The work, worth 2.2 million euros, is expected to last 18 months
The service is scheduled to resume in the summer of 2027
The Gelida Funicular, after its renovation in 2017.
Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) has today awarded the works for the renovation of the control and drive system of the Gelida Funicular. These works are part of the set of actions that are necessary to be able to resume the Funicular service, scheduled for the summer of 2027, thus fulfilling the commitment of the Government of the Generalitat to this century-old infrastructure.
The replacement of the control system, drive and pulleys of the Gelida Funicular line has been awarded to UTE Transportes Por Cable, SAU y CaraNorte Ingenieros, SLU – UTE Gelida for an amount of 2,262,800 euros (before VAT) and an execution period of 18 months. The current drive will be replaced by a more efficient and powerful one. The renovation of the control and drive system will guarantee better safety of the Gelida Funicular in compliance with current regulations.
The resumption of the Funicular service also includes the renovation works of the track and the facilities, which will be put out to tender in the last quarter of this year. In this regard, Ferrocarrils has already tendered, for an amount of 131,000 euros (before VAT), the supply of the new track for the Funicular (172 12-meter bars) that will allow the replacement of the current track at the end of its useful life. The award is scheduled for the month of September.
Since the provisional closure of the line and the interruption of traffic, in May 2023, and while these works last, it should be remembered that the mobility service is guaranteed, by Ferrocarrils, with the provision of an urban bus service that covers the same route from Monday to Sunday, with a wider route and several stops in the municipality of Gelida. On November 9th of last year, the centenary of the Gelida Funicular was celebrated, an emblematic means of transport for the residents of Gelida, which was inaugurated on November 1st, 1924.
An emblematic funicular
The Gelida Funicular, the fourth to be built in Catalonia, was of great importance to the residents of Gelida and, especially, to the industrial workers who, at the end of the day, no longer had to walk uphill. The funicular represented a new, modern and more stable connection between the railway station and the town centre. From the very beginning, it was a success for passengers and traffic that continued during the 1950s, with the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the line, in parallel with the growth of the population and the number of seasonal visitors who decided to spend the summer months in Gelida.
The arrival of the sixties, however, put an end to the golden age of the Gelida Funicular, which experienced a notable loss of passengers and began to accumulate large losses, due to the popularization of the automobile. During that time, residents mobilized to ensure the continuity of the service and thus avoid the closure of such an emblematic means of transport for the route.
At the beginning of 1980, the Generalitat entrusted the management of the Gelida Funicular to Ferrocarrils and, during the autumn of 1981, the old Gelida Funicular made its last trip and the service was temporarily interrupted to begin renovation work. The cars were transferred to the FGC workshops in Martorell where the chassis were revised and new wooden bodies were built, following the style of the originals. The line underwent renovations to its machinery, including the replacement of the pulley system and traction cable, and the track and stations were completely renovated. The line reopened on 3 April 1982.
In 2012, the regular public service was replaced by a new type of tourist service, with services on public holidays and weekends; in 2016, the funicular stopped due to defects in the funicular axles and in 2017, FGC decided to launch a renovation plan that included replacing the deteriorated elements, renewing the vehicles and modernizing the facilities. Work began in June 2017 and the funicular returned to service on 6 April 2019 after the acquisition of newly built frames, overhauling the machinery and safety mechanisms and replacing the traction cable. It was in operation until May 2023.
