www.charts-interreg4c.eu Project CHARTS “Culture and Heritage Added value to Regional policies for Tourism Sustainability” Workshop I: Railway Heritage Event Report 10 June 2013 South Pelion Municipality, Greece June 2013 1 _________________________________________________________________________________________ Report on the Workshop Workshop I “Railway Heritage” on 10 June 2013 in South Pelion Municipality, Greece by CHARTS MCU, June 2013 www.charts-interreg4c.eu Table of contents 1. Introductions..................................................................................................................3 2. Summary of Thematic Workshop ................................................................................. 4 Session 1: Pelion Heritage Railway Study trip .......................................................................... 4 Session 2: Railway Heritage Preservation and Promotion ........................................................ 4 3. Contacts ...................................................................................................................... 8 Annex I Workshop programme ............................................................................................. 9 Annex II List of Participants ............................................................................................... 11 2 _________________________________________________________________________________________ Report on the Workshop Workshop I “Railway Heritage” on 10 June 2013 in South Pelion Municipality, Greece by CHARTS MCU, June 2013 www.charts-interreg4c.eu 1. INTRODUCTION Thematic workshop on good practice related to ‘railway heritage preservation and promotion’, with study visits, took place on 10 June 2013 in Milies, South Pelion Municipality, Greece, organised in the frame of the INTERREG IVC project CHARTS. It was the first time when Lead Partner of CHARTS project Municipality of South Pelion organised and hosted thematic workshops, as extraordinary events for CHARTS project implementation, in order to exchange experience on these topics of good practices in cultural tourism particularly for tourism destinations among project partners. These topics were in addition to those originally planned. These extraordinary events have been held for experience exchange on additional good practice topics considered important for potential transfer between partners. ‘Railway heritage’ preservation has been considered as a specialized form of cultural and industrial heritage with strong European significance for sustainable tourism development. The topic of the Thematic Workshop was „Railway Heritage Preservation and Promotion for Cultural and Special Interest Tourism”. This Workshop highlighted issues on railway heritage preservation and promotion, industrial heritage of steam railway promotion, twinning arrangements between legendary heritage railways and promotion on ‘Riga Charter’ for conservation, restoration, maintenance and repair of historic railway equipment for cultural tourism. Thematic Workshop were supplemented by Study Visits to Pelion Heritage Railway (110 years anniversary of Ano Lechonia-Milies line) and Olive & Oil Museum at Ano Gatzea, all proven workshop topic for cultural tourism in South Pelion Municipality. In total, six project partners were represented: Vidzeme Tourism Association - Latvia, Consell de Mallorca - Spain, Welsh Government CADW - UK, Vastra Gotaland Region - Sweden, European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN) - Belgium, Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) together with Municipality of South Pelion from Greece. Workshop`s day with study visits recorded in video and photos. 3 _________________________________________________________________________________________ Report on the Workshop Workshop I “Railway Heritage” on 10 June 2013 in South Pelion Municipality, Greece by CHARTS MCU, June 2013 www.charts-interreg4c.eu 2. SUMMARY of Thematic Workshop Session 1: Pelion Heritage Railway Study trip Day started with Pelion Heritage Railway study trip with stop at Ano Gatzea station for technical visit to “Olive and Oil Museum” what was presented in the 1st day of workshops. After arriving at last destination at Milies village, participants were meet by President of Commerce Chamber, Padre and representatives of South Pelion Municipality and local stakeholders. After all together had traditional lunch at Milies station prepared by Woman Cooperatives from Trikeri and Vizitsa villages. The Pelion Heritage Railway celebrates this year its 110 years anniversary of the completion of the narrow gauge line to Milies, the same as the ‘Banitis’ Gulbene-Aluksne Railway on Vidzeme, Latvia, where Vidzeme Tourism Association is a partner in the CHARTS project. Session 2: Railway Heritage Preservation and Promotion for Cultural & Special Interest Tourism The last session were opened by overview on stream railways as unique cultural heritage by M.Vougioukas. He briefly informed about South Pelion Railway history and use in these days. The historical heritage railway Volos - Miles, better known as "Train of Pelion ', is a classic railroad narrow line width (600 mm), which connects the city of Volos with 7 villages and hamlets in south-western and central region of the famous mountain Pelion in Magnesia (Central Greece - Thessaly Region). 