Jaffa Railway Station
Encyclopedia
Jaffa Railway Station was a railroad station in Jaffa
, the first railway station in the Middle East
, that served as the terminus for the Jaffa–Jerusalem railway
. The station was opened in 1891 and closed in 1948; during 2005-2009 the station was restored and converted to an entertainment and leisure venue, branded as The Station.
, Sir Moses Montefiore
and others. The franchise for laying the railway was obtained from the Ottoman
government by Joseph Navon
, but due financial difficulties, he had to sell the franchise to a French
company which was set up to build the line - Société du Chemin de Fer Ottoman de Jaffa à Jérusalem et Prolongements.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place on March 31, 1890. The track was chosen to be of 1 m narrow gauge
, similarly to French minor railways, and was brought in from France and the Belgian manufacturer Angleur. A short 600 mm gauge section, as well as a meter gauge section with a pier, was laid between the Port of Jaffa and the Jaffa Station to easily transport materials from the harbor to the railway.
The first test run was made on the railway in October 1890, an event that was attended by some 10,000 onlookers—more than half of the population of Jaffa. The locomotive was a Baldwin
2-6-0
, one of the first three built for the line, and carried the American and French flags. The section between Jaffa and Ramla Railway Station
was fully opened to the public on May 24, 1891, and a further section to Dayr Aban
was opened on December 4 of the same year. The stations were built just a short time before the track was laid in their respective areas. In Jaffa and Jerusalem, the French railway company sought to build the stations as close as possible to the old cities, while the Ottoman authorities prevented them from doing so, resulting the terminuses' relative distance (for the time) from the city centers. Despite this, the land that the stations were built on was purchased at very high prices by the railway company.
In 1892, construction of the whole line from Jaffa to Jerusalem was completed. The Jerusalem Railway Station
was inaugurated on 26 September 1892 in the presence of the city's dignitaries, Jews and Arabs. Among those present at the ceremony was Eliezer Ben Yehuda, the reviver of the Hebrew language, which gave the train the literal name of - horse of the steel in Hebrew as the word Rakevet had not yet been created.
The length of the journey was approximately 3.5–4 hours, about equal to the same trip on a carriage, and contrary to the original plan, which envisioned a 2-hour trip. Even so, Yosef Navon was granted several high-profile awards for his efforts, and the opening event received extensive media coverage worldwide.
. The Lydda–Jerusalem section was re-laid to 1,050 mm gauge, and Lydda was connected to the Hejaz railway through Tulkarm
.
When the British advanced northwards in November 1917, the railway was sabotaged by the retreating Turkish army and most (five) of its bridges were blown up. The Turks carried away anything that was movable, from railway cars and wooden rails to parts of the stations. It was however still valuable to the British, as it provided the only viable link from Jerusalem to Egypt, as the roads were in disrepair. Trestle
bridges were installed instead of the destroyed iron ones and a Decauville
600 mm gauge railway was built from Jaffa to Lydda, with an extension to the Yarkon River, the front line at the time., it continued to be used until 1922–23 mainly for transporting construction materials, without locomotives. Another 600 mm gauge railway extension was built from Jaffa railway station to Port of Jaffa, which operated until 1928.
In 1918, the Palestine Military Railways of the victorious British forces rebuilt the line to the wider standard gauge
, an operation that lasted between January 27 and June 15. The final section, between Jaffa and Lydda, was completed in September 1920, and inaugurated in a ceremony attended by Sir Herbert Samuel
, the British High Commissioner, on October 5.
In April 1920 the civilian Palestine Railways took over the line and Britain compensated its original French operators with £
565,000, down from the original demand of £1.5 million made by the French. The coastal railway now extended from Haifa
to El Kantara, intersecting the Jaffa–Jerusalem line with a junction at Lydda
.
, services were moved to Tel Aviv South Railway Station
2.5 km to the east and the station was closed (They were moved once again in 1970 2 km further out of town).
of the Tel Aviv Light Rail System will pass just south of the station and will reuse part of the original track bed
alignment next to the Neve Zedek neighborhood.
Jaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
, the first railway station in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, that served as the terminus for the Jaffa–Jerusalem railway
Jaffa–Jerusalem railway
The Jaffa–Jerusalem railway is a railroad that connected Jaffa and Jerusalem. The line was built in Ottoman Palestine by the French company Société du Chemin de Fer Ottoman de Jaffa à Jérusalem et Prolongements and inaugurated in 1892, after previous attempts by the Jewish philanthropist Moses...
. The station was opened in 1891 and closed in 1948; during 2005-2009 the station was restored and converted to an entertainment and leisure venue, branded as The Station.
History
The idea to build a railway linking the coast with the Jerusalem was first raised in the middle of the 19th century by Dr. Conrad SchickConrad Schick
Conrad Schick was a German architect, archaeologist and Protestant missionary who settled in Jerusalem in the mid-nineteenth century.-Biography:...
, Sir Moses Montefiore
Moses Montefiore
Sir Moses Haim Montefiore, 1st Baronet, Kt was one of the most famous British Jews of the 19th century. Montefiore was a financier, banker, philanthropist and Sheriff of London...
and others. The franchise for laying the railway was obtained from the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
government by Joseph Navon
Joseph Navon
Joseph Navon was a Jerusalem businessman and the man principally responsible for the construction of the Jaffa–Jerusalem railway. For his effort, Navon was awarded the Légion d'honneur from the French government, and the Medjidie from the Turkish government, where he was also promoted to the title...
, but due financial difficulties, he had to sell the franchise to a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
company which was set up to build the line - Société du Chemin de Fer Ottoman de Jaffa à Jérusalem et Prolongements.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place on March 31, 1890. The track was chosen to be of 1 m narrow gauge
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
, similarly to French minor railways, and was brought in from France and the Belgian manufacturer Angleur. A short 600 mm gauge section, as well as a meter gauge section with a pier, was laid between the Port of Jaffa and the Jaffa Station to easily transport materials from the harbor to the railway.
The first test run was made on the railway in October 1890, an event that was attended by some 10,000 onlookers—more than half of the population of Jaffa. The locomotive was a Baldwin
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
2-6-0
2-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This arrangement is commonly called a Mogul...
, one of the first three built for the line, and carried the American and French flags. The section between Jaffa and Ramla Railway Station
Ramla Railway Station
Ramla Railway Station is a railway station in Ramla, Israel, on the Tel Aviv – Jerusalem line. The station is located in the east of Ramla. The station is also on a section shared with the Be'er Sheva - Tel Aviv line, which branches out in a southerly direction about 3 km east of...
was fully opened to the public on May 24, 1891, and a further section to Dayr Aban
Beit Shemesh Railway Station
Beit Shemesh Railway Station is an Israel Railways station in Beit Shemesh, Israel on the Tel Aviv – Jerusalem line. The station is located near the northern industrial zone of Beit Shemesh.-History:...
was opened on December 4 of the same year. The stations were built just a short time before the track was laid in their respective areas. In Jaffa and Jerusalem, the French railway company sought to build the stations as close as possible to the old cities, while the Ottoman authorities prevented them from doing so, resulting the terminuses' relative distance (for the time) from the city centers. Despite this, the land that the stations were built on was purchased at very high prices by the railway company.
In 1892, construction of the whole line from Jaffa to Jerusalem was completed. The Jerusalem Railway Station
Jerusalem Railway Station
The Jerusalem Railway Station is a former railway station located in the area between Hebron Road and Bethlehem Road, near the German Colony of Jerusalem, Israel. It was part of the Jaffa–Jerusalem railway until its closure in 1998...
was inaugurated on 26 September 1892 in the presence of the city's dignitaries, Jews and Arabs. Among those present at the ceremony was Eliezer Ben Yehuda, the reviver of the Hebrew language, which gave the train the literal name of - horse of the steel in Hebrew as the word Rakevet had not yet been created.
The length of the journey was approximately 3.5–4 hours, about equal to the same trip on a carriage, and contrary to the original plan, which envisioned a 2-hour trip. Even so, Yosef Navon was granted several high-profile awards for his efforts, and the opening event received extensive media coverage worldwide.
