Barcelona Metro has unveiled the first two restored historic trains for its centenary celebrations, marking a significant milestone in the city’s public transport heritage. Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) presented the vehicles on Wednesday at La Farinera del Clot cultural centre, where all five restored trains will eventually be displayed. The €2 million restoration project forms part of the metro system’s 100th anniversary commemorations, with the full exhibition opening to the public in mid-November.
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The Restoration Project
Workers installed the first two carriages from series 400 and 1100 this week, with the remaining three trains scheduled for placement between Wednesday night and Thursday. The restoration process proved particularly complex because most of these historic vehicles had been stored in poor condition at TMB’s Triangle depot in Bon Pastor. Some carriages date back a century and hold Cultural Asset of National Interest status.
Restoration teams focused on cleaning, welding, repainting and applying period-accurate vinyls to return the trains to their original appearance. The series 400 carriage, which ceased service in 1958, required over €1 million in restoration work alone. Meanwhile, the series 1100 model entered service in the early 1970s and operated until the first decade of this century.
Exhibition Details
The upcoming exhibition will showcase Barcelona’s underground railway heritage through these meticulously restored vehicles. Visitors will access train interiors via ramps and walkways when the free exhibition opens in November. A 1,200-square-meter protective marquee will shield the trains from weather and potential vandalism starting Thursday. The display includes the highly anticipated carriage 126 from series 100, built by Casa Girona in Poblenou and operational from 1926 until 1979. Completing the collection are carriages from series 300 and 3000, the former having served Barcelona’s metro network until 1987.
Opening week begins November 10th, with the exhibition running through January 6th. Operating hours will be 10:00-18:00 weekdays and 10:00-19:00 weekends, though holiday schedules may vary. The Generalitat’s Directorate General of Cultural Heritage approved all restoration work conducted throughout 2024.
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