One of the last standing relics harking back to Malta’s brief railway history, a 19th century station in Hamrun has been inaugurated following months of restoration and conservation works carried out by the town’s local council, turning a “distant vision to reality”, in the words of Hamrun Mayor, Christian Sammut.
The railway station, which stopped functioning as such when the use of Malta’s rail system came to an end in 1931 following the introduction of buses, is one of a few stations left on the island, alongside the Birkirkara station which was turned into a museum and the Mtarfa station which houses a restaurant.
The Hamrun station, which has long been in use by the 1st Hamrun Scout Group Duke of Argyll’s Own, was closed for restoration for several months, during which time works were carried out on its stonework, ceilings, lighting, flooring and general aesthetic, bringing it “back to its former glory”, wrote Hamrun Mayor Christian Sammut, while contributing to the overall regeneration of the town.
“Conservation and restoration works were carried out to ensure the site is more secure and attractive,” he added, as well as more faithful to its historic state by reverting to the station’s original colours of black, red and green.
The local council, which inaugurated the site last week, shared how this project created an opportunity for everybody to discover and enjoy the town’s heritage. The project had been in the pipeline since 2018.
The station was one of a small number dotted around the island that all connected to a single railway line from Valletta to Mdina, operating from 1883 to 1931.
