the Portuguese (overnment, purchase the whole line (Chindio-Port Herald) at any time after the 1st January, 1937, with rolling stock and equipment, for a sum equal to the total capital expenditure plus the aggregate net receipts for the last five years, less a provision for depreciation. If the Portuguese Government refuses its consent, the Nyasaland Government can purchase so much of the railway as is in the Protectorate on proportionate terms. The capital expenditure up to 31st December, 1918, was £495,844 (= £8,128 per mile) and the net receipts (after deducting the 10 per cent, due to the Shire Highlands Railway for manage. ment) were, for 1916 £6,905, for 1917 £9,429, and for 1918 (a flood year) £7,037.
6. The Trans-Zambesia Railway (about 165 miles in length) is being constructed by Mesars. Pauling for the Trans-Zambesia Railway Co., Ltd., under a concession obtained from the Mozambique Co., with the approval of the Portuguese Government. The contract price is £810,000, exclusive of rolling stock, and the work is to be completed by the 31st March, 1922. Six per cent, debentures have been issued for £1,200,000, on which the Nyasaland Government have (under an agreement dated 6th August, 1919) guaranteed interest and sinking fun charges for 25 years. No dividends can be paid on the share capital until all payments made by the Government under the guarantee have been repaid with interest at 5 per cent. The Government has received 25 per cent, of the shares without payment, and has a representative on the Board of Directors,
II. Route and Estimated Cost of Proposed New Line from Luchenza to Pagonas.
7. The Nyasaland Government now proposes to construct a railway of a length of 125 miles running north from Luchenza (a point on the Shire Highlands Railway 33 miles below Blantyre), along the foothills to the east of the Shire Highlands mountain, round to the east of Chikala Hill, and so past the east side of Lake Pamalombe to a village named Pagonas at the extremity of the south-east arm of Lake Nyasa,
8. This route was surveyed in 1915-1916 by the Protectorate Railway Survey Officer, Mr. Thomas Roy, under the directions of Messrs. Gregory, Eyles and Waring, the Consulting Engineers of the Government. It is described in the following extract from the Consulting Engineers' report dated 29th January, 1917:—
"This line, which is shown in black on the map, is on the standard African gauge of 3 feet 6 inches, and is 1244 miles in length, it commences at Luchenza Station and terminates at the native village of Pagonas on Lake Nyasa. For the first 77 miles the country traversed is gently undulating, between 77 miles and 84 miles the line crosses the watershed between Lake Shirwa and
River; the Shire
this is the watershed between the basins of the Zambesi and Rovuma Rivers, the latter forms the northern boundary of the Portuguese Province of Mozambique. This stretch of 7 miles is through very rugged and broken country, involving heavy earthwork, it is all on the maximum gradient with many curves of minimum radius. From 84 miles to the lake the line is practically a surface one, and nearly straight. The track for about one-sixth of its length runs through land under native cultivation, for an equal distance it passes through grass land, and the remaining two-thirds of its length is through forest, ranging from scattered bush to heavy forest, three small patches of European cultivation are passed through.
"The railway, at its commencement, is 2,384 feet above sea level, the highest level on the line, 2,767 feet, is attained at 30 miles, at the watershed at 77 miles it is 2,376 feet, and from that point the line falls practically continuously to 1696 feet at Lake Nyasa.
"The steepest gradient used is 1 in 80, and this occurs on an aggregate length of about 29 miles. The radius of the sharpest curve is 10 chains, or 660 feet, and curves of that radius oceur for an aggregate length of some 4 miles, the line is straight for 87 per cent. of its total length, the remaining curves being of various radii. To avoid the disadvantage of the coincidence at the same place of the steepest gradient and sharpest curve, the gradients are compensated for curvature. These conditions are very much better than those existing on the Shire Iighlands Railway, and are favourable for economical working.
"The line will run at right-angles to the river valleys, involving considerable earth- work at these places; many rivers have to be crossed, and although none of them are of any great width, a fairly large amount of bridgework has had to be provided for.