4 _________________________________________________________________________________________ Report on the Workshop Workshop I “Railway Heritage” on 10 June 2013 in South Pelion Municipality, Greece by CHARTS MCU, June 2013 www.charts-interreg4c.eu The Train of Pelion year numbers a story 110 years (1903-2013) for the line Upper Lechonia-Milies, and the total length of the route, the 28 km, 12 km, the first launched in 1895 and the remaining 16 km in 1903 ( July 2nd). Worked for 76 years with almost no interruption, transporting people and goods between the city (and the port of Volos) and the fertile and rich in agricultural production area of Pelion, was strongly associated with major historical moments, manners and customs and social and cultural life and a force element of culture and development of the region. Strongly marked the history and environment of the region Volos and Pelion and was for many decades the pulse of Magnesia. The citizens of Volos and Pilio had given him the nickname "Mountzouris" or "Jason, the beast." Restoration of Pelion Heritage Railway by Yiannis Antoniadis, Chief Engineer Hellenic Railways Organisation OSE Mr.Y.Antoniadis took the floor to present the Volos-Pelion Railway Restoration Works on steam locomotives and wagons, tracks, bridges and buildings. He started with brief history of Volos-Pelion Railway started by as initiative of the friends of train with wish to renew this railway for tourists. In the end of this project was renovated two steam locomotives, summer and winter wagons, railway track with drainage repairs beside the line and made construction and a small retaining wall by using metallic slippers from the line. During railway renovation were renovated three bridges: «Vrychonas» Bridge at Kato Lehonia village, the Taxiarchis Bridge and The bridge of Milies. Also, buildings were renovated along the route: ticket booth at Volos Park, main building and auxiliary buildings of Agria Railway Station, the main building of Ano Lechonia Railway Station, the water tank Railway Station of Ano Lechonia village, Ano Gatzea Railway Station, the round table for locomotives at Milies Station, auxiliary buildings at Milies Raiway Station, the main building of Milies Railway Station and auxiliary buildings at Milies. This project were completed with major support by European Union Culture 2000 project Steamrail.net. Gulbene-Aluksne ‘Banitis’ Railway: 110 years, by Mr.Andris Biedrins, Industrial Heritage Trust of Latvia Mr. A.Biedrins introduced participant with the only operational narrow gauge railway in the Baltics “Gulbene – Aluksne Railway - Banitis” connecting two small cities in Vidzeme region and which is both local transport with daily traffic and tourist’s attraction. His presentation was about the correlation of local transport, heritage preservation and tourist needs. The Gulbene-Aluksne railway is situated town Ape, mentioned before in the presentation about countryside benefits in Vidzeme region. 5 _________________________________________________________________________________________ Report on the Workshop Workshop I “Railway Heritage” on 10 June 2013 in South Pelion Municipality, Greece by CHARTS MCU, June 2013 www.charts-interreg4c.eu The economic base for the railway operation is the state subsidized regular passenger traffic with two daily return train services all over the year, up to 20 000 passengers per year. That ensure paided staff up to 25 employees. In nowadays no one other narrow gauge railway in Baltic countries still operating on the regular bases. Banitis Railway Company is offering for visitors specific activities directly related to the railway. Very marketable is riding hand or motor driven trolleys. As far riding bicycles becomes more and more popular in Latvia, has been adjusted freight wagon for transportation bicycles. Old fashioned horse driven carriages can be used for connection of railway stations with the places of interest in vicinity of the railway line. Horse farms are traditional for the Vidzeme region and Banitis Railway Company looking forward to develop the cooperation in between Banitis and farmers in this field. Visitors enjoy picnic in the forest next to the Paparde station.