View source for May Pen to Frankfield railway

{{May Pen to Frankfield}}
The '''May Pen to Frankfield railway''' was a [[Rail transport in Jamaica|railway in Jamaica]] built to serve the fast developing citrus industry in the upper [[Clarendon Parish, Jamaica|Clarendon]] regions of Chapelton and Frankfield.<ref name="pg7"/>
==Inception==
During the 1911 [[General Election|general election]] railway extension was a prominent issue, and in March the Colonial Secretary introduced into the Legislature a resolution authorising the expenditure of £90,000 on the construction of a branch line from May Pen to Danks, beyond Chapelton in upper Clarendon.<ref name="OH"/> "After an animated discussion the resolution was carried by 19 votes to 5. The new line will open up the fertile valley of the [[Rio Minho (Jamaica)|Rio Minho]]... It is hoped that ultimately the line will be driven forward to the still more fertile district of Ulster Spring in Upper [[Trelawny Parish, Jamaica|Trelawny]] and then on to [[Falmouth, Jamaica|Falmouth]], the seaport on the north side of the island, whose former prosperity would thereby be restored."<ref name="OH">Official handbook on the BWI, 1912.</ref> Due to the Great War and the economic situation in the Twenties this long-term aim was never accomplished.<ref name="Jefferson">[http://www.jamaicaphilately.info/20_Philatelic/209_Publications/Journals/BWISC_Bulletin/b011/b011_Railway.pdf B097] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721214345/http://www.jamaicaphilately.info/20_Philatelic/209_Publications/Journals/BWISC_Bulletin/b011/b011_Railway.pdf |date=2011-07-21 }}, BWISC Bulletin 1978-06, Jamaica Railway Markings, Major T W Jefferson.</ref>
==Construction, operation and closure==
The {{convert|13|mi|km}} of standard gauge track from [[May Pen]] to [[Chapelton, Jamaica|Chapelton]] were laid between 1911 and 1913 at a cost of £86,000.<ref name="pg7"/>
The 9¼ mile extension to Frankfield was added in 1925.<ref name="pg7">[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3884/is_200303/ai_n9209497/pg_7 The rise and fall of railways in Jamaica 1845-1975 page 7], Veront M Satchell & Cezley Sampson, The Journal of Transport History, March 2003.</ref>  It required the bridging of twelve rivers, which must have been a significant contribution to the twelve year construction hiatus.
The line closed in 1974.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3884/is_200303/ai_n9209497/pg_13 The rise and fall of railways in Jamaica 1845-1975 page 13], Veront M Satchell & Cezley Sampson, The Journal of Transport History, March 2003.</ref>
==Gradients==
The line climbed 650 feet in 18½ miles (average gradient 1 in 150) from May Pen (239 feet<ref>[https://www.fallingrain.com/world/JM/01/May_Pen.html Directory of Cities, Towns, and Regions in Jamaica: May Pen], Falling Rain Genomics.</ref>) to its summit at Crooked River (889 feet<ref name="G&H"/>) then continued for 3¾ miles more or less on the level to Frankfield (908 feet<ref>[https://www.fallingrain.com/world/JM/01/Frankfield.html Directory of Cities, Towns, and Regions in Jamaica: Frankfield], Falling Rain Genomics.</ref>).
==Stations and Halts==
There were 10 stations and halts on the line c1973.<ref name="G&H">UK [[Directorate of Overseas Surveys]] 1:50,000 map of Jamaica Sheets G & H, 1973.</ref> More recent references<ref name="mtw03/04">[http://www.mtw.gov.jm/general_information/reports/TransportStatisticsReport2003_2004.pdf Annual Transport Statistics Report: Jamaica in Figures 2003-2004] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130315174612/http://www.mtw.gov.jm/general_information/reports/TransportStatisticsReport2003_2004.pdf |date=2013-03-15 }}, Ministry of Transport and Works, July 2005.</ref> mention only nine:
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=17.963155&lon=-77.238607&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 May Pen Station]
*Longville Halt<ref name="lowres"/>
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.075291&lon=-77.242958&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Suttons Station]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.077148&lon=-77.265408&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Cross Roads/Ivy Store Station]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.092482&lon=-77.274866&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Chapelton Station]
*Danks Station, closed c1921.<ref name="Jefferson"/>
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.116446&lon=-77.283636&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Morgans Station]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.131389&lon=-77.299896&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Bryan's Hill Station], extant 1973;<ref name="G&H"/> unmentioned 2005.<ref name="mtw03/04"/>
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.136671&lon=-77.310517&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Crooked River Station]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.140667&lon=-77.332554&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Trout Hall Station]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.146693&lon=-77.366822&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Frankfield Station] (Terminus)
{{div col end}}
==Bridges==
There were 13 significant bridges on the line, all but the first being on the Chapelton to Frankfield extension.<ref name="G&H"/> Approximate bridge lengths<ref>Bridge lengths were obtained using [[WikiMapia#GeoTools|Wikimapia's GeoTools]].</ref> are shown in the route diagram (right):
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*Track leading to Sevens sugar estate<ref name="lowres">Google satellite image resolution is at present insufficient to show this station/bridge.</ref>
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.105168&lon=-77.269737&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Thomas River]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.108263&lon=-77.270451&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Rio Minho]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.114912&lon=-77.272945&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Orange River]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.116574&lon=-77.284398&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Stony River]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.11951&lon=-77.291973&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Orange River]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.136125&lon=-77.305148&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Ballards River]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.136477&lon=-77.311027&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Crooked River]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.138195&lon=-77.314315&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Crooked River]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.13922&lon=-77.325602&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Dawkins River & track]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.138083&lon=-77.346593&z=17&l=0&m=a&v=2 Rio Minho & B3 road]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.138205&lon=-77.347044&z=17&l=0&m=a&v=2 Franks River]
*[http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.144582&lon=-77.366334&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Tributary of Rio Minho]
{{div col end}}
==See also==
*[[Railways of Jamaica]]
==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}
{{Railways of Jamaica NavBox}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord missing|Jamaica}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Railways Of Jamaica: May Pen To Frankfield}}
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1913]]
[[Category:Railway lines closed in 1974]]
[[Category:Standard gauge railways in Jamaica]]
[[Category:1913 establishments in Jamaica]]