That of Castellammare di Stabia has the longest history in Italy. Its railway commissioned by the Bourbons was inaugurated in 1842, second only to Portici compared to the route that connected Naples to the Royal Palace in 1839. This is a well-known story, so much so that a project recently started to recover the Bayard station in Corso Garibaldi, in Naples, the other end of the Bourbon route.
However, no one remembers that Castellammare is the oldest end station, a building with six Doric columns on the facade and a state of external degradation not worthy of the importance of the building.
An online petition is now asking for it which comes directly from the “Scaffale Stabia” website, launched to defend an important piece of the history of the State Railways and the line that connects the city to Torre Annunziata. There is an ongoing award of one million euros for an executive design by Eav, the transport company of the Campania region, which involves the conversion of the section, reaching up to Gragnano, into a light tram.
The signatories of the petition want the Fs train to be maintained, indeed they ask to “strengthen the runs of the Campi Flegrei-Naples-Castellammare di Stabia regional metro also as a valid alternative to the Circumvesuviana disaster and to programs and interventions, such as the tunnel under construction under the Varano hill and the construction of the underpass, which are only damaging the city”: in a word, they fear ending up in the management of Eav which is not shining with Circum.
In this same period the Railways announced the start of the season “of historic trains in Campania”, says the text of the petition. Who then recalls how “once again Castellammare di Stabia remains excluded” from this new form of cultural tourism which appreciates historic carriages and the rediscovery of ancient routes. Although the city has on its side the archaeological heritage of the ancient Stabiae, its Quisisana museum and is the connection center of a circuit of cultural destinations, unique in terms of value.
The petition found online mentions all the other cases: “the historic trains return to the most beautiful and panoramic railway lines in Campania. Archeotreno: from Naples with the archaeological areas of Pompeii, Paestum and Velia. Reggia Express: from Napoli Centrale to the Reggia of Caserta. Pietrarsa Express: from Naples to the National Railway Museum of Pietrarsa. Express: the train for the historic Irpinia railway line, Avellino – Rocchetta.
The initiative is being implemented by a partnership “fruit of the collaboration between the Campania Region and the FS”, recalls the appeal. However, the situation regarding Castellammare is different with the reconversion plan included in the Great Pompeii project and financed with 33 million euros for the tram section from Castellammare to Gragnano.
“Unfortunately, we must report that the delays and lack of clarity in the use of the funds provided for in the CIS for the Gragnano-Castellammare-Torre Annunziata stretch are not only unacceptable, but are weighing on a territory that possesses the environmental and cultural resources to participate fully title to these initiatives”, says the petition.
Hence the call for mobilization: “It is necessary to be able to participate in the choices that are being envisaged. It is essential to react and implement initiatives. Let’s begin to do so by signing the petition to save the historic station”.
