Infrastructure

Bilbao - La Robla mining railway

The La Robla railway, a jewel of Spanish engineering, stretches for 335 km, defining its status as the longest narrow-gauge railway line in Western Europe.

This historic route, which originally connected La Robla (León) with Bilbao (Vizcaya), was inaugurated on 11 August 1894 with the opening of its main section between La Robla and Valmaseda.

Crossing the provinces of León, Palencia, Cantabria, Burgos and Vizcaya, the La Robla railway has left an indelible mark on the economic and social history of Spain for more than a century, consolidating itself as one of the most emblematic railways in the country.

The aim behind this ambitious project was clear: to facilitate the transport of the important coal production of the mining areas of León and Palencia to the powerful steel industry of Vizcaya. The mind behind its design and execution was that of the Gipuzkoan engineer Mariano Zuaznávar, financially backed by the industrialists Enrique Aresti and Victoriano Zabalinchaurreta.

Initially, the Sociedad del Ferrocarril Hullero de La Robla a Valmaseda was in charge of its construction and operation, later renamed Ferrocarriles de La Robla in 1905. However, in 1972, the company went bankrupt and responsibility for the line passed to the public company FEVE. Unfortunately, under this management, the situation did not improve, and, in fact, the results worsened considerably.

Despite the challenges, the railway has stood the test of time and remains a crucial element in the transport infrastructure. Although in 1991 the passenger service was interrupted, limited only to freight transport, thanks to agreements with the public administration, some services between the provinces of León and Bilbao were resumed in 2003.

Since 1 January 2013, the infrastructure has been managed by Adif, while passenger and freight rail services are provided by Renfe Cercanías AM and Renfe Mercancías, respectively, consolidating its importance in the Spanish rail network.

The impact of the railway on the daily life and culture of the towns through which it passed has been truly significant. So much so that the town of Mataporquera has a La Robla Railway Interpretation Centre, which opened in 2006 in facilities generously donated by FEVE to the municipality.

This centre immerses the visitor in the fascinating economic and territorial context that made the construction and operation of the railway possible. The exhibition includes original documents narrating the management and historical evolution of this transport route, as well as an impressive collection of images capturing key moments in its trajectory.

In addition, the centre offers an interesting exhibition detailing the engineering behind the layout and highlighting the challenges and obstacles overcome in its construction. It also

Otros puntos de interés

• Old Dosante - Cidad station
• Cidad Tunnel
• Viaduct over the river Nela
• Viaduct over the river Nela
• Viaduct over the river Nela
• Puentedey tunnel
• Viaduct over the river Nela
• Old Brizuela station
• Viaduct over the river Nela
• Old Escaño halt
• Viaduct over the river Nela
• Viaduct over the river Nela
• Viaduct over the river Nela
• Old Horna-Villarcayo Station
• Viaduct over the river Nela
• Old Medina de Pomar station