Pakistan - Rails to the North West Frontier - English • Great Railways

One of NICK LERA’s finest documentaries is this 1990s account of a great railway adventure from the Baluchistan mountains to the legendary Khyber Pass. We start with vintage 1950s cab unit diesels of the Alco DL500 World series on the 4% grades of the rugged Bolan Pass. Then visit the meter gauge enclave of the former Jodphur Railway at Mirpur Khas to ride 1920s steam veterans across Sind. Back on the 5ft 6in broad gauge we find ex-Canadian War Dept 2-8-2s plying the Cholistan desert before heading to the northern Punjab for an Edwardian timewarp where inside cylinder 4-4-0s and 0-6-0s still serve the lines they were built for. Steaming across the Indus on the mighty Attock Bridge, we arrive at the gates of the Khyber Pass where powerful 1920s 2-8-0s from Britain’s Vulcan Foundry storm up mountain switchbacks to forts and battle lines built in defense of the former British Raj. The summit station at Landi Kotal is walled in with an iron gate and the ticket window is a machine gun post. You couldn’t make it up!
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[@grahamwalker2312]

My father travelled on these railways as a small child around 1930. He said it was his earliest memory, being on a train near the Khyber Pass. His father was a regular in the British army and part of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. He remembered that the regiment was being moved and the colonels wife (responsible for the families) checking on his whereabouts before the journey began. Thereafter Dad grew up until the age of seven in the Delhi area. Sounds like he might even have been transported on one of these trains.

[@roberthuron9160]

Mr. Robinson would be proud of the fact that his 8K 2-8-0's,broad Guage version were still able to put in a good days work! The irony,in Britain,the GCR/WD versions went extinct! Pity,that the only extant versions were in India,or Pakistan! What the world has missed,due to so much short sightedness! Beautiful scenery,rugged mountains and that engineering marvel,that constitutes the,now Pakistan Railways! How does one,not stand in awe,of the Victorian engineering,and those laborers who made it possible! Thank you 😇 😊!!

[@chungfromchina9307]

Hats off😇

[@billblair3941]

Fascinating absolutely fascinating. I can almost smell the smoke from the steam engines. A very well done documentary!

[@michaelwilson6584]

By coincidence, I have just looked through some old family albums from my grandfather and grandmother time in India/Pakistan. The main subject is the building of these railways and I believe that my grandmother is the “Mary Jane” of the eponymous tunnel.

[@NicholasLera-kd5tj]

Mary Jane is stated in retired NWR civil engineer's book 'Couplings To The Khyber' p171 to have been the wife of F L O'Callaghan, engineer of the first railway in the Bolan Pass. Is this correct?

[@maverick_tomcat]

I wish Pakistan could come out of its self inflicted crises. Its a beautiful country with tourism attractions for a varied audience. These steam train lines could be tourist attraction, for example. A beautiful documentary. Good work indeed.

[@kingrichards9295]

Railways are haram

[@joshw6226]

Some of the best steam footage anywhere on the internet. Incredible scenes.

[@titasghosh5350]

Jbhgg

[@titasghosh5350]

AAAA

[@AussiePom]

It's amazing how places just carry on overcoming the most difficult hurdles which here in the west stop us altogether. Like the cracked frame on the steam engine which in the west would condemn the loco to a static life or the scrapyard. All the steam locos were oil burners because all the coal was in India. The Alco diesels are very similar to the Australian 44 class which were also 2000hp.

[@shoaibrehman7748]

Very blessingly nostalgic. Time seems to have stopped.

[@johnledingham852]

Nostalgically enthralling. Thank you for your efforts and wonderful cinematography.

[@muhammadakhtar4790]

What a beautiful golden days of Pakistan western railways, very memorable days of Pakistan western railways, what a beautiful golden years when steam locomotive in operations.

[@kenhelix4494]

I am a UR / EAR person, but this is wonderful and captures the atmosphere perfectly. Thank you PR!

[@adnanshuja4075]

No Doubt this is a great Effort making and releasing this Documentary a very much informative video, Thanks a Lot.

[@user-cy8jj6vr8l]

Beautiful, fascinating and exciting. Best video I've seen about PR history until now. Many Thanks

[@KS-oc4hu]

Great, thanks for sharing this wonderful documentary!

