Written by Riadh A. Al Busaidi
When we talk of the Zanzibar railway, many people think of the Bububu railway line. However, there was an earlier railway line and here is the story:
Zanzibar was the first country in East Africa to have railway, 138 years ago!.
In 1879 the Sultan of Zanzibar, H.M. Sayyid Barghash bin Said had a seven mile railway constructed from Beit Al Ajaib to his Palace in Chukwani. It had two Pullman cars that were pulled by mules. In 1881 the Sultan ordered a locomotive from Bagnall of UK. (For the railway enthusiasts it was 0-4-0 tank locomotive). When Sayyid Barghash died in 1888, this service ended and the track was dismantled.
In 1904 the Zanzibar Government signed a contract with the American firm; Arnold Cheney and Co. to build the famous Bububu Railway line. The service was popular for the local people. It even had a first-class coach for visitors (tourists) who wanted to see the island.
Most of the construction material for the railway was taken from the unfinished Beit Ras Palace which Sayyid Said bin Sultan started to build for his Persian wife. Simultaneously as the Bububu construction was undertaken, the American company was given the task of installing electrical power lines along the track. Metal poles were installed and power lines were hung overhead along the railway line. By 1906 Stone Town had electric street lights even before London which was still using gas.
As roads improved and motor vehicles on the island increased, and after 25 years of service, the passenger operation was closed in 1930. The railway was then converted into an important component for the haulage of stone which was used to build the sea port at Malindi and helped reclaim the seafront.
Although nothing of the railway has survived I think some of the ‘railway’ bridges along the way have survived.
The pictures are of the Bububu railway line as I do not have the ones for Chukwani.
Maelezo kwa Kiswahili juu ya reli (railway).
Kwa hakika sote tukizungumza habari ya reli au treni (railway train) tunafikiria Bububu tu! Tukumbuke vile vile kuwa Unguja ilikua ya mwanzo katika Afrika ya Mashariki kua na railway miaka 138 iliopita!!.
Kwa hakika Sayyid Barghash bin Said bin Sultan (aliyetawala kutoka 1870-1888) mwanzo alijenga reli kutoka qasr yake ya mjini (Beit al Ajaib) mpaka nyumba yake ya Chukwani katika mwaka 1879. Treni hiyo ilikua na matoto mawili na ikivutwa na nyumbu (sio mashini). Baadae, mwaka 1881 akaagizia mashini kutoka Uingereza. Alipokufa Sayyid Barghash mwaka 1888 hiyo njia na treni zikabomolewa!
Katika mwaka 1904, serikali ya Unguja iliandikiana mkataba na sharika la Kimarekani kujenga hiyo reli (railway) kutoka mjini mbele ya Ngome Kongwe (Forodhani) mpaka Bububu. Wakati walipokua wanajenga hiyo njia ya reli, wakaanza kutia miti ya taa. Unguja ikawa na taa za njiani za umeme (street electrical lights) mwaka 1906. Unguja ilkua na taa za njiani za umeme; kabla kabla ya London (London walikua bado wakitumia gas). Zilipoanza kujengwa njia na magari yakaanza kuzidi, hiyo reli ikaacha kutumiwa na ikamalizika 1930. Kwa muda mfupi ikatumika kupeleka mawe ya vifao venginevo vikatumika kujenga gati hapo mjini.
Picha hizi ni za reli ya Bububu. Sina picha za reli ya Chukwani.
When we talk of the Zanzibar railway, many people think of the Bububu railway line. However, there was an earlier railway line and here is the story:
Zanzibar was the first country in East Africa to have railway, 138 years ago!.
In 1879 the Sultan of Zanzibar, H.M. Sayyid Barghash bin Said had a seven mile railway constructed from Beit Al Ajaib to his Palace in Chukwani. It had two Pullman cars that were pulled by mules. In 1881 the Sultan ordered a locomotive from Bagnall of UK. (For the railway enthusiasts it was 0-4-0 tank locomotive). When Sayyid Barghash died in 1888, this service ended and the track was dismantled.
In 1904 the Zanzibar Government signed a contract with the American firm; Arnold Cheney and Co. to build the famous Bububu Railway line. The service was popular for the local people. It even had a first-class coach for visitors (tourists) who wanted to see the island.
Most of the construction material for the railway was taken from the unfinished Beit Ras Palace which Sayyid Said bin Sultan started to build for his Persian wife. Simultaneously as the Bububu construction was undertaken, the American company was given the task of installing electrical power lines along the track. Metal poles were installed and power lines were hung overhead along the railway line. By 1906 Stone Town had electric street lights even before London which was still using gas.
As roads improved and motor vehicles on the island increased, and after 25 years of service, the passenger operation was closed in 1930. The railway was then converted into an important component for the haulage of stone which was used to build the sea port at Malindi and helped reclaim the seafront.
Although nothing of the railway has survived I think some of the ‘railway’ bridges along the way have survived.
The pictures are of the Bububu railway line as I do not have the ones for Chukwani.
Maelezo kwa Kiswahili juu ya reli (railway).
Kwa hakika sote tukizungumza habari ya reli au treni (railway train) tunafikiria Bububu tu! Tukumbuke vile vile kuwa Unguja ilikua ya mwanzo katika Afrika ya Mashariki kua na railway miaka 138 iliopita!!.
Kwa hakika Sayyid Barghash bin Said bin Sultan (aliyetawala kutoka 1870-1888) mwanzo alijenga reli kutoka qasr yake ya mjini (Beit al Ajaib) mpaka nyumba yake ya Chukwani katika mwaka 1879. Treni hiyo ilikua na matoto mawili na ikivutwa na nyumbu (sio mashini). Baadae, mwaka 1881 akaagizia mashini kutoka Uingereza. Alipokufa Sayyid Barghash mwaka 1888 hiyo njia na treni zikabomolewa!
Katika mwaka 1904, serikali ya Unguja iliandikiana mkataba na sharika la Kimarekani kujenga hiyo reli (railway) kutoka mjini mbele ya Ngome Kongwe (Forodhani) mpaka Bububu. Wakati walipokua wanajenga hiyo njia ya reli, wakaanza kutia miti ya taa. Unguja ikawa na taa za njiani za umeme (street electrical lights) mwaka 1906. Unguja ilkua na taa za njiani za umeme; kabla kabla ya London (London walikua bado wakitumia gas). Zilipoanza kujengwa njia na magari yakaanza kuzidi, hiyo reli ikaacha kutumiwa na ikamalizika 1930. Kwa muda mfupi ikatumika kupeleka mawe ya vifao venginevo vikatumika kujenga gati hapo mjini.
Picha hizi ni za reli ya Bububu. Sina picha za reli ya Chukwani.
Note: Since writing the above I have received with thanks a picture from Mr. Torrence Royer of Sayyid Barghash rail carriage that was pulled by the mules. I have also added more pictures.
Maelezo: Babada ya kuandika hapo juu nimepata picha ya treni iliotumika wakati wa Sayyid Barghash ambayo ikivutwa na nyumbu. Picha hiyo nimeletewa na Bwana Torrence Royer. Vile vile nimeongeza picha nyengine
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