~ Ferrocarriles de Mallorca ~
Newsletter - January 2002

Discover Majorca's forgotten railways


No, you didn't miss a Winter or December 2001 newsletter - there wasn't one !! Comparatively little has been happening on the railways of Majorca recently, whereas a great deal has been happening for me personally to divert my attention. However, what I can offer you is a few more photos which I have pinched from the webpages of our very good friends at Associació d'Amics del Ferrocarril De Balears to show you - thanks, guys !! In the absence of news from our regular visitors to Majorca I have to rely on the AAFB website, snippets from Toni and Sixco and the occasional report from the Majorca Daily Bulletin to learn what is happening.

Even before the accident reported in the last (autumn 2001) newsletter it was quite evident that Ferrocarril de Sóller's Palma Station couldn't easily handle the longer trains needed to cope with increased passenger-loadings and it was necessary to lengthen the runaround loop to accomodate the extra coach. The crash site is illustrated in the following diagram and the work undertaken has apparently moved the first point right into the gateway of the Station yard (4th March - I was wrong - it always WAS there !!).

Plan of Palma Station track layout prior to November 2002, showing the position at which the collision took place

This work had already been planned to take place and was not actually occasioned by the accident, merely coincidental.

The following images are not in any special order but they do illustrate the extent of the work undertaken which, I believe, was completed in two nights and one day !!

Let your cursor hover over each picture for a brief description or comment

Old track removed, the trackbed is being prepared for the new layout

The new connection with the rails in the street outside

Working through the night to install the new pointwork and rail layout

A view of the work in progress from the Station yard - you can see work being carried out on the catenary wires

Work in progress

Work in progress

Work in progress

Work in progress

Work in progress. Notice the point right in the Station gateway




Another story reported by my good friends at AAFB was the re-introduction into service of Sóller Tramway motor-car no. 3, following an almost complete rebuild in their workshops during which a great deal of the wooden bodywork had to be replaced.

No.3 in her very early 'Black&White' days

No.3 prior to restoration (note the bow-collector which was replaced three or four years ago by a standard scissors pantograph)

Sorry, but Juan Mora, who took the photo of tram No.3 in restored condition for the local news-sheet, Veu de Sóller, has asked that it be removed

Sorry, but Juan Mora, a journalist who took the photo of tram No.3 in restored condition for the local news-sheet "Veu de Sóller" (now "Sa Veu" - 11th April 2009), has asked that it be removed. The picture in question and the others may still be seen on the AAFB website at http://www.galeon.com/aafb/esp/diciembre2001b.html (which still works 11th April, 2009 !!) but do please come back again !!

I'm sorry the pictures are small but, once again, I've pinched them from the AAFB website and I've run out of space on my website again !!!




This is another relatively brief newsletter but I will add to it as matters of interest arise. If anything momentous should occur I will let all our regular readers know by e-mail. If anyone out there who is not already on the "mailing list" and would like to be included, please let me know. Thanks again to my contributors and supporters, any comments on the contents will be appreciated.


STOP PRESS

Mike Kaben has just (15th January) drawn my attention to some very good pictures on a German website which you can see here - follow the Mallorca link on the left hand side of the opening page. Thanks, Mike, the photos of the SFM are by Michael Rother and there is accompanying text but only in German. Hope you enjoy !!
(Unfortunately this link is now dead - 11th April, 2009)



MODEL RAILWAY NEWS

The German manufacturers of high-quality model railways, Bemo, have announced that they may, subject to the receipt of sufficient advance orders, undertake the production of a Sóller Railway motor car like the one in this picture from Mike Kaben (thanks, Mike)

Bemo hope to produce one like this in HOm scale - thanks, Mike Kaben, for this picture

If you'd like one, get your advance order in quickly - they will not be cheap but they will be good !! Follow this link to see Bemo's web page relating to this model.
(Regrettably they never did make this model and the link is dead - 11th April, 2009)



Brief descriptions of the contents of previous newsletters

Mike Kaben's Report

Books on Majorcan Railways

A Gallery of Pictures of the Sóller Railway and the Sóller Tramway is now available on Alan Rolfe's server (thanks Alan) by clicking here.

Majorca Railways Home Page

Majorca Railways Photo Gallery


Click here to go to the website of the Associación de Amigos del Ferrocarril de Baleares





Watch this site for further developments which will take place whenever new information or pictures come to hand. Any submissions or contributions of information, photos old or new, postcards, books etc., will be very gratefully and enthusiastically received and if used on the site will be suitably acknowledged (as above). The photos, pictures and diagrams used on this site are presented for your information and viewing pleasure only. If any of them should be in copyright violation and the copyright holder would care to notify me I will either remove them or acknowledge the copyright accordingly.

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© Barry Emmott 30th December, 2001