Liluah - History

History

The case of unfortunate shipwreck bringing EIR,s first loco and mis-despatch of Ship carrying EIR's first coaches for inauguration of First Railroad in Eastern India led the E.I.R. authorities to consider manufacture of Rolling stock in India.(Read History Of ER)

Initially EIR had set up in 1853 a Locomotive and Carriage Workshop near the Howrah Station (somewhere near the salt gola) with the idea of maintenance of assets after inauguration in 1854 and was later shifted to its present site in the year 1900 as the site did not meet the requirement in terms of magnitude of work. The Locomotive portion was shifted to a new and much bigger workshop at Jamalpur in 1862 and the Howrah works was upgraded to a Carriage and Wagon Workshop in 1863. As the Howrah location was found unsuitable for further expansion, the facility was finally shifted to its present site. The Liluah Carriage and Wagon Workshop is located in the suburbs of Howrah about 7 km. from Howrah. It is the largest combined Carriage & Wagon Workshop of Indian Railways.

The prime responsibility of this workshop was to manufacture rolling stock. This excluded locomotives . Only Carriages and Wagons were initially manufactured. During the last century Liluah had efficiently discharged the duties. Manufacturing of coaches were done till 1972 and Liluah has 3000 coaches to its credit. Wagon manufacturing was however discontinued in the post independence era and Coach manufacturing was also stopped when sufficient infrastructure was built throughout the country to cater for the ever-growing demand.

Another interesting fact which is less known is that apart from rolling stock manufacture Liluah made immense contribution to the war machinery of Allied Forces during the Second World War. Apart from rolling stock required for transport of military equipment Liluah also produced hundreds of Ambulances, Water Cars, tanks, armoured vehicles and lorries. Ammunitions were also produced for the Royal Army and Royal Air force. Minor items like tent pegs etc. were also in thousands.All the above illustrates the technical expertise and skill developed within the work shop. An essay published in 1945 in East Indian Railway Magazine by D.K.Whitworth describes how great a job was done by railwaymen at Liluah between 1938 and 1942.