"Garavko" - an Unforgettable Adventure by the Legendary Train (part 2)

After the adventure in Peloponnese, it's time to head to our next destination - Mount Pelion and its railway gem, the train affectionately known as "Garavko" (Gr. Μουτζούρης) by the locals. Currently, it operates as a museum train from the town of Ano Lehonia, about ten kilometers from Volos, to the mountain village of Miljes. We have a long journey to Volos, and unexpectedly, we choose nothing but a train as our means of transportation.

Now, we descend back to the sea in the town of Diakopto with the well-known rack composition, where a bus awaits us. An unpleasant surprise is due to the fact that the standard gauge railway line from Athens to Patras is not yet fully completed, so buses operate between Kiato and Patras under the organization of the Greek railways. Currently, the railway line has reached the town of Aigio, about forty kilometers from Patras, but there is still no passenger traffic. In Kiato, a suburban train of the Athens railway awaits us, which will cover a distance of about 120 km in an hour and twenty minutes. During the journey, the old narrow-gauge railway line that is no longer in use will occasionally be visible. The train will also cross the Corinth Canal, allowing passengers a brief glimpse of the spectacular results of engineering feats. It is little known that after many unsuccessful attempts, the canal was finally built in 1893 after 12 years of construction under the leadership of two Hungarian engineers - István Türr and Béla Gerster.

After a comfortable ride, we arrive at Larissa station, the main railway station in Athens. Surprisingly, this small station for the size of Athens bears an unusual name since at the beginning of the 20th century, the train operated only to the border with the Ottoman Empire - the town of Demerli (now Paleofarsalos) near Larissa. We can take a break in Athens and visit the railway museum, which is now located in Piraeus, at the site of the old train repair and maintenance workshops (Lefka suburban train station), not far from the famous port. The old museum and its terrace, where members of the Greek Railway Friends Association used to gather, are unfortunately a thing of the past.

Refreshed and familiar with the history of railways in Greece, we continue our journey to Volos. Since mid-May 2019, the entire Athens-Thessaloniki railway has been electrified, and diesel traction on this section has become a thing of the past. Travel time has been reduced from 5 hours and 20 minutes to about four hours. Once the signaling works are completed, trains will operate even faster, making this railway a serious competitor to air transport. Unfortunately, regular trains will no longer pass through the single-track mountain railway between Bralos and Domokos, much to the disappointment of many friends and railway enthusiasts. Apart from its natural beauty, this section of the railway was also known as a bottleneck that significantly limited the capacity on this important section. Nevertheless, trains continue to operate on the old railway for the needs of the local population. There is one pair of trains operating from Athens to Lianokladi, and two on Sundays. Instead of crossing the mountain, fast passenger and freight trains now race through it - specifically through the 9 km long Kalidromo Tunnel, which is the longest railway tunnel in Greece and the Balkans. After exiting the tunnel, we have about an hour of travel time left until Larissa.

In Larissa, we change trains to a local train that will take us to Volos, which is 60 km away. The Larissa-Volos railway was opened for traffic as early as 1884 as part of the former railways of Thessaly. It was initially built as a single-track railway with a track gauge of 1000 mm, but in 1960, it was reconstructed as a standard gauge railway - 1435 mm. Currently, there are plans to add another track and electrify the railway.

To many tourists, Volos is known as the city where they board the ferry to Skiathos, but for us, it will serve as an excellent place to rest before embarking on a journey on the beloved iron horse. The most famous feature of Volos is the wide seaside promenade with a large number of traditional "cipuradiko" restaurants. Here, you can enjoy various seafood meze while sipping cipuro - a brandy made from grape pomace. Intensive indulgence in Greek specialties and preparations for great railway adventures require a short break, so that we can embark on our train journey the next morning, feeling refreshed.

Unfortunately, "Garavko" no longer departs from the beautiful old Volos railway station - its starting station is the town of Ano Lehonia, which can be quickly reached by city bus or car. During the journey, noticeable parts of the railway can be seen on the sidewalk next to the road. For those not solely interested in the railway, they may spot "Herkules" in the world of industry - one of the largest cement factories in Europe. Volos is also the production site of the popular Greek carbonated drinks "Epsa," and our path to the train leads us past this factory. After about 15 minutes, we reach Ano Lehonia station, where the new and well-kept railway station building with a restaurant awaits us.

It is exactly 10 o'clock, and the whistle of the locomotive signals the departure of the train. Although it closely resembles a steam locomotive that pulls our train, it is actually not - it is a diesel locomotive from the German factory "Schöma" cleverly disguised as a steam locomotive. The chameleon locomotive usually pulls four wagons, accommodating a total of about a hundred passengers. An interesting fact is that this cheerful composition moves on a 600 mm gauge track. Such a narrow gauge is quite unusual for passenger railways, but it used to be found on sugarcane plantations in tropical countries.

The construction of the railway began in 1892, and the first section from Volos to Ano Lehonia was completed in 1896. The residents of Pelion had to wait until 1903 for the extension of the line to Milies. The chief engineer in charge of the railway construction was Evaristo di Kiriko, the father of the renowned Italian painter Giorgio di Chirico, who was born in Volos. He preserved memories of his childhood by the railway and its builders in his paintings. The operation of the railway was halted due to the austerity measures of the Greek Railways in 1971. Fortunately, the continuation of the story had to wait until 1996 when a section of the railway was reopened, this time as a tourist railway. During the summer months, the train operates every weekend, while outside the season, the schedule is much sparser, with trains running only on special occasions.

The train gently meanders and begins its ascent through the hills of Pelion. Its maximum speed is about 20 km/h, allowing passengers to truly relax and enjoy the scenery. The wagons are quite small and cramped due to the narrow gauge, so the open platforms at the ends of the wagons are the best spots for the ride. The pleasant breeze cools, but unfortunately, for railway enthusiasts, there is no dense smoke, soot, or the characteristic smell of steam locomotives. Passengers enjoy the ride amidst pine trees and vast olive groves, with a view of the Pagasetic Gulf waters. The local residents often park their pickup trucks too close to the railway, but it rarely causes any problems due to the slow movement of the train and familiarity with the schedule. The train slows down, the driver hurriedly repositions it, and the journey continues leisurely.

The only intermediate station on the railway is Gacea. The train makes a short pause there, which can be used for refreshments at the local tavern, as well as for purchasing local specialties such as olive oil or oregano. As the journey continues, traces of civilization become scarce, making the trip even more interesting. Towards the end of the journey, the train crosses a stone bridge named after the railway's builder, di Kiriko. Although the bridge is straight, the railway on it is actually curved. After an hour and a half of travel, we arrive in Milies. An attraction in itself is the turning of the locomotive before the return to Ano Lehonia. The turntable is manually operated, and passengers often pitch in to help. The return journey is at 3 p.m., and until then, we can explore the village known for its church dating back to 1741 and enjoy a snack in one of the numerous taverns.

Depending on the season, the continuation of the journey can take us to a nearby ski resort or one of the many beaches. For now, we bid farewell to the sunny south briefly since our next story takes us to Northern Europe in search of Douglas's Steel Bird.

Author: Mihailo Popesku