[@partiellementecreme]

This is so soothingly nostalgic. I feel like it’s the ‘90s and I’ve borrowed the VHS tape of this educational British documentary about trains from the public library. Everything is normal again.

[@NicholasLera-kd5tj]

Dear Mr 'Semi-skimmed'. A very interesting comment on my film - my thanks for characterising it so accurately, especially as it was indeed first released on VHS!

[@indiano2013]

We had a train running between Mumbai (Bombay) and Peshawar called the Frontier Mail. All mail trains would carry mail from different locations along the route. Express trains would carry newspapers and take more halts. After India was divided, the train still called Frontier Mail would run between Mumbai and Amritsar, pretty much the last station on the Indian side. This was my favourite train. Now the name has changed to Golden Temple Express. The original purpose of mail and express has lost its meaning. Newspapers are now published in all cities and with the advent of facsimile, courier services and now internet, mail despatches are now minimal. Had relations between India and Pakistan been normal, the original Frontier Mail could still be running. On the Indian side Indian Railways could run it up to the Atari border where it would be handed over to Pakistan Railways to take it its destination. Likewise on its return. Bilateral trade might have been facilitated too.

[@user-wu2yc6gz3o]

Wonderful documentary, exquisitely filmed and edited, and excellent commentary. People will be enthralled by this forever.

[@hussainwarraich8139]

What a wonderful memories ☺️ ❤❤❤great content 👏

[@hartmutlorentzen9659]

Excellent video,Thanks for presentation, from Germany

[@user-vu3qx7uo1z]

My late grandfather Khodayar age 10yrs in 1919 walked and rode on donkey from Sharifabad Iran to Baluchistan border.Took 82 days. From border to Bombay by train it took 10days

[@PakRailography]

This is super amazing.. You're lucky to witness this.. Its a treat to watch.

[@Boveyphil]

Absolutely brilliant - thanks!

[@paluszek28]

Niesamowicie wspaniała kolej.

[@sarfraz_ahmad1]

Spectacular Video

[@patricknoveski6409]

Just incredible! Keep steaming, no matter what. 😮❤

[@wowshakeel]

Great Effort!

[@owaismughal4123]

Amazing documentary. Thanks for making it available here.

[@user-qo3dp5jd1k]

Great video indeed

[@user-yb5tv6of9g]

Just amazing

[@histarchus]

Thank you for this excellent documentary. Subscribing now.

[@muthuswamynarayanswamy1260]

Never seen NW Rly but heard about it. Thanks for the video. Early days Steam Engines played vital part in the railways.

[@smalltowntraveller]

Fabulous ❤time

[@srini9653]

Thank you to the uploader. More than Engineering marvel, I think this is an Art.

[@amardeepalhan4038]

I am an Indian and i enjoyed watching this documentary. 👍

[@qaisernaqvi5029]

Great documentary indeed! It was a histotical sentimental journey for me as I have seen many portions of these railway lines and stations as well.Simply Superb job done! Kudos!!

[@NicholasLera-kd5tj]

Thank you, Sir, for your kind comments. It was hard work to do but pleasing to see it is appreciated.

[@nguyenxuan9531]

What a magnificent and majestic railway works.

[@user-lj1qz1ul1l]

Good documentary and useful for young generation

[@mattmclafferty6265]

Thanks. Hare Krishna.

[@SitesandSounds]

Wow ❤ Outstanding! Thanks for 📽️ filming Many Thanks for sharing ❤ ❤it 0:28 to 0:33 this shot was taken at "Hirok" Railway Station in the Bolan section, I use to visit there for filming railroad, It's not easy to film nowadays with modern gadgets..... But you filmed it very well at least 3 decades ago 👍❤️

[@hamzamustafa9523]

Faheem bhai golden days of our Railways are long gone. Apni zindagi me Bahawalnagar section bhi wapis active dekhne ko mil gaya to woh bhi ek Miracle se kam nahi hoga!!

[@Shiraz_Mazhar]

Sad to see that YD 522 was standing like there in shed in your video and running fine here in this one

[@umar0087]

Sir, You have shown a lot of railway history in your videos. It includes many stations, rail tracks, trains, and locomotives that have now become a part of history. But watching this video feels like you have traveled back to the era about which you talk in your videos. Especially the areas of Bolan Pass, Cholistan, and Landi Kotal Sections.

