Infrastructure

Rambla de Albox Viaduct

This infrastructure stands out as one of the most prominent elements in the Almanzora railway network, as it is located on the Rambla de Albox, one of the most prominent tributaries of the River Almanzora, known for its extension and flow.

Its construction dates back to 1893, and a year later, in 1894, it began operating as an essential part of the Almendricos-Baza section, under the management of the British company The Great Southern of Spain Railway Company Limited (GSSR).

The viaduct consists of three spans, with a small arch on the left side and a connection to a wall on the right side, both built of stone masonry. The metal structure is composed of iron beams that exhibit geometric patterns characteristic of late 19th and early 20th century railway constructions in Europe. This design evokes other emblematic structures in the region, such as the Cable Inglés, in the capital of Almería, and the Hornillo ore freighter, in the Murcian town of Águilas, both part of this historic railway line.

The Rambla de Albox, also known as the Rambla del Saliente in its upper section, originates in the Sierra de las Estancias. It captures a significant part of the runoff from the Llanos de Chirivel, together with its main tributary, the Oria wadi.

It runs for some 28 km2, meandering through a semi-arid territory with low rainfall and high solar exposure, flowing into the River Almanzora near the town of Almanzora. Although the riverbed remains dry for most of the year, flooding of the Albox wadi can be catastrophic. In 1900, one of these floods destroyed the central spans of the bridge. The restoration involved the installation of scaffolding and wooden props for more than a month while the metal deck was being prepared. Completion of the repairs and final commissioning required one year of implementation. The most destructive flooding of the wadi occurred in 1973, reaching a flow of 1500 m³ per second in a matter of moments.

GSSR played a crucial role in this railway that connected the provinces of Granada, Almería and Murcia for a century, from 1885 to 1985, when the railway traffic was interrupted between Guadix and Almendricos, in Lorca (Murcia), due to economic reasons. This decision negatively affected trade and communications, disconnecting the Levante region from the south of the country and leaving a significant infrastructure in disuse.

Since the closure of the line to railway traffic in 1985, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has undertaken the rehabilitation and commissioning of several old metal bridges, each in different states of preservation.

 

Otros puntos de interés

• Rambla de La Tonta Viaduct
• Rambla del Palomar Viaduct
• Rambla de la Jata Viaduct
• Rambla Honda de Ciscario Viaduct
• Rambla de la Hojilla Viaduct
• Cantoria Valley Viewpoint
• Cantoria Tunnel
• Rambla del Lentisco Viaduct
• Viaduct over road A-349
• Former Arboleas train stop
• Old Cantoria station
• Rambla de los Llanos Viaduct
• Rambla de la Honda Viaduct
• Rambla de la Hortichuela Viaduct
• Túnel de Albox
• Old Almanzora station
• Old Olula-Fines Station