GSSR: Building the Águilas-Lorca Line & Hett, Maylor Collapse

A second major hurdle was the local infrastructure. The roads leading inland from the coast were little more than dirt tracks. Before they could lay a single sleeper, the GSSR had to build proper access roads capable of handling the movement of heavy machinery and construction materials. It was a classic "build your own path" scenario.

Almendricos sits in a low-lying valley, historically an agricultural hub known for citrus and fruit. But as you travel southeast towards the coast, the landscape rapidly transforms into the rugged, mountainous terrain of the Baetic Cordillera. This area is framed by peaks like the Talayón in the Sierra de la Almenara, which, while not a high range, creates a complex network of ravines, foothills, and ridges.

Águilas itself is defined by its natural harbours and a coastline that is a striking mix of sandy beaches and wild, rocky coves. In essence, the GSSR had to conquer a compact, diverse blend of inland plains, low mountains, and a wild coast. This meant tunnels, cuttings, and viaducts were not options—they were necessities.

This initial leg included a particularly arduous section called Puerto de los Peines (the "Combs Pass"). Over a distance of just 4.6 kilometres, engineers had to build five tunnels and a bridge. The incline was so steep that, once the line was operational, trains often had to divide their load because a single locomotive couldn't pull a fully laden 600-ton train up the slope.

The strategic branch line officially opened on March 24, 1890. This remarkable achievement was celebrated with an inaugural run of Locomotive No. 2, named 'LORCA,' carrying dignitaries to the newly constructed stations of Jaravía and Pulpí.

Just a few months later, the GSSR opened the final stretch between Almendricos and the major town of Lorca—which contained the important hub of Lorca-Sutullena station—on July 20, 1890. With the main artery to the port secured, the company could finally focus its resources on the much tougher challenge: the line connecting Almendricos deep into the interior, toward Baza.

The work was also dangerous. Even before the line opened, there was tragedy. In October 1889, a young man was killed by a construction train near Jaravía Station. And the line would later see its worst disaster in 1927 near Pulpí. An iron ore train, whose brakes failed on the descent from Almendricos, became a runaway projectile. It hurtled down the incline and ploughed into the rear of a mail train that had just departed Pulpí. The catastrophic crash resulted in ten deaths and twenty injuries, destroying multiple wagons and two engines.

Águilas: This was the company’s unofficial headquarters. All administration was run from the station building, and the nearby workshops employed up to 250 people assembling and maintaining the rolling stock.

Jaravía: This remote rural station became a vital collection point for various minerals—silver, lead, copper, iron—mined in the Sierra de Aguilón and delivered by mule train for loading onto the railway.

Pulpí: The station here served both the mines and the rich agricultural basin, becoming a centre for transporting vegetables and fruit, especially tomatoes. The steep ascent at Puerto de los Peines required iron ore trains to be split in half at Pulpí before tackling the incline.

Almendricos: A vital junction, Almendricos was the key junction for the branch line to Águilas and the main line to Lorca and Baza. Due to the track layout, heavy shunting manoeuvres were required: trains arriving from the interior had to reverse into sidings to continue to the port. This required a heavy, manually operated turntable, often requiring up to four men to spin a 90-ton locomotive.

The line is now undergoing its next great transformation. In 2022, it was closed to allow for extensive modernisation, conversion to standard gauge, and electrification. This work is part of Spain’s broader plan to integrate the route into the new Mediterranean High-Speed Rail Corridor, ensuring that this historic path to the sea remains an industrial artery for decades to come.