The first railway in Sierra Leone opened in 1897. It was a 2ft 6in (762mm) gauge line from the capital, Freetown, running for a distance of 11km to Wellington. This formed the basis of the Sierra Leone Government Railways, which reached a total route length of around 500km by 1930.
The railways were well maintained into the 1950s and modernisation was put in hand. However, changing circumstances led to gradual decline and closure, with the last section ceasing operation in 1974.
A separate railway, of 3ft 6in (1067mm) gauge, was opened in 1933 by the by the Sierra Leone Development Company to connect its iron ore mines at Marampa to the port of Pepel, a distance of 85km. Iron ore extraction ceased in the 1990s as a result of rebel activity in the area. In the early 20th century a 62km section of the line from Pepel to Rogberi was reopened to serve bauxite extraction at Port Loko. The line was rebuilt partly using materials from the Rogberi to Marampa section.
In 2009, African Minerals Limited (AML) obtained a lease for the entire railway from Pepel to Maramba. Rehabilitation and reinstatement followed, together with a 120km extension to new mines in the Tonkolili area. The line was completed in 2011, with full commercial operation commencing in 2012.
In 2011, Cape Lambert Resources were conducting feasibility studies into the reopening of the Marampa mines. If viable, these would ship ore via the AML railway. AML proposes to increase production at Tonkolili, which would require a new standard gauge railway linking the mines with a new port facility at Tagrin. This would make the existing line redundant.
© 2006-2011
Glyn Williams
Flag image from CIA World Factbook