During the British Mandate
During World War I, the railway was taken over by the Turkish and German armies, which adapted it to serve their needs. While the Jaffa Railway Station served as a military headquarters during the war, the Ottomans did not want to expose the railway itself to British naval bombardment. In early 1915, most of the heavy machinery and equipment was moved to Jerusalem, and later in the same year he Jaffa–Lydda section was completely dismantled. Its rails and sleepers were used in the construction of the Railway to BeershebaRailway to Beersheba
The Railway to Beersheba is the common name for the railroad which currently stretches from central Israel to the Zin Factories in southern Israel, with spurs to the Be'er Sheva Center Railway Station, Ramat Hovav and the Arad phosphate mines and factories in Tzefa...
. The Lydda–Jerusalem section was re-laid to 1,050 mm gauge, and Lydda was connected to the Hejaz railway through Tulkarm
Tulkarm
Tulkarem or Tulkarm is a Palestinian city in the northern Samarian mountain range in the Tulkarm Governorate in the extreme northwestern West Bank adjacent to the Netanya and Haifa districts to the west, the Nablus and Jenin Districts to the east...
.
When the British advanced northwards in November 1917, the railway was sabotaged by the retreating Turkish army and most (five) of its bridges were blown up. The Turks carried away anything that was movable, from railway cars and wooden rails to parts of the stations. It was however still valuable to the British, as it provided the only viable link from Jerusalem to Egypt, as the roads were in disrepair. Trestle
Trestle
A trestle is a rigid frame used as a support, especially referring to a bridge composed of a number of short spans supported by such frames. In the context of trestle bridges, each supporting frame is generally referred to as a bent...
bridges were installed instead of the destroyed iron ones and a Decauville
Decauville
The Decauville manufacturing company was founded by Paul Decauville , a French pioneer in industrial railways. Decauville's major innovation was the use of ready-made sections of light, narrow gauge track fastened to steel sleepers; this track was portable and could be disassembled and transported...
600 mm gauge railway was built from Jaffa to Lydda, with an extension to the Yarkon River, the front line at the time., it continued to be used until 1922–23 mainly for transporting construction materials, without locomotives. Another 600 mm gauge railway extension was built from Jaffa railway station to Port of Jaffa, which operated until 1928.
In 1918, the Palestine Military Railways of the victorious British forces rebuilt the line to the wider standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
, an operation that lasted between January 27 and June 15. The final section, between Jaffa and Lydda, was completed in September 1920, and inaugurated in a ceremony attended by Sir Herbert Samuel
Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel
Herbert Louis Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel GCB OM GBE PC was a British politician and diplomat.-Early years:...
, the British High Commissioner, on October 5.
In April 1920 the civilian Palestine Railways took over the line and Britain compensated its original French operators with £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
565,000, down from the original demand of £1.5 million made by the French. The coastal railway now extended from Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
to El Kantara, intersecting the Jaffa–Jerusalem line with a junction at Lydda
Lod
Lod is a city located on the Sharon Plain southeast of Tel Aviv in the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2010, it had a population of 70,000, roughly 75 percent Jewish and 25 percent Arab.The name is derived from the Biblical city of Lod...
.
The station after 1948
Immediately after the declaration of independence by the state of IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, services were moved to Tel Aviv South Railway Station
Tel Aviv South Railway Station
Tel Aviv South Railway Station is a former railway station in Tel Aviv, Israel, that was situated in two different locations. It opened in its first location in 1920, then relocated in 1970 and finally closed to passengers in 1993.-Original location:...
2.5 km to the east and the station was closed (They were moved once again in 1970 2 km further out of town).
Restoration
In 2004, after many years of neglect, the Tel Aviv Municipality, initiated a restoration project. In 2009 the restoration was completed and the station converted to an entertainment and leisure venue.Future plans
The Red LineRed Line (Tel Aviv Light Rail)
-External links:****...
of the Tel Aviv Light Rail System will pass just south of the station and will reuse part of the original track bed
Track bed
A track bed or trackbed is the term used to describe the groundwork onto which a railway track is laid. Trackbeds of disused railways are sometimes used for recreational paths or new light rail links....
alignment next to the Neve Zedek neighborhood.