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hide options panelPonferrada - Villablino
21 photos
updated : 2020-12-19
The F.C. de Ponferrada - Villablino was a 62km metre gauge coal carrier in north-west Spain and remained 100% steam worked until 1980. It was blessed with superb scenery, plenty of impressive bridges and tunnels and a fleet of very distinctive locomotives. I made three visits from 1979 to 1981.
P.V. 2-6-0s
14 photos
updated : 2020-12-19
The PV acquired a fleet of 10 Krauss-Engerth 2-6-0+4 locos between the 1930s and the 1960s, six second hand locos and four bought new. They slowly displaced the Baldwin 2-6-2Ts and handled almost all line work in the later years. There were also two conventional 2-6-0s used for power station trips.
P.V. 2-6-2Ts
6 photos
updated : 2020-12-19
Ten 2-6-2Ts were ordered from Baldwin for the opening of the Ponferrada - Villablino line in 1919 and continued to work until dieselisation in the 1980s. In the early years they worked everything but, as the line acquired more powerful locos, the tanks were increasingly relegated to shunting and short trips.
Palma - Sa Pobla and Manacor
2 photos
updated : 2020-12-19
Unlike the Soller line, Mallorca's other railway is nothing like as interesting or visually appealing. The metre gauge SFM operates services using modern EMUs on the core Palma - Inca - Enllaç section and DMUs from Enllaç on the branches to Sa Pobla and Manacor. The whole network is now electrified.
F.C de Soller
18 photos
updated : 2020-12-19
The Mediterranean island of Mallorca is home to a fascinating electric railway, the FC de Soller, which still runs all its trains with traction built in the late 1920s. To add to the charm, the journey begins with street running through Palma before crossing the island to finish with a spectacular descent into Soller.
Narrow Gauge
39 photos
updated : 2020-12-19
Narrow gauge lines were once common in Spain but are now the exception to the rule. Most had closed by the late 1970s but the superb Ponferrada - Villablino coal line lasted long enough for me to visit around 1980 and, more recently, the lines on Mallorca have provided material for my cameras.
Cartagena - Murcia - Albacete
12 photos
updated : 2020-12-19
Passenger services on the Cartagena - Murcia - Albacete line in south-eastern Spain were still worked by diesel locos in 2007. This included the last dedicated Talgo machines of class 354 and the new class 334s. There was also some heavy freight to and from the industries at Escombreras.
Class 333.3, 333.4
2 photos
updated : 2020-12-19
The original Class 333 was a 3300hp GM engined Co-Co diesel-electric based on the DSB MZ and built by Macosa. A total of 93 were built in 1974-76. From 2000 most were 'rebuilt' to class 333.3 using little of the original apart from the engne and generator. The 333.4s are 333.3s adapted for passenger use.
Class 334
5 photos
updated : 2020-12-19
The RENFE Class 334 is a GM engined Bo-Bo diesel-electric built in 2006-08 for passenger work. The design is closely related to the BR class 67 and Vossloh Euro3000, produced at the same Valencia plant, but incorporates main generators and ETH equipment from scrapped class 319.3 diesels.
Class 354
3 photos
updated : 2020-12-19
The RENFE Class 354 was the last of 3 purpose built B-B diesel-hydraulic classes designed to haul Talgo trains at speeds of upto 180km/h, later increased to 200km/h. Krauss-Maffei built 8 locos in 1984-84 but several were written off in accidents and the last 3 were withdrawn in 2009.
Spain's railways certainly haven't lacked variety over the last 50 years, most of which is now history. Galleries here include the last steam worked narrow gauge line, an electric railway that still uses 90 year old motor coaches today and a diesel worked main line running through the arid hills of the south.
