Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1528159
6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 OCTOBER 2024 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Marsa tram power station to be restored to former glory THE Planning Authority is set to approve the restoration of the Marsa Tram Power Station, a historic structure located at Xatt il-Mollijiet in Marsa, following the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage's approval of the works to be undertaken by the Marsa local council. The building, which played an important role in Malta's early 20th-century transporta- tion network before trams were eclipsed by buses and cars, is currently in a state of disrepair, with several key structural ele- ments damaged or missing. The building consists of one open hall, covering a footprint of 240 sq.m. The Restoration Directorate said it will address the build- ing's structural weaknesses, which include cracks in the masonry, damage to apertures, and deterioration of stone caused by the corrosion of em- bedded steel components. The roof, currently covered with asbestos sheets, will be recon- structed to match its original design. Over the years, significant portions of the structure have been lost, including the orig- inal roof, which featured steel and masonry construction typ- ical of British engineering at the time. Additionally, the boiler house, which was demolished after the collapse of a chimney, will be rebuilt, and the build- ing's facades and archway will undergo extensive repair. Key interventions include re- moving vegetation, redundant metal fixtures, and harmful ce- ment-based mortars from the structure. Damaged stone blocks will be replaced, and open mortar joints will be re-pointed using lime-based mortar. Special attention will be giv- en to cleaning the structure to remove biological growth and encrustations, with various techniques tested to ensure the preservation of the building's delicate stone fabric. The restoration process al- so involves protecting the site from water infiltration, with measures to repair broken rain- water pipes and areas prone to water ponding. The restoration was first an- nounced by Culture Minister Owen Bonnici in May, who committed €1 million in gov- ernment funds for the project. The goal is that once the resto- ration is completed, the build- ing will be used by the Marsa council as a cultural and crea- tive space. "This space, currently lost, will be returned to the Marsa community and the Maltese and Gozitan people not only as a museum showcasing the his- tory of trams in Malta but also as an artistic and cultural cen- tre," Bonnici said. History of tram power station The Marsa Tram Power Sta- tion was constructed around 1905 to support Malta's tram service, which operated until 1929 before it was eclipsed by the emergent bus service. The service was inaugurated with a convoy of decorated trams leaving the Marsa depot and journeying to Valletta. The lines ran from Valletta to St Anne's Street, Floriana, and on to Portes des Bombes, en- tering Ħamrun via Strada San Giuseppe. At this point, the lines di- verged to different urban are- as, including the Three Cities and Żebbuġ, passing through Qormi. An extension to cover Birkir- kara was later added to the original plans on September 23, 1904. At Fleur de Lys, St. Venera, the lines proceeded to the square outside the Birkirkara Railway Station. The fleet was made up of 25 trams that could reach speeds of up to 14 miles per hour. The power station's engine hall was part of a larger com- plex, which included a nearby tram depot used for repairs and as a terminal. The tram service was a vital part of Malta's early transporta- tion infrastructure, and the sta- tion played a key role in power- ing this network. Coal used to be unloaded from lighters to supply the depot's engine house. The depot, once located where the Marsa detention center now stands, has since been demolished, but the re- maining power station building still bears witness to this im- portant era in Maltese history. Architecturally, the building's angled facade accommodated tram tracks passing through to the depot. Faced with the advent of the bus service, the company running the Malta Tramways ceased operations in December 1929 and went into liquida- tion the following year, leaving debts totaling about £15,000. After the tram service stopped operations, the building was put to other uses; it served as a car park in 1938 and as an extension to the Paola techni- cal school for Malta Drydocks apprentices. The canal to the left of this building was dug after the clo- sure of the line. Restoration foresees rebuilding of structure's original roof and boiler house, to eventually host cultural events The Marsa tram power station in its heyday