The Malta Railway

The Malta Railway - Il-Ferrovija ta Malta

Coming across a couple of long and narrow stretched canvas panels I was wondering what scenes to fill them with when an idea dawned on me of a train in a station, yes a Maltese train in a Maltese train station. Since I was born and bred in Hamrun, I would look for a photo of a train at the Hamrun Station. One that I found had too many people around so I took some artistic license and just painted a few that looked more important, like the engineer, the station master and of course a lady in a faldetta. I titled this one “Wait for the lady please”

Gew f’idejja zewg panewijiet dojoq u twal tat-tila u thassibt b’liema xeni sa nimlihom sakemm gietni l-idea ta ferrovija gewwa stazzjon, iva, ferrovija ta Malta fi stazzjon Malti. Billi twelidt u kbirt il-Hamrun, bdejt infittex ritratt tal-ferrovija fl-istazzjon tal-Hamrun. Sibt wiehed tajjeb imma kien hemm nies wisq fih ghalhekk hadt ftit licenzja artistika u pittirt ftit individwi li kienu jidhru mportanti bhall-inginier, il-kap tal-istazzjon u s’intendi mara bl-ghonnella. Din il-pittura semmejtha “Zomm naqra ha tirkeb is-sinjura”

On the second panel I painted a train pulled by a different locomotive entering the last station at Museum in Mtarfa. The train here points the other way so we now have a matching pair. In this one there are more people on the platform waiting with even a tramp sleeping on a bench and a couple of urchins posing for the photo. Everyone of course is wearing period costume from the 1920’s.

Fuq it-tieni panew pittirt ferrovija ohra migbuda b’magna differenti diehla fl-ahhar stazzjon tal-Muzew fl-iMtarfa. Pingejtha thares lejn in-naha l-ohra halli issa ghandna par pitturi jaqblu. F’din hemm aktar nies fuq il-pjattaforma jistennew u hemm sahansitra tallab rieqed fuq bank u zewgt’ itfal imqgharbin jippuzaw ghar-ritratt. Kulhadd sintendi liebes hwejjeg ta dak iz-zmien jigifieri tas-snin 20.

Later on I found an interesting picture of a train leaving Birkirkara station towards Valletta. There is also a mule waiting with a cart full of Malta stone blocks for building. The only barrier at that crossing is a chain strung across the road. All this makes the scene more interesting and relating to the period. The corner of a building with a niche of St Roque in the painting is still there except now the trains are gone forever and the roads are congested with traffic.

Aktar tard sibt ritratt iehor interessanti tal-ferrovija hierga mill-istazzjon ta Birkirkara sejra lejn il-belt Valletta. Jidher ukoll baghal jistenna b’karrettun knaten tal-gebla Maltija ghall-bini. L-unika haga li tifred in-nies mill-linji hija katina mdendla minn naha ghall-ohra tat-triq. Dan kollu jaghmel ix-xena aktar interessanti u ta dak iz-zmien. Il-kantuniera tal-bini b’nicca ta Santu Rokku li pittirt hemm ghadha fil-verita hlief li llum-il gurnata spiccat ghal dejjem il-ferrovija u t-toroq invazati bit-traffiku.

All these three paintings I have sent to Malta and are now in the care of a fledgeling Malta Railway Foundation, being exhibited frequently with the rest of the excellent contributions and models of other craftspeople on various occasions. Hopefully one will be able to see them soon hung permanently at The Malta Railway Museum which is being organized at the Birkirkara Station building.

Dawn it-tlit pitturi kollha bghatthom Malta u issa qeghda tihu hsiebhom il-Fondazzjoni tal-Ferrovija Maltija li giet iffurmata ricentement. Qed jigu esebiti ta spiss f’kull okkazzjoni li jkollha l-Fondazzjoni ma mudelli u kontribuzzjonijiet eccellenti minn dilettanti ohra. Nisperaw li ma ndumux ma naraw il-pitturi tieghi mdendlin permanenti fil-Muzew tal-Ferrovija li qed jigi organizzat fl-istazzjon ta Birkirkara.

Now for a very short description and history of the Malta Railway. In 1883 a single track narrow gauge railway from Valletta to Notabile was built, with tunnels at Valletta, under Floriana and later underneath Mdina to Mtarfa end of line. Running stock was made up of 10 locos and a number of wooden carriages on metal frames. A fair amount of embankments, bridges and cuttings had to be constructed on the 15 mile of track to level out the land. The stations were at Valletta, Floriana, Hamrun (Station & Workshop), Msida Flag platform, Birkirkara, San Antonio, Attard, San Salvatore, Notabile and later Museum Station.

Issa ghal deskrizzjoni qasira u storja tal-Ferrovija ta Malta. Fl-1883 linja tal-ferrovija wahdenija ta qies dejjaq giet mibnija mill-belt Valletta sa taht is-Saqqajja (Stazzjon Notabile) bil-mini taht is-swar ghall-istazzjon tl-belt Valletta, taht il-Floriana u aktar tard taht l-iMdina sal-iMtarfa fejn kienet tispicca l-linja. Bhala ingenji kellhom 10 magni u numru ta vaguni tal-injam fuq il-hadid ghan-nies. Kellhom jinvellaw il-medda tal-15-il mil ta linja b’ghadd ta hitan, pontijiet u qtugh fil-blat L-istazzjonijiet kienu Valletta, Floriana, Hamrun (stazzjon u post ghat-tiswija), Msida (fejn kien hemm wiehed bil-bandiera), Birkirkara,San Antonio, Attard, San Salvatore, Notabile u aktar tard Museum tal-iMtarfa.

The Malta Railway met its demise early in the 20th century with the competition of the Tramways and especially the more versatile buses. By 1931 it had ceased to function and the stock and rails sold as scrap. Only a single 3rd class carriage is left which is being restored from vandalism.

Some of the station buildings still exist, the one at Hamrunn housing the local Scout group, the Birkirkara Station destined to become a Railway Museum and the Mtarfa Station was recently refurbished as a restaurant.

Il-ferrovija spiccat kmieni fis-seklu 20 minhabba l-kompetizzjoni tat-tram u specjalment karrozzi zghar tal-linja li kienu aktar jihqu postijiet. Fis-sena 1931 il-ferrovija waqfet ghal kollox u l-ingenji u l-linji taghha gew mibjugha ghall-hadid. Vagun wiehed biss ghadu jezisti illi qieghed jigi restawrat wara li vvandalizzawh.

Uhud mill-binjiet tal-istazzjonijiet ghadhom jezistu, tal-Hamrun uzat mill-iScouts, ta Birkirkara ddestinat li jsir Muzew tal-ferrovija u tal-iMtarfa dan l-ahhar gie rrangat bhala restorant.