Issue No. 38 Autumn 2015

www.iberianrailwayssociety.org

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T he inaugural IRS meeting took place at the Model Railway Club in London on 22nd February 2006, and was

attended by about 20 prospective members from all around the UK. A general discussion took place and introductions, suggestions and proposals were made. At this meeting a small committee was voted on and tasked with setting up the Society on a formal basis. The Committee members are: Chairman David Stevenson Secretary Charles Phillips Journal Editor Michael Guerra Treasurer & Membership Secretary Tony Bowles (post available) Publicity & Exhibitions (post available) THE BASICS The remit of the Society is to stimulate interest in and disseminate information about railways on the Iberian Peninsular and the Balearic Islands. It was felt at this time that extending this remit to Spanish and Portuguese speaking areas of the world would be too ambitious.

It was proposed that a Society Journal be published four times a year and that this would be the main conduit between members. MEMBERSHIP Membership was to be open to all and would entitle the member to receipt of the magazine, use of the Societies’ facilities and attendance and voting rights at an Annual General Meeting. MEMBERSHIP RATES FOR ONE YEAR – APRIL 2013-MARCH 2014 Web Download £5.00 Payment CHEQUE (Payable to: Iberian Railways Society) or Paypal (from website) Send to: Tony Bowles 1 Station Cottages Stow Road Toddington Cheltenham GL54 5DT Those joining during the year pay the Annual Rate and will receive all copies of the journal for that year. Membership of the IRS is subject to the rules and constitution of the IRS. Membership records are held on a computer database in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.

IRS SALES Correo on CD. All previous issues up to the preceding year in PDF format. £5.50 inc P&P. DVDS -The Society now sells the Ticket to Ride DVDs Out & About Barcelona. £25 inc P&P Out & About Lisbon. £25 inc P&P TALGO Cabride - Portbou to Girona £20 inc P&P TALGO Cabride - Girona to Barcelona £20 inc P&P TALGO Cabride - Barcelona to Reus £20 inc P&P Algarve Cabride - Lagos to Tunes (with a Class 1800) £20 inc P&P Algarve Cabride - Tunes. Faro to Vila Real (with a Class 1800) £20 inc P&P COASTERS - 4 scenes from FGV, RENFE & FEVE £6.50 inc P&P For all items please send a cheque to: IRS Sales, 3 Aldersey Road, Worcester, WR5 3BG. Overseas members should enquire first about postage costs, send an email to iberianrailways@btconnect.com. Payment can be made via Paypal for overseas members only.

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Title Page The Society 2 The Editor’s Page 4 A Recent Trip to Castille 5 Miranda de Ebro 12 Europe's Longest Metre Gauge Passenger Service 23 ASAF 31 Contributions for publication should be, if possible, by email or computer disk (to avoid time spent transcribing text). Photos should be of good quality, sharp, well composed or of significant historical interest. Prints, slides, digital photos or good scans can be accommodated. All prints and slides should be sent by recorded delivery, they will be scanned as quickly as possible and returned by recorded delivery. Scans of 6”x4” prints should be scanned at 300dpi, 35mm slides should be scanned at 1600dpi, digital photographs should be 1920x1200 minimum. Articles can be of any length, though generally of between 500 to 800 words for a book review, and up to 4,000 words for a main article. Maps should be of a good clear line, and legible at quarter page size. Submissions should be to: Michael Guerra, 6 Nash Close, Welham Green Hatfield, HERTS AL9 7NN Email (pref): mjxguerra@compuserve.com

Front Cover: Heavily grafittied Class 289 at Mirande de Ebro on 21/05/ 15. Photo Chris Elliott

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I n this issue I want to write about an subject that has been in the news recently, that while not strictly Iberian, impacts railways across Europe and in 2004 impacted Madrid in the most devastating way: terrorist attacks.

The recent incident on a Amsterdam-Paris Thalys where a heavily armed terrorist boarded a high-speed train, presumably to decimate the passenger population, has highlighted the relative lack of protection of society at large from those intent on murder and chaos, at a time when the extremists seem to be succeeding in spreading their message into the malleable minds of those looking for meaning in their life. I think it is unwise to look for answers with respect to religion, though that is part of the context, but perhaps look into history to see why railways have been so targeted. Railways have always been a sign of progress, of a modern society, of capitalism (mostly) and the reduction of geographic isolation. Before air travel, it was the railways that tied together continents, allowed centralised administrations to control distant regions and even move large military contingents to places where separatist ferment may emerge. The railways often stood for the administrations or political systems themselves. And so, since the late nineteenth century, anarchists, separatists, 5th columnists, resistance fighters and terrorists have been targeting railways to send messages to central administrations and their populace, and so spread fear of their ‘idea’. Anyone travelling through the major stations of Europe will not have failed to notice the increasing police and military presence and their increasing nervousness. On the continent the situation has been exacerbated by migration pressures, the lack of economic strength and the under-siege mentality of those tasked with facing the threat. At present the headless chicken response of governments has been the protection of railways, and perhaps misses the point about terrorism: innocents can targeted in any public space. The authorities realise this and so deploy security at places where we are packed most densely, but also where it is impossible to operate without adding to the congestion. Terrorist planners can see this also…. Regular readers will know that I have regular meetings with security civil servants across Europe as part of negotiations to have secure embarkations for the sleeper project. The most ‘hard-line’ of those interfaces are in France, but it is clear that most civil services were unprepared and ill-equipped to deal with the current rise in Sunni extremism and its easy transposition into Europe. It is the nature of democratic populations to place a consensus government in power and then expect it to protect them from all enemies; foreign and domestic, while still ensuring tax money is used for education, health and social services. It is a difficult compromise; and unfortunately the best minds are seeking better salaries than can be found in the civil service. Too many of the people I meet with, and some of them the nicest people you will ever meet, are simply not intellectually equipped to deal with this and some are clearly those who have been promoted to a grade above their level of competence. Civil services abhor change, and so when change is forced upon them are extremely inertial in their response. So it will not surprise you to learn that I had my first meeting with the UK Department of Transport in the same week that my eldest, Xavier, started primary school, and I will have yet another interface meeting in Paris in the same week that he starts his Mech Eng degree at the University of Sussex. Tempus Fugit Michael Guerra

