Delicias Station - Madrid - Train Stations/Depots on Waymarking.com

The construction was started on 1879 and just a year later it was inaugurated by the king Alfonso XII.

The building project was made by the French engineer Emile Cacheliévre. He managed the works along with the Spanish engineer Calleja. Both of them were contracted by the Compañía del Ferrocarril de Madrid a Ciudad Real y Badajoz (Madrid to Ciudad Real and Badajoz Railway company).

The metallic structure was built at the Fives Lille factory in Brussels. From this factory the pieces were sent to Madrid where they were assembled. The construction solved the essential necessity of railway stations in the steam locomotives period because it prevented floor obstruction and steam condensation.

This building had a functional character, following the most advanced architectural principles of the time. The most important materials were iron and glass, that were combined with perfection. In spite of the little ornamentation used, the building possesses an amazing expressiveness wich converts the principal station building in an enormous transparent bright space.

When Delicias Station was to be built, Madrid had another two stations: Atocha and Príncipe Pio. Both of them had only two loading platforms at that time, so Delicias was really the first monumental station in Madrid.

Delicias emerged, at first, as the terminal station of the Madrid to Ciudad Real and Badajoz railway company. Nevertheless after 1880 the company was absorbed by the Madrid to Zaragoza and Alicante company. As this last one already had Atocha Station, Delicias Station was eventually sold. The building was then bought by Madrid to Cáceres and Portugal railway company, and as a consecuence it was turned into an international station that connected two european capitals.

Circulation between Madrid and Lisboa, consisted on direct trains and mixed traffic, dedicated to both, freight and passengers transport. Nevertheless those trains used to go through very small villages. Therefore, passengers traffic was not very important, and consecuently freight services were the main activity, especially to transport cork, cereal and cattle.

All these services were terminated on the first of July of 1969. From that date the station was definitely closed to passengers and freight and all services were then transfered to Atocha and Chammartín stations. Delicias went through uncertain moments as nobody knew about its future.

Eleven years later there was an official preocupation about Delicias Station. Renfe took the initiative, because by that time the company needed a place to keep its train collection. At last, the railway company decided to used Delicias Station as a railway museum.

An important event for the future of Delicias station took place in 1980 : the beginning of the process which would declare the station as a National Historic Monument. At the same time, an agreement was signed between Renfe and the Ministerio de Cultura (Culture Ministry), deciding that Delicias Station would hold the National Science and Technology Museum and the Railway Museum.

The Spanish Culture Department decided to join in the restoration of the building in cooperation with Renfe. They invested about 370 millions of pesetas in order to do restoration works and to adapt the station for its new role. Eventually, the museum opened its doors the 19 th of December of 1984.

Text taken from the associated web site by "Inmaculada García Lozano".

Is the station/depot currently used for railroad purposes?: No Is the station/depot open to the public?: Yes If the station/depot is not being used for railroad purposes, what is it currently used for?: It is currently used as the Madrid Science and Technology Museum What rail lines does/did the station/depot serve?: Madrid to Lisbon Station/Depot Web Site: [Web Link]

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