By Sierra Leone National Museum
Sierra Leone National Railway Museum
The Sierra Leone Railway - An Incredible Journey
The story of the Sierra Leone Railway from construction to closure.
ReadThe building of the Sierra Leone Railway
In 1893 a proposal for a railway was approved by the Colonial Government. William Shelford & Sons were appointed to survey the line, alongside proposed routes in Gold Coast (now Ghana) and Lagos (Nigeria). 2ft 6in gauge was chosen to minimise costs and cope with rough terrain.
Cline Town Railway Station (1900)Original Source: Sierra Leone National Railway Museum
Construction begins
Construction of the railway started in 1896, in Cline Town at the east end of Freetown and continued west towards the city and east into the provinces.
Mixed passenger/goods train (1953)Original Source: Bob Wall Collection, Sierra Leone National Railway Museum
The first passenger trains
A successful trial trip was made to Waterloo on 1st April 1898. Public excursions to Waterloo were run the following week, on Good Friday and Easter Monday.
In October 1898 a regular Saturday service between Freetown and Waterloo was introduced.
A ceremonial occasion
The railway was officially opened on 1st May 1899, by Acting Governor, H.E. Major M Nathan RE CMG at Water Street Station Freetown.
Freetown was beflagged for the occasion, the streets outside were lined with police and the band of the West Indian Regiment played beautifully.
Freetown Railway Station (1910)Original Source: Sierra Leone National Railway Museum
The Freetown Terminus - Water Street Station
The Freetown terminus of the railway was a splendid building.
There were railway stations at all key towns along the route of the railway, and tiny ‘flag stations’ at small villages in between, where people could request for the train to stop.
Pendembu station staff (1952)Original Source: Bob Wall Collection, Sierra Leone National Railway Museum
The line is completed
After the official launch, construction continued to Songo and beyond and the full 227½ miles of railway was completed to Pendembu in 1908.
Bauya Railway Station (1940)Original Source: Felix Ormerod Collections, Sierra Leone National Railway Museum.
A branch to the North
In 1910 the construction of a 50-mile branch line began. It led northwards from Bauya, a station on the main line 64½ miles from Freetown.
Makeni Railway Station (1952)Original Source: Bob Wall Collection, Sierra Leone National Railway Museum
The final destination
The line to Makeni, 82¾ miles from Buaya taken over from construction on August 24th 1914, though the Rokelle bridge was still incomplete.
Goods had to be carried over the river by cable transport until January 12th 1915, when the route was fully completed.
Train at Cotton Tree Station (1904)Original Source: Sierra Leone National Railway Museum
A Mountain Railway
In 1904 a 5¾ mile line opened from Freetown to Hill Station, enabling officials to live in the healthier climate of the hills and commute to the city. The Mountain Railway was, at the time, the world’s steepest non-funicular railway with a maximum gradient of 1 in 22.
Bo Railway Station (1940)Original Source: Felix Ormerod Collections, Sierra Leone National Railway Museum
Travelling by Train
The train enabled people to make long journeys or short and to choose a ticket according to their needs.
There were slow trains stopping at all stations, or the express to Bo, schoolboy specials and day excursions - everything to encourage people to travel by train.
The Train for Bo
All trains between Freetown and Pendembu stopped at Bo and passengers alighted and stayed in Bo overnight before continuing their onward journey.
This meant that Bo was one of the busiest stations in the country.
Songo
Songo is a small community about 30 miles from Freetown.
Traders from the rural hinterland regularly travelled from Songo and other rural stations to Freetown or Bo to sell their good in the city markets.
Passengers at Daru Railway Station (1952)Original Source: Bob Wall Collection, Sierra Leone National Railway Museum
The train arrives at Daru
Hordes of passengers await the train arriving at Daru in 1952.
As home to one of the largest military barracks in Sierra Leone, Daru was an important calling point for the railway, note the group of soldiers in uniform waiting near the station sign.
Goods train at Waterloo (1905)Original Source: Sierra Leone National Railway Museum
The carriage of goods
The Sierra Leone Railway was built by the British Colonial Government to enable penetration into the interior of the country and to transport imported goods from Europe for sale in the Protectorate and to enable the exploitation and export of the country’s natural resources.
Everything from cattle to coconuts
Hundreds of different goods vehicles were imported from British manufacturers, ranging from simple open wagons and covered general goods vans to ventilated cattle wagons, petrol tankers and flat wagons for heavy loads. Anything could be moved by rail!
Mixed Traffic over the Orugu River
Some trains included both passengers and goods at the same time. Here the steam locomotive hauls five passenger carriages, a general goods van and several oil tanker wagons.
Last passenger train on the SLR (1974)Original Source: Pascoe Rowe Collection, Sierra Leone National Railway Museum
The final days of the Sierra Leone Railway
By the 1960s the railway was run-down, inefficient and unprofitable. Increasing emphasis on road traffic led to the decision to close it down.
The last passenger train on the Sierra Leone Railway ran on 17th November 1974, between Cline Town and Waterloo.
Rails awaiting scrapping (1975)Original Source: David Mitchell Collection, Sierra Leone National Railway Museum
The end of the line
In 1975 the railway officially closed, the rails were gradually lifted.
The locomotives, rolling stock, track and other metal components were all sold for scrap and the Sierra Leone Railway was no more.
