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54-678: Operations began in 1898 under the Gold Coast Government Railways with headquarters in Sekondi . The headquarters were transferred to Takoradi after the building of Takoradi Harbour, and railways and ports were jointly administered as the Ghana Railway & Ports Authority. In 1976, SMCD 95 separated the railway from ports as the Ghana Railway Corporation. The company enjoyed the status of

108-619: A fab lab , equipped by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which is the first of its kind in Africa. The Western Regional Library was established in Sekondi in 1955. Sekondi-Takoradi is home to two stadiums, Essipong Stadium and Gyandu Park . Notable sports teams based in the city are FC Takoradi , Sekondi Hasaacas , and Sekondi Wise Fighters . There are about 114 internet service providers operating in

162-443: A "Central Division" (the horizontal bar of the "A") from Huni Valley to Kotoku. The 953 km (570 mi) network includes branch lines on the "Western Division" to Prestea and Awaso, a branch line to Kade on the "Central Division", and branch lines to Tema and Shai Hills on the "Eastern Division". Very little of the railway network remains in operation. Accra to Tema, Accra to Kotoku, and Awaso to Dunkwa and south to Takoradi are

216-830: A bridge across the Lake Volta open in 2023. In September 2022 GRC ordered two DMU from Pesa with option on ten additional. The first DMU based class 847 for CDs ass number 001 was completed in January 2024, and on February 2 of the same year, the vehicle was presented at the Bydgoszcz Główna station. Amongst the participants was the Secretary of State and the President of the Ghana Railway Development Agency, Yaw Owusu . In September 2024,

270-454: A contract was signed to construct a railway from Paga (on the border with Burkina Faso ) to Kumasi; plus a branch from Tamale to Yendi. The railway network in Ghana resembles a large capital "A" with 3 components - a "Western Division" (the left leg of the "A") from Secondi/Takoradi to Kumasi (280 km, 168 mi), an "Eastern Division" (the right leg of the "A") from Accra to Kumasi, and

324-649: A country (for example, 1,440 mm or 4 ft  8 + 11 ⁄ 16  in to 1,445 mm or 4 ft  8 + 7 ⁄ 8  in in France). The first tracks in Austria and in the Netherlands had other gauges ( 1,000 mm or 3 ft  3 + 3 ⁄ 8  in in Austria for the Donau Moldau line and 1,945 mm or 6 ft  4 + 9 ⁄ 16  in in

378-542: A public corporation until 19 March 2001, when it became a limited liability company. The original 304-kilometre (189 mi) Eastern Railway was built in 1923 by the British for the purpose of hauling minerals and cocoa. Construction of the Ghana Railways started before there were any port facilities, and locomotives and other equipment had to be lightered over the beach. In July 2007, contract signed as part of

432-462: A rich cultural heritage, and the city is home to several landmarks and tourist attractions. Fort Sekondi and the local railway museum are some notable structures originated from the colonial era. The city also have notable nightlife , with several pubs, restaurants and clubs popping out all across the city. Many annual festivals are celebrated in the city, including the Ankos Festival and

486-510: A standard gauge of 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ( 1,435 mm ), and those in Ireland to a new standard gauge of 5 ft 3 in ( 1,600 mm ). In Great Britain, Stephenson's gauge was chosen on the grounds that existing lines of this gauge were eight times longer than those of the rival 7 ft or 2,134 mm (later 7 ft  1 ⁄ 4  in or 2,140 mm ) gauge adopted principally by

540-569: Is fishing . Sekondi-Takoradi lies on the main railway lines to Kumasi . Sekondi is a name derived from the Old Prussian word " Taccarary ", which meant "second" after the settlement was chosen as the second location for a shallow water harbour. The origins of Takoradi is conflicted but in one account it is a combination of the Portuguese word "taccarada" or "Taccarary" (Old Prussian) and an Ahanta word "ntakor". Sekondi,

594-541: Is single-track with the exception of about 30 km (19 mi) of double track between Takoradi and Manso on the Western Line. Railway gauge is currently 3'6". The latest proposals in 2006 for upgrade and expansion include conversion of 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) ( narrow gauge ) to 1,435 mm ( 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ) ( standard gauge ). As an interim position, dual gauge sleepers are being installed to facilitate