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A Recent Trip To Castille By Rarfe Chambers

2 015 has started well, on the railway front, because Gill and I took a trip to Alcazar de San Juan and Ciudad Real on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th March; on a trip which Gill accepted would be mainly a railway trip, with quick look a two “new” inland

places, well worth seeing. With the aid of our “tarjetas de Oro” we booked all our trains from our favourite Guardamar travel agent at good discounted prices. My method is to look up the trains that I fancy myself, and then go to the travel agent to get the tickets – I don't think I could be very sure of the system to do it myself “on line”. So, on Monday 2nd March we took our car to our local train station on the Murcia – Alicante line, nowadays called San Isidro/Albatera/Catral, although officially still Albatera, I think. Modern building would make San Isidro a more useful name, although of course the railway has been there a lot longer than the housing. It used to be the junction for the Torrevieja branch, going off to the coast, but all sign of that is now gone – indeed the whole station is new, completely rebuilt for the high speed line going past, from just outside Alicante to Murcia (on which there is not much activity – no money left). When the 08.24 for Alicante was ten minutes away, the “Tannoy” sprang into life and told us that our train was ten minutes late. Then after a couple of minutes came another message saying the train was five minutes late. Then the train arrived dead on time. I have heard this tannoy message many times, and the train is usually dead on time. It appears to be a standard message on the “tape”. I don't know anywhere else where this happens – it's a little odd, but this is Spain. The train was the usual 592 class three car set, looking more than usually decrepit and dirty, but it went along all right. I believe the local Government gets so far behind with payments in support of the service that the only thing Renfe Cercanias can do to protest is to stop cleaning the trains. We arrived at Alicante at 09.15, three minutes late, having had to wait at San Gabriel for a southbound train to clear the line down from the terminus. We threaded the new tunnel on the approach to the terminus. The tunnel was a new bit of line for me, and part of the changes for the high speed trains, which has eliminated a rather nasty level crossing but has rather spoiled the approach from an enthusiast's point of view. There was a 334 class, no. 011, parked in the station. These have worked the Alicante to Murcia Talgos since 2006. There was also a spare set of AVE stock, with 130-067. A Media Distancia train left at 10.08 (5 late) with a 449 set, on a train from Cartagena to Zaragoza. This was a new working to me, it used to start in Valencia. Then our Media Distancia train for Ciudad Real left at 10.12 (on time) with a similar class 449, number 125. These units built by CAF quite recently have a maximum speed of 160 km/hr, and cruise at that speed most of the way. Nowadays the track, both the “top” and the “swaying” is absolutely without fault, so I suppose we have to admit that modern machinery is far better than the old gangers and short rail lengths. I wish I had bought shares in Plasser many years ago, in the days when I did such things as buying shares. Our train went on the “old” line, with brief stops at Villena, Almansa, Chinchilla, Albacete, La Roda, Villarrobledo, Socuellamos, Campo de Criptana and Alcazar de San Juan. Not much to interest a railway enthusiast on the way, except for the lovely early

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At Alcazar de San Juan Railway Museum on 3rd. March 2015. Ex. Norte Railway 2582, Renfe No. 040-2082 built by Avonside, Bristol in 1965

At Alcazar Railway Museum on 3rd. March 2015, half a Ferrobus, class 591, no. 302-361. Built in the sixties.

