This photo was sold as a 1950s view of races at Notabile, but is in fact the St Rocco races held in August outside the walls of Floriana for centuries. It’s Malta Railway interest lies in the inclusion of the Princess Melita Road railway bridge framing teh view.

Taken near Ta Braxia (today’s Triq L-indipendenza), it must date to before the closure of the railway in 1931; the bridge was removed shortly after that date to allow for busses and larger road traffic to pass.

The main steel span of the railway bridge can just be seen along the top of the image, demonstrating that the main span was still in place. Less obvious are the scars in the abutment stonework where the masonry was extended into the roadway and the opening available for traffic reduced in about 1892. This was to reinforce the structure and allow it to take the larger, more heavy, locomotives then planned for use on the line.