“Passage” is what Perama means. Today, we’re at the Perama New Stop. It’s a place with a story that runs deeper than just a bus or tram stop.
Perama is a coastal town. It is a suburb of Piraeus. This area marks the southwestern edge of the Athens urban sprawl. Perama sits on the Saronic Gulf coast.
Once upon a time, this wasn’t just a stop. It was part of the Piraeus-Perama light railway. Imagine a quaint, suburban train line. It linked Piraeus with Perama and Salamis Naval Base. This railway, owned by the Hellenic Electric Railways, operated from 1936 to 1977.
The idea for this railway sparked when the Hellenic Navy developed Salamis Naval Base in the 1890s. Construction was completed in 1935. However, services didn’t begin until July 20, 1936. This was when the rolling stock from Breda Costruzioni Ferroviarie became available.
The line ran on standard gauge. It was electrified at 600 V DC with an overhead line system. For the first 710 meters, it functioned as a street-running tramway. It shared tracks with the Piraeus Harbour tramway. After that, it ran on its own railway right-of-way.
Being a single-track line, seven passing loops were built. These allowed frequent service in both directions. Interestingly, there was no signal system. Safe passage depended on predefined passing loops. The last 800 meters were within the naval base. Only Navy personnel with a pass could proceed.
During the German occupation in World War II, the line connected to the Hellenic State Railways. This allowed freight trains to reach Keratsini Port. Sadly, Allied bombing in 1944 caused severe damage. The line halted service until April 1945.
Most of the time, two services ran. A full-length service from Piraeus to the Naval Base operated every 15 minutes. There was also a shorter service from Piraeus to St. George in Keratsini every 7.5 minutes.
The anti-tramway trend of the 1960s led to the closure of other tram networks. But the line to Perama survived. Plans to renovate and extend the line to Eleusis never materialized. By 1975, the short service to Keratsini stopped. Only the line to the Naval Base ran every 20 minutes. Finally, the line closed on March 23, 1977.
Today, much of the right-of-way is a pedestrian street. Yet, remnants remain. Tracks are still visible at Thermopylon street. Rails remain at several level crossings. A dilapidated tram car sits in Perama. Between Tsorpatzoglou Square and the Naval Base, much of the infrastructure survives.
There are plans to reinstate the line. It would connect to the modern Athens Tram system, running underground. This is due to the narrow right-of-way and heavy traffic.
The rolling stock came from Italy. It featured innovative electric vehicles with pantographs and pneumatic doors. Locals fondly called them “little trains.” Some of these vehicles still exist. They are used as rest places for tramway drivers. Others are in museums, though not in good condition.
So, as we stand here at the Perama New Stop, remember the “passage”. Remember the little trains and the history beneath our feet.