[@robt2151]

Very interesting. My grandfather served in the NW frontier 100 years ago. It is unfortunate that the bad press currently associated with colonialism obscures the many infrastructure investments that the host countries benefited from.

[@asimnawaz9256]

So many British officers and workers lost their lives just to lay these lines. Britain's service to the people is above any religion, caste, and creed.

[@paulbarnes5204]

Brilliant footage!I can't help thinking that the wife of the chief engineer may have not been too impressed to hear about the name of the tunnel portal.

[@Zalmi-jj4bj8io4s]

Landikotal ka tour mai ne bohot1 bar lga chuka hon...v v nice

[@Bythepowers]

I saw this documentary on BBC way back in 95.

[@NicholasLera-kd5tj]

This documentary has never been shown on television in any country, except perhaps illegally somewhere. It was released on VHS video in 1995, comprising the 1993 and 1994 footage. Some years later the DVD edition came out whlch included the SPS locomotive on the Attock Bridge recorded in 1997. That is the version posted here.

[@vinodkumarverma6683]

wonderful/.

[@kumarankit1097]

Great Indian Peninsula Railway Company.।।।

[@imtiazahmed3408]

Love 💗 from Lahore Pakistan 🇵🇰

[@njmj9071]

Very good video..oprasion.by Peshawar shed.driver.qazii....nizamuddin.shamshaddin.with fair man..ailtaf.Hassan.and ghfarid

[@rickysrailstream7035]

How did u manage to get these video clips. I am seeing this for the first time

[@x-pertgroup8911]

Waoo

[@MeneerEnMevrouwTrein]

Heel mooie en fascinerende beelden van niet eens zo heel lang geleden. Zou u ook "Spoorwegen in Zwitserland" kunnen uploaden? Dat is een van de DVDs die ik helemaal heb opgespeeld.😆

[@Sugarmountaincondo]

@19:30 The steam powered crane is just as rare a sight if noy more so. @28:17 Engine crew is protected by a teenager armed with an AK-47. @35:30 more armed guards at the bridge crossing fort. @40:23 The railroad should have included at least a flat car for locals to sit on instead of riding on the pilot of the loco. @45:00 There must be a Wye or Loop track for the #2215 to get turned around.

[@NicholasLera-kd5tj]

Dear 'Sugarmountaincondo'. To pick up on the items you mention; 19:30 steam cranes like this were once commonplace around Britain and its Commonwealth, but have almost entirely been replaced by diesel powered versions as you saw in the meter gauge sequence earlier. It was a real treat to find this steam original in good shape and still in active use. 28:17 The territory of the North West Frontier Province is a semi autonomous zone, between Pakistan and Afghanistan, where the tribal communities rule. All outsiders are escorted by local armed guards, and can only visit in daylight hours, unless invited to stay, in which case they must remain indoors overnight. As for the cadet guard you point out, well, the next generation has to start somewhere, and what better than among a group of seniors in charge of a large group. I doubt his weapon carried live rounds. 35:30 Fort Maude by the road bridge is permanently manned. 40:23 The enthusiastic riders on the front of the locomotive were an ad hoc reaction to the first steam train up the pass for nearly 20 years. The youngsters had never seen a train before, a situation unique to this pioneer run which we recorded. As the scenario was unforeseen, no provision was made to accommodate them with a wagon or flat car. 45:00 The Khyber trains ran with a loco at each end, both facing outwards. So no wye or turn was needed. Some shots in the Khyber section of this film were taken on later trips, to achieve a fuller visual record of the line, hence an unavoidable lack of continuity in places. Thank you for your interest.

[@wowshakeel]

Background music name please?

[@railshastra]

Plz upload more Indian steam ❤

[@muhammadrashid6699]

These tracks and tunnels in khyber pass r in ruins now

[@Nathan93Baker]

33:50 What's the firemen throwing into the firebox?

