Piraeus, Athens and Peloponnese Railways


Piraeus, Athens and Peloponnese Railways or SPAP was a Greek railway company founded in 1882, which owned and operated the Piraeus–Patras railway line connecting Piraeus and Athens to Peloponnese. The company was nationalized in 1954 and absorbed by the Hellenic State Railways in 1962.
The name "Spap" originates from the Greek initials of the railway company.

History

The first line section between Piraeus, Athens and Elefsis was completed in 1884. The line reached Corinth in 1885 and Patras in 1887. In the meantime, an eastern branch from Corinth reached Argos and Nafplion in 1886. The western branch reached Pyrgos and finally Kyparissia in 1902. SPAP also acquired the line between Myloi and Kalamata via Tripoli, from the bankrupt Southern Greece Railways. The two routes to Kalamata, via Patras and via Tripoli, merged at Zevgolatio.
Short branches were also constructed to serve important towns: Argos-Nafplion, Lefktro-Megalopolis, Kavasila-Vartholomio-Kyllini, Vartholomio-Kyllini Spa, Pyrgos to Ancient Olympia, Asprochoma-Messini and, much later, Isthmos-Loutraki. Diakofto Kalavrita Railway was also constructed by SPAP, but at a smaller gauge.
The line from Piraeus to Corinth was 99 km, from Corinth to Kalamata via Tripoli 236 km and from Corinth to Zevgolatio via Patras and Pyrgos 347 km. The total length of the system with the branch lines was 731 km.
In 1929 SPAP acquired the Heraklion-Lavrion section of Athens-Lavrion Railway, formerly operated by Attica Railways, and constructed a link from Kato Liossia to Heraklion, to connect the Lavrion line to its network. Passenger services on this branch were suspended in 1957 and it was cut off from the rest of the network in 1962, due to the construction of the Athens-Thessaloniki highway.
During the Axis occupation of Greece in World War 2, and especially during the withdrawal of German troops in 1944, the network and the rolling stock suffered extensive damages both by the German army and by Greek resistance groups. Repair of SPAP assets was time consuming and expensive. Damaged rolling stock was mainly repaired at Piraeus Engine Sheds. Normal levels of service resumed at about 1948 with the exception of the destroyed bridge of Achladokampos, which was rebuilt by OSE in 1974.
In 1951 SPAP absorbed the small Pyrgos-Katakolo Railway. In 1953 SPAP absorbed Northwestern Greece Railways, which operated a metre gauge line from Kryoneri to Messolongi and Agrinion.
In 1920 SPAP was briefly nationalized as part of the Hellenic State Railways but it became an independent company again two years later. Due to high debts, SPAP came under government control in 1939-1940 and was formally nationalized again in 1954. In 1962 the company was absorbed by the Hellenic State Railways.

Suspension

The economic crisis in Greece led to the suspension of all passenger and freight services on the metre gauge railway system in the Peloponnese in 2011.

Current situation

It is unlikely services will ever resume as a publicly run system, although some privately-chartered services occasionally run. A short section through the port city of Patras remains open as a suburban railway.

Partial reopening

As part of the P.A.Th.E./P. project, the former section of track between Athens and Kiato has been rebuilt to standard gauge and electrified. The Athens Airport–Patras railway, opened in 2007 until Kiato, is served by Proastiakos Athens suburban trains. In 2019 this line will be extended to Aigio as part of Proastiakos and eventually Patras, providing a double-track standard gauge rail connection between Patras and Athens. An extension from Patras to Kalamata via Pyrgos is also planned.

Rolling stock

Steam locomotives

Between 1883 and 1962 SPAP used 128 locomotives of 25 different types.
PhotoClassNumbersTypeQuantityManufacturerSerial Nos.YearPowerNotes
Α1-40-4-0T4Krauss1883
Α50-4-0T1Krauss1885
Α1-60-6-0T6Couillet1888
Β101-1092-4-0T8Krauss1883
Β111–1142-4-0T4Krauss1888
Βς151–1552-4-0T5Henschel1912
Γ201-2052-6-0T5Krauss
Γ261–2682-6-0T8Couillet1890Ex Myloi—Kalamata railway, later renumbered 211–218
Δ251-2522-6-0T2Krauss1886rebuilt as 4-6-0T in 1888
Δ253-2544-6-0T2Krauss1888rebuilt as 4-6-0T in 1888
Δ 101–1082-8-28Vulcan Iron Works1947USATC S-118 copies
Δ 111–1202-8-210Breda1951
Ε151–1524-4-0T2Krauss1887
Ες701–7022-8-02Borsig1912
Ες711–7132-8-03Borsig1914
Ες721–7252-8-05Linke-Hofmann1925
Ες726–7282-8-03Henschel & Sohn1936
Ζ5002-6-0T1Vassiliadis Works1900/1929
Ζ501–5172-6-0T17SACM Grafenstaden1890–1901
Ζ518–5262-6-0T9Krauss1902–1906
Ζς530–5332-6-0T4Krauss1911
Ζς540–5422-6-0T3Krauss1926Ex Attica Railways
Η551–5522-6-0T2St. Léonard1891
Θ601–6032-8-03Krauss
Ι651–6602-4-0T10Société Belge1889Ex Myloi—Kalamata railway
Κ7010-6-0T1Krauss1889Ex Myloi—Kalamata railway, originality Kalamata Harbour
Μ801–8030-4-4-03Krauss1908Mallet locomotives
ΔΚ1–50-6-2RT 5Cail/MPR1891/1954
ΔΚ110-6-RT 1Krupp1891

Diesel multiple units

SPAP introduced diesel railcars and multiple units early in 1937. They reduced journey times and offered good passenger facilities.
ClassTypeQTYManufacturerModelPowerYearPhoto
ΑΚ210Β-28DWF/MAN1937
3ΑΚ1000B-2-2-B7Esslingen1956–1957
3ΑΚ640B-2-2-B13DeDietrich1950–1952
2ΑΚ420B-2-B8Linke-Hofmann1937
ΑΔΚ01 B-B+2+2-2
rack		3Billard1958
ΑΚ2Χ1551A-A13Breda1952

Diesel locomotives

ClassTypeQTYManufacturerModelPowerYearPhoto
DBς320.011-B1Piraeus Works320 HP1961