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Spring scenery. I will mention here that throughout this trip I found all my “spotting problems” a little worse. What I mean is that at the very high speeds nowadays number spotting is almost impossible, particularly with the fashion for numbers in full on the solebars of all the stock. My memory is going as well. At one place, Albacete, there were a couple of locomotives in fairly good view; but when I was half way through writing down the first number in my little book, Gill, helpful as ever told me the second number and I finished up without clear record of either number. Therefore, where once I would have had a complete record of what went by; I now simply have impressions, albeit very nice ones of a nice trip. There were a couple of Mercancias locomotives at Albacete (class 319 I believe), and some maintenance of way locomotives at La Roda (class 59's on the “new” railway coming down from Cuenca, I think), but otherwise nothing to report but nice scenery all the way to Alcazar de San Juan, which was our destination for the day. Alcazar is the junction of the Alicante and Valencia line and the Madrid to Almeria line. We arrived just in time for lunch, on time at 12.55, checked in to a nice little hotel and had a pleasant look round the town for the afternoon. Castille is so very Spanish compared with our British/German/Dutch coastal area. Virtually no one speaks a foreign language, but they are so polite and helpful. The next day, Tuesday 3rd. March we were at the station in time to see a Media Distancia train from Ciudad Real to Alicante depart at 11.22, with 449-001, and wondered about the sign that mentioned a Railway Museum in a half-hearted sort of way (fairly typical of Spanish signs), previously unknown to me. We found the museum on the north side of the station, in part of the old locomotive-shed area. As is quite usual for Spain it was only open on a Sunday for a couple of hours in the morning, so we did the best we could “over the fence”. The bosses office appeared to be in an old Don Quixote type of windmill, presumably brought from another site. It was marked up Museo National Ferroviario, Alcazar San Juan, AAFA. There had been a row of fourteen windmills on a hill overlooking the town, and there are now only five, so perhaps this was one of those. Remember this had been the birthplace of Don Quixote – or rather Cervantes. We had no problem passing under the station subway and on to the platform; and indeed out of the station completely on the north side, towards the museum. We came to a gateway with an open gate. Gill pointed out that there was a sign saying “no pasar”. I pointed out the gate was open and there was no-one about. The gate did not lead into the museum, but to the large ADIF depot (the remains of the old shed complex). The outside museum exhibits were reasonably accessible “over the fence”. I had a look round where I could, whilst Gill stood by the “no pasar” gate in case somebody came to close it, which no-body did! The best exhibit (to me) was an ex. Zaragoza – Barcelona Railway, ex. Norte Railway 0-8-0 no. 2582, Renfe no. 040-2082, an Avonside, Bristol built locomotive from 1865. Of particular interest were the round section connecting rods, a bit of an unusual feature and an Avonside trade mark. You can see my photograph is over the fence, and it is a shame about the blue flag pole which rather spoils a nice picture of this relic. The next best exhibit was a fine ex. Madrid Zaragoza & Alicante Railway 4-8-0, no. 1404, Renfe no. 240-2244, built by the Maquinista Terrestre y Maritima of Barcelona in 1921. One hundred and sixty five of this class were built, and were very similar to an

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At Alcazar Railway Museum on 3rd. March 2015, ex. MZA no. 1404, Renfe No. 240-2244, built by MTM in 1921.

At Ciudad Real on the 4th March 2015 - 449-049 to form the 10.12 departure for Alicante. Note the retracred coupler cover, presumably put back before departure. (though looking at the graffiti inside it may be stuck—Ed)

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earlier Henschel class of 1913, ex. MZA numbers 1101 – 1220. 240-2244 was an oil-burner. My photograph is reasonable given the difficult site and the rear end view. There was also a Renfe “locotracture” present, which I failed to photograph. It was old number 10-120, eventually no. 301-020; a small 4-wheel diesel-mechanical shunter built in 1962 by MTM or possibly Macosa, with a Pegaso diesel engine of 160 h.p. There was also half of a 4-wheel Ferrobus, class 591, number 302-361, from the sixties, built by CAF, MMC, SECN, Macosa or Euskalduna, with a Bussing or Pegaso engine, built under license from Uerdingen of Germany. These units were quite common at one time, and nearly as bad to ride in as those ones tried out on British Railways, but they gave various branch lines a few more years of life before they were eventually “Beeching'd”. I could imagine this one working the Cinco Casas to Tomelloso branch. The unit is fitted with curtains all round, presumably to keep out the very strong Spanish sunshine. Perhaps there were small exhibits inside the unit, or a film show set-up or something. It left me wondering how to get there on a Sunday morning to gain access to the small exhibits. There were various other thing dotted about the site, like steam driven compressors and machinery driving units. One was actually on the platform “plinthed”; built by the Fives Lille Company, their number 1892/1892. We escaped through the “no pasar” gate, and after I had photographed a virtually new Plasser piece of machinery, a DIC200, number 230-001 (what a lot of machinery the maintenance of way people have nowadays – I'm not sure what this machine did), went to get some very nice tapas and drinks before getting the 13.00 train to Ciudad Real. The same train we had caught the previous day from Alicante. It was the usual class 449, number 512. We headed south on the main line towards Almeria, past Cinco Casas until we turned off westwards at Manzanares on the line towards Ciudad Real and Merida. We arrived on time at 14.08, went to our hotel and spent the rest of the day looking round the city of Ciudad Real. A very nice city it is, too. On Wednesday 4th March, we were at the station by 09.30, in plenty of time for the 10.57 AVE for Madrid. I left Gill reading her book in the main foyer and went exploring. The security at this junction on the High Speed Line from Malaga and Sevilla to Madrid and the cross-country line from Alcazar de San Juan to Puertollano and Merida was much heavier than that at Alcazar, with most of the platforms behind screens with baggage measuring machines, and people to stop you going on the platforms. However, platforms 4 & 5 (used for the Alicante Media Distancia trains) were available, and nobody seemed to care what I was up to. At 09.39 I photographed 252-012 leaving on the the 09.22 due dep Madrid to Sevilla and Cadiz Altaria express, so you can see there are still a few locomotive hauled trains; then 449-049 in Platform 8 to form the train to Alicante due depart at 10.12, with a lid missing from the end but presumably reinstalled prior to departure. Next was 104-405 on an Avant service from Puertollano to Madrid, arriving at 10.25 together with 102-003/4 just leaving on the 10.26 to Malaga. Then it was time to rejoin Gill and to get a coffee before going through the security to catch our our AVE from Malaga to Madrid. Our train, when it came, exactly to time of course, consisted of 2 sets of 102 class. 027 at the front was out of use and 022 behind was the train. That was annoying, because carriage 8 of set 027 stopped right beside us, but we had to get on board set 022, which was made us hurry a bit, although I am sure they wouldn't have left without us. I've no idea what was wrong with 027, if anything, but I guess they needed it back at

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At Ciudad Real on the 4th March 2015 - 252-012 on the 09.22 due dep. to Cadiz and Sevilla Alvia

At Ciudad Real on the 4th March 2015, with 104-405 arriving at platform 3 with an Avant train from Puertollano to Madrid arriving at 10.26 plus class 102-003/4 AVE leaving platform 2 southbound for Malaga.