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648-406: Is 245,382 people, a -37.5% difference from the last census. Close to all of Sekondi-Takoradi's population is Christian from which 34.7% are Pentecostal/Charismatic, 25.6% are Protestant, and 14.3% are Catholic with the remaining 11.8% comprising numerous minor denominations. About 9% of the population are Muslim, 3.5% identified as non-religious and 0.2% practice traditional African religions while

702-630: Is a city in Ghana comprising the twin cities of Sekondi and Takoradi. It is the capital of Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan District and the Western Region of Ghana . Sekondi-Takoradi is the region's largest city as well as an industrial and commercial center with a population of 245,382 people, according to the 2021 census. Since 2021 the mayor of the city and the metropolitan area has been Abdul-Mumin Issah. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah

756-654: Is also called Stephenson gauge (after George Stephenson ), international gauge , UIC gauge , uniform gauge , normal gauge in Europe, and SGR in East Africa. It is the most widely used track gauge around the world, with about 55% of the lines in the world using it. All high-speed rail lines use standard gauge except those in Russia , Finland , Uzbekistan , and some line sections in Spain . The distance between

810-766: Is currently operated by the Ghana Railway Company Limited . Kojokrom-Sekondi Railway Line (The Kojokrom-Sekondi line is a branch line that joins the Western Railway Line at Kojokrom ) Indian nationwide rail system ( Indian Railways ) uses 1,676 mm ( 5 ft 6 in ) broad gauge. 96% of the broad gauge network is electrified. The railway tracks of Java and Sumatra use 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ). Planned and under construction high-speed railways to use 1,668 mm ( 5 ft  5 + 21 ⁄ 32  in ) to maintain interoperability with

864-568: Is experienced in August after the rainy season and is the lowest in December. Based on a 2017 study, Sekondi-Takoradi and the metro as a whole is prone to flooding due to its proximity to the Anankwari, Kansawura and Whin rivers. In 2009 and 2011, more than one thousand people went homeless after heavy rainfall caused the rivers to overflow their banks to the neighbouring communities. Sekondi

918-598: Is the current member of parliament for Takoradi. Both cities grew from Dutch and English forts built around the 17th century. After a railway and a deepwater seaport was built in Sekondi and Takoradi in 1903 and 1928, both cities became important economic sectors in Ghana. They merged in 1946. Leading industries in the city are timber , cocoa processing , plywood , shipbuilding , its harbour and railway repair, and recently, sweet crude oil and crude oil . The most common occupation in Sekondi-Takoradi

972-645: Is well-connected to other parts of Ghana and neighboring countries through a network of roads and railways. The city's port is a vital transportation hub, with several shipping lines providing regular services to other West African countries and Europe . The Takoradi Airport (TDI), located about 5 km from Sekondi, provides air transportation to other parts of Ghana and international destinations. There are public transport connections from Takoradi to major cities such as Accra ; Kumasi ; Mim ; Cape Coast ; Sunyani ; Tamale ; Tema ; Ho ; Wa ; Bolgatanga ; Elubo ; Aflao ; and Techiman . Sekondi-Takoradi has

1026-631: The ECOWAS rail plan, intended to link Ghana to Burkina Faso. In 2008 two diesel multiple units ordered from China CNR Corporation 's Tangshan plant for a shuttle service from Accra to Tema . Each unit comprises two motor cars with Vossloh Kiepe and Voith traction equipment, plus four trailer cars. In October 2010 the DMUs were launched. The line was commissioned in October 2010; in December 2010, work began on an extension to Tema harbour. In 2010,

1080-643: The Kundum Festival . On 5 June 2024, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, the Western Regional Minister, commissioned a 60-bed capacity polyclinic in New Takoradi , an upgrade from the original facility which was a CHPS compound. The city has several secondary schools, colleges, and special schools. This is a list of senior high schools , colleges , and universities in the city: Takoradi Technical Institute houses

1134-608: The Liverpool and Manchester Railway , authorised in 1826 and opened 30 September 1830. The extra half inch was not regarded at first as very significant, and some early trains ran on both gauges daily without compromising safety. The success of this project led to Stephenson and his son Robert being employed to engineer several other larger railway projects. Thus the 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ( 1,435 mm ) gauge became widespread and dominant in Britain. Robert