"In order to best serve the planting centres, the line has been located as close to the buse of the high country as the gradients permitted with reasonable works. The principul planting centres in the Shire Highlands north of Blantyre, are situated along the Blan- tyre-Zomba road, which serves at the present time for the transport of the crops to the railway at Limbe; when the extension is built and feeder roads made, Namadzi, one of the chief planting centres, will be about 14 miles west of the railway, another planting centre. Ntondwe, is some 10 miles west, and the station for Zomba will be about 5 miles from the town; to locate the railway any closer to these centres would involve prohibitive work or the adoption of steeper gradients and an increase in the length of the line. Mr. Roy, the engineer in charge of the survey, informs us that he has no hesitation in stating that the present location is the best obtainable, and is the shortest line to Lake Nyasa.
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"To accommodate the traffic from the lake a pier will have to be constructed at Pagonas, a village some three miles to the east of the exit of the Shire River from Lake Nyasa. This point has been selected in view of the ample depth of water which exists there, and which should be adequate for present, as well as for future requirements, allowing for the gradual falling of the lake. Situated as it is at the extreme south- eastern end of the lake, it is completely sheltered from the heavy south-east gales which occur. There are no obstructions to navigation in reaching the jetty, and the site is It is proposed to build this reported as being in every way an ideal one for a terminal.
of timber so that the level can be readily lowered should the lake continue to fall.” 9. In the same report the Consulting Engineers estimate the cost of construction, on a pre-war basis, at £714,328, or £5,718 per mile, made up as follows:—
$ 3. d.
Felling trees and clearing land Earthwork
Bridges and culverts (local expenditure)
Permanent way (local expenditure)
Level crossings
Telegraph (local expenditure)
Stations (local expenditure)
Pier at Lake Nyasa
Land and compensation
Permanent way materials (manufacture)
Steel bridges and culvert work (manufacture) Telegraph materials (manufacture)
Station appliances and machinery (manufacture) Freight and charges on materials
Rolling stock (manufacture and all charges) Engineering and administration Contingencies
Total
2,319 0 0
52,840 9 10 70,088 15 0
64,398 15 0
225 0 0
1,867 10
0
28,175 0 0
23,353 12 7,470 0
7,000 0 0
450 0 0
143,916 0
6
0
2,550 0
0
139,812 0 0
74,000 0 0
30,923 6 1
64,938 18 10
£714,328 7 3
10. Since this estimate was framed, a draft form of contract with specifications, type drawings, and bills of quantities calculated from the latter, have been prepared, and on 18th August, 1919, the Consulting Engineers submitted the following revised estimate based on the rates ruling at that time:-
A. Earthwork including felling trees and clearing land
B. Bridges, including manufacture, freight, insurance, transport, storage of steel and ironwork and cement, and all local expenditure
FI
C. Culverte, including manufacture, freight, insurance, transport and storage of steel and ironwork and cement and all local expen-
diture
D). Permanent way, including manufacture, freight, insurance, transport and storage of all materials and all local expense in laying, ballast, mile and gradient posts
E. Switches and crossings including manufacture, freight, insurance, storage and transport of all steel and ironwork, also timber sleepers and their fastenings and all local expenses
. F. Level crossings
G. Metalling roads
II. Electric telegraph including manufacture, freight, insurance, storage and transport of all materials and all local expenditure I. Stations including manufacture, freight, insurance, storage and transport of all steel and ironwork in stations and station machinery and all local expenditure
£ 4. d. 69,267 10 4
127,502 17 1
50,014
2 0
685 170
7 5
8,275 12 6
281 5 0 1,462 5 0
17,476 16 9
J. Demarcation of land, including manufacture, freight, insurance, storage and transport of all materials and all local expenditure K. Pier at Lake Nyasa, including manufacture, freight, insurance, storage and transport of all materials and all local expenditure
Total price for construction £1,022,436 11
L. Maintenance for one year at £100 per mile of railway
Total...
53,785
15 0
450 0 U
8,750 0 0
1 12,492 10 0
...£1,034,929 1
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Allowing 10 per cent. for contingencies the estimate for a line to be built by contract was put at £1,138,422. To this was added £450 for land and compensation, £184,960 for rolling stock, for engineering and administration £61,017, and 10 per cent. on all these for contin- gencies, bringing the total cost up to £1,409,492, or £11,287 per mile,
11. Since this revised estimate was prepared, the prices of materials to be purchased in this country have again considerably advanced.
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