Jamaican Blog

10 facts about the Jamaican Railway

  1. Development

The Jamaica Railway Company was established in 1843 by two brothers, William Smith a business man of Manchester, England, and his brother David Smith , Merchant and Resident from Jamaica.

 

  1. One of the oldest railways in the world

Jamaica Railway Services began in 1845 in Jamaica, making it one of the oldest in the Western Hemisphere and it’s the first railway constructed in any English-speaking country outside of Europe and North America.

An extra fact, the first railway to be built in the Caribbean that tittle would belong to Spanish-speaking Country Cuba.

An interesting fact though that the first public railway in the world was opened between Stockton and Darlington in England 

 

  1. The Balaclava Crash…. Engine # 30

On Saturday, July 30, 1938 the second worst train crash in Jamaica occurred. A Thirty-two passengers were killed and more than 70 were injured when a train Engine 30 on route from Kingston to Montego Bay derailed outside of Balaclava, St Elizabeth.

Several of those killed were buried in the St Luke’s Anglican Church grave yard. This happen due to offer by the church committee was made to the Government through Mr. H.R. Fox, Chief Engineer of the Jamaica Government Railway at the time

 

  1. FrankfieldTrain Crash….  Kalamazoo Coach crashes with freight train near Sevens sugar estate in Clarendon. 

Saturday, February 28th, 1942, the third largest train crash in Jamaica, 12 Dead and 32 was injured as the rear end of a Railway Freight train loaded with cane and a Kalamazoo trolley coach packed with passengers, collided around a blind curve on the Frankfield branch line, between May Pen Station and Sevens Siding in Clarendon. 

 

  1. The Kendal Crash

On Sunday, September 1, 1957 one of the most historic period of Jamaican railway, just before midnight in the village of Kendal in Manchester became the scene of the world’s second worst railway disaster up to that time and worst train crash in Jamaica.

Close to 200 people were killed and around 700 others sustained injuries. Many was buried on the spot, in a few days some bodies were removed by the request of the family. In the rumble an 18 months baby Anthony Segre was found in the rumble alive and sent to the hospital!

A relief fund was open by the Gleaner Newspaper for donations which amassed over 13,000 pounds from businesses and the Jamaican people.

 

  1. Jamaica Railway Cooperation once used a mascot for their marketing campaigns 

Jamaican Railway Cooperation once used a mascot to promote their brand called Diesel Dan. Used on many advertisement publications in the newspapers offering freight services to first class option.

 

  1. The Jamaica Railway Cooperation had a beauty pageant competition

The Jamaican Railway Cooperation and the Jamaica Railway Society organised a beauty pageant called Diesel Dan beauty contest staged in 1967.

This was won by Cynthia Dookie,18 years old telephone operator who resided in August Town, St. Andrew and she won cheque of 30 pounds, which in today’s cost with inflation, would be 534.90 pounds.

 

  1. Engine 54 was the last locomotive steam engine left standing 

The last locomotive steam engine to be operated in Jamaica was called  “Engine # 54”.  It was ordered from a Canadian Locomotive Company in 1944. During its time the Engine# 54 had travelled nearly 3/4 Million Miles. on the tracks of The Jamaica Railway Corporation.

The Final run was undertaken with an excursion from Kingston to Port Antonio and back-organised by the Jamaica Railway Society.

Engine # 54 last operated on November 9th, 1968 and ran from Kingston to Port Antonio, travelling a total distance of 160 miles for the round trip. 

 

  1. Engine 54 was the name of a music album

Engine 54 was the name of an album sang by the hugely popular Reggae and Rocksteady group called The Ethiopians, Jamaica’s best-loved harmony groups during the late ska, rocksteady periods and the early reggae periods. 

The album was released in 1968 boasting several songs including you guessed it, a song titled Engine 54. They were also known for the most noticeable hit song “last train to “Skaville” 

 

  1. Engine number 54 was in filmed in a movie

Engine 54 was used in the film named “Dark of the Sun” staring actors Rod Taylor and Yvette Mimmeux and Directed by Jack Cardiff. The Film is based on book The Dark of the Sun by Wilbur Smith.  Many of the scenes were filmed in Jamaica in the areas of the Kingston rail yards, the Port Antonio and Frankfield railway lines.

The movie was released in the year 1968. In some countries the movie was released under the name of “The Mercenaries “. The Jamaica Defence Force cooperated enthusiastically, and a number of our soldiers, made up in various cast. The railway crew, local people and the police all took part in the in the film either on screen or as supporting personnel.

In the movie the palace of the dictator was filmed at a private house off Seymour Avenue