Malta Railway 🚂 (1883-1931) Re-visited

The Malta Railway was launched in 1883, linking the capital city Valletta with the old capital Mdina in the centre of the island and offering a much faster and more comfortable mode of public transportation than the horse-drawn carriages of the time. It ran for just under 50 years and ceased operations on 31st March 1931 as scheduled bus services became more frequent and convenient.
This video tracks several remnants of the railway along the train's former route, that include stations, tunnels, viaducts and embankments.
Most of the video was shot during February 2012 (Floriana Station footage dates from October 2011).
Audio was replaced using Audioswap because the video was blocked in Malta and other countries due to copyright restrictions.

[@markrobinson8539]

Thank you. I really enjoyed this film. Great work. I was born in Malta in 1952, returned to the UK two years later and then went back to Malta until 1959. At that time we lived in the old Governors House opposite Ghar Dalam. My parents talked about the Malta Railway because at that time we had one of the original 3rd class railway carriages set up in the back garden. I used to play in it as a young boy. It was complete then. I expect that it is the same carriage that you showed in your video. I hope one day it will be restored.

[@realadamsandler1991]

amazing video, its a shame some of these places arent being taken care of as heritage but instead are being neglected, hopefully this changes in the future

[@larrymic2526]

Wow. You did a fantastic job with that video. Lots of detail and information. I wish I could have been there with you seeing it. Amazing. Thank you so much.

[@tfar1959]

Thanks for your comment. I am happy that you enjoyed the video.

[@andreabonello594]

The Malta Railway was one of the best parts of our cultural heritage that we permanently lost

[@andreabonello594]

Maltese cultural heritage and it was a relic

[@sharonsammug9751]

Very nice vedeos lovely memories

[@cronos1911]

Thanks for the video. It was nice to see a different side of Malta. I was also surprised to see a carriage abandoned in a public place. Something that is part of history should be kept in a museum.

[@michaelgodfrey7252]

My friend and I walked the whole length in 1962 one Sunday afternoon. It was a good walk but it was not well well known then that Malta had once had a railway. There was a rumor that some of the Silema buses the green ones in 1962 had been carriages on the railway!

[@xibilfc21]

I have used Racecourse street many times in my life and I never knew that the train used to pass by from there! I noticed that ventilation shaft many times yet never knew what it was. Thanks a lot for this video! Very educative.

[@victorfloridia5710]

What a commendable and praiseworthy effort at researching this project. It is a pity that parts of the route have been either left to erode beyond recognition or lost completely. Well done!1

[@RogerWorrod]

I am GREEN with envy! I made 4 documentaries in the islands in 1996 and was presented with the sepia railway photo set. But in spite of the fact that I chased after every possible contact, I was told there was no way I could get access to too many dangerous sites. Reverse osmosis, Yes... return to my youthful love of steam, No Way. However you got permission, more power to your camera arm! I look forward to watching your other work. Well done!! You've finally filled a gap in my life time-line.

[@caccamo67]

I enjoyed every single minute of this video...keep it up and if you have more, please share...this is our history this is Malta...PROSIT

[@wiseone1949]

WOW....what an amazing video. Now all the street names, store names and ruins is odd locations I've seen on my trips to Malta make so much sense. Malta's history is like an onion, here is another layer peeled away with so much facinating information and many more layers to go. Well done and thank you for the insight into Malta history.

[@heli-crewhgs5285]

Thank you for putting this film together....., but please change the music!

[@tfar1959]

Thanks for your comment. I had to use KZbin's library for the music because my original choice was blocked. In this case, options can be quite limited especially when you look for the required duration. Nevertheless, the piece I used has some railway-sounding noises that, I thought, were appropriate in this case. I'm sorry that you don't like it!

[@wendysalter]

Really lovely trip down memory lane, lots of interesting old photos and memory kept alive in street names, and many views were familiar to me. What a shame it was not kept running though, it would be very popular now. I like the choice of music. Well done - saved for posterity!

[@tfar1959]

Thanks for your comment. Coming from you, the compliment is particularly appreciated.

