Narrow gauge railways in former Spanish Morocco

There have been narrow gauge railways which used 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 38 in), 750 mm (2 ft 5 12 in) and 600 mm (1 ft 11 58 in) gauges.

The older rail network was in Melilla - Nador area, only later to join with another, the Ceuta - Tetuan railway line and short harbour construction lines at the Larache Harbour on the Atlantic seaboard.

After the Treaty of Algeciras signed in April 1906, where the northern part of Morocco was placed under Spanish administration, the Spanish started to develop this mineral-rich area. The Spanish Line (Compañía Transatlántica Española) had been formed in Spain as early as in 1881 by Spanish businessman Antonio López y López. The main idea was to develop the harbours in northern Morocco to carry more Spanish - Moroccan trade via harbours of Larache, Tanger, Ceuta and Melilla.

Melilla area

Junta de Obras del Puerto de Melilla

At Melilla the Junta de Obras del Puerto de Melilla started at ones extensive building of harbour to carry mineral traffic overseas, mainly to Spain. With new harbour installations the company built also 750 mm (2 ft 5 12 in) gauge local 4.1 km harbour line from Melilla Harbour to Sidi - Musa, later extended to the total length of 7 km as demanded by Spanish military.

The Junta de Obras and the Compañía Transatlántica were merged to form a new company, the Junta de Fomento de Melilla in December 1911.

Compañía Española de Minas del Rif

The Compañía Española de Minas del Rif was founded in July 1908. It had obtained mining rights at Idem, Beni - Sidel and Mazuza areas. The company built an extensive railway network in the Melilla area. The 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 38 in) gauge main line Melilla - Beni Ensar - Tizi Tavessart - Atalayon - Nador - Segagnan - San Juan de las Minas - Minas de Jebel Uisai (Ulad Canem) 31,5 km was the first common carrier railway in Spanish Morocco between Melilla and San Juan de las Minas.

In spring 1914 the Compañía Española de Minas del Rif operated three daily passenger trains to Nador of which two continued to San Juan de las Minas with corresponding return workings to Melilla.

Ferrocarril Nador - Tistutin

Another company, the Ferrocarril Nador - Tistutin built a 1,000 mm gauge 36 km Nador - Tinequemart - Zeluan - Monte Arruit - Tistutin - El Batel line.

There was continuous unrest in the area and the Rif Cabyle rebellionists attacked against the railways. The Spanish Army concentrated nearly 100.000 soldiers to pacify the Rif area and built extensions westward from:

The lines were operated by locotractors which could haul 200 tons with three locotractors.

Later, it had been decided to be built to standard 600 mm (1 ft 11 58 in) gauge field railways and the Spanish Army bought a number of surplus former German built World War I locomotives and rolling stock from Germany. The following lines were constructed:

When the area was finally pacified in 1926 the lines were lifted and the rolling stock transferred elsewhere.

Compañía del Norte Africano and the Compañía Minera Setolazar

There were also two other companies which operated their own mining railways. The Compañía del Norte Africano and the Compañía Minera Setolazar, both of 600 mm (1 ft 11 58 in) gauge. Both companies had a common locomotive shed at Beni Ensar. Their 600 mm gauge line run parallel with Compañía Española de Minas del Rif 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 38 in) gauge line between Nador and Melilla Harbour.

Compañía del Norte Africano

Compañía del Norte Africano 600 mm (1 ft 11 58 in) gauge industrial railway served the lead mines at Monte Afra with company's Melilla - Nador - Monte Afra line on the north coast. This company was founded in August 1907. The length of this lead carrier was 19 km.

Ceuta area

Ferrocarril Ceuta - Benzu (Junta de Obras del Puerto de Ceuta)

Farther west the Junta de Obras del Puerto de Ceuta was founded in October 1904. It built Ceuta Harbour and later a short branch line from Ceuta to nearby Benzú. The company used 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 38 in) gauge line.

Ferrocarril Ceuta - Tetuan

The Ferrocarril Ceuta - Tetuan was founded in September 1912 to connect Ceuta to Tetuan with 41 km 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 38 in) gauge railway. The line was opened March 1918. Ferrocarril Ceuta - Tetuan built stations at Ceuta (0.5 km), Miramar (2.9 km), Castillejos 8.0 km), Dar Riffen (11.1 km), Negro (13.8 km), Rincon del Medik (24.9 km), Malalien (38.1 km), and terminal station Tetuan (41.0 km).

Ferrocarril Tetuan - Rio Martin y prolongaciones

When Spanish General Alfau occupied Tetuan in 1913 it was decided to build an 18 km 600 mm (1 ft 11 58 in) gauge railway to Rio Martin using the trackbed of the former lifted standard gauge railway. The 10 km Ferrocarril Tetuan - Rio Martin y prolongaciones was opened in May 1915 for public service. The extensions south to Benkarrir and Zina 18 km was opened in March 1921 and west to Laucien 8 km, when the railway bridge at Mogote was finally completed, on the same day.

Larache area

Larache harbour installations

The Austrian company Sager & Wörner had obtained from the Spanish Government the contract to build the harbour installations at Larache on the Atlantic coast in 1911. The harbour was built in 1911 - 1914 with a 600 mm (1 ft 11 58 in) railway but World War I delayed the 34 km standard gauge railway line to Larache to 1922.

Narrow gauge locomotives delivered to former Spanish Morocco

ALCo

Avonside

Borsig

Carels

CUA

Deutz

Falcon

General Motors

Henschel

Kerr Stuart

Krauss-Maffei

MAN

Manning Wardle

MTM

La Meuse

Orenstein & Koppel

Literature

References

  1. Rowe, D. Trevor (1990). Two feet between the tracks. Plateway Press. ISBN 1-871980-03-8.
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