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One day at breakfast, an acquaintance, Leandro, told me that there had been a train around the year 1800, which went from Guissona to Cervera. At that moment, instead of eating the sandwich, I ate him with questions.
At the next breakfast he appeared with a map and a 24-page PDF and a map. And I started to investigate this topic. The truth is that all the information I have found talks about people and money.
In short, in this report in La Vanguardia Readers' Photos, I will explain the failed story of a train that would have brought wealth to the Segarra region and that spelled ruin for its promoters.
Among other things, everything indicates that the promoters were those from Guissona, since those from Cervera were not very happy about it, since they feared losing the prominence of Segarra.
The journey from Cervera to Guissona began, passing through practically all the towns in the region, including Agramunt (Urgell).
But, let's start with something that is clear to me. I will explain it this way, as if it were a story: she was once a cowgirl who took milk to sell to the market. While she was on the way she thought, what if instead of Cervera to Guissona, the train went from Pons to the port of Tarragona. In reality, the intention was to make a train from La Seu d'Urgell passing through Pons, Agramunt, Guissona, Cervera and many more towns until reaching the port of Tarragona.
It must be taken into account that, in 1880, the towns were populated, not like now. But, in short, the intention was to make a train that would even reach Andorra to go around Europe. First failure, Madrid approved the project with a narrow gauge. This was the first broken jug...
I think it's true that those from Cervera didn't like the train much, because, after walking 9.8 km along where they said the train level was, I found these landscapes around the town. Very different from what is seen in the area of influence of Guissona.
Tired of not seeing anything of the train trail from the early 19th century, I mentioned it to a cousin and, oh surprise!, her father, when she was a child, told her about the train track trail.
You see me then in Torrefeta, Guissona's area of influence, and yes, they taught me everything I wanted and even more. They introduced me to a neighbor who has information and old photographs, more interesting than mine...
(Now I open a parenthesis: Joan Plàcid has written a book about Torrefeta, but he has been fighting to have it published, so far, without much luck).
In this other series of photographs, taken between Bellvei and Torrefeta, I have captured the path of the old roads, however, arranged today for modern agricultural vehicles to circulate.
The first documented news of the train project comes from a private family letter, dated March 31, 1882, which explains a meeting in Guissona of representatives of 25 towns in the area.
On April 5, 1885, the 'Cervera - Pons Economic Railway Company' was founded. 271 owners were expropriated and there were even some who gave away the land. 52.6 km of track would be built with a budget of 3,719,000 pesetas (second broken jug in the milkmaid's story because the investment calculations were erroneous).
On February 19, 1886, the company was established with a capital of 4 million pesetas. An issue of 4,000 shares of 500 pesetas each was carried out. The banks did not endorse it (another broken jug).
In addition, there were several sentences that ruled against him. In short, it was a disaster. Now, yes, the main promoter of the work, the Marquis of Montoliu, sold all of his to pay all the debts.
The works were permanently stopped in October 1891 and in 1899, there was an auction of part of the company's assets. They left no debts... The poor cowgirl ran out of milk to sell and she had to return home, so to speak.
The photographs that I show below are of the bridge on the road from Sedó to Llor, Pont de la Guardiola or de l'Agustí. The train had to pass underneath. The old image is from the Joan Plàcid collection.
If you don't believe me when I tell you that a passage was built for a train from Cervera to Guissona and in some places the tracks were installed, I recommend you go to the Bellvei cemetery. There you will find explanations and you will see a viaduct, just a few meters long.
This viaduct consisted of two stone pillars through which water circulated with a wooden bridge.
That entire 19th century train project ended in nothing, practically no one remembers those brave entrepreneurs and many pass along the path of the railway without knowing anything. Because it doesn't have one, it doesn't even have a legend! So here goes this:
On the nights of the new moon
At the new time
In the quiet night
If you are in the way of the track
You will be able to hear the steam train
How to approach
When you reach your height
The train will stop
The reviewer will ask you
Are you willing to pay the price?
If so go up, it will tell you
On the journey of no return.
Are we willing to pay to undertake a journey of no return? How do I know? Well, this is another story... I finish this story about the trace of the 19th century train project with these photographs of the bridge at the exit of Guissona, towards Massoteres. Today, the Massoteres road, formerly the "Massoteres road", passes through here.
