The 100th anniversary of the Puente de Lata in Dúrcal, as it is known locally, came and went on the 18th of last month.

It was on the 18th of July, 1924, that the narrow-gauged railway (tram) arrived in Dúrcal from Granada, which had required spanning Río Dúrcal gorge. This tram service remained in service right up to 1974.

But this brdige, built by a disciple of Eifell, was not built for it’s present location, but was instead moved there by a German company, Dormunde Union from Gor, where it had stood for 21 years as a bridge for the Guadix-Baza railway line since 1906.

After a landslide along this main, rail line, it was decided to change its route and the bridge was abandoned, supurflous to needs… and guess who needed it! 

Yes, In 1920, the Sociedad Anónima de Tranvías Eléctricos de Granada began the construction of electrified tracks between Granada and Motril and the abandoned bridge in Gor would save a lot of money, even though it had to be dismantled and halved in length from 400 metres to 200 metres and transported to its new site.

With the bridge out of use since 1974, it lay rusting until 1999 when it was cleaned up and painted English (pillar box) red. In 2002 illumination was added,until somebody stole the lot, but the Mayor is determined to get the illumination back.

Anyway, on the big day, a plaque was unveiled and the Banda Amigos de la Música de Dúrcal played paso dobles.

As part of the celebrations, there was an exhibition on the tram service with photos and information boards in the old train-station building ceded by the Asociación de amigos del Ferrocarril for the occasion.

(News: Durcal, Valle de Lecrin, Granada, Andaluca)