This book describes seven branch lines which climbed into the mountain ranges that span the length and breadth of the countries of India and Pakistan. Some are well known, but others less so. Most of them reached remarkable heights, many using ingenious feats of engineering to assist their climb into seemingly impenetrable terrain.
These lines served diverse locations, each with its own unique characteristics, from the hostile territories of the North-West Frontier, along the spectacular foothills of the Himalayas, skirting the Western Ghats of the Deccan down to the gentle rolling landscape of the Nilgiris, or Blue Hills, of South India.
The seven featured railways are:
- The Zhob Valley Railway
- The Khyber Pass Railway
- The Kangra Valley Railway
- The Kalka–Shimla Railway
- The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
- The Matheran Light Railway
- The Nilgiri Mountain Railway
Hill Railways of the Indian Subcontinent contains a good description of each route, accompanied by summaries of their operations and route maps and gradient charts for all seven lines. It also includes a listing of the locomotives operated by the hill railways.
Well illustrated with over 270 historical and present-day photographs, mostly in colour. 208 pages.