The Tramways and Electric Railways of Barcelona, Mallorca and Valencia in Colour (1954-1980)

This is the first of three planned colour albums covering
many of the tramways and electric light railways still operational in Spain in
the mid-1950s. This one features the Barcelona area, Valencia and the island of
Mallorca. For many years, the authors have both been fascinated by the
systems portrayed in this album. For example, Barcelona was an absolute must
for anyone interested in electric traction. It had different gauges, city and
interurban operation and a wealth of car types including double-deckers and
PCCs acquired second-hand from the USA. To complement these were the delightful
Tibidabo tram and the many light railways serving the city including one with
classic American interurban rolling stock. Valencia too had much to offer with
a complex city system and some long interurban lines, most of which are still
operating. The island of Mallorca had many gems some of which still run today
but sadly the charming city trams in Palma have now all gone.

Where possible, the authors have set out to illustrate each
of the different types of motor car and trailer still operating from the
mid-1950s onwards in as many different locations as possible. To do this, they
have assembled a rare collection of colour images from photographers in
Germany, Netherlands, UK and USA, some of which have come from Online Transport
Archive, a UK charity dedicated to the conservation and preservation of
transport images worldwide. Over the years covered by this book, and
subsequently, streets and landmarks have sometimes changed names. To the best
of their ability, the authors have used styles appropriate to the date that
each photograph was taken.



One man has provided the inspiration for this series. In the
mid-1950s, Ray DeGroote from Chicago embarked on a series of world travels
during which he visited and photographed many now long abandoned tramways. His
photography is to the highest standard where he captures the tram in its
environment so we were keen to bring his remarkable collection to a wider
audience.