Shimla old bus terminal / railway museum station/platform

[Bletchleyite]

One that came back to mind because of something I read a few days ago.

In 2009 I was sent on a work trip to India, and naturally I took the chance to chuck a week's holiday on the end and do some personal travel. I finished this up in Shimla, sadly by coach due to the railway being fully booked.

When wandering around I noticed that the line carried on a bit, to what looked like an abandoned station directly under the ISBT (interstate bus terminal). Had a wander down there (as that is OK in India ) and indeed there was a full station down there. However I've never been able to find anything out about why it was built, when it was built and why it was never used.

It has now been converted into a railway museum with static exhibits on the tracks, but I've attached a couple of pictures of it as it was.

Anyone know more?

 

[Bungle158]

Not 100% sure on this, but l visited the railway 2 years ago. I was told that around 1909, the line in Shimla was extended circa 1 Km to a goods station for interchange with the then bullock cart goods transport network.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not 100% sure on this, but l visited the railway 2 years ago. I was told that around 1909, the line in Shimla was extended circa 1 Km to a goods station for interchange with the then bullock cart goods transport network.

That would explain it. Thank you very much - I've wondered this for years, and almost nobody seems to know anything about it.

I wonder if there was ever a plan to move the passenger service there for better interchange? (It's also more central) Of course the ISBT has now moved (a way out of town) so the opportunity for that has gone.

Edit: it seems someone has now put it on Wikipedia (which didn't exist at all when I went!):

The 95.68 km (59.45 mi) line opened for traffic on 9 November 1903[4] and was dedicated by Viceroy Lord Curzon.[6] This line was further extended from Shimla to Shimla Goods (which had once housed the bullock cart office) on 27 June, 1909 making it 96.60 km (60.02 mi).[7]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalka–Shimla_railway