[@carmelpule1]

A brilliant video on a historic aspect of Malta. Prosit for showing the tunnels that existed and it is such a pity that they are in that state. It is a pity that there are no remains of the main steam engines. Steam had its romance and that pace of past life seems to attract a lot of people who live in modern cities. This video could be an encouragement for the local authorities to open the whole track as a museum where children and others can roam. Prosit for the film and its organisation

[@petewinf]

Fascinating. Thank you!

[@xibilfc21]

Yes, after watching this video I am understanding that it's hidden somewhere near those green-houses. That's the reason why I probably never knew about it. To the outsider, it's nearly impossible to catch a glimpse of the tunnel unless you know of it's existence and where to possibly look for it because it's disguised really well.

[@paulmitford5189]

The old carriage has been restored and placed in a glassed room. Our family left Malta in 1967, from Birkirkara, and never visited any of the railway buildings or tunnels. Great film.

[@penninetrains1398]

Very interesting and informative. I have walked parts of the old railway and visited the old stations at Birkirkara and Museum, but not those at Valetta and Floriana, although I have seen the two viaducts at those places. Pity the railway was closed - it would make a fantastic tourist attraction today; even if only a short section say between Attard and Rabat.

[@pcharliep61]

Great video, I was to young to ever see the train in Malta (we left in 1968) but I remember my parents talking about it.

[@mdone8]

fascinating video - thanks for making and sharing

[@clementezammit2948]

Well done! I look forward to more meaningful videos as this one to share with my many Maltese friends in Australia.

[@thebrincats]

Great Work. Very interesting. Disappointed to see that the last remaining railway carriage has been left to ROT in Birkirkara.

[@stormus65]

NIce to see someone else follwing the former Il Vapeur Ta L'Art from Valletta to Museum. I think they should move that carriage from Birkikara to a museum otherwise a priceless piece of history will be lost to the elements.

[@rar2k11]

Thank you so much for this video! Lots of great research.

[@alfredgrech5121]

Very interesting video Tfar - prosit and keep them coming.

[@bridie183]

That was a very entertaining and informative video. Wish I had known about the railway when I lived in Malta in the late 50's and early 60's

[@pibedoro]

I own the greenhouse where Notabile Station used to be in Rabat. The land was developed in the late 70s as the then Government thought to locate the national fruit and vegetable market on this piece of land. WHAT A PITY! National heritage was destroyed in a couple of days.Big machinery destroyed everything and some months into the project, when the building for the market was already erect, it was abandoned as the foundations were very unstable and indeed the newly built building had already suffered significant structural damage. I am still in my 30s hence I don't remember how the place used to be but sometimes imagination makes me feel like going back in history.

[@alexteoli3378]

What a shame. being in my 20s I wasnt around for the boom in the 70s & 80s with its unsustaible development and lack of legislation. but at the moment I feel as if we are going back to those times in some ways :(

[@magdalenparis1185]

Bravo to tfar1959 for a very interesting video which I enjoyed watching. Not many people know about the history of our railway and this video would be very appropriate for those who wish to learn about it. As a little boy, my father remembered the railway and used to talk about it. I'm sure he would have been very pleased to see this video if he was still with us today.

[@memphismarty]

Thank you so much for this video. I have always had a fascination with the old Malta Railway and am pleased to see what's left of it. I have recently moved to Malta from Australia and have been seeking out interesting locations of Malta's past history. So much to see for such a small island!

[@tfar1959]

Thanks Timothy. It did take several hours and a few weekends to create this video, but the research and searching out locations is part of the fun!

[@tamworthterry2011]

Now thats what I call a really interesting video

[@lastschicker]

They should open the Mdina tunnel to pedestrains!

[@susanhill8332]

So interesting. Learnt so much. An excellent video. Absolutely loved the music to this video

[@littleone3611]

Awesome video

[@tfar1959]

Grazzi!

[@alinadw9718]

Super filmik Malta jest przepiękną wyspą byłam tam w 2018 r. Valletta mnie zauroczyła chciałabym tam wrócić choć na kilka dni ... 😊

[@qormi1000]

Excellent video. When is someone going to restore the carriage that is sitting in Birkirkara Gardens. Such a shame to let it rot like it is now.

[@toniofarrugia9004]

It was restored recently.

[@joabar09]

nice vid

[@lorrycamill941]

Has anyone have a film on Strait street and stories Strada Stretta a place were English and American Sailors and Soldiers use to have a break ,people would love to see and brings memories to some God Bless the Maltese Islands

[@Arzuman_Tanriverdi]

I LOVE MALTA FROM AZERBAIJAN

[@tfar1959]

Thank you for your comment Magdalen. I am pleased that you liked it

[@MrRetepyesmar]

Excellent video of the old route and some of the structures specially built for it....ventilation towers! I suppose it was a state owned railway built by military but for what purpose? Pity so few details available.

[@tfar1959]

Thanks for your comment. There are many websites that give more information about the railway's origins and history if you're interested, including Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta_Railway.

[@porkchopsx2]

wow that was amazing...

[@tfar1959]

Thanks for your comment. I am pleased that you liked the video.

[@lorrycamill941]

Great video

[@ripmax333]

What a shame having the remains of an old train cabin left exposed to the elements. That should be restored an put it in a museum.

[@stephaniescerri7308]

Very interesting!

[@TheJbb125]

Paul Very information and isntructive movie. My comments are that this should definetly be a DVD for sale (poosibly a blue ray nowadays) and I would have preferred it to include a voice over instead of the subtitling. It would be more instructive especially some of the subtitling do not appear for time to read them all. Otherwise a commendable effort. Hope to buy the DVD (or Blu-ray) in the future. Charels

[@tfar1959]

Indeed, it was the bus service and the access it provided to Malta's town and village centres, that marked the demise of the railway on the island.

[@tfar1959]

Thanks

[@tfar1959]

Thanks for your comment. Indeed, such a variety of interesting sites and dating back millenia, concentrated within a few square kms!

[@ElvioSpiteri]

Video veru interessanti. Prosit hafna tax-xoghol u d-dettal !!!!

[@tfar1959]

Thank you for your comment. The tunnel that leads beneath Mdina is just to the right of Racecourse Street on the way to Rabat.

[@michaelbonello7795]

Most interesting and great research work. It helps to keep our history alive for the coming generations. I can't help not remarking that the background music is not compatible with the video content. It's more of an Andes music. I believe a background of sound of trains and some maltese folklore music would have been more appropriate.

[@tfar1959]

Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately I had to replace the original sound using audioswap because the video was blocked by a copyright claim...

[@michaelbonello7795]

@@tfar1959 It happens to me quite often, even though mine are for voluntary purposes and non profit at all. Even though sometimes you read it's not for profit and give them credit, they still send the email...I just ignore them and let the music be...till now it worked.... they say it will be muted, but it didn't. Keep up with the excellent work.

[@RD-dn7yv]

Would Malta benefit from a light railway network nowadays? The over subscribed bus routes and volume of cars on the road is problematic for a small island.

[@tfar1959]

Thanks for your comment

[@TheLuca112233]

Very Intreresting even in 2021!! one question - why is there a fire at 12:44??

[@TheLuca112233]

After finishing at the rabat station and going over the bridge towards mtarfa...what happened next?

[@PaddyMalta]

Proset ! vera interessanti

[@olivierogiuca29]

In 1979 I have bene at Malta and I've seen the passenger car in perfect conditions. How possible is none has care? Why not today restore a part of railway and whith a subway part realize a new light railway?

[@tfar1959]

@wuzzywozza thanks for your comment. Other than the Floriana underground station, all the sites featured in my video are easily accessible to the public. I visited the Floriana underground station on the day it was open to the public for the first time after the war on 23rd Oct 2011, after it had been cleared by Floriana Local Council. I can imagine that it may have been dangerous before that.

[@gretanicholl704]

Really enjoyed video from start to finish. Most interesting. thanks

[@tfar1959]

Thanks for your comment. So nice to learn that Malta videos are followed in Azerbaijan.

