In May 1893, railroads Thessaly signed a contract with the government to operate a new railway line from Volos to Upper Lechonia. Designs and construction of the project was the Italian engineer Ernesto de Chirico, father of the famous sculptor and painter Giorgio de Chirico. The operation was instrumental in the development of settlements served and continued until the 1971.
Construction work began in 1894 and the operation of the 12 October 1895. After a few years the line proved quite profitable until the 1900 signed another contract for line extended until Milies. This created a line of total length 28 km. The 1903 construction works for extension finished and was in circulation.
The Lilliputian this train line starting from Volos and end the Apples, consist of intermediate stations and stops at major villages on this route.
The route includes, also, large for their era structures: bridges, tunnels, retaining walls etc.. embedded in the rich natural environment of Pelion. The stations are of great architectural interest and rolling stock (kept in perfect condition until today) is unique to Greece.
The line segment Volos- Lehonia done easily with the construction of two bridges: Anavros in Volos and Vrychonas in Kato Lechonia. The portion of the line above Lehonia-Miles was very difficult since built seven stone arched bridges, Tritoxo and a five-arched and a metal, two tunnels etc.. The stations Agria Upper Lehonia were beautiful and functional buildings as. Earthquakes but destroy them and last rebuilt in the same format. The station Lehonia is a beautiful two-storey building with wooden porches neoclassical.
Since 1985 work began reopening the train. Had repair of rolling stock and maintenance lines and buildings still unfinished. The 1985 was declared a historical monument.
The railway line has a width 60 cm. Agria and Apples train dianychterefe and maintained engines and rolling stock. The machines were steam-driven and burned charcoal. Originally purchased three French machines. When the network expanded gradually took five other Belgian, who took the names Volos, Miléai, Tsagarada, Jason and Pelion. The carriages were 14 closed and 9 open-summer- and 10 wagons.
The train as transport was valuable for Pelion and foremost for the western. People from the villages went to town and easily-if not quickly, after the route Volos-tree was 2:15 hours- and transported and their products. Full of life, making up to seven return services a day from Volos to Apples.
Even Halloween and the Day the train was the legendary "Moutzouris" dressed festively … Meet glories and greatness, sorrows and war (then destroyed much of the rolling stock), and Alice turned to the work "The teacher with the golden hair"!
On 20 June 1971 ceased to be a means of communication, and ceased operations as unprofitable as, The boring vehicular routes in’ Pelion-especially war-and the solution of the car, demoted the passenger and commercial traffic.
Today reopens-after featured traditional neoclassical- main reasons for tourist, cultural, and emotional. Starts weekends and holidays, morning from Ano Lechonia and ends on Apples. Returns the afternoon.
In the age of speed the train having a run 15 approximately km, comes through the paintings of de Chirico, απ’ the foliage of trees, απ’ the scent of flfroms, and from’ the indescribable beauty of Pelion landscape. Let's travel to the 'steam train' slowly in space and time and let us enjoy the beauty of the world. Worth!
