ALMERÍ A AND THE GREAT SOUTHERN OF SPAIN RAILWAY (THE GSSR)

BY DON GAUNT

The story of the GSSR is a fascinating one of intrigue, legal battles, hopes raised and dashed and even some success, set against a turbulent political background that eventually destroyed the company. I tell the story of the line from its complicated and troublesome beginning to its violent end.

The GSSR was primarily a goods enterprise, particularly iron ore, marble and esparto grass. I describe how these industries connected with the railway and what if anything remains of them.

Although the line itself has gone, many artifacts remain and I describe in detail how to see them, along with other interesting things on the route.

Visitors to Almería are likely to stay at popular resorts like Mojácar or Roquetas and will want to see more than just the GSSR line, so I include a description of the province and the major attractions that it contains, with special reference to industrial archaeology.

As background reading and to help understand how Almería became as it is today and why the railway was built, I try to put the Province into the perspective of overall Spanish history from early times to the Spanish Civil War. 212 pages with many illustrations and diagrams. ISBN 978-0-9512813-1-4.

The book is now out of print but I have a few copies left for those who would really like one.

Email:- don@faydon.com

©Copyright Don Gaunt

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