Colonial signs of Udarata Railway line-Rail walk from Kadugannawa to Rambukkana

Colombo-Kandy railway line was built in British period for the purpose of transportation of tea, rubber, coffee and cocoa. There are important land marks in this rail way line and beautiful section lied between Kadugannawa to Rambukkana. From Rambukkana to Kadugannawa it rises 1300 feet and sometimes going along the edges of the mountain. After Kadugannawa it follows fairly flat line till Kandy.
This is my first experience of a rail hike/rail walk. I found an important blog when I was searching about this stretch. Then my main objective was to cover land marks mentioned in that blog.

We reached Kadugannawa around 8 am and weather was superb following last night rain.
I have visited important places at Kadugannawa in this year. We just entered Kadugannawa station and walked towards Colombo.

Kadugannawa to Balana
Distance from Kadugannawa to Balana is 4.5km. First important land mark is the highest point (519m) of Kandy railway line, which is situated at 64¾ mile post. Then we have come across first tunnel-Tunnel No-11. Next two important places were Lions’ mouth (සිoහ කට) at 64th mile post and Elephant’s back (අලි පස්ස). No-10 tunnel is seemed as back of an elephant, called as elephant’s back. The section of this Lions’ mouth and elephant’s back provides beautiful view towards Bathalegala (බතලේගල) (Bible’s rock), Ura Kanda (ඌරා කන්ද), Dewanagala (දෙවනගල) and Balumgala (බැලුම් ගල) at Kadugannawa.
Then we have reached Tunnel No-10 at which old rail way line passed out side of the tunnel. At the moment no any traces except signal line pillars.
Train halt at Weralugolla (වෙරළුගොල්ල) is an important place because it is shown in the map as Werly’s Groove. There was another tunnel before Balana (බලන) station-No-09A.Because of water streams flows from Weralugolla mountain they have made the railway line through the 9A tunnel. Just before Balana station we searched for “Aguru Wanga”-අගුරු වoග/ “Wawul Bokkuwa”-වවුල් බෝක්කුව. But it was difficult to get into that culvert. If you want, you can get the foot pathway which is situated at right hand side just before Balana station. An old church is situated there. Water stream starting from Balana Fort called “Katale Ela”-කැටලේ ඇල flows under “Wavul Bokkuwa”.
Balana fort can be reached from Balana railway station.

Starting from Kadugannawa……Water tank at Kadugannawa station.

Railway line is closed.

Dawson Tower

Highest point of Udarata railway line at 64¾ mile post

Class 512 MCG 938 is passing us

No 11 tunnel. It is called as Coco male Binge (කොකෝ මලේ බිoගේ).

Lion’s Mouth (සිoහ කට)

Lion’s mouth at 64th mile post

Coming through Lion’s mouth

View of Balumgala and Kandy-Colombo road

No 10 tunnel is called as Elephant’s back (අලි පස්ස)

Elephant’s back. Locals called it as Bengali Binge (බෙගලි බිoගේ). Because it was built by labours came from Bangladesh.

Going through No 10th tunnel

View of Bathalegala and Ura kanda

Bathalegala and Dewanagala

9A tunnel

Arrow shows old railway line. But we were unable to trace any of it.

Looked back

Train Halt at Weralugolla

In the map it is marked as Werly’s groove (red box). Kadugannawa is shown by black circle. Click image to enlarge.

Part of Weralugolla rock

Class M6 790 is passing us

Tunnel No 09

Rail line watcher….walking is a fun for us. But it’s their duty

Lizard

Captured from the church situated at “Aguru Wanga”-අගුරු වoග culvert

Reaching Balana station….still signs of CHOGUM is there

Balana to Ihala Kotte
The distance from Balana station to Ihala Kotte is 5km. One important area in passing was Hakura Watichcha Gala (හකුරා වැටිච්ච ගල). This was named as sensational rock by British. There is a superb view from here and it was mentioned as “good view” in maps sketched during colonial period. At the beginning of Hakura Watichcha Gala, you may notice a small bridge which is named as “Kudira Palama” -කුදිර පාලම as it was used for horses when railway track is being constructed. You may notice a guard rail way line to prevent the train from falling towards other side when it passes this section.
After 7th and 6th tunnels you will come across Dekinda Bridge-දෙකිද පාලම. To view Dekinda culvert (දෙකිද බෝක්කුව), you have to walk down along left hand side foot pathway just after 6th tunnel. Dekinda oya flows under this bridge.
Makehelwela (මාකේල්වෙල) train halt seems to be non functional at the moment. There is a five arched bridge (Alagalla viaduct) situated closer to Ihala Kotte (ඉහළ කෝට්ටේ) railway station at 59th½ mile post. It is kind of a viaduct which bridges Alagalla Mountain with Kehelwela Mountain and Hakoluwawa Oya (හක් ඔලුවාව ඔය) flows under this bridge. We can only see one of the five arches and other four were closed during colonial era.
We reached Ihala Kotte station then. Travellers who are visiting Alagalla (අලගල්ල) Mountain will get down at Ihala Kotte station where foot pathway started. Then you can visit at Dekinda Falls also from Ihala Kotte station. British have spelled Balana as Ballany and still it is stated at tablet box of Ihala Kotte station. Ihala Kotte railway station is situated at 322m from sea level and no vehicles still have reached the station except train.

Tunnel No 08 came across after Balana station.