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1188-549: The Wassa East District to the north and the Gulf of Guinea towards the south. Sekondi-Takoradi has a tropical savanna climate ( Köppen climate classification : Aw ), where it experiences a wet and dry season and the temperature being hot year-round. The average annual high is 28 °C (82 °F) while the average annual low is 22.2 °C (72.0 °F). The hottest time of year is from January to May, around

1242-469: The hinterland . In 1928, Ghana's first deepwater seaport was built in Takoradi. During World War II , RAF Takoradi was an important staging point for British aircraft destined for Egypt . Spitfire fighter planes were shipped in crates from England to Takoradi where they were assembled and then flown via Nigeria and Sudan to Libya . 26 Squadron SAAF was also based in Takoradi during

1296-539: The Eastern Railway to Peatrack earlier in the year. In March 2015 it was announced that a new suburban service linking Sekondi and Takoradi would begin by the end of 2015. The US$ 100 million project, managed by Amanda Holdings, involves the rebuilding of 30 of 1067mm gauge track to standard gauge, and the acquisition of two DMUs for service. The Accra - Nsawam and Kumasi - Ejisu suburban lines are also to be rebuilt. The Tema-Mpakadan railway line which includes

1350-913: The Great Western Railway. It allowed the broad-gauge companies in Great Britain to continue with their tracks and expand their networks within the "Limits of Deviation" and the exceptions defined in the Act. After an intervening period of mixed-gauge operation (tracks were laid with three rails), the Great Western Railway finally completed the conversion of its network to standard gauge in 1892. In North East England, some early lines in colliery ( coal mining ) areas were 4 ft 8 in ( 1,422 mm ), while in Scotland some early lines were 4 ft 6 in ( 1,372 mm ). The British gauges converged starting from 1846 as

1404-647: The Netherlands for the Hollandsche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij ), but for interoperability reasons (the first rail service between Paris and Berlin began in 1849, first Chaix timetable) Germany adopted standard gauges, as did most other European countries. The modern method of measuring rail gauge was agreed in the first Berne rail convention of 1886. Several lines were initially built as standard gauge but were later converted to another gauge for cost or for compatibility reasons. 2,295 km (1,426 mi) Victoria built

1458-590: The advantages of equipment interchange became increasingly apparent. By the 1890s, the entire network was converted to standard gauge. The Royal Commission made no comment about small lines narrower than standard gauge (to be called "narrow gauge"), such as the Ffestiniog Railway . Thus it permitted a future multiplicity of narrow gauges in the UK. It also made no comments about future gauges in British colonies, which allowed various gauges to be adopted across

1512-502: The city along with over 150 FM radio stations and 20 TV stations in the city. All of these services help with inter-communication around the residents. The following shows the cities Sekondi-Takoradi is twined with: 04°55′N 01°46′W  /  4.917°N 1.767°W  / 4.917; -1.767 Standard Gauge A standard-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge of 1,435 mm ( 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ). The standard gauge

1566-521: The city's economy. The discovery of oil in the region in 2010 have resulted in Sekondi-Takoradi to be known as the "Oil City". The city has a mayor–council form of government . The mayor (executive chief) is appointed by the president of Ghana and approved by the town council, the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly . The current mayor as of 2021 is Hon. Abdul-Mumin Issah. The population of Sekondi-Takoradi

1620-483: The coal mines of County Durham . He favoured 4 ft 8 in ( 1,422 mm ) for wagonways in Northumberland and Durham , and used it on his Killingworth line. The Hetton and Springwell wagonways also used this gauge. Stephenson's Stockton and Darlington railway (S&DR) was built primarily to transport coal from mines near Shildon to the port at Stockton-on-Tees . Opening in 1825,

1674-478: The coast makes it an essential hub for fishing and trading activities. The Albert Bosomtwi-Sam Fishing Harbour , located in Sekondi. It is one of the largest fishing ports in the region. Historically it was a center for the timber and cocoa industries as these resources were transported into the city for export. The Takoradi Harbour and the Takoradi Market Circle are also an important sector in

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1728-597: The colonies. Parts of the United States, mainly in the Northeast, adopted the same gauge, because some early trains were purchased from Britain. The American gauges converged, as the advantages of equipment interchange became increasingly apparent. Notably, all the 5 ft ( 1,524 mm ) broad gauge track in the South was converted to "almost standard" gauge 4 ft 9 in ( 1,448 mm ) over

