Lavriou Square-Strofyli railway line
Encyclopedia
The Lavrion Square-Strofyli railway (Greek: Σιδηροδρομική Γραμμή Πλατείας Λαυρίου - Στροφυλίου Sidirodromiki Grammi Plateias Lavriou - Strofyliou) was a Greek (metre gauge
) railway line that ran from Lavrion Square in downtown Athens
to the suburb of Kifissia and further on to Strofyli.
, which also operated the branch from Heraklion
to Lavrion. The headquarters of Attica Railways along with a rolling stock depot, repair workshops and goods sidings were located at Attiki station
, next to Liossion street.
From downtown Athens to Kifissia station
the line followed the alignement of the current ISAP
line. The downtown terminal (Lavrion Square) was situated a short distance from Omonoia square. The section from Lavrion Square to Attiki station
currently runs underground (along Tritis Septemvriou, Rizou and Agorakritou streets) in a shallow cut-and-cover tunnel, but in the days of Attica Railways (until 1926) it ran at street level as a tramway.
From Kifissia
the line was extended north to Strofyli
. The section from Athens (Lavrion Square) to Heraklion was 9.2 km long and from Heraklion to Strofyli 7.4 km.
After 1900 the line was further extended from Strofyli as an industrial railway to the marble quarries of the English Marble Company at Dionyssos.
From Athens to Kifissia the line carried both passenger and freight traffic. The extension to Strofyli was used mainly by freight trains carrying blocks of marble.
to Lavrion was taken over by Piraeus, Athens and Peloponnese Railways
(SPAP). After 1926 trains to Kifissia departed from Attiki station
, and the section Lavrion square-Attiki station was served by special tram service K.
The Electric Transport Company operated the line until August 8, 1938, when it was closed pending electrification.
), reconstructed in cut-and-cover tunnel the section between Omonoia and Attiki station
(1928-1930) and reopened it in 1949 as an extension of the railway connecting Athens and Piraeus.
The line between Attica and Strofyli was transferred to E.I.S. in 1950. It was reopened to Nea Ionia in 1956, and to Kifissia in 1958. The remaining section from Kifissia to Strofyli was abandoned.
Z 2-6-0T, plus one of the same type constructed in Piraeus by Vassiliadis Works
. After 1929 only the Tubize locomotives remained in use on the Kifissia line, as the Krauss locomotives were transferred to SPAP for the Lavrion branch.
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
) railway line that ran from Lavrion Square in downtown Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
to the suburb of Kifissia and further on to Strofyli.
Attica Railways (1885-1926)
The line opened on February 4, 1885 as single track, metre gauge (1000 mm). Until 1925 the line was operated by Attica RailwaysAttica Railways
Attica Railways was a railway company which operated a metre gauge railway system in Attica, Greece.The contract between the Greek government and the Hellenic Company of Lavrion Metallurgies was signed in 1882...
, which also operated the branch from Heraklion
Heraklio station
The Heraklio station is an ISAP train station in Irakleio, Attica, Greece, a suburb to the north of Athens. It is marked at the 19,246 km from the starting point in Piraeus....
to Lavrion. The headquarters of Attica Railways along with a rolling stock depot, repair workshops and goods sidings were located at Attiki station
Attiki station
Attiki station is a railway station in Athens, Greece. The station opened in 1885. It was the main hub of Attica Railways, a metre gauge network connecting donwtown Athens with the mining town of Lavrion and the northern suburbs of Marousi and Kifissia...
, next to Liossion street.
From downtown Athens to Kifissia station
Kifissia station
The Kifissia or Kifisia station, is an ISAP train station in Kifissia, Greece and is also the northermost station. The station is situated several kilometres north of Athens and is marked at the 25.655 km from the starting point in Piraeus...
the line followed the alignement of the current ISAP
ISAP
I.S.A.P. is the acronym for the Athens-Piraeus Electric Railways , the oldest urban rapid transit system of Athens metropolitan area in Greece. It is the second-oldest underground metro system in the world, after the Metropolitan Railway, of 1863, now a part of the London Underground...
line. The downtown terminal (Lavrion Square) was situated a short distance from Omonoia square. The section from Lavrion Square to Attiki station
Attiki station
Attiki station is a railway station in Athens, Greece. The station opened in 1885. It was the main hub of Attica Railways, a metre gauge network connecting donwtown Athens with the mining town of Lavrion and the northern suburbs of Marousi and Kifissia...
currently runs underground (along Tritis Septemvriou, Rizou and Agorakritou streets) in a shallow cut-and-cover tunnel, but in the days of Attica Railways (until 1926) it ran at street level as a tramway.