11 At Madrid Atocha on the 4th March 2015, with 130-008 having arrived from Santander at 12.45. Gill looks a little pensive. Compare this picture with the one in Issue 27 of The Correo. The same train, but much more crowded.

Sangra depot in Madrid. It was a short ride to Madrid Puerto de Atocha cruising at 270 km/hr, about 93 minutes for the 175 km. Although we had two signal stops of about four minutes each, we were only three minutes late into Atocha at 11.53. There were a lot of 465 class locals about on the run-in, but as mentioned already not really “spottable”. That “new” line was new track for me. How difficult it is to tell the difference between 1435mm track and Spanish standard 1668mm, even from the platform. Atocha is not an easy station to navigate now, with platforms on two levels, and Cercanias trains about as well . We came in on the top level and our onward train would be from the lower level, but we had done this manoeuvre before, and had time for a quick drink and a sandwich right beside our platform – at a price. Our next train was the daily Santander to Alicante Alvia express, which left at 12.45, exactly to time again, with 130-009. This was on the “new railway” all the way to Alicante. The last time we caught this train from Madrid the “new line” beyond Albacete was not finished and we went through the gauge changing machine there. So, we had new track from Albacete to Alicante. I tried very hard to make out the lay of the junction to Valencia at La Encina (not finished yet) but couldn't really understand it. I expect some one knows what is going on, and when it is finished it will be clear enough. There was a freight train on the “old railway” going towards Valencia, near to La Encina, with a brightly coloured locomotive which I did not recognise. They are gradually opening up freight to different companies. We were in to Alicante dead on time at 15.32. The 16.05 train for Murcia took us back to Albatera in fine style, after three days on the trains, with quite a lot of new track added to my map. Albacete to Alcazar and Ciudad Real, and then Ciudad Real to Madrid and on the way home Albacete to Alicante. We had travelled about 1,475 kilometres, altogether a great trip.

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Miranda de Ebro - A Major Junction in North West Spain By Chris Elliott

M iranda sits astride the Imperial line from Madrid to Irun - Hendaye. A glance at the Horario Guia of Junio 1953 reveals that the fastest train Talgo 20 left Irun at 0910 to arrive in Madrid Norte at 1830, a journey of 9hrs 20 mins.

Today the fastest train Alvia 04086 leaves Irun – Hendaye at 0840 and arrives in Madrid Chamartin at 1446, a journey of 5hrs 25 mins. Whereas one cannot compare Miranda de Ebro with Crewe or Clapham Junction it was a real pleasure to spend a couple of days at one of Spain's busiest rail junctions. The principle routes apart from the Madrid to Irun-Hendaye that radiate from Miranda, are 1 Barcelona to Bilbao via Zaragoza, Tudela de Navarra and Castejon; 2 Zaragoza to Burgos via Pamplona and Vitoria-Gasteiz and Miranda. My host was Juan Delgado Luna who not only writes for the Spanish monthly "Hobbytren" but has written two excellent books 150 “Anos de Ferrocarril en Miranda de Ebro 1862 – 2012” and “El nudo ferroviario de Miranda de Ebro”. Miranda de Ebro as it name suggests sits astride the river Ebro which gathers strength as it flows through Zaragoza and into the Mediterranean just south of Tarragona. Miranda boasts not only a major passenger train interchange but a steady flow of freight, car transporters, steel coil trains and containers arriving and departing for the frontier at Hendaye. Passenger trains include AVEs, AVANTs, INTERCITEs; the overnight Trenhotel Sur Express from Hendaye to Lisbon, plus the local Media Distancia and TERs. One needs a good map to work out exactly where the many trains are heading. The route taken from Miranda to Burgos via the narrow pass at Pancorbo is breath-taking where the railway line sits next to the motorway and the N1. It’s worth driving through the narrow streets of the village Pancorbo and up to a ‘col’ where the motorway, major N1 and railway siting alongside each other can be viewed. The busiest time of the day is in the evening from 1830 to 2130. The AVANT from Barcelona to Bilbao passes through Miranda and small sections of the line are single track between Castejon de Ebro, Logrono and Calahorra. The writer experienced a signal failure en route to Miranda from Barcelona which added over 75 minutes to a 20 minute scheduled journey. Perhaps the most reminiscent event was watching the late night Intercité drop one coach to form the onward express to Bilbao, this type of scene disappeared long ago in central Europe. Sadly in a way taking into account Miranda’s strategic role, it had the largest steam locomotive depot. It has now become the last resting place for a whole range of locos, electric and diesel. The early different classes of Japanese built locos are also to be found there. The only small steam loco a tank engine is to be found not in the station but close to the ‘Restaurant El Wagon’. A little footnote; Barcelona Sants has become an extremely busy station with a separate arrivals and departure board for all of its high speed services. The travelling public has to put their baggage through a security scanner like any airport and then all tickets, whether traditional paper, internet paper or smartphone have to be controlled before being allowed down on to the platform. All of this takes quite some time and

