A Copeland Spode Porcelain Coffee Pot, white ground, decorated with blue and gilt decoration, with the Crest of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway 1849 to centre, Condition: body excellent condition, no losses , lid with small chip to lug The Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR), which later evolved into the Central Railway under the umbrella of Indian Railways, had its headquarters at the Boree Bunder in Mumbai, known today as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. Established on 1 August 1849 through the Great Indian Peninsula Railway Company Act 1849 (12 & 13 Vict. c.83) by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, it started with a share capital of £50,000. In a significant move, on 21 August 1847, the GIPR entered into a formal contract with the East India Company to construct and operate a 56 km long railway line. This line aimed to serve as part of a crucial trunk line connecting Bombay with Khandesh and Berar, thus establishing vital transportation links across various presidencies of colonial India. The Court of Directors of the East India Company appointed James John Berkeley as the Chief Resident Engineer, with Charles Buchanan Ker and Robert Wilfred Graham serving as his assistants. Their expertise was instrumental in the successful execution of the project. The inauguration of the GIPR marked a milestone in India's transportation history, as it became the country's first passenger railway. The initial 21 miles (33.8 km) section, connecting Bombay (now Mumbai) and Tanna (present-day Thane), commenced operations in 1853, heralding a new era of railway travel in the subcontinent. On 1 July 1925, the management of GIPR was transferred to the Government, signifying a shift towards greater state control in the railway sector. Eventually, on 5 November 1951, the GIPR was merged into the Central Railway, consolidating its operations within the broader framework of India's national railway network.