Algeciras Gibraltar Railway Company

The Algeciras Gibraltar Railway Company was created by British businessmen to build the Algeciras-Bobadilla railway line between Algeciras and Bobadilla, Antequera, the first section of track was laid on 1 September 1888. The first train was purchased from Beyer, Peacock and Company in Manchester. A first class return ticket from Gibraltar to Ronda was set at 17.10 pesetas.[1]

Algeciras Gibraltar Railway Company
IndustryRail transport
Founded1889
Headquarters
London
,
UK
Key people
Captain Louis Lombard
Alexander Henderson
John Morrison (Scottish Engineer)
Joseph White-Todd
Emilio Castelar
ProductsRail transport, Freight

History

The railway 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]

Hotels were also built by the company along the route, such as the Hotel Reina Cristina in Algeciras and the Hotel Reina Victoria in Ronda both designed by Thomas Edward Collcutt.

So impressed were the inhabitants of Algeciras that they named two streets after John Morrison (Scottish Engineer who worked on the project), "Juan Morrison" as he was known locally in Algeciras and "Alexander Henderson, who funded the project".[4]

A 9 km extension from San Roque station to La Línea de la Concepción was laid in 1893 which was to form the San Roque-La Línea railway line, but this was stopped by the Spanish government. The tracks were eventually completed in the 1970s but no train has ever run on them.[5]

See also
  • Rail transport in Gibraltar

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. "Rail and Two Cities: Railway history that began in the 19th century". Archived from the original on 28 September 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2016.

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