[@1rotelaterne]

Sand zu reinigen der Kesselrohre

[@NicholasLera-kd5tj]

In oil fired fired locomotives there is a tendency for tar residue drawn by the draft from the chimney to accumulate in the boiler tubes so that heat does not transmit properly to the water. When the fireman sees pressure falling he throws sand into the firebox which is drawn through the tubes and scours out the residue. This results in filthy oily black clag spouting from the chineys of oil-fired locos from time to time in the course of a journey.

[@srinisiva5667]

❤

[@perpetualgrin5804]

There is always an adventure awaiting in Pakistan.😅

[@ragtimejohn]

When was this filmed?

[@NicholasLera-kd5tj]

Read the introduction on this site, listen to the narration and check the copyright date on the end!

[@vanisso]

1994

[@NicholasLera-kd5tj]

Almost all the material for this film was taken in December 1993 and January 1994. The SGS 0-6-0 locomotive on Attock Bridge was recorded in February 1997. The Khyber sequence is a combination of 3 trips, Dec 1993 as far as Shahgai, and twice in Jan 1994 to Land Kotal; hence the lack of continuity in the consist.

[@maqbool7697]

یہ انجن آج کل پاکستان ریلویز کے زیر استعمال نہیں ہیں

[@jiteshverma9589]

Which year this documentary was filmed!??

[@NicholasLera-kd5tj]

The filming was done in 1993 & 1994, with Attock Bridge in 1997.

[@rakesh_singh03]

How old is this video.?

[@NicholasLera-kd5tj]

Filmed in 1994, except Attock Bridge 1997.

[@aivlogs4801]

Could you please mention which year this video was shot??

[@NicholasLera-kd5tj]

Filming years were 1993 and 1994, with the Attock Bridge sequence added in 1997.

[@aivlogs4801]

Thankyou

[@rogerlollar4325]

I recommend flame over India great war film set in present day Pakistan at the turn of the century

[@curtislowe4577]

I put it on my watch later list.

[@railroadwalker]

Please also share another one of Pakistan Railway

[@sreenivasanmahadevan6668]

If partition was not there these paces would have improved

[@ravidas4852]

At 3:40 you guys mentioned "this route in whole of India", 'was' not 'is' did British forgot they partitioned India that route is now in Pakistan

[@NicholasLera-kd5tj]

The context of the commentary is clear enough. The origins of Pakistan's railways in pre-Partition British India, and the reasons for their construction, need to be pointed out to a worldwide audience of Utube viewers who may not have the history of South Asia uppermost in their minds.

[@TheGrimStoic]

"There's no railway in Saudi Arabia. There's no railway in Afghanistan. Islamic nations do not need railways" - Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, Pakistan's Federal Railway Minister from November 2008 to March 2013

[@jiteshverma9589]

Jahahah

[@jiteshverma9589]

They need camels and b0mbs.

[@rampmony]

No matter what the minister said, there is indeed a 75km railway line from Hairatan to Mazar-e-Sharif, in northern Afghanistan.

[@kingrichards9295]

Railways is haram.

[@habeebchaudhry5926]

THERE IS MOST MODERN LUXURIOUS RAILWAY SERVICE IN SAUDI ARABIA 🇸🇦

[@InsaaniatDost]

💥💥💥💥💥💥 now only bolan pass railway is working. khyber pass railway, meter guage railway are abandoned 😢😢😢😢 and chhaper rift was washed away in 1940 and abandoned since..

[@curtislowe4577]

IMO reasonably analogous to the infrastructure the Romans were obliged to abandon as their empire contracted. 44:24 Being clear of the tribal areas before dusk? That sounds ominous.

[@NicholasLera-kd5tj]

The Pakistani Govt inherited the old British negotiated status of the Khyber region. It was British protected autonomous Tribal Territory where the British had right of access but it belonged to the tribes. The British rule of law did not apply. It ceased at the Khyber Gate at Jamrud. In principle this status remains today under Pakistani protection. One of the stipulations is that the Tribals are not responsible for the safety of personnel or guests of the Protecting Power in the hours of darkness. They either leave or stay in their forts. A Tribal Force escort (as seen in the film) must be arranged in advance at the Tribal office in Peshawar and paid for by approved outsiders entering the territory in daytime. Passengers in a broken down special train at dusk would of course be transferred to minibuses but if the train itself was stuck overnight on the line it would be anybody's guess what skeletal remains would emerge at daybreak.