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anyone departing from this station should allow up to 45 minutes before the planned departure. The future lies with the opening of Barcelona Sagrera new central station, but lack of funds has temporarily stopped all work apart from the concrete structure, there is an excellent English language description of what is planned to be viewed on www.barcelonasagrera.com. Books worth reading; Trevor Rowe’s ‘Los Ferrocarriles de Espana y Portugal this is the Spanish language version of Railways of Spain and Portugal, published in 1989. The English version appeared in 1970. Juan Delgado’s two books 150 “Anos de Ferrocarril en Miranda de Ebro 1862 – 2012” and “El nudo ferroviario de Miranda de Ebro”. Copies of these two books can be ordered via Chris Elliott and sent direct by Juan Delgado Luna. christopher.elliott@club-internet.fr.

Tank Loco next to restaurant ‘El Wagon’. Miranda, 19/05/15

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Loco series 253 heads freight through Pancorbo. Miranda, 19/05/15

Mural for the restaurant ‘El Wagon’. Miranda, 19/05/15

15 Pancorbo seen from the Col. 19/05/15

Pancorbo station. 19/05/15

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Two class 252 electric locos outside the loco depot. Miranda, 20/05/15

RENE Infraestructura electric. Miranda, 20/05/15

17 Withdrawn Class 597 TER sets. Miranda, 20/05/15

Withdrawn Class 321 and Class 309 diesels. Miranda, 20/05/15

18 ADIF 311 shunter in old ADIF livery. Miranda, 20/05/15

RENFE mobile workshop. Miranda, 20/05/15

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Class 311 in current colour scheme. Miranda, 20/05/15

Class 252 backing on to the single carriage to form the Intercité to Bilbao, 21/05/15

20 Miranda de Ebro’s fine Victorian age station canopy

Class 251 Japan built electric loco arriving with flats loaded with rails, 21/05/15

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Rail map in ceramic tiles at Miranda, typical of the Norte style, 21/05/15

Tren Hotel for Lisboa change of drivers, 21/05/15

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Miranda main station building, 21/05/15

Redundant goods building await demolition. Miranda, 20/05/15

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Europe's Longest Metre Gauge Passenger Service By Dr Mike Bent

N owadays luxurious 'land cruise' trains such as 'El Transcantábrico' and 'Expreso de La Robla' might lay claim to this title, but these, although scheduled passenger services, do not have as their main objective the movement of

passengers from A to B in the shortest possible time. The title-holder existed on Europe's most extensive metre gauge network, but its demise came, after a very brief life, 100 years ago in December 2014: the ephemeral through express from Hendaye to Oviedo. In those days Oviedo was the furthest west one could go on the integrated metre gauge network, which was then operated by five private companies. In the east was the Compañía del Ferrocarril a San Sebastián a Irún, which completed its line to Hendaye on 13 July 1913. Then came Ferrocarriles Vascongados, whose main line ran from Donostia (San Sebastián) to Bilbao-Atxuri. The Ferrocarril de Santander a Bilbao operated not only the line after which it was named, but also the Bilbao-San Nikolas to Plentzia line on the right bank of the Nervión, these two parts of the network being physically linked by means of two short lines in the eastern suburbs of Bilbao, from Matiko to Azbarren (inaugurated 15 April 1918) and Ariz-Azbarren to Basurto (inaugurated on 7 January 1906). Both these short lines involved a considerable amount of tunnelling. The Santander a Bilbao had its own magnificent terminus in Bilbao city centre, Bilbao-Concordia, but in Santander shared facilities with the Compañía del Ferrocarril del Cantábrico in what was generally known as the Estación de la Costa, an ornate structure completed in 1905 on land now occupied by the first block of flats on the seaward (south) side of the Hotel Bahía, adjacent to the ferry terminal. The Cantábrico and Ferrocarriles Ecomómicos de Asturias shared operation of the line from Santander to Oviedo, with locomotives being exchanged at the 'border' station of Llanes. Incidentally, by 1914 it was possible to travel further east and south (and southwest) on the integrated metre gauge network. From Donostia there were services to Pamplona, where one could change to the Ferrocarril del Irati's electric interurban trams, and reach Sangüesa, practically in the foothills of the Pyrenees. From Bilbao there was the Ferrocarril de La Robla's long line, terminating at La Robla, between León and Oviedo. But west of Oviedo the integrated network came to an end, and what existed was nothing like what we have today. The Ferrocarril de Langreo, between Gijón and Pola de Llaviana, was 1,445 mm gauge. The metre gauge Ferrocarril de Carreño only ran as far as the iron ore staithes at Regueral, just west of Candás. The Ferrocarril Vasco-Asturiano linked Oviedo with San Esteban de Peavia, but terminated at Ujo-Taruelo, at the confluence of the Caudal and Aller. The notion of a line from Ginón to Ferrol was still only a twinkle in the eyes of its diverse promoters. A metre gauge line was under construction between El Musel, Gijón, and L'Entregu, but it was never completed. Significantly, the line through the southeastern suburbs of Oviedo, uniting the Económicos and Vasco networks was still in its planning stages, and was not to become a reality until the 1920s.

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What made the economy of the northern coastal zone tick? Donostia was an evolving seaside resort, along Belle Époque lines, favoured by the royalty, and by the French. Bilbao, exporting locally mined iron ore to Britain, and receiving in return Welsh coal, had its string of steelworks along the left bank of the Nervión. Santander also had its steelworks, Nueva Montaña, but was rivalling Donostia in popularity as a resort, though with mainly Spanish clients, from the cities of the interior. Royalty were also present in summer here (Queen Isabel II frequently dipped in the sea at El Sardinero, in an attempt to cure her herpes), and also at Comillas. At Barreda, just north of Torrelavega, the Belgian firm of Solvay had established a caustic soda works, relying on coal supplied by rail from mines owned by the company just south of Lieres. Reocín, immediately to the southwest of Torrelavega, was one of the homes of the Real Compañía Asturiana de Zinc, which mined this mineral not only locally there, but also at Arditurri, near Irún, in the Udías district in Cantabria (north of Cabezón de la Sal) and at remote locations in the Picos de Europa. The zinc went by sea from Requejada (near Barreda) to Arnao in Asturias, just west of Avilés, for smelting. There was practically no way it could have gone by rail, without a good deal of transhipment! The coal mining industries in the valleys to the south, southeast and southweat of Oviedo were well-established, and steelworks, such as Duro-Felguera (Langreo), Moreda (Gijón) and the Fábrica de Mieres (north of Mieres) had evolved too. Industrial landscapes co-existed with the wildest of natural ones. The economies of most coastal settlements relied on fishing as their mainstay, while livestock farming predominated in rural areas. The rural landscape was probably less forested than it is today, with a predominance of deciduous woodlands, and an almost total absence of eucalyptus and coniferous plantations. The rural and industrial economies were closely interrelated. Before washeries were built near the Asturian coal mines it was commonplace for miners to receive salmon as part of their wages. The salmon soon beat a hasty retreat as the rivers were blackened with coal dust, a phenomenon that prevailed until the economic restructuring of the 1990s. Many industrial workers, from farming families, often shared their time between their factory or mine work and the family smallholding, and industrial concerns were accustomed to the high rate of absenteeism during harvesting and calving seasons. 'Green Spain' was in those days surprisingly accessible from much of northern Europe. Such was the level of trade between these regions that was easier, so people said, to travel from Gijón to Britain (by sea) than it was to travel by train to Madrid. El Musel was a regular port of call for liners bound from Europe to the former Spanish colonial possessions, and nearby Gijón (also favoured as a resortt on occasions by royalty) was the home of numerous foreign shipping agencies. Apparently the game of cricket became quite popular in the posh eastern suburb of Somió. Bilbao was similarly accessible. With many of the industrial concerns having an element of French or Belgian capital, one must assume that there were also regular movements of leading management to and from these countries – after all, at the dawn of the 20th century the telephone was still in its relative infancy, and nobody had yet dreamed up e-mail! Tourists, unlike in Switzerland and Germany at that time, were very thin on the ground. The Grand Tour itineraries by-passed norhhern Spain. There was very little information available. The only English language 'guide book' in print by the late 19th century being the classic 1885 travelogue 'The Highlands of Cantabria' by Mars Ross and H. Stonehewer-Cooper, which frankly speaking has never been surpassed and which was

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recently re-published in Spanish! Baedeker covered the area in its guide books, and provided comprehensive train timetables. In the inter-war years Liverpool University ran summer courses based in Donostia, and published a useful little guide book to Euzkadi. Efforts to lure foreign visitors to the region by the various Cámaras de Comercio (Chambers of Commerce) in the cities along the north coast were noticeable by their absence. Indeed, it would appear that they were satisfied with the type of holiday trade which already existed, and still, to a lesser extent exists over a century later. Well-heeled folk from the cities of the interior would, in those days before universal air-conditioned offices, pack their bags and move, lock, stock and barrel up to their holiday villas in the towns and villages bordering the Cantábricio. Women and children first, for the whole summer season, followed by their breadwinners for the few weeks of holiday they were entitled to. So the northern provinces were only very slowly becoming aware of their scenic splendours, and considering means of attracting foreign tourists. Unlike in Norway, for instance, Thomas Cook had no partner who could be relied upon to develop early package holidays. Cook's Norwegian partner was the physician Ferdinand Louis Scarlett and it was partly thanks to his efforts that the 'Land of the Midnight Sun' has become so popular with visitors. There were no regular steam packets from northern Europe, unlike there were on the North Sea and English Channel. The easiest access was, of course, by rail, through France to Hendaye, which was reached by the electrified metre gauge line from Donostia. As we have indicated, most international travel to and from northern Spain in the early 20th century seems to have been for business purposes. In 1904 the various Cámaras de Comercio and the railway companies started toying with the idea of a through train service along the coast, though it was not until 1908 when serious negotiations started. The companies failed to reach a definitive agreement until 25 May 1912, when they placed a 129,6000-peseta order with the Sociedad Española de Construcciones Metálicas for seven luxurious carriages, four first class (Afv 1 to 4) and three third class with luggage compartments (CDfvh 1 to 3), the expense being shared according to the length of each operator's network which the train would use. These were non-gangwayed corridor vehicles. The costs were shared by the four main companies on the basis of the length of route the proposed train would traverse – Vascongados 27.73%, Santander a Bilbao 26.24%, Cantrábrico 21.72% and Económicos 24.31%. Payments were made in three installations, the first of 30% when the contract was signed, the second, of 60% on 30 September 1913, and the final 10% when the stock was handed over, this also being in September 1913. It was decided to defer the inauguration of the service until spring 2014, bearing in mind the possible low demand during the winter months. The inaugural service was on 25 June 1914. The train left Hendaye on time at 08.23, all seats occupied. Arrival at Santander was 45 minutes late because of a hot axle-box detected in Bilbao, the defective carriage being replaced there by another vehicle (the composition was limited to the three first and two third class carriages). Subsequently the Hendaye departure was at 08.50 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, arrival in Oviedo being at 22.12 (13h22). Eastbound departures were from Oviedo at 08.48 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with arrival in Hendaye at 22.32 (13h44). Westbound a 30-minute lunch break was provided at Bilbao-Concordia, while

