The only surviving wagon of the Maltese railway yesterday followed part of its 19th century route as it was transported from Ġnien l-Istazzjon, in Birkirkara, to an undisclosed site to be restored.

It was lifted from the gardens, where it has been for the past 30 years, and carried on a truck through Psaila Street, in Birkirkara, part of the route used by trains travelling between Valletta and Mtarfa from 1883 to 1931.

It is estimated that the restoration of the third-class cabin will cost about €42,000. The wagon has been exposed for a long time to the natural elements and pests without any protection or maintenance.

This, in turn, led to vandalism, biological growth, fabric deterioration and localised collapses, a report drawn up prior to the restoration says. It also notes that the cabin, which has now been taken to a “safe place”, had been sitting on stone slabs.

“This provided an uneven support surface resulting in localised stresses and a continuous source of rising damp. These localised stresses induced sagging of the centre of the cabin,” the report adds.

It was stressed in the report that the technical inspection, on which the estimated restoration costs were based, consisted of visual observations and no in-depth scientific analysis was carried out yet.

The local council has applied for funding under a €1 million scheme launched by the government earlier this year. The government is urging local councils to submit proposals for capital projects that will be chosen by a board within the Justice Ministry.

According to Birkirkara mayor Joanne Debono Grech, once restored in consultation with the Malta Railway Foundation, the carriage will again be kept at the gardens but it will be protected within a structure.

The local council is also planning to turn a childcare centre there into a train museum. The adjacent playground equipment, such as swings and slides, will also be refurbished and decorated with a railway theme.

CCTV equipment will be installed in a bid to deter vandals.