The only surviving Malta Railway carriage has returned to Birkirkara station after a five-year restoration project.

The Birkirkara (Birchircara) station was one of the most important stations on the single railway line which ran between Valletta and Mtarfa from 1883 to 1931.

The carriage, which carried third class passengers, had already been previously lightly restored in 1983 and placed at Birkirkara station, but it was vandalised over a period of 30 years and the work had to be done all over again by the Birkirkara council and The Malta Railway Foundation.

The project is not complete as the carriage is still lacking its wheels. Sources said the foundation located two of the old train's wheels in the sea and is seeking assistance to recover them.

The carriage is expected to be at the heart of a Malta Railway Museum which the foundation hopes to set up at the station.  

The carriage restoration project cost some €55,000, of which €42,000 were covered by the central government and the rest by the council.

A glass shelter is to be erected to protect the carriage from the elements and vandalism. 

READ: Watch: Malta's last surviving train carriage chugs toward restoration

READ: Third-class carriage gets first-class restoration