Featuring FAMAGUSTA and KALAVASOS
The city of Famagusta has some of the finest examples of mediaeval architecture in the eastern Mediterranean, considered equal to that of the old cities of Carcassone and Ragusa (Dubrovnik). During the 1960s and 1970s Famagusta became one of the most desirable destinations in Cyprus, but the conflict in 1974 completely destroyed the town's booming tourist industry. Thankfully visitors are again making their way back to see the historical buildings, Venetian city walls, Othello's Tower, ruined buildings, mosques and museums. Cyprus is a veritable outdoor museum, and in Famagusta you'll find plenty of historical interest, including some obscure artefacts for rail enthusiasts…click here for a link to Hugh Ballantyne's excellent page on the Cyprus Government Railway
(Above-Below) The Cyprus Government Railway (CGR) 2' 6" gauge railway line ran from Famagusta to Nicosia and beyond to Morphou, but due to fierce competition from road haulage the route closed to all traffic in 1951. The loco that hauled the last train from Nicosia on 31st December 1951 is now mounted on a plinth outside the former Famagusta station on Polat Pasha Boulevard. The Hunslet 0-6-0T No 1 (built 1904) received a comprehensive cosmetic overhaul under the direction of Colonel Barry Turner of 48 Command Workshops REME in 1972. In these photos taken January 2010 the loco looks in remarkable condition for its age - 106 years-old! Alas, the same can't be said for the geezer in the silly hat, body warmer, scarfe and gloves. Yes, it's yours truly - the sun might be shining but it was a cold day...though nothing like as cold as the sub-zero temperatures I left behind in England!
(Above-Below) The Famagusta station building also remains intact, and is now used as a Land Registry Office. However, surprise-surprise! Take a stroll behind the station and you'll find the former 3-road loco shed, railway workshop and yard, albeit empty and disused - yet the general layout of the building clearly reveals its railway origins and British colonial influence, as does the flaking paintwork of the sign above the door which says in English - 'Locomotive Department' - photo taken January 2010 - more than sixty years since the shed closed! Click here to visit Cypnet page on the CGR
(Above-Below) Access to the shed and workshops is restricted, of course, but when viewed through the windows and cracks in the doors, the interior is remarkably crammed full of miscellaneous bits and bobs from bygone days, though not necessarily railway relics - the local Highways Department has occupied the site for many years. Click here for a link to James Waite's illustrated page on the CGR. The line was also used by the Cyprus Mines Corporation to transport copper and chrome ore and asbestos to the docks at Famagusta.
(Above-Below) The shed and workshop buildings retain many architectural features from steam days - a traditional stone-built standard railway engine shed with large side windows, pitched roof with a gable at each end and roof vent running its full length to assist in the escape of smoke and fumes. Some of the rusting relics scattered about the place are easily identifiable, such as the old shed water tank - I think! The tower is situated within the perimeter of the Fire Department premises (behind the old station) and has a GWR'sh look to it! The structure remains in one piece as does the frame of the gantry hoist and the Cowans & Sheldon hand crane, all surprisingly in a good state of preservation. The rear of the shed building can be seen in the right background.
(Above-Below) The Carlisle firm of Cowans & Sheldon was founded in 1846 by John Cowans and Edward Sheldon, both ex-apprentices of the great railway pioneer George Stephenson. The firm's Woodbank Ironworks south of Upperby, became one of the most important railway and marine engineering companies in the world, manufacturing of a wide range of cranes, from railway breakdown cranes to dockside and floating cranes for marine applications. In June 1961 they merged with Clyde Crane & Booth, and in August 1968 the firm merged with Clarke Chapman & Co. Ltd. as part of its Crane & Bridge Division.
(Above) Staying on the subject of Cowans & Sheldon, the vacuum operated turntables built by thr company found their way to many BR loco depots, including Kings Cross, Camden, Crewe, Carnforth and Haymarket (Edinburgh). The vacuum was derived from the steam locomotive's ejector, however some turntables were fitted with huge tanks to enable dead locos to be turned, or locomotives not equipped with vacuum braking system. They were technically known as articulated tables, being hinged across the centre so as to distribute the weight of the loco between the two sets of carrying wheels and the centre bearing. The turntable installed at Fort William now resides at Kidderminster on the Severn Valley Railway. Click here for link to ER Morten's shot of Fort William shed.
(Above) Kalavasos is a picturesque tourist village on the west bank of the Vasilikos River, located south-west of the city of Larnaca, 40 kilometres from the capital city of Nicosia and about 20 kilometres from the town of Limassol. In the centre of the village plaza is the Archaeological Museum, in which you can find archaeological finds that were unearthed during recent excavations. There are many archaeological places of interest, including the famous mining area of Kalavasos, once consisting of five mines for the excavation of copper-bearing ores. These mines were known as 'Platies', 'Petra', 'Mavri Sykia', 'Lantaria', and 'Mavridia', all of them belonging to the Greek Mining Company (GMC). The piles of rust and other mining leftovers provide proof that there was mining activity during ancient times attributed to the Phoenicians and later on to the Romans. The ore from the Kalavasos mines was transferred via railway to the harbour of Vasiliko. Rail Cameraman, Roy Lambeth took these shots with a Practica Super TL 35mm camera of Plymouth Diesel No.3 shunting the copper mine yard a few weeks before closure in 1976. More of Roy's Cyprus photos can be found here on the delightful 'Narrow Gauge Heaven' website
If anyone has any additional information for photo captions on this page I would dearly love to hear from them...full acknowledgement given.
MORE IMAGES OF FAMAGUSTA...
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