The rapid development of the Gold Coast owes much to the railway system, which was meticulously laid out from the start—a policy that has proven its worth. The discovery of gold spurred the construction of the first railway on the Gold Coast. British prospectors braved the pestilential forests and panned the up-country streams, eventually striking the main reef of yellow metal at Tarkwa.
A decision was made to build a railway from a convenient coastal point to Tarkwa. After surveying the Gold Coast shoreline, Sekondi was chosen as the terminal port, despite being little more than a native village at the time. It is not a harbor, but a small, open bay.
The Ankobra Bridge, the principal bridge in the colony, lies on the branch line from Tarkwa to Prestea. Spanning 19 miles, it features four spans—two approach spans of 45 feet each, one span of 90 feet, and a central span of 180 feet, all resting on concrete piers.
In September 1903, the objective was achieved—Kumasi was connected to Sekondi by railway. The photo shows the first train to arrive upon completion.Credit: FuturePastGhana