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 locomotive was built by Beyer, Peacock & Company in Manchester, England. A 1st class return ticket from Gibraltar to Ronda was set at 17.10 Pesetas.[1]
| Algeciras-Bobadilla railway | |
|---|---|
 Steam Engine in Los Barrios manufactured by Beyer, Peacock & Company | |
| Overview | |
| Status | Operational |
| Owner | ADIF |
| Locale | Algeciras, Spain |
| Termini | |
| Service | |
| System | ADIF |
| Operator(s) | ADIF |
| History | |
| Opened | 1888-1892 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 188 km (117 mi) |
History
editThe Algeciras-Bobadilla 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]
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
editIn 2019 Spanish government progressed plans to renovate the ageing infrastructure of the line at an estimated cost of €159 million.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Ronda - Mr Henderson's Railway & Gibraltar connection". Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ^ Michael Portillo (22 October 2015). Great Continental Railway Journeys. Simon & Schuster. pp. 86–. ISBN 978-1-4711-5150-7.
- ^ "Chief Minister is Interviewed for Popular BBC Show" (PDF). Government of Gibraltar. 31 May 2013.
- ^ "Algeciras & Gibraltar Railway Company Ltd. Hotels and Trains". Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ^ "Marbella train line overlooked as Spanish Government bet on Bobadilla-Algeciras route". Euro News Weekly. 15 January 2019.
 | This Gibraltar-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This Spanish railway-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |