Beep beep! Photos captured by renowned photographer show transport in Malta during the late 20th century
In the 1980s and 1990s the Maltese islands had a completely different mode of transport.
A couple of photos shared by the National Archives of Malta show Malta’s modes of transport during the 1980s and 1990s.
The photos were taken by renowned English transport photographer Dave Godley when he visited our islands in 1985 and 1999.
He had sadly passed away in 2022 but left all his work to ‘The West Country Historic Omnibus & Transport Trust (WHOTT)’.
When they discovered that a total of 415 images from this collection were taken in Malta, WHOTT decided to donate it to the National Archives of Malta.
The first photo shows a colourful red and green vintage truck passing what seems to be a village square on hot summer day with many men riding in the back. One can even spot ‘Tanti’s ice cream’ truck in the background.
On the other hand, the second photo was taken Valletta right before you enter the city gate. The shot depicts Malta’s old public transport system and buses. People can be seen boarding bus 62, which used to take passengers around Pieta, Ta’ Xbiex, Sliema and St Julian's.
Do you remember Malta during these times?