Kalavasos Railway
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Nicosia |
| Locale | Cyprus |
| Dates of operation | 1938–1978 |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) |
| Length | 7.5 miles (12.1 km) |
The Hellenic Mining Company Railway at Kalavasos was a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge railway that ran between Drapia and Vasiliko, in Larnaca District, Cyprus.. It had a length of 7.5 miles (12.1 km) and operated from 1938 to 1978.
By the Anonyme Hellenic Company of Chemical Products and Manures (Railway and Aerial Ropeway) Law, 1938 [1] and the subsequent licence granted on 28 March 1938,[2] the company (later called the Hellenic Mining Company) acquired powers to build a one track railway from its mining lease area near Kalavasos to the coast one mile west of Zyyi. The Act also enabled the construction of an aerial ropeway from the terminus to a point out in the sea, to load ships. The company had been granted a mining lease on 2 January 1937 on land situated near Asgata in Limassol District and land near Kalavasos, in Larnaca District.[1]
The Hellenic Mining Company began exploitation of copper in the Kalavasos - Asgata area in 1937.[3] While the mines were in operation, the mining company ran a railway to transport the material from Drapia to Vasiliko.
The railway was constructed between September 1937 and September 1938 and was 12 km (7.5 mi) long.[4]
The marshalling yard at Drapia was 1.2 kilometres (3⁄4 mile) south-west of the village in the valley of the Vasilikos river, within the Drapia (later Ora) village area, close to the present Kalavasos dam. On leaving the Drapia yard, the railway crossed the Vasilikos river to the left (north-east) side and then ran down the valley close to the river until Kalavasos. Just south of the village, the line traversed the Kalavasos-Zyyi road on the level and then crossed the river (to the right or west side) over a two span bridge.[4] This two span bridge, a train and some trucks in tow are preserved in situe, next to the "Maria" recreation area.[5]
After transport down to the coast, the mined material was processed at Vasiliko. This was one of the main mineral processing complexes of the Hellenic Mining Company for copper and iron ore. Mineral products were loaded onto ships, either by barges or a ropeway which stretched over 1,000 ft (300 m) out to sea. This enabled loading of large ships direct from the processing plant, at the time prior to the building of the modern port (which has jetties and other facilities).There was a 5 track marshalling yard, which included the facility for off-loading the railway trucks.[4][6]
A branch line about 3.2 kilometres (2 miles) long was laid in 1946 to the Hellenic Mining Company gypsum quarries [7] east of Kalavassos, which joined the main line 4.43 kilometres (2.75 miles) north of Vasiliko. The main line was west of the Vasilikos river as it proceeded from Kalavasos down to the coast. The branch line had to cross the river, which it did by a single-span bridge, before climbing the river bank up to the level of the quarries.
There was no signalling. The trains from the branch line were fitted in between those of the main line by adhering strictly to pre-arranged times. The trains on the main line had a passing point at the village of Kalavasos.[8]
The main line and branch line were 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge. Separate 2 ft (610 mm) gauge systems carried trucks which brought material from the mines and quarries to hoppers feeding the trucks bound for Vasiliko.
The railway transported copper and pyrite from the mines of the Kalavasos-Asgata area, plus gypsum from quarries at Drapia and Kalavasos.[9][8]
