VIADUCTS: Work begun on the Costa Blanca last year now completed

VIADUCTS: As good as new Photo credit: Benissa town hall

RESTORATION of Line 9’s Quisi and Ferrandet railway viaducts, outstanding examples of early 20th century railway architecture, has concluded.
Respectively 168 and 126 metres long, they were constructed in 1914 when the Alicante-Altea trenet was extended to Denia.
The Calpe-Denia section of the line was closed for extensive repairs and modernisation in July 2016 and the region’s rail operator FGV initially intended to replace the viaducts.
Both were corroded and the masonry supports on both also needed restoration, but the outcry in Benissa and from railway enthusiasts persuaded FGV to renovate and rehabilitate the iconic structures instead.
Line 9 will not reopen until next year at the earliest but although both viaducts have been saved, this is only a short-term solution while diesel trains are in use.
Neither will able to bear the weight of the dual diesel-electric trains that will eventually replace them and new bridges will be built parallel to the 1914 viaducts.

Written by

Linda Hall

Originally from the UK, Linda is based in Valenca and is a reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering local news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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