Galatian
01-09-2011, 12:32 PM
In summer 2003 I was working in Beirut and heard about the derelict railway station - formerly the terminal of the coast line to Tripoli. Couldn't persuade the armed guard to let me in and didn't fancy scaling the 8ft walls and risking a bullet. Following year I tried again and there was no one around to stop me wandering in. Apparently these days it's a regular venue for raves.
This is the station/admin building - seems to be serving as someone's home.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6187/6102380119_8cddc078f1.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102380119/)
2004_0822Image0035 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102380119/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Section of track - now a vegetable patch
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6102926260_9ebb8158df.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102926260/)
2004_0822Image0034 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102926260/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
I'm not a rail buff so all I can say is it looks like a steam train..
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6063/6102376333_b595018c9e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102376333/)
2004_0822Image0024 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102376333/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Always wondered what was inside...
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6102370471_da972e979c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102370471/)
2004_0822beirutrail0019 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102370471/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Where's the steering wheel?
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6063/6102377729_7eee94ae0f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102377729/)
2004_0822Image0028 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102377729/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Apparently during the Lebanese Civil war, Christian militias used the station, sidings and carriages as a a prison and interrogation centre.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/6102915518_6be4540c78.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102915518/)
2004_0822beirutrail0015 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102915518/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6210/6102365469_b8e6d78d52.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102365469/)
2004_0822beirutrail0003 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102365469/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Employees entrance with remains of time clock and clock card rack
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6102375031_5802ce838d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102375031/)
2004_0822Image0020 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102375031/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Oddly there was still a wide selection of machinery and tools in the maintainance shed.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6081/6102366121_6aa2b53c7f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102366121/)
2004_0822beirutrail0005 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102366121/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Yes I did fulfill a childhood dream, and it was brilliant!
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6102378757_28b0faca02.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102378757/)
2004_0822Image0031 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102378757/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Next train's gone. Whoever owns this has replaced the ash wood frame with aluminium profile. Civil war damage or woodworm?
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6201/6102372027_db821895a0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102372027/)
2004_0822Image0011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102372027/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
This is the station/admin building - seems to be serving as someone's home.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6187/6102380119_8cddc078f1.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102380119/)
2004_0822Image0035 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102380119/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Section of track - now a vegetable patch
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6102926260_9ebb8158df.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102926260/)
2004_0822Image0034 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102926260/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
I'm not a rail buff so all I can say is it looks like a steam train..
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6063/6102376333_b595018c9e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102376333/)
2004_0822Image0024 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102376333/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Always wondered what was inside...
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6102370471_da972e979c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102370471/)
2004_0822beirutrail0019 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102370471/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Where's the steering wheel?
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6063/6102377729_7eee94ae0f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102377729/)
2004_0822Image0028 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102377729/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Apparently during the Lebanese Civil war, Christian militias used the station, sidings and carriages as a a prison and interrogation centre.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/6102915518_6be4540c78.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102915518/)
2004_0822beirutrail0015 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102915518/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6210/6102365469_b8e6d78d52.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102365469/)
2004_0822beirutrail0003 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102365469/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Employees entrance with remains of time clock and clock card rack
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6102375031_5802ce838d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102375031/)
2004_0822Image0020 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102375031/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Oddly there was still a wide selection of machinery and tools in the maintainance shed.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6081/6102366121_6aa2b53c7f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102366121/)
2004_0822beirutrail0005 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102366121/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Yes I did fulfill a childhood dream, and it was brilliant!
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6102378757_28b0faca02.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102378757/)
2004_0822Image0031 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102378757/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr
Next train's gone. Whoever owns this has replaced the ash wood frame with aluminium profile. Civil war damage or woodworm?
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6201/6102372027_db821895a0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102372027/)
2004_0822Image0011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66902976@N05/6102372027/) by Galatianism (http://www.flickr.com/people/66902976@N05/), on Flickr