Yet another brilliant and informative historic photo of the Malta Railway has just turned up out of the blue. It shows the view looking north down Princess Melita Road, now Triq L’ Indipendenza, in the direction of Pieta. The focus of the image is the short train hauled by locomotive No.2 posed on the bridge, now long since demolished. The road to the left leads to Ta Braxia.

It was most likely taken in 1883, probably utilising one of several test trains that were run before the opening of the line in late February that year. The leafless trees certainly tally with being early in the year. On the footplate, is the the unmistakable presence of Franke Geneste, engineer and first railway manager, suggesting a certain sense of occasion to the photo.

Unlike some of the road traffic, the train is static to ensure a crisp result from the camera exposure. A number of the ‘passengers’ also seem too aware of the photographer for it to have been a chance encounter. It was likely taken along with several other better-known photographs as a record the completion of the Malta Railway and show-off the new engineering accomplishments.

The road here had its levels reduced to allow for traffic to pass beneath it. Even so, when busses were introduced to the Island they met with issues of safe clearance. The bridge is shown in its original condition, before Government takeover of the line and the introduction of heavier locomotives. These required the strengthening of the structure by enlarging the stone abutments supporting the iron girder section, narrowing the roadway to some extent. .