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eastbound a 30-minute lunch stop was made at Llanes. The average speed for the 473 km run was 35 km/h, which is quite impressive given the fact that there were reversals at Donostia, Bilbao and Santander, locomotive changes at Bilbao, Santander and Llanes, steam haulage was necessary practically throughout, use probably being made of the fleets of sure-footed Krauss Engerths. It is probable that an electric motor car was used for haulage on the stretch from Hendaye to Donostia. None of the network was designed for high speed running, and the lines abounded in curves and long gradients steeper than 2%. Bearing in mind the fact that nowadays FEVE and Euskotren EMUs and DMUs have to reach 80 km/h whenever possible to maintain schedules, operation must have been quire a challenge. Only single tickets were issued, for journeys longer than 50 km, and luggage had to be sent in advance. Unfortunately no documentary evidence appears to have survived of the timetables showing intermediate stops. In theory, depending on connections at Hendaye, the journey between Oviedo and Paris could have been accomplished in a little over 24 hours – not bad even by 2015 standards. The service continued until 9 December 2014, being suspended then on account of the low patronage anticipated during the rest of the winter. Vascongados calculated average patronage as 51.19 passengers westbound, and 27.9 eastbound In 1915 the companies considered reviving the train, but the FFCC Económicos de Asturias and the FC del Cantábrico warned against doing so, on account of the social and economic impacts of the First World War – the few foreign tourists had all but disappeared. In 1919 the companies jointly published a guide booklet of over 60 pages to touring northern Spain by rail. The Hendaye to Ovedo express was never completely revived, but . . . Between 13 August 1927 and 21 February 1932 there was a service, every other day, from Santander to Hendaye. This was timed as follows:

Again, tickets for journeys of less than 50 km were not sold. The first class carriage was a through working from Santander to and from Hendaye, while third class passengers had to change trains at Donostia in each direction. Patronage was sparse, with a daily average

13.00 Santander 18.08 16.00 Bilbao-Concordia 13.45 16.10 Bilbao-Concordia 13.30 16.28 Ariz 13.12 19.27 Donostia 10.14 19.47 Donostia 10.01 20.32 Hendaye 09.00 21.48 Hendaye 08.45 11.05 Paris 20.40

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of eight passengers. The eastbound journey between Oviedo and Hendaye was also still possible within a day, as timetables for 1930 show. In November that year one could leave Oviedo at 09.20, change trains at santander (15.20 to 15.354) and reach Bilbao-Concordia at 18.47. That gave time to walk to Bilbao-Atxuri in readiness for the 20.00 service to Donostia arriving at 22.28 (the Vascongados line was by then electrified). No information is available regarding times for the final stretch to Hendaye, or regarding the westbound service. Clearly connections with overnight trains to and from Paris would have been impossible. Between 1939 and 15 June 1943 there was a through carriage (apparently Abfv 4 was used) attached to regular daily services from Santander (14.00) to Bilbao and Donostia (21.16), the return service leaving Donostia at 11.30 and reaching Santander at 19.12. This carriage was the penultimate one in the rake which was blown off the viaduct at Zumaia on 15 February 1941. It rolled over on the embankment, but was more fortunate than others, nearer the locomotive, which ended up in the Urola river. Apparently this train, bound for Donostia, was running 55 minutes late because of having to wait for the through carriage from Santander. This was an unforgettable night of hurricane-force southerly winds, which provoked a fire which devastated most of the old city centre of Santander. While Vascongados managed to keep the limited-stop Pullman service between Bilbao and Donostia running from the late 1920s until the advent of the motorway in the late 1960s, using stock which eventually ended up as day cars FEVE's first 'El Transcantábrico' (and which is still in service), none of the other operators made any effort to revive through limited-stop services. As the N-634 coast road was graduallty realigned and improved in the 1960s and 1970s, private car ownership grew, and TuryTrans (now absorbed by ALSA) started operating express coach services along the coast, there was really no need. Under FEVE administration there were, however, a number of brave attempts. In the mid-1980s there was a short-lived 'express' service between Bilbao (08.15) Santander (11.08) and Oviedo (15.30), the eastbound working leaving Oviedo at 14.17 and reaching Santander at 18.22 and Bilbao at 21.09. Although rather slower, there was also a through service from Bilbao (14.50) to Oviedo (21.42) which would have permitted a through journey in one day between Hendaye and the Asturian capital, albeit with a walk between Atxuri and Concordia termini in Bilbao. Eastbound the 07.55 from Oviedo was a through service to Bilbao (15.07) so here again one could have reached Hendaye in the evening by train. Although these were advertised as through services, in fact passengers often had to change DMUs in Santander. The 1986 FEVE timetable, which appeared in A4 booklet form, was perhaps the operator's supreme effort. Timings were exceptionally tight, the infrastructure was not yet in the best of condition, and there were instances of derailments through excess of speed. The last real effort to create an accelerated service was in summer 1992, when FEVE introduced the 'InterCity' non-stop train pair linking Santander and Bilbao in two hours flat, non-stop. Again this was just about achievable, but the trains attracted very few passengers, and disappeared from the scene very quickly. In 1998 EuskoTren operated a through Bilbao to Hendaye service using refurbished Class 300 EMUs and branded Euskopullman, but this only survived two years.

