Egypt Posts

I’ve been following the tumultuous events in Egypt with interest and I recalled the opening page of Naguib Mahfouz’s Autumn Quail that echoes the fate of the Morsi government (and previously Mubarak’s). One day in 1952, our hero Isa el-Dubagh arrives at Cairo Station unaware his life is about to change forever….. When the train drew to a halt, he...Read More

While I’m in an historical frame of mind, considering this week’s ousting, revolution or coup* (*depending on your standpoint), I thought I’d mention the 1919 Revolution, mostly forgotten as it’s been overshadowed by the 1952 revolution and the various wars (and now the Arab Spring). A strike by train drivers and other key railway workers...Read More

This lies about 60km from Alexandria on Line 22, the Western Desert Line to Mersa Matruh and beyond to Salloum (Line 23) and the Libyan border, and is famed for two major Second World War battles. Coordinates 30 49 29N 28 57 19E. The 1943 era station featured in a BBC documentary about the Second...Read More

This is quite a long post but I think it’s important to reveal the contents of such an historic find, that I’ve just transcribed. Mr Ton Pruissen in the Netherlands was kind enough to send a 30-minute cine film made in 1953 by Mr Albert G. Nymeyer. It’s an amazing discovery. Mr Nymeyer filmed extensive trackside...Read More