Algeciras-Bobadilla railway

The Algeicras-Bobadilla railway was built by the Algeciras Gibraltar Railway Company, the first section of track was laid on 1 September 1888. The first train was purchased from Beyer, Peacock and Company in Manchester. A 1st class return ticket from Gibraltar to Ronda was set at 17.10 Pesetas.[1]

Algeciras-Bobadilla railway
Steam Engine in Los Barrios made by Beyer, Peacock and Company
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerADIF
LocaleAlgeciras, Spain
TerminiAlgeciras
Bobadilla
Service
SystemADIF
Operator(s)ADIF
History
Opened1888-1892
Technical
Line length188 km (117 mi)

History

It was built for the benefit of British officers stationed in Gibraltar wanting to travel to Spain and the rest of Europe.[2] To avoid offending Spanish sensitivities, the line was built concluding in Algeciras, a town in Spain on the opposite side of the Bay of Gibraltar, rather than at the Gibraltar border. Despite it having no direct connection to the European railway network at the time, a chapter was devoted to Gibraltar in the 1913 guidebook.[3]

So impressed were the inhabitants of Algeciras that they named two streets after people related to the project: one after John Morrison a Scottish engineer ("Juan Morrison"), and one after Alexander Henderson, who had funded the project.[4]

Current situation

In 2019 Spanish government progressed plans to renovate the ageing infrastructure of the line at an estimated cost of €159 million.[5]

See also

References
  1. "Ronda - Mr Henderson's Railway & Gibraltar connection". Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  2. Michael Portillo (22 October 2015). Great Continental Railway Journeys. Simon & Schuster UK. pp. 86–. ISBN 978-1-4711-5150-7.
  3. "Chief Minister is Interviewed for Popular BBC Show" (PDF). HM Government of Gibraltar. 31 May 2013.
  4. "Algeciras & Gibraltar Railway Company Ltd. Hotels and Trains". Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  5. "Marbella train line overlooked as Spanish Government bet on Bobadilla-Algeciras route". Euro News Weekly. 15 January 2019.
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