The Cyprus Government

Railway (1905-1951)
Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra

The arrival of the British in Cyprus

On July 8, 1878, as a result of the

Treaty of San Stefano, Vice Admiral
John Hay disembarks in Larnaca from
HMS Minotaur, and the British become
the new masters of our island, following an agreement to pay an annual
rent of 92.800 to the Sublime Porte.
The first High Commissioner, Sir
Garnet Wolseley, conceived the idea of
creating a railway, which would
mainly serve the military interests of
the British.
However, the uncertainty about the
British stay in Cyprus suspended these
plans.

Cyprus in 1878
The Cypriots of that era were
essentially a technologically underdeveloped people (around 175.000
souls - 74% G/C, 24% T/C and 1%
Armenians, Maronites, Latins and
others) living almost exclusively from
agriculture
and
farming,
with
completely antiquated means and in
squalid living conditions.
The only carriage road on the island
linked the capital, Nicosia, with the
most important harbour, the town of
Larnaca. This road was primarily used
for the transportation of goods on
camels and mules.

The proposal for the creation

of a railway in Cyprus
Despite the broader geopolitical
upheavals in the Levant, eventually
the British ensure their stay in Cyprus.
The various proposals for the creation
of a railway included Larnaca as well,
until when, on behalf of the Crown
Agents, a proposal was submitted in
July 1903 by Frederick Shelford,
providing for the construction of a
railway line that would begin from
Famagusta and, through Nicosia and
Morphou,
would
end
up
at
Karavostasi, with a total cost of
141.526.

The construction of the Railway begins

Following the approval by the
Legislative Council, in November
1903, the process of constructing the
Railway starts, beginning with the
connection of the existing harbour
railway line to Varosha [1 mile (1,6
Km)] and continuing as follows:
Study: February 1904
Earthworks and building of the various
Stations: May 1904

Upon its completion, Section 1

(Famagusta-Nicosia) had a total
length of 36 miles (57,9 Km).

The inauguration of Section 1

From the archives of the era, it seems
that the first General Manager of the
CGR, George Bert Day, did not favour
the Railways operation before its full
construction, however immediately
after the completion of the works for
Section 1, this was inaugurated on 21
October 1905, the 100th anniversary of
the Trafalgar navy battle.

The brilliant inaugural ceremony was

held by the High Commissioner, Sir
Charles Anthony King-Harman, at the
brand new Famagusta Station.

A walk-through of Section 1

Section 1 had a total length of 36 miles

(57,9 Km). It began from Famagusta
and, traversing the Mesaoria plain, it
reached Nicosia, with the following
stops:
FAMAGUSTA STATION, Engomi, Styllos,

Gaidhouras, PRASTIO STATION, Pyrga,

Yenagra,
Vitsadha,
Marathovouno/
Mousoulita, ANGASTINA STATION, Kourou
Monastir, Exometokhi, Epikho, TRAKHONI
STATION, Kaimakli, NICOSIA STATION.

Let us note, however, that the various

stops and sidings did not always coexist simultaneously, and not all had
the same use.

Section 2
The initial subsidy for Section 1 had
been 107.000, of which only 87.396
was used, thus justifying the
continuation of the project.
The study for the construction of
Section 2 began in March 1905 and the
earthworks in July. The inauguration
of the 24 miles (38,6 Km) was held on
31 March 1907, at Morphou Station.

Overall, there was only one stop for

every 3 miles, compared to one for
every 2 miles in Section 1, reflecting the
necessary economic cut-backs for the
construction of the project.

A walk-through of Section 2
Section 2 had a total length of 24 miles
(38,6 Km) and its construction cost
34.731. It began from Nicosia and
ended up in Morphou town, with the
following stops:
NICOSIA STATION, Ayios Dhometios (Race
Course),
Nicosia Airport,
Yerolakkos,
KOKKINOTRIMITHIA
STATION,
Dhenia,
Avlona, Peristerona, Kato Kopia, Argaki,
MORPHOU STATION.

