The Malta Railway never produced much advertising material. Most printed matter associated with the line was in reh form of timetables, tickets, paperwork, and the odd official report. The original Company created a few basic printed posters promoting events, but these were for basic information rather than anything eye-catching.

To fill this void, I’ve created an entirely new travel poster, one that might have graced the streets of Malta around the turn of the 20th Century. Although not a genuine historic railway poster, it takes inspiration from advertising of the era. Italian Art Nouveau design permeated into Maltese culture before WWI. Although distinctly at odds with the tastes of the Governing British, the louche new style became commonplace in Malta, particularly in architecture. Roseville in Attard is a fine example of how it influenced design.

The poster advertises one of the Railway’s most attractive features, being the fastest way to get to Mdina for locals and tourists alike. This was a time when the Railway had just extended to Mtarfa and would have been keen to capitalise on its investment. The stretch of line beyond Attard was lightly used, and a poster like this might have driven much-wanted traffic.