C4 MONTHLY. 0* 
Vol. XX. 
COLOMBO, SEPTEMBER 1st, 1900. 
No. 3. 
"PIONEERS OF THE PLANTING ENTERPRISE IN CEYLON." 
(Ihird Series.) 
THOMAS DRANE, c.e., 
THE FIRST ENGINEER WHO SURVEYED AND DESIGNED A LINE FOR A 
LOCOMOTIVE RAILWAY BETWEEN COLOMBO AND KANDY. 
at 
J]|HE subject of our notice was 
the son of Thomas and Cecilia 
Drane, and was born at Brom- 
ley, Middlesex, on the 7th 
of January, 1818. He was 
educated at private schools ; 
and subsequently graduated 
Cambridge Ijniversity. After completing his 
University career at Caius College, he became an 
articled pupil to Mr. James Walker, the Admiralty 
Enoineer, and President of the Institute of Civil 
Engineers. After completing his term of pupilage, 
he was selected to go out to the Island of Ceylon, in 
the year 1844, to make a professional Survey of the 
direction to be taken of the proposed line of railway 
from Colombo to Kandy. This, after many months 
of hard and arduous work, he completed in the 
course of the year 1845, having to penetrate a com- 
aratively unknown tract of country through almost 
impassable jungle, exposed togreat risks from exposure 
- to a malarious climate, and other difficulties and 
dangers, which only his great physicial strength and 
excellent constitution enabled him successfully to 
accomplish. He won great credit for the admirable 
manner in which he succeeded in completing this 
task ; and he had the satisfaction of learning long 
afterwards that his Survey and the information he 
afforded were of great service to the Engineers who 
followed him : to Capt. Moorsom, Mr. Doyne and 
jNIr. (now Sir Guilford) Molesworth. After returning 
from Ceylon, (the Eailway project having collapsed 
owing to the financial crisis in the Colony of 1846-7.) 
Mr. Drane was appointed second Engineer to the 
South-Eastern Eailway, and daring the time he 
held this appointment, he constructed that part of 
the main line, eight miles in length, which 
runs from Folkestone to Dover, including the im- 
portant viaduct constructed at the town of 
Folkestone. He resigned this appointment ia 
order to become the Resident Engineer of the rail- 
ways in Cumberland, under the control of the Earl 
of Lonsdale, including the line from Whitehaven 
to Cockermouth ; and subsequently carried on to 
Keswick and Penrith, in the construction of which 
he played a leading part. After some years he 
resigned this and afterwards accepted the Managing 
Directorship of the West Cumberland Iron Workp, 
taking up his residence at Cockermouth, where he 
lived for many years, building for himself a very- 
attractive and commodious house in the town. 
In consequence of the failure of his wife's health, 
he was at length induced to throw up his appoint- 
ment in the North of England, and ho retired to 
Torquay, in Devonshire, where he lived quietly for 
the remainder of his life, and died on 31st October, 
1890. Mr. Drane left an only child— a daughter. 
His wife still survives him. 