As it was previously noted, the various

stops and sidings did not always coexist simultaneously. Also, some stops
were used only for the transport of
goods and/or animals, while others for
the transport of passengers.

Section 3

Three years after the operation of

Section 2, the Railway continued to
operate on damages, so in 1910 Frank
Bedford Glasier undertook a study for
the future of the CGR, which was
published in January 1913.
This study suggested, among other
things, the construction of the
terminal station at Evrykhou instead of
Karavostasi. It was sanctioned in June
1913, and the earthworks began in
November. The official inauguration
was held on 14 June 1915 and the
estimated cost was 21.800.

A walk-through of Section 3

Section 3 had a total length of 15 miles

(24,1 Km) and its construction
eventually cost 31.683. It began from
the town of Morphou and ended to
Evrykhou, as follows:
MORPHOU STATION, Nikitas, Baraji (for
Prastion), Ghaziveran, Pendayia, Karyotis
Junction,
KALO
KHORIO
STATION,
Skouriotissa, Phlasou, EVRYKHOU STATION.

On 31 December 1931, Evrykhou Station

closed down, as an act of revenge for the
tins thrown at the Governor, Sir Ronald
Storrs. The tracks were lifted and sold,
never to be replaced, despite the strong
appeals by the local authorities.

An epitome of the CGR

The CGR had a narrow gauge (2 ft. 6

in.), with a total length of 76 miles
(122,3 Km). Its total cost was 199.367,
a sum that remained almost constant
throughout the duration of its
operation.

The Stations, which were designated

with large trilingual white signs, were
often places of exchange of goods and
services. In parallel, about 40 special
routes operated on special occasions
throughout the year, such as
Apostolos Varnavas, Ayios Loukas,
Elia and Kataklysmos fairs or the
Orange festival.

Overall, the CGR carried 3.199.934 tons

of paying goods and 7.348.643
passengers, not including the long list
of dignitaries with a free pass and the
materials carried for war purposes!
The CGR carried timber and cord wood
from Trodos, however their huge
bulks were reduced after the
abolishment of the Grain Tithe, in
1926.
During World Wars I and II, the CGR
was the prime mover of allied troops
from and to Famagusta harbour, the
Royal Air Force airfield in Nicosia,
Xeros and other camps in Cyprus.

The CGR Stations, among others, also

functioned as telephone centres, while
its installations were also used as
telegraph and postal offices.

The mail service from Famagusta

prospered between 1912 and 1939,
especially in conjunction with the
Khedivial Mail line.

Distinguished officials were often

transported with the CGR trains, such
as the Undersecretaries of Colonies,
Winston Churchill, in October 1907,
and Drummond Shiels, in October
1930. Travellers and tourists were also
transported, mainly Egyptian Greeks,
as well as (to Evrykhou) those British
and others who went for summer
holidays on Trodos.

There were special wagons for the

transportation of water, as well as for
the transportation of animals, goods,
freight and ammunitions. At the same
time, some wagons were used for
carrying minerals and ores, in cooperation with the Cyprus Mines
Corporation, established by Charles
Godfrey Gunther.

During the Two World Wars, the CGR

was the target of the Central Powers
and the Axis Powers, while during the
1931 October Enosis riots, 120 yards of
railway track were torn up in
Trakhoni, as many regarded the CGR as
a symbol of the British colonial rule.

The CGR owned 12 locomotives in

total, which initially operated on coal
and cord wood. The lack of the above
and the increased traffic during World
War II necessitated their conversion to
oil-firing.

There were also 17 coaches and about

100 multi-purpose wagons, 50 of which
had been purchased in 1921 from the
Egyptian Delta Light Railway and the
Palestine Military Railway.

Around 200 people were employed at

the CGR. The CGRs workers/
employees participated in the big
strikes of 1941 and 1944, while they
organised a big strike in 1951. During
the dismantlement, 352 people were
being employed at the CGR.

