In 1840, the British created a teak plantation in Nilambur to ensure a steady supply of timber for their various needs. In 1923, the South Indian Railway Company, which operated the Madras–Shoranur–Mangalore line, was contracted by the Madras Presidency to build a railway from Nilambur to Shoranur to ensure easy transportation of timber from these forests to the plains and hence to ports and onward transportation. The company completed line in stages. The Shoranur–Angadippuram section was opened on 3 February 1927, Angadippuram–Vaniyambalam on 3 August 1927 and the entire stretch from Shoranur to Nilambur was opened on 26 October 1927. During World War II, the Shoranur line, along with other numerous railway lines across British India were dismantled and rolling stock diverted to the Middle East to help British war efforts. The line ceased to exist in 1941. After independence, following public pressure, the railway line was reconstructed by the Indian Railways along its original alignment. The Shornur -Angadipuram line re-opened in 1953 and Angadipuram–Nilambur in 1954. The teak plantation still stands today as a major tourist attraction.
