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1890. British Government requested by Sir William Mackinnon, Imperial British East Africa Co. to approve construction of a railway from Indian Ocean to the Victoria Nyanza in order to suppress the Arab slave trade in Uganda, stimulate economic development and secure strategic control of the upper Nile region. Vociferous and sustained objections to this policy by MPs who named the proposed railway as the ‘’Lunatic Line’’ finally overcome.
1892. Capt. James McDonald from India survey route to Uganda.
1895. George Whitehouse from India appointed engineer in charge of construction of railways.
1896. Ronald Preston, wife Florence and Labour Coolies and artisans arrive from India. Building of the line commences. Bridge constructed over Makupa Creek and tracj ascends Rabai Hills and crosses waterless Taru Thorn ‘’desert’’ Engineer are killed by Lion at Voi Station. Lt Col J.H Paterson is brought from India to build bridge over Tsavo River. Work is delayed for 11 months by Lions (Man-eater of Tsavo) who killed 28 Indian workers and many Africans. At kibwezi construction gangs and staff are decimated by Malarial fever and dysentery at Kiboko. There are further attacks by Lions at Simba, Kima and Makindu.
1899: Railhead camp, workshop, station, housing and administrative headquarters established.
Regular train service with Coast. Line ascends Limuru Escarpment to altitude 7,5000ft. Preston designs funicular enabling locomotives and rolling stocked to be lowered 1,500ft to floor of rift valley. Viaducts built along final route down the escarpment.
1900: Rail continues across valley to western wall of Rift Valley and reaches Mai summit over 8,000ft in 1901.
20th December 1901: Rail reaches shore of the Victoria Nyanza at Port Florence (Kisumu) 580 miles from Mombasa.
Classic Value
Prices from $132.00 per person for a full day excursion to Naivasha from Nairobi, including live entertainment, breakfast and lunch on board the steam train and excursions.
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