[@curtislowe4577]

@@NicholasLera-kd5tj Thank you for that detailed explanation.

[@mahendradabi3502]

good job is existence today?

[@Shiraz_Mazhar]

sadly no only 2/3 steam locos are still in running condition and that too due to steam safari train, And many of the branches lines shown in this videos are closed due to poor maintenance by Pakistan Railways and Increased road transport.

[@swarnjitsingh5714]

ਅੰਗਰੇਜ ਨੇ ਮਾਂ ਦੇ ਖ਼ਸਮ ਨੇ ਦੇਸ਼ ਵੰਡ ਦਿੱਤਾ

[@jiwanpathak4209]

Angrez bhi aaj ki tarah feku hota to ye na rail nazar aata naa itna mazboot railway salute to angrez

[@Bythepowers]

Unfortunately these beautiful engines put into ittefaq foundry, owned by sharif family.

[@Bythepowers]

Bilour owned a transport company that’s why he placed this stupid remark.

[@user-qi4om6eg3z]

What a beautiful golden days of Pakistan western railways Amazing documentary

[@bismayparida2115]

Push Pull WAP 7 Rajdhani express? Nah thats lame.... We do push pull steam 🚂.... Pakistani style...🗿🤌💯💯

[@shubhamsrivastava8368]

I think Pakistan Railways in very bad condition. They still operates the British Era Railways. The condition of coal locos and Specially coaches were in terrible condition.

[@umar0087]

This video is 25 to 30 years old. These trains and locomotives have become a part of history and have turned into a part of railway museums.

[@shubhamsrivastava8368]

@@umar0087 okk thanks for update.

[@saranshdubey707]

​@@umar0087 What is your opinion on reviving of old historical frontier mail, which earlier operated between Peshawar to Bombay (Mumbai) and vice versa. It could greatly facilitate the trade between us. By the way this is my opinion, you may differ from it. I mean agar purani chijo ko revive kare jo humare history ka part raha to shyad connection acha ho sakta hai baki it's upto you. Hume bhi yar North West railway dekhna tha par😢

[@AndrewLambert-wi8et]

AT LEAST PAKISTAN INVESTS ALL ITS MONEY ON MILITARY EQUIPMENT. SO AT LEAST THEY ARE GETTING SOMETHING FOR THEIR MONEY. SO NOT SO BAD!

[@dainiyalparsad1735]

Is there any Train operating Now! I thinks TALIBAN will not allow any 'KAFIR' Product in their ISLAMIC Emirates!😁

[@NicholasLera-kd5tj]

The Update page at the end of the film after the credits shows the sorry state of the Khyber line after serious monsoon and flood damage in 2008. There is little chance the line will be rebuilt and run again. The forces of nature have seen to it that the country next door will not be disturbed by it.

[@dainiyalparsad1735]

@@NicholasLera-kd5tj Because of Foreign help only Afghanis progressd upto at least this level! They are scoldings Non>Muslims & eating their funds, look at Afghan now the country is in ultra POVERTY! No One ready to help this Jidhasit! Within 10 years Afghan will be the Next SOMALIA!😵

[@blah9605]

@@NicholasLera-kd5tj I believe so too. I have been fascinated by the Khyber Pass railway for some years now, and even went to the extent of replicating the route virtually in Open Rails. Your video as well as other resources provided valuable information in my effort!

[@Shiraz_Mazhar]

sadly no only 2/3 steam locos are still in running condition and that too due to steam safari train, And many of the branches lines shown in this videos are closed due to poor maintenance by Pakistan Railways and Increased road transport.

[@dainiyalparsad1735]

@@NicholasLera-kd5tj Rent this Rly. Line to INDIAN Rly. they will show U how to run Railways!😁😁

[@kurt-foster5925]

ewwwwww.

[@ankursingh1996]

Great Documentary, but still Pakistan Railways is in very backward and poor condition.

[@davidalexsebastiank6250]

But unfortunately we are witnessing the slow death of Pakistan Railways 😢😔

[@Ali_ON3]

I thought good videography and then saw it is from 1990s and went straight to 🫡 wow, simply wow