“Never kill a Bishop”

I’d not noticed before, but this photo of the Malta Railway’s inauguration shows the marquees erected on Racecourse Road above Notabile station where refreshments were[…]

Failing to fall for Fell

One of the early proposals for a railway in Malta was promoted by Major Hutchinson, an officer of the Royal Artillery, recorded as being promoted[…]

The stuff of legends

Until now, there were no known photographs of the third locomotive to enter traffic on the Malta Railway. Manning Wardle-built No.3 Arrived in 1884 and[…]

A change of plan

In 1883 the Malta Railway company directors reported to their investors that the Government Supervision Board had required them to move their originally planned location[…]

Following Floriana tunnel

A good quality photo of Floriana from the collections of the V&A museum reveals the chain of ventilation shafts over the Malta Railway tunnel. They[…]

Please use the stairs

Floriana, the second underground station on the Malta railway, lies directly below the rectangular opening in front of the Methodist church in this 1930 photo.[…]

A Tale of two Hamruns

One wonders how the original Malta Railway company managed to operate with such basic facilities at its main depot. The engine shed wasn’t large enough[…]

Colonel East’s departure

Colonel East had a rousing send-off on his departure, perhaps retirement, from Malta in April 1914. He was carried in procession from Mtarfa barracks to[…]

Railway on Trial

This is a lovely insight into the early days of the Malta Railway from the Globe newspaper in England. Although written in March 1883, it[…]

An early view of Valletta railway station

Valletta station in 1883. This photo is likely to have been taken before the official opening of the Malta Railway, in late February that year.[…]