Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

THE UGANDA RAILWAY. 61 A TYPICAL BRIDGE. was the track itself safe from their depreda- tions. During the night, in the absence of the working-parties, they would boldly loosen the “ chairs ” and “ fish-plates ” that held the rails in place, and convey the rails to their villages, where they were put to all manner of uses. So severe was the loss in this direction, and so constant were the interruptions in the working of the line, that it was at length de- cided to enroll a special force of railway police, whose duty it would be constantly to patrol the line in those districts where the thefts were the most numerous, and to drive away, or, if possible, capture the marauders. Sikhs from the Punjab who had served in the Indian native army, and who were at once disciplined and highly fitted to withstand the vagaries of the East African climate, were chosen for this police force, and placed under the command of experienced British military officers. For the use of the patrols light trollies of ingenious design were provided. These travelled along the track itself, and were driven in much the same fashion as a bicycle. By means of these trollies, whose utility was very quickly proved, the police were enabled to cover considerable distances every day. Another very ingenious device to prevent the wrecking of the line by the natives was also adopted by the construction staff. Th© steel rails were bolted firmly to the sleepers, and the heads of the bolts filed off flush, so that it was next to impossible to take the rails away without removing the sleepers as well. Similar precautions were taken with the bolts that secured the plates which held one rail to another. The entire track became in fact one solid whole. Of course these devices