Hundreds of people visited a section of the old Floriana railway tunnel this morning, and were disgusted to find that hardly anything has been done to improve the attraction, or even clear up the rubble.

The tunnel from the Valletta ditch all the way under Floriana to Portes des Bombes was dug by hand in less than two years and used by the railway between 1883 and 1931.

Part of it became an air raid shelter in the war, with people sleeping in rows of bunk beds in the damp but safe surroundings while bombs rained on Malta.

Little use of it has been made since, other than for a maze of telephone and power cables.

Visitors this morning were disappointed to find that although tours first started to be held six years ago, the site is still littered with mounds of rubble. Tree roots several metres long come down from the ceiling and cables run on either side of the tunnel walls and the floor, with visitors at risk of tripping on them.

Tours are being held by the Malta Railway Foundation, whose volunteers have been working to raise awareness about the history of the railway and the need to preserve and present what has survived. (Tours continue till 4pm). Their efforts include work to restore the only surviving railway carriage and plans to set up a railway museum at the former Birkirkara station.

A full-size replica of a Malta train engine, made of cardboard, will be presented next Sunday at the Military Mtarfa events.   

An old luggage cart?

Ghostly - The view in the old railway tunnel with tree roots sprouting from the ceiling..

People on their way to visit the tunnel.