History Beijing–Guangzhou Railway

dazhimen station in hankou, original southern terminal of jinghan railway

the jingguang railway 2 railways: beijing–hankou railway in north beijing hankou, , guangdong–hankou railway in south wuchang guangzhou. hankou , wuchang cities on opposite sides of yangtze river became part of present city of wuhan in 1927.

the beijing–hankou (jinghan) railway, 1,215 km in length, built 1897 1906. concession awarded belgian company backed french investors. strong desire bring route under chinese control led formation of bank of communications secure financing needed buy railway belgian owners. successful redemption of railway in 1909 enhanced prestige of communications clique, became powerful political force in republic.

the guangdong–hankou (yuehan) railway began construction in 1900 , progressed more slowly. concession awarded american china development company, diplomatic crisis erupted when belgians purchased controlling interest in company. concession cancelled in 1904 prevent franco-belgian interests controlling entire route between beijing , guangdong. guangzhou–sanshui branch line completed in 1904. changsha-zhuzhou section completed in 1911, followed guangzhou-shaoguan section in 1916 , wuchang-changsha section in 1918. work on last section between zhuzhou , shaoguan began in 1929 , completed in 1936.

on 7 february 1923, workers of beijing-wuhan railway workers association launched massive strike demanding better workers rights , protesting oppression warlords. strike organized shi yang , lin xiangqian example of worker mobilization communist party of china.