[@tfar1959]

The journey took approximately 30-35min (to cover 7.5 miles), but don’t forget, the alternative at the time were horse-drawn carriages or walking

[@lilybamber4009]

THIS FILM MUST HAVE TAKEN A LOT OF TIME & TROUBLE .IT WAS VERY GOOD IN PARTS,I FELT DISGUSTED THAT A GREAT DEAL HAS BEEN LEFT TO ROT,INSTEAD OF SPENDING SOME MONEY TO IMPROVE THIS AS AN ATTRACTION .MAY I ALSO COMMENT ON THE BACKGROUND MUSIC,I THOUGHT I WAS IN INDIA.

[@rominamicallef2742]

lily bamber I agree this is not Maltese music for sure

[@cashboston166]

i know it is kind of off topic but does anyone know a good place to watch new movies online?

[@angelian6260]

@Cash Boston I would suggest flixzone. Just search on google for it :)

[@levikendrick3455]

@Angel Ian Definitely, have been watching on flixzone for years myself :)

[@yusufbaker6602]

@Angel Ian Yup, I've been using Flixzone for since april myself :D

[@marsci12]

Clip bla kliem imma li jghid hafna. PROSIT

[@tfar1959]

@wuzzywozza I suspect that the other areas you may have wished to visit, that were not accessible (and still aren't) were the rest of the tunnel from Valletta to Floriana and the tunnel beneath Mdina. There is more footage of the Floriana station on my video 'Floriana Gardens and Railway Station (1883), Malta' - watch?v=Im68jAvgta8&feature=plcp

[@EnglishmaninMalta]

hello my friend, trying to do a few staions, was interested it that bit about the tunnel under Mdina any info ?? did the tunnel start in the field where the park and ride sometimes is on the road leading up to Rabat ? and come out near the Mdina station ? big help if you can clear this up ??

[@tfar1959]

Hi Englishman in Malta, the tunnel starts to the right (looking towards Rabat) of the road that leads from Siggiewi to Rabat. It is about 200m downhill from the car park at the top of this hill. It comes out some 200m before Mtarfa (Museum) Station. Both sides of the tunnel are fenced in, on private land.

[@EnglishmaninMalta]

@@tfar1959 oh..great I will take a look , So do you know if the tunnel went under Mdina ? It must have been deep, or it could have gone to the side between Mdina and Rabat running between the roman villa ? Just can not find any info on it , thanks my friend 👍

[@tfar1959]

@@EnglishmaninMalta The tunnel goes straight, deep beneath the ditch that separates Mdina from Rabat.

[@EnglishmaninMalta]

@@tfar1959 What i give to go in ....lol

[@lubayart]

It's a pity that people in 1931 were so short-sighted... or was it the bus lobby which killed the railway?

[@societyisthere]

Grazzi. Veru sabih u interessanti.

[@siggiewi89]

Qatt ma kont nopsor ta din l informazjoni fuq il ferrovija ta Malta jew il vapur tal art. Prosit hafna

[@Pinguina58]

A very interesting film but One could find better music. I felt I was as if in an Indian camp

[@lennybaldacchino]

who ever done this thank you BUT, u where to fast no chance gave us to read what it says, what was the rush to move the letters so fast loll, we have to pose it,to read all these words,

[@tfar1959]

Thank you for the comment and feedback!

[@bogdagt]

Why you dont have any kind of railway today ?

[@tfar1959]

bogdagt, Malta is a small country and is better served with other forms of public transport.

[@Isochest]

tfar1959 Wouldn't a light rail system be a good idea? Cleaner than and carrying more people than buses on a crowded island

[@tfar1959]

Underground might actually be more practical for Malta because land is at a premium.

[@medealajtar8648]

We dont because we couldn't pay it. FYI im maltese

[@medealajtar8648]

+tfar1959 malta is too small to build one

[@toniventura2985]

Keddda tad duluri u ma tfajtx naqa train miexja 🤣

[@penzanceparade]

Somebody loved the music. I didn't

[@joefalzon8455]

7

[@tfar1959]

Thanks for your comment