Raj Steam - Bangladesh Narrow Gauge

The only narrow gauge (2ft 6in, 762mm) public railway in Bangladesh ran between Rupsa (East) across the river from Khulna some 20 miles to Bagherat and was constructed in 1918. When the river was bridged, the railway was converted to broad gauge in 1970 and the locomotives stored at Khulna. Over the years, most were scrapped but 3 survive preserved as seen here. The other locomotives were two J class Bagnall 0-6-2Ts and G class 2-8-2s 53 and 69. the last two had been loaned by the Pakistan Western Railway in 1966-7 and never returned.

The Cooch Behar State Railway was in the current Indian state of West Bengal just across today's border from Lalmanhirat. It was converted to metre gauge in 1910. Two of their locomotives (5 and 7, the latter seen here) were transferred to the North Western Railway. 7 went to the Sara Transhipment Yard in 912 and the Larkana Jacobabad Railway in 1916 before returning to East Bengal for the opening of the Bagherat line. It is not recorded where 8 spent the intervening time.

Unusually the 2-4-0T CB locomotives had all wheels the same size, being similar to earlier Ransome and Rapier 0-6-0T built for the Kaunia - Dharlia  State Railway.