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And what of today? one might ask. The sad reality is that the Autovía del Cantábrico now runs all the way from Hendaye to the border with Galicia and beyond. The 400-odd kilometres between Oviedo and the French border can be covered by car, non-stop, in a shade over four hours, but in far less comfort or safety than could be offered by a modern DMU or locomotive-hauled train complete with a buffet car. Departures from Oviedo are at 08.35 and 15.35 to Santander (13.30 and 20.32), the 4h55/57 journey time being far slower than anything offered over the past 30 years, since the introduction of the Class 2400 EMUs – even though most services are now maintained by more sprightly (theoretically) Class 2700 DMUs. Westbound the 09.10 and 16.10 from Santander reach Oviedo at 14.10 and 21.09 – tragic schedules which a powerful Engerth with a light trailing load could possibly match. Departures from Santander are at 08.00, 14.00 and 19.00 to Bilbao (10.46, 16.46 and 21.46) and from Bilbao at 08.02, 13.02 and 19.30, reaching Santander at 11.01, 15.59 and 22.13. With hourly or more frequent services on the Euskotren network, in theory it is possible to manage Oviedo to Hendaye, or vice-versa, in one day, providing connections in Santander are held. Which they were not in summer 2014, because of the tiresome 5.5 km 30 km/h 'temporary' speed restriction imposed in late May between Camango and Nueva, east of Ribadesella, thanks to sleeper damage caused by a derailed wagon bogie. FEVE subsequently re-adjusted the timetables (in November!) to take this into account, and only in early January 2015 did it become known that the contract for track repairs had been adjudicated. And, sadly, northwest Spain has never taken off as a tourist destination in a similar fashion to Switzerland or Notrway. The British media has made efforts, a 1980s report in 'The Times' tastefully describing Cantabria and Asturias as 'An endless Somerset with the Alps in the background'. It should also be recalled that the first real opening up of 'Green Spain' to foreign tourism was the initiative of a French ferry company originally founded to export cauliflowers from Bretagne to Britain, Brittany Ferries, in the late 1970s. The latter, in its 1980s brochures, even attempted to lure passengers onto the train, mentioning the 'narrow gauge railway which runs along the coast'. And one does actually find British travellers, not necessarily railway enthusiasts, on board the trains, not only in high summer. The efforts to promote the north coast, and the railway, have come mainly from abroad. In 2014 the Asturian tourism board evaluated the potential of the Chinese market, expressing with some surprise that Chinese tourists do not like lying on beaches and sunbathing, and that some re-evaluation of the 'tourism offer' would be necessary. Perhaps a step further east, to Japan might be necessary, to see how the Japanese sensitively exploit the scenic potential of their huge 1,067 mm gauge network to both domestic and foreign markets!

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The aftermath of hurricane winds at the bridge of Zumaia over the Urola river on the night of 15th February 1941

The carriages were built at the Beasain carriage works with underframes supplied by the Sociedad de Construciones Metálicas of Zorroza (Bilbao). Each first class carriage cost 23,776.75 pesetas, and each of the three third class/vans cost 12,390.70 pesetas. These sums were paid to the Sociedad Española de Construciones. The lighting was electric, with Tudor batteries, situated in the guard’s vans. Electrical assembly was realised by Peninsula Engine, which also supplied the short circuit breakers, the lights and battery charging equipment. The steel underframes of the three third/vans cost 52,745 pesetas, without timber cladding.

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Another view of the Zumaia bridge accident in 1941 showing some cars in the river. The heavy Brown-Boveri Crocodile locomotive survived.

The bridge over the Urola near Zumaia in pre-electrification days. A Vascongados Krauss Engerth-type 2-6-0 (probably built in 1906) ESS-2202 crosses with a passenger service.

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La Asociacion Sevillana de Amigos del Ferrocarril This is the first of a series of short articles featuring the many local railway societies in Spain. As its name suggests La Asociacion Sevillana de Amigos del Ferrocarril is based in Seville the capital city of Andulusia. It’s not fiction but their premises are to be found on platform 8 ½ , to be more exact between the two platforms 8 & 9 and at platform level. Not a sign of Harry Potter or the Weazleys.

One you step inside you come across a small library, an interesting collection of railway artefacts and an extra-large layout. The layout is often open to the younger pub-lic and is a great success. Their meetings are on Tuesday and Friday from 20.00 to 21.30

They publish two editions a year of their journal Revista called ‘TREN’, the 50th edition appeared in April 2013. Most issues are viewable at www.issuu.com/asaf. Not surprisingly, money is scarce so organising special trains has become out of their reach, Their President Manuel Galan Eruste told the writer that Andalusia is not as wealthy as Barcelona and Catalonia.

Seville is worth the visit with not only AVE services to and from Cordoba and Madrid nut other services on Iberian gauge. The line south from Seville to Cadiz is be-ing converted to a 25Kv operation and the track is being rebuilt to allow operating speeds approaching 200 km /h. Chris Elliott