1782-628: The conflict, flying anti-submarine and convoy protection patrols over the Atlantic . Some South African airmen are buried in the Takoradi European Public cemetery . Both cities amalgamated on 2 December 1946. On 20 November 1969, the city became the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sekondi–Takoradi . The city is an important commercial center in Ghana with an industrialized economy. Its location on

1836-417: The conversion to Standard Gauge . In 2007 a consortium led by Dubai -based Kampac Oil Co signed a US$ 1.6 billion concession to develop the 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) ( Cape gauge ) Western Railway. Over five years a 500-kilometre (310 mi) line is to be constructed from Awaso to Hamile near the border with Burkina Faso. The government awarded a US$ 1.4 billion concession for

1890-459: The course of two days beginning on 31 May 1886. See Track gauge in the United States . In continental Europe, France and Belgium adopted a 1,500 mm ( 4 ft  11 + 1 ⁄ 16  in ) gauge (measured between the midpoints of each rail's profile ) for their early railways. The gauge between the interior edges of the rails (the measurement adopted from 1844) differed slightly between countries, and even between networks within

1944-740: The first railways to the 5 ft 3 in ( 1,600 mm ) Irish broad gauge. New South Wales then built to the standard gauge, so trains had to stop on the border and passengers transferred, which was only rectified in the 1960s. Queensland still runs on a narrow gauge but there is a standard gauge line from NSW to Brisbane. NMBS/SNCB 3,619 km (2,249 mi) Brussels Metro 40 km (25 mi) Trams in Brussels 140 km (87 mi) 1,032 km (641 mi) The Toronto Transit Commission uses 4 ft  10 + 7 ⁄ 8  in ( 1,495 mm ) gauge on its streetcar and subway lines. Takoradi to Sekondi Route,

1998-429: The initial gauge of 4 ft 8 in ( 1,422 mm ) was set to accommodate the existing gauge of hundreds of horse-drawn chaldron wagons that were already in use on the wagonways in the mines. The railway used this gauge for 15 years before a change was made, debuting around 1850, to the 1,435 mm ( 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ) gauge. The historic Mount Washington Cog Railway ,

2052-534: The inner sides of the rails) to be used. Different railways used different gauges, and where rails of different gauge met – a " gauge break " – loads had to be unloaded from one set of rail cars and reloaded onto another, a time-consuming and expensive process. The result was the adoption throughout a large part of the world of a "standard gauge" of 1,435 mm ( 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ), allowing interconnectivity and interoperability. A popular legend that has circulated since at least 1937 traces

2106-400: The inside edges of the rails is defined to be 1,435 mm except in the United States, Canada, and on some heritage British lines, where it is defined in U.S. customary / Imperial units as exactly "four feet eight and one half inches", which is equivalent to 1,435.1   mm. As railways developed and expanded, one of the key issues was the track gauge (the distance, or width, between

2160-558: The line to Secondi (now abandoned). The other leg serves the port of Takoradi. Note 3 - Dunkwa to Awaso is a branch line on the Western Division that services bauxite mines. Note 4 - Huni Valley (Tinkwakrom) is the junction of the Central Division with the Western Division. Note 5 - Achiasi to Kade is now a branch line on the Central Division. It used to service timber companies and for cocoa transportation. Oda

2214-570: The older and larger of the two towns, was the site of Fort Orange , Fort Witsen , and Fort Sekondi , all built in the 17th century by the Dutch . During this time, there was a huge British and Dutch influence in the town to the point where there was two political divisions: “Dutch Sekondi” and “British Sekondi”. Both collapsed after the Dutch left in 1872. The town prospered from a railroad built in 1903 to transport mineral and timber resources from

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2268-400: The only parts that are known to be in operation. Very little is known about the current operating state of the rest of the system. The following table outlines the dates of construction of the various parts of the railway network. (See map below right.) Note 1 - Tarkwa to Prestea is a branch line on the Western Division that services manganese mines. Note 2 - Kojokrom is the junction of

2322-505: The origin of the 1,435 mm ( 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ) gauge even further back than the coalfields of northern England, pointing to the evidence of rutted roads marked by chariot wheels dating from the Roman Empire . Snopes categorised this legend as "false", but commented that it "is perhaps more fairly labeled as 'Partly true, but for trivial and unremarkable reasons. ' " The historical tendency to place