Beautiful view

Nice curve

“Kudira Palama” (කුදිර පාලම)-Bridge used for horses

“Good view”-හොද දසුන seen by British

Mawanella Town

Uthuwan Kanda-උතුවන් කන්ද

What a place to stay

Rail track is passing Sensational Rock/ Hakura Watichcha Gala

We met Class Msc 782

Alagalla (1100m)

No: 7 tunnel

Dekinda Bokkuwa (දෙකිද බෝක්කුව). This is about 20 feets long, 30 feet wide and 30 feet tall.

Makehelwela railway stop

Another snap of Alagalla

59½th mile post where “Anji Pahe Bokkuwa”-අoජි පහේ බෝක්කුව is situated

Fainted view of “Anji Pahe Bokkuwa”-(අoජි පහේ බෝක්කුව)

Hak Oluwawa Oya (හක් ඔලුවාව ඔය) flows under “Anji Pahe Bokkuwa”

Reaching Ihala Kotte station

Dead line situated at Ihala Kotte station.

This is how British spelled Balana

Indranatha is getting a lesson for tablet operation from Ihala Kotte station master.

Ihala Kotte to Rambukkana
After passing Ihala Kotte station we reached “Sangaraja Lena” (සoඝරාජ ලෙන) which is situated closer to 59th mile post. The great Buddhist leader called Rev. Welivita Sri Asarana Sarana Saranankara Thero (වැලිවිට ශ්රීd අසරණ සරණ සරණoකර හිමි) has visited here during his novice period. 5A tunnel is the next mile stone will come across in this stretch. This is the second longest railway tunnel of Sri Lanka which is 413m long. It goes through the rock where Meeyan Ella (මීයන් ඇල්ල) falls. Earlier railway line was situated along the steepness and later this tunnel was built due to a railway accident. You can have another good view from this old railway line track.
If you go along the old railway line, Meeyan Ella can be view. British have divided proper Meeyan Falls into two parts before falls here. There was a clear foot pathway till recent but now it is covered with shrubs. When Waterfall has water, it is bit difficult to reach there due to thickly grown Mana. But people will burn Mana during dry season. Then you can walk along the old line but no water in waterfalls.

Entrance of Sangaraja Lena

Small pond at Sangaraja Lena

It is kind of a camping place

A bridge along the pathway of old railway line where one part of Meeyan Falls can be seen

A bridge along the pathway of old railway line where one part of Meeyan Falls can be seen

Meeyan Falls-Part-1 No water

Meeyan Falls-Part-2

The bridge along Meeyan Falls-part-2

Might be constructions related to old railway line

Another article I came across regarding Meeyan Ella. These white circles show the places of waterfalls.

Tunnel No: 5A

Coming out of 5A

A villager we met. According to him a lot of villagers have moved to low land due to Monkeys. Therefore this foot pathway is infrequently used.

Gangoda sub station

“Fly over” near Gangoda sub station

Tunnel No: 05

Another bend

Reaching Kadigamuwa station

Red arrow shows Alagalla Mountain and yellow arrow shows Motana Mountain

Kadigamuwa to Rambukkana
The Train has just more than five kilometers journey to reach Rambukkana from Kadigamuwa. I have done this stretch separately from Rambukkana to Kadigamuwa but will mention in other way round.
After about 750m from Kadugannawa station, at Kaballawaththa (කැබැල්ලවත්ත) railway line crosses Mawanella-Rambukkana road (B385) as a fly over. This is also a kind of viaduct but you can notice a road instead of water. We walked further towards Rambukkana and came across Tunnel No 04 (called Walkara Binge-වැල්කාර බිoගේ), No 03 (called Kota Binge-කොට බිoගේ) and No 02 (called Wali Binge- වැලි බිoගේ) respectively. Kiriwallapitiya (කිරිවල්ලාපිටිය) is the place where intercity rail accident happened at 2002. At the end we reached Rambukkana station and it winded up the rail walk from Kadugannawa to Rambukkana.

B385 road runs under the railway line. At 1971 rebellions tried to blast this viaduct but it was unsuccessful.

The road runs through the viaduct

Another beautiful stretch

The train goes through tunnel No 04-Walkara Binge (වැල්කාර බිoගේ)

Other side of tunnel No 04

Tunnel No 03-Kota Binge (කොට බිoගේ)

Tunnel No 02-Wali Binge (වැලි බිoගේ)

Towards Rambukkana

This mountain would be noticed on right hand side towards Rambukkana station. It is called Parape Kanda (පරපේ කන්ද)

Towards Rambukkana

This was noticed at the end!!

The place where intercity train met with an accident at 2002 January 13 near Kiriwallapitiya (කිරිවල්ලාපිටිය). Alagalla is also seen at the corner

At Rambukkana station

At Rambukkana station

As a summary important land marks found in this rail walk

Kadugannawa station-Balana Station
1.Highest point of Udarata railway line at 64¾ mile post
2.No 11 tunnel
3.Lion’s Mouth
4.No 10 tunnel-Elephant’s back
5.Weralugolla
6. 9A tunnel
7.“Aguru Wanga”-අගුරු වoග/ “Wawul Bokkuwa”-වවුල් බෝක්කුව

Balana to Ihala Kotte
1.No 08 tunnel
2.Sensational rock, “Kudira Palama”, Good view
3.7th and 6th tunnels
4.Dekinda Culvert
5.Alagalla viaduct

6.Ihala Kotte station

Ihala Kotte to Rambukkana
1.Sangaraja Lena
2.5A tunnel, Meeyan Falls, old railway line
3.Gangoda station
4.Tunnel 5
5.Kadigamuwa station
6.Kaballawaththa viaduct
7.No 4, No 3, No 2 tunnels
8.Kiriwallapitiya
9.Rambukkana station

Thank you for reading