February reminds us of the inauguration (and a subsequent reopening) of the Malta Railway, then popularly known locally as il-vapur tal-art, which was the first mechanised overland public transport service to be introduced in the Maltese islands.
Primarily, it provided a useful commuting service for the working population but it also became popular for leisurely travel since it linked Valletta and Mdina via San Anton Gardens.
Surveys and plans for the railway were carried out in the 1870s with the original intention being to construct a network of lines covering almost all of Malta, together with plans for an internal underground service in Valletta. Plans were submitted by J. Scott Tucker in 1870, Major Hutchinson in 1873, Architect Edward Rosenbush in 1873 and George Fernandes in 1875.