Ferrocarril Alcoy Gandia facts for kids
The Alcoy-Gandía Railway was a train line in Spain that ran from 1892 to 1969. People often called it la chicharra in Spanish or xitxarra in Valencian, which means "the cicada" – maybe because of the sound it made! This railway helped connect the inland city of Alcoy with the coastal port of Gandía.
Contents
History of the Railway
The company that built this railway was started in 1882. It was called the Alcoy and Gandía Rail and Harbour Co Ltd. They had offices in both Alcoy, Spain, and London, England.
Why the Railway Was Built
Many English companies invested in railways in Spain during the late 1800s. These investments helped change how people traveled and how industries and businesses worked in Spain. The main reason English companies wanted a railway between Alcoy and Gandía was to bring coal from England to Spain. This coal was needed for the growing factories and industries in the Alcoy area.
The Ravel Lucien Company was in charge of building the railway line. The very first train journey on this line happened on July 18, 1892.
Connecting Other Lines
The Alcoy-Gandía railway also connected with another train company called the Villena to Alcoy and Yecla (V.A.Y.) Railway. They shared equipment and facilities. This agreement was signed on October 13, 1908.
The entire railway line was about 53.3 kilometers (33 miles) long. It climbed about 530 meters (1,739 feet) in height between Alcoy and Gandía.
Stations Along the Line
The railway had stations and stops in several towns. These included:
- Puerto de Gandía (Gandía Harbour)
- Gandía
- Almoines
- Beniarjó
- Potríes
- Villalonga
- Lorcha
- Beniarrés
- Gayanes
- Muro de Alcoy
- Cocentaina
- Alcoy
Train Engines
The railway used eight steam locomotives. These engines were built by a company called Beyer, Peacock & Company in Manchester, England, between 1890 and 1891. Each locomotive was named after one of the stations on the railway line.
Preserved Locomotives
Two of these old locomotives are still around today!
- Locomotive number 2, named "Villalonga," is displayed in the Al-Azraq area of Alcoy. This was the end of the railway line.
- Locomotive number 7, named "Cocentaina," is displayed in Gandía.
Both of these old train engines can be seen and photographed by the public.
Railway Museum
There is a museum in Almoines dedicated to the Alcoy-Gandía railway. It is run by a group called the Asociación Tren Alcoy-Gandía. The current chairman is José Morales, and the current secretary is Isidro Ferrando.
More Information
- FGV Official website: http://www.fgv.es
- Wiki of Spanish railways
See also
In Spanish: Ferrocarril Alcoy-Gandía para niños