The full route of the CGR

The CGR covered a total route of 75,855 miles (122,0768 Km), as follows: Famagusta harbourVarosha: 0,9875 miles (1,5892 Km), Varosha-Nicosia: 35,75 miles (57,5341 Km), Nicosia-Airport:
6,1175 miles (9,8451 Km), Airport-Morphou: 17,6375 miles (28,3848 Km), Morphou-Kalokhorio:
10,6125 miles (17,0792 Km) and Kalokhorio-Evrykhou: 4,75 miles (7,6444 Km).

The end of the CGR

The increased use of the CGR during

World War II, and also between 19461949, for the transportation of a large
part of the 52.384 Jewish refugees to
Karaolos concentration camp, to the
north of Famagusta, left the CGR in
immediate need of repairing its
ramshackle equipment.

Apart from that, there was an uneven

competition with the improved road
network and the automobiles, which
were faster and had a greater
flexibility in their pricing, stops and
routes.

As of June 1948, Section 2 reached only

until Nicosia International Airport,
causing the CMCs reactions, while in
November 1950 an announcement was
issued by the Government regarding
the future of the CGR.

On 10 November 1951 the definite

closing down of the CGR was decided.
Strikes ensued, which were supported
by telegrams from railway employees
from Finland, France and the
Netherlands.
The last train departed from Nicosia at
14:57 on Monday, 31 December 1951, to
reach Famagusta Station at 16:38.

In March 1952 the dismantlement of

the tracks was completed. The 10 out
the 12 steam engines were cut up and
an auction was announced in the
Cyprus Gazette: what remained was sold
to Meyer Newman & Co., for the
amount of 65.626 and was
transported to Italy on the Mar
Corrusco and Verax steamships.

Locomotive 1 was placed outside the

Famagusta Railway Station, while
many of the wagons were purchased
by locals.

The employees were mainly employed

in public and semi-governmental
services, while the equipment was
distributed among five governmental
departments.

The various Stations had their own

conclusion, too: some became police
stations or Public Works Department
stores, while others were rented to the
local authorities or were demolished.
The Station in Evrykhou operated as a
sanitary centre and, later on, as a
forest dormitory, while in Morphou it
became a grain store and a veterinary
centre.
The brutal Turkish onward march to
Mesaoria, in August 1974, erased many
of the marks that had remained on the
land of Cyprus from the Railway, and
the tanks knocked down many of the
remaining CGR installations

The CGR today

Most remnants of the CGR have been

illegally occupied by the Turkish
invaders since August 1974.

In the government-controlled areas,

Kokkini Trimithia police station (it
used to be the old railway Station) and
Evrykhou Station are preserved,
which operates as a Railway Museum,
with the prospect of the lines partial
re-opening in Solea valley.

In Ayios Dhometios, part of the

railway line has been turned into a
linear park, as it has been also done in
Kaimakli and is also planned for
Kokkini Trimithia.

Selective bibliography

Ballantyne, Hugh: Cyprus Narrow Gauge. Middleton Press, Midhurst, West Sussex:
2007.
Castle, Wilfrid Thomas Froggatt: Cyprus: Its Postal History and Postage Stamps.
Robson Lowe, London: 1971.
Hadjilyra, Alexander-Michael: (19051951)/The Cyprus Government Railway (1905-1951). Nicosia: 2006.
Laiki Group Cultural Centre: The Story of the Cyprus Government Railway. Nicosia:
2003 (documentary).
, : . Nicosia:
1988.
Radford, Michael: The Railways of Cyprus. Laiki Group Cultural Centre, Nicosia:
2003.
Turner, Barry S.: The story of the Cyprus Government Railway. Mechanical
Engineering Publications, London: 1979.
, -: .
Nicosia: CHRONICLE with Politis newspaper (issue 5, 16 March 2008).
, -:
(1905-1951, [Enatenisis, issue 22 (January-June 2014), p. 134-143], Nicosia: 2014.

Dedicated to all those who experienced another,

bygone era, more careless than ours