Malta Railway
Encyclopedia
The Malta Railway consisted of a single railway line from Valletta
to Mdina
and was the only railway line ever on the island of Malta
. It was a single track
line in meter-gauge, operating from 1883 to 1931.
. Due to problems with the expropriation in favour for the line its building could not be finished until 1883. On 28 February 1883 the line was opened between Valletta and Notabile (Mdina).
Finances of the railway always proved critical. On 1 April 1890 the first proprietor, the Malta Railway Company Ltd., went bankrupt and the railway stopped running. As a result of this the government took over the railway, invested in its infrastructure and reopened traffic on 25 January 1892.
From 1895 on an extension of the line was under work aiming for the barracks at Mtarfa
behind the historic city of Mdina. This extension was opened for traffic in 1900.
On 31 March 1931 the line was closed due to economic insufficiency. In 1903 a company was founded which ran tramways on Malta from 1905 on, partly parallel to the railway line. It gave up this traffic in 1929. But both, tramway and railway fell victim to the oncoming bus traffic. The railway-tunnel running under the fortifications of Valletta was used as an air-raid-shelter during World War II
. Long stretches of the former railway line were converted into roads. Some of the railway buildings are still in existence.
, were underground. The Line extended over 11.1 km / 7 m, climbing 150 meters / 500 feet at a maximum of 25 Per mil. The line crossed roads by 18 level crossings of which 14 were staffed. The roads were chained off when a train was approaching. Originally the line was constructed with rails of 42 pounds per foot and replaced when the government took over the railway in 1890 by those of 60 pound per foot to allow heavier locomotives to run on the line.
& Co. Ltd., Leeds
, Black, Hawthorn & Co
Ltd., Gateshead
, and Beyer, Peacock & Co. Ltd., Manchester
. Most of them were 2-6-2
and 2-6-4
engines. They were painted in olive on black frames. None of them is preserved.
.
, Valletta and Birkirkara and Valletta und Ħamrun.
proclaimed to have destroyed the Maltese railway system – nine years after its closure.
Valletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
to Mdina
Mdina
Mdina, Città Vecchia, or Città Notabile, is the old capital of Malta. Mdina is a medieval walled town situated on a hill in the centre of the island. Punic remains uncovered beyond the city’s walls suggest the importance of the general region to Malta’s Phoenician settlers. Mdina is commonly...
and was the only railway line ever on the island of Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. It was a single track
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
line in meter-gauge, operating from 1883 to 1931.
History
From 1870 proposals were launched to connect the capital of Malta, Valletta, with its ancient capital Mdina by rail. The time of travelling could be reduced this way from three hours to half an hour. More concrete was the planning of the engineering firm of Wells-Owen & Elwes, LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Due to problems with the expropriation in favour for the line its building could not be finished until 1883. On 28 February 1883 the line was opened between Valletta and Notabile (Mdina).
Finances of the railway always proved critical. On 1 April 1890 the first proprietor, the Malta Railway Company Ltd., went bankrupt and the railway stopped running. As a result of this the government took over the railway, invested in its infrastructure and reopened traffic on 25 January 1892.
From 1895 on an extension of the line was under work aiming for the barracks at Mtarfa
Mtarfa
Imtarfa, or Mtarfa is a small town close to Rabat and Mdina in the north of Malta, with a population of 2,430 people .-History:...
behind the historic city of Mdina. This extension was opened for traffic in 1900.
On 31 March 1931 the line was closed due to economic insufficiency. In 1903 a company was founded which ran tramways on Malta from 1905 on, partly parallel to the railway line. It gave up this traffic in 1929. But both, tramway and railway fell victim to the oncoming bus traffic. The railway-tunnel running under the fortifications of Valletta was used as an air-raid-shelter during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Long stretches of the former railway line were converted into roads. Some of the railway buildings are still in existence.
Line
The line connected Valletta and Mdina and a number of settlements in between. The first two stations, Valletta and FlorianaFloriana
Floriana is a town in Malta, just outside the capital city Valletta. Floriana is the birthplace of many famous Maltese, amongst which the composer of the national anthem, 'L-Innu Malti', Robert Samut; former Bishop of Malta Dom Mauro Caruana, the poet Oliver Friggieri, and Swedish Idol winner...
, were underground. The Line extended over 11.1 km / 7 m, climbing 150 meters / 500 feet at a maximum of 25 Per mil. The line crossed roads by 18 level crossings of which 14 were staffed. The roads were chained off when a train was approaching. Originally the line was constructed with rails of 42 pounds per foot and replaced when the government took over the railway in 1890 by those of 60 pound per foot to allow heavier locomotives to run on the line.
Locomotives
During its lifetime the railway had only 10 locomotives. These were built by Manning WardleManning Wardle
Manning Wardle was a steam locomotive manufacturer based in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.- Precursor companies :The city of Leeds was one of the earliest centres of locomotive building; Matthew Murray built the first commercially successful steam locomotive, Salamanca, in Holbeck, Leeds,...
& Co. Ltd., Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, Black, Hawthorn & Co
Black, Hawthorn & Co
Black, Hawthorn and Company was a steam locomotive manufacturer with a works situated in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK.-John Coulthard and Son:...
Ltd., Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
, and Beyer, Peacock & Co. Ltd., Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Most of them were 2-6-2
2-6-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-6-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels, six coupled driving wheels and two trailing wheels.Other equivalent classifications are:...
and 2-6-4
2-6-4
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, a 2-6-4 locomotive has two leading wheels, six coupled driving wheels and four trailing wheels...
engines. They were painted in olive on black frames. None of them is preserved.
Carriages
The carriages were wooden on iron frames. First and third class was provided. The seats were parallel to the line on both sides of an aisle. Originally illuminated by candles this was changed to electricity powered by batteries in 1900. When the railway stopped running 34 carriages were in use. One third-class-carriage is preserved, was restored and placed beside the former station building of BirkirkaraBirkirkara
Birkirkara or B'Kara is a city of 25,858 inhabitants in central Malta. It is the most populated town on the island and consists of four autonomous parishes: St Helen, St Joseph, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St Mary. It also houses one of the most famous colleges in Malta, St Aloysius' College...
.
Traffic
A train usually consisted of five carriages while trains running over the maximal climb before Notabile only had four. After stronger engines were used trains up to 12 carriages became possible. During World War I even longer trains were run using two locomotives. Travelling time inland (that is: uphill) was 35 minutes, downhill in the direction of Valletta 30 minutes. Initially quite a busy timetable was in use with 13 pairs of trains running the whole of the line and additional two or three pairs between Valletta and AttardAttard
Ħ'Attard is a village located at the centre-most point of the island of Malta. Together with Balzan and Lija it forms part of "the Three Villages" and has been inhabited since the Classical Period. Ħ'Attard's traditional Latin motto is Florigera rosis halo due to its many flower gardens and citrus...
, Valletta and Birkirkara and Valletta und Ħamrun.
Museum
Since 1998 a little private Museum in Attard shows photographs, documents and other memorabilia of the railway additional to eight segments of the line reconstructed as a model railway in 1:148 by Nicholas Azzopardi during the years 1981–1985. The museum is open to the public on demand.Curiosities
After an air-raid on Malta by the Italian air force in 1940 MussoliniBenito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
proclaimed to have destroyed the Maltese railway system – nine years after its closure.
Literature
- Joseph Bonnici, Michael Cassar: The Malta Railway. Malta 1992.
- Eisenbahnatlas Italien und Slowenien. Atlante ferroviario d'Italia e Slovenia. Schweers + Wall 2010, S. 110. ISBN 978-3-89494-129-1