Purchena Station, Marble, and the Welsh Coal Scam

While the train stayed on the flat valley bottom, the town of Purchena is nestled at the foot of the Filabres, giving it a less arid, more mountainous feel. This location has defined human settlement for centuries. Purchena is famous for its ruined Arab stronghold, the Alcazaba, strategically positioned on a hilltop overlooking the valley—a clear indication that high ground meant safety in this dramatic landscape.

The violence of the weather was an operational threat, too. In October 1906, a serious collision occurred near Cantoria. A severe storm had knocked out the telegraph communications, forcing trains to operate without warnings. Locomotive No. 253 was proceeding towards Baza when the guard, Federico Pérez, spotted an oncoming ore train. Despite his heroic efforts to apply the brakes, a collision was unavoidable. Pérez saved his own life by jumping out, but the resulting "great catastrophe" involved deaths, major injuries, and heavy equipment loss.

That Engine 253 seemed cursed. The unlucky locomotive returned to service only to be involved in a series of accidents and fires over the next seventeen years, often having wagons carrying hay or fertilizer suddenly burst into flames. It’s easy to understand why drivers of the time claimed their engines had distinct personalities!

Don Fortunato, who cut a dandy figure with his English leather leggings and copious jewelry, appeared after the line's completion claiming that the land under Purchena station concealed a rich coal seam. He demanded six million pesetas in compensation from the GSSR.

To strengthen his fraudulent claim, Don Fortunato dug a small mining adit and dumped stolen GSSR coal at its end. The scam failed spectacularly when a GSSR assessor took samples. The assessor's report exposed two fatal flaws: first, no coal had ever been discovered in the Almería region; and second, the samples were identical to coal from Cardiff, Wales. The GSSR preferred Welsh coal for its steam engines over the poor-quality Spanish brown coal, a fact they preferred to keep quiet since Spanish law mandated the use of local fuel. Perhaps out of amusement, and to avoid a scandal over the Welsh coal, the GSSR settled the fraudulent case out of court, paying Don Fortunato a final, small settlement.

Crucially, the railway provided a vital link for the region's other key industries, most notably the famed Macael Marble. Macael, nestled in the foothills of the Sierra de los Filabres, has been the source of its pure white marble for over 4,000 years, used in everything from the Alhambra in Granada to the Royal Palace in Madrid.

The station at Fines-Olula gave this massive industry the connection it needed. The railway allowed Macael's large, heavy blocks of marble to be transported efficiently to the port of Águilas for global export. This shift transformed the local economy from predominantly agricultural to industrial, establishing the foundation for the region to become a global marble powerhouse.

Today, the old railway route through this historically rich valley is being converted into the Vía Verde del Almanzora, a fitting tribute to the line’s lasting cultural and economic impact.