Ferrocarril Alcoy Gandía was a Spanish railway line in operation between 1892 and 1969. It was also known as ''la chicharra'' (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

) or ''xitxarra'' (

Valencian Valencian () or Valencian language () is the official, historical and traditional name used in the Valencian Community (Spain), and unofficially in the Carche, El Carche comarca in Región de Murcia, Murcia (Spain), to refer to the Romance lan ...

History

The railway company, founded in 1882 was known as the Alcoy y Gandía Rail and Harbour Co Ltd, with company offices in both Alcoy and London. Large investments in railway infrastructure were made by English companies in Spain during the late 19th century and helped to transform Spanish travel, industry and commerce. The main motive for English investment in a railway between Alcoy and Gandia was to promote the export of coal from England to supply the growing industry found in the area. Railway construction was supervised and implemented by the Ravel Lucien Company. The inaugural journey took place on July 18, 1892. The line had connections with the Railway Company

Villena Villena () is a city in Spain, in the Valencian Community. It is located at the northwest part of Alicante (province), Alicante, and borders to the west with Castilla-La Mancha and Region of Murcia, Murcia, to the north with the province of Valenc ...

Alcoy Alcoy ( ca-valencia, Alcoi) is an industrial and university city, region and municipality located in the Valencian Community, Spain. The Serpis river crosses the municipal boundary of Alcoy. The local authority reported a population of 61,135 res ...

and Yecla (V.A.Y.) sharing material and facilities, according to a contract signed on 13 October 1908. The total length of the line was 53,355 m, with a height of 530 m between Alcoy and Gandia.

Stations

The stations and halts were located in the towns of: Puerto de Gandia - Gandia harbour (0 km);

Gandia Gandia ( es, Gandía) is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, eastern Spain on the Mediterranean. Gandia is located on the Costa del Azahar (or ''Costa dels Tarongers''), south of Valencia and north of Alicante. Vehicles can acce ...

(3 km);

Almoines Almoines () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of Safor in the Valencian Community The Valencian Community ( ca-valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, es, Comunidad Valenciana) is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous ...

(7 km);

Beniarjó Beniarjó () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of Safor in the Valencian Community, Spain. Notable people * Ausiàs March Ausiàs March (Catalan and ; 1400March 3, 1459) was a medieval Valencian poet and knight from Gandia, Valencia. ...

(9 km); Potríes (11 km);

Villalonga Villalonga () or Vilallonga () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of Safor in the Valencian Community The Valencian Community ( ca-valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, es, Comunidad Valenciana) is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the f ...

(14 km); Lorcha (27 km);

Beniarrés Beniarrés (, ) is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of Comtat in the Valencian Community The Valencian Community ( ca-valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, es, Comunidad Valenciana) is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most popu ...

(34 km);

Gayanes Gaianes (, Spanish: )Muro de Alcoy Muro de Alcoy () or Muro d'Alcoi (), also briefly called Muro (Spanish and Valencian: ) is a town and municipality located in the comarca of Comtat, in the province of Alicante, Spain, lying at the foot of the Serra de Mariola. As of 2009, it has ...

(43 km);

Cocentaina Cocentaina (, ) is a locality and municipality in the comarca of Comtat, in the province of Alicante, Spain. The village is located between the mountainous Serra de Mariola national park and the Serpis river. Cocentaina is ideally situated for both ...

(46 km);

(53 km).

Locomotives

The locomotive fleet consisted of eight 2-6-2T steam locomotives manufactured by

Beyer, Peacock & Company Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Openshaw, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer, Richard Peacock and Henry Robertson, it traded from 1854 until 1966. The company exported locomotives, ...

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

between 1890 and 1891. Each locomotive was named after a station served by the railway. Locomotive no. 2 "Villalonga" is set on a plinth in the Al-Azraq area of Alcoy, which was the terminus of the railway. Locomotive no. 7, "Cocentaina" is set on a plinth at Gandía. Both preserved locomotives are able to be viewed by the public and can be photographed easily in situ.

Museum

There is museum in

, run by Asociación Tren Alcoy-Gandía. The current chairman José Morales and the current secretary is Isidro Ferrando.

External links

FGV Official website

Wiki of spanish railways
Railway companies of Spain Transport in the Valencian Community {{Europe-airline-stub