Nilambur–Shoranur railway line

Nilambur–Shoranur railway line
Nilambur railway station
Overview
Type	Express train Passenger train
System	Southern Railway
Status	Operational
Locale	Malappuram , Palakkad
Coordinates	11°16′57″N 176°15′04″E / 11.2824°N 176.2511°E / 11.2824; 176.2511Coordinates: 11°16′57″N 176°15′04″E / 11.2824°N 176.2511°E / 11.2824; 176.2511
Termini	Nilambur Road (NIL) Shoranur Junction (SRR)
Stations	11
Services	7
Operation
Opened	1927; 90 years ago (1927)
Owner	Indian Railways
Operator(s)	Southern Railway zone
Rolling stock	ICF coaches
Technical
Line length	66 kilometres (41 mi)
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Electrification	No
Operating speed	65 kilometres per hour (40 mph)
Route map Kms 0.0 Nilambur Road 10.6 Vaniyambalam 14.9 Thodiyappulam 19.2 Tuvvur 25.6 Melattur 32.8 Pattikkad 38.4 Angadipuram NH 213 45.5 Cherukara Mappattukara Rail Bridge 52.1 Kulukkallur 55.7 Vallapuzha 61.8 Vadanamkurishshi  Palakkad Junction   66.1 Shoranur Junction  Kozhikode  Thrissur This diagram:

Nilambur–Shoranur railway line is a 66 kilometres (41 mi) long single line, non-electrified broad gauge (1676 mm) railway spur branch line of the Indian Railways connecting Nilambur Road railway station in Malappuram district with Shoranur Junction in Palakkad district in the state of Kerala. It is a branch line administered by the Palakkad railway division of the Southern Railway zone and one of the shortest broad gauge railway lines in India. The route is renowned for its natural beauty.

In 1840, the British created a teak plantation in Nilambur to ensure a steady supply of timber for their various needs. In 1923, the South Indian Railway Company, which operated the Madras–Shoranur–Mangalore railway line, was contracted by the Madras Presidency to build a railway from Nilambur to Shoranur to ensure easy transportation of timber from these forests to the plains and hence to ports and onward transportation. The company completed line in stages. The Shoranur–Angadippuram (Perinthalmanna) section was opened on 3 February 1927, Angadippuram–Vaniyambalam on 3 August 1927 and the entire stretch from Shoranur to Nilambur was opened on 26 October 1927. During World War II, the Shoranur line, along with other numerous railway lines across British India were dismantled and rolling stock diverted to the Middle East to help British war efforts. The line ceased to exist in 1941. After independence, following public pressure, the railway line was reconstructed by the Indian Railways along its original alignment. The line re-opened in 1953. The teak plantation still stands today as a major tourist attraction.

The Shoranur–Nilambur line starts from Shoranur junction and terminates at Nilambur Road railway station, located at a distance of four kilometers from Nilambur town on the Kozhikode-Ooty highway, 40 kilometres (25 mi) from the district headquarters of Malappuram town. The line passes through the eastern part of the Malappuram district. It crosses Kunthippuzha between Kulukkalloor and Cherukara which borders Palakkad and Malappuram districts. Velliyar river, a major tributary of Kadalundi river (between Pattikkad and Melattur), Olippuzha river, another tributary of Kadalundi river (between Melattur and Tuvvur) and Kuthirappuzha, a tributary of Chaliyar river (between Vaniyambalam and Nilambur road) are other major rivers that this line crosses.