2376-405: The outermost portions of the wheel rims, it became apparent that for vehicles travelling on rails, having main wheel flanges that fit inside the rails is better, thus the minimum distance between the wheels (and, by extension, the inside faces of the rail heads ) was the important one. A standard gauge for horse railways never existed, but rough groupings were used; in the north of England none

2430-729: The remaining 0.6% practice other religions. The major ethnic group found in the city are the Ahanta followed by the Ashanti , Nzema , and Wassa people. Sekondi-Takoradi is located in the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan , which covers a land area of 191.7 km (74.0 sq mi). The metropolitan bordered the Ahanta West District to the west, the Shama District towards the east,

2484-411: The rest of the network. All other railways use 1,668 mm ( 5 ft  5 + 21 ⁄ 32  in ) ( broad gauge ) and/or 1,000 mm ( 3 ft  3 + 3 ⁄ 8  in ) metre gauge . BLS , Rigi Railways (rack railway) 449 km Several states in the United States had laws requiring road vehicles to have a consistent gauge to allow them to follow ruts in

2538-413: The second vehicle, which is a type Link , was completed. On the night of September 26-27, the vehicle was shipped by sea to the recipient. A plant to manufacture concrete sleepers is to be set up in 2008 at the strategic railway junction at Huni Valley . Sekondi Sekondi-Takoradi ( / s ə ˈ k ə n ˈ d ɪ t ɑː ˈ k ə ˈ r ɑː ˈ d i / seh-kon- DEE tar-ku-wh- DEE )

2592-492: The term "narrow gauge" for gauges less than standard did not arise for many years, until the first such locomotive-hauled passenger railway, the Ffestiniog Railway , was built. In 1845, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , a Royal Commission on Railway Gauges reported in favour of a standard gauge. The subsequent Gauge Act ruled that new passenger-carrying railways in Great Britain should be built to

2646-472: The time the wet season begins. The city receives a total amount of 126 mm (5.0 in) of rainfall throughout the year, with a distinct wet and dry season. The dry season is short, spanning from December to March while the wet season is between May and June. June, the wettest month, receives on average 346 mm (13.6 in). The relative humidity in the city is small and also erratic at times due to influence of sea and land breezes. The highest humidity

2700-434: The wheels of horse-drawn vehicles around 5 ft ( 1,524 mm ) apart probably derives from the width needed to fit a carthorse in between the shafts. Research, however, has been undertaken to support the hypothesis that "the origin of the standard gauge of the railway might result from an interval of wheel ruts of prehistoric ancient carriages". In addition, while road-travelling vehicles are typically measured from

2754-426: The world's first mountain -climbing rack railway , is still in operation in the 21st century, and has used the earlier 4 ft 8 in ( 1,422 mm ) gauge since its inauguration in 1868. George Stephenson introduced the 1,435 mm ( 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ) gauge (including a belated extra 1 ⁄ 2  in (13 mm) of free movement to reduce binding on curves ) for

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2808-599: Was an important station on this branch. Note 6 - Kotoku is the junction of the Central Division with the Eastern Division. ‹The template Manual is being considered for merging .›   The following table lists some of the stations and flagstops (halts) that existed at one time on the three Divisions. There may be more. In the latter days of operation on these lines, very few of them were in service. Note 1 - No passenger service. Note 2 - Note 3 - Station/stop may no longer be in service. The system

2862-784: Was less than 4 ft ( 1,219 mm ). Wylam colliery's system, built before 1763, was 5 ft ( 1,524 mm ), as was John Blenkinsop 's Middleton Railway ; the old 4 ft ( 1,219 mm ) plateway was relaid to 5 ft ( 1,524 mm ) so that Blenkinsop's engine could be used. Others were 4 ft 4 in ( 1,321 mm ) (in Beamish ) or 4 ft  7 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ( 1,410 mm ) (in Bigges Main (in Wallsend ), Kenton , and Coxlodge ). English railway pioneer George Stephenson spent much of his early engineering career working for

2916-605: Was reported to have said that if he had had a second chance to choose a gauge, he would have chosen one wider than 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ( 1,435 mm ). "I would take a few inches more, but a very few". During the " gauge war " with the Great Western Railway , standard gauge was called " narrow gauge ", in contrast to the Great Western's 7 ft  1 ⁄ 4  in ( 2,140 mm ) broad gauge . The modern use of

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