From Kifissia
Kifissia station
The Kifissia or Kifisia station, is an ISAP train station in Kifissia, Greece and is also the northermost station. The station is situated several kilometres north of Athens and is marked at the 25.655 km from the starting point in Piraeus...
the line was extended north to Strofyli
Strofyli Station
The Strofyli or Strofili station, was a station of the Attica Rail in Kifissia, Greece and is also the northermost station...
. The section from Athens (Lavrion Square) to Heraklion was 9.2 km long and from Heraklion to Strofyli 7.4 km.
After 1900 the line was further extended from Strofyli as an industrial railway to the marble quarries of the English Marble Company at Dionyssos.
From Athens to Kifissia the line carried both passenger and freight traffic. The extension to Strofyli was used mainly by freight trains carrying blocks of marble.
Electric Transport Co. (1926-1938)
In 1926 the line was transferred to the Electric Transport Company , member of the group Power and Traction Finance Co.. In 1929 the branch from HeraklionHeraklio station
The Heraklio station is an ISAP train station in Irakleio, Attica, Greece, a suburb to the north of Athens. It is marked at the 19,246 km from the starting point in Piraeus....
to Lavrion was taken over by Piraeus, Athens and Peloponnese Railways
Piraeus, Athens and Peloponnese Railways
Piraeus, Athens and Peloponnese Railways or SPAP was a Greek railway company founded in 1882, which owned and operated the line connecting Piraeus and Athens to Peloponnese. The company was nationalized in 1954 and absorbed by the Hellenic State Railways in 1962.-History:The first line section...
(SPAP). After 1926 trains to Kifissia departed from Attiki station
Attiki station
Attiki station is a railway station in Athens, Greece. The station opened in 1885. It was the main hub of Attica Railways, a metre gauge network connecting donwtown Athens with the mining town of Lavrion and the northern suburbs of Marousi and Kifissia...
, and the section Lavrion square-Attiki station was served by special tram service K.
The Electric Transport Company operated the line until August 8, 1938, when it was closed pending electrification.
Aftermath
The company Ellinikoi Ilektrikoi Sidirodromoi or E.I.S. ' onMouseout='HidePop("36836")' href="/topics/ISAP">ISAPISAP
I.S.A.P. is the acronym for the Athens-Piraeus Electric Railways , the oldest urban rapid transit system of Athens metropolitan area in Greece. It is the second-oldest underground metro system in the world, after the Metropolitan Railway, of 1863, now a part of the London Underground...
), reconstructed in cut-and-cover tunnel the section between Omonoia and Attiki station
Attiki station
Attiki station is a railway station in Athens, Greece. The station opened in 1885. It was the main hub of Attica Railways, a metre gauge network connecting donwtown Athens with the mining town of Lavrion and the northern suburbs of Marousi and Kifissia...
(1928-1930) and reopened it in 1949 as an extension of the railway connecting Athens and Piraeus.
The line between Attica and Strofyli was transferred to E.I.S. in 1950. It was reopened to Nea Ionia in 1956, and to Kifissia in 1958. The remaining section from Kifissia to Strofyli was abandoned.
Rolling stock
Initially Attica Railways used nine Tubize 0-6-2T steam locomotives (1885). Later it acquired nine KraussKrauss-Maffei
The Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co KG or simply Krauss-Maffei is an injection molding machine manufacturer and defence company based in Munich, Germany...
Z 2-6-0T, plus one of the same type constructed in Piraeus by Vassiliadis Works
Basileiades
Basileiades is one of the most historic Greek machine building companies and the largest in its field in the country during the second half of the 19th century...
. After 1929 only the Tubize locomotives remained in use on the Kifissia line, as the Krauss locomotives were transferred to SPAP for the Lavrion branch.