A collection of colour and black & white photographs showcasing the changing face of railways in Portugal over a 40-year period. The story begins in the 1970s when steam traction was still commonplace on both the broad and metre gauge systems.
By the 1980s, steam traction had been replaced by an interesting fleet of diesel locomotives and railcars that proved particularly popular to visiting enthusiasts. Several old railcar designs continued in service for many years alongside familiar locomotive classes such as the English Electric 1400s and 1800s.
In more recent years, the railway in Portugal has seen extensive modernisation, including the spread of electrification and the rebuilding of several major stations. A new bridge of the river Targus has seen CP train ferries made redundant, but Portugal’s railway heritage has been preserved with the opening of the country’s National Railway Museum at Entroncamento in 2007, the building being in the style of an old steam roundhouse.
Railways of Portugal is divided into chapters as follows:
- The Steam Era Railway in Northern Portugal, The Douro Valley, and around Porto and Semada de Vouga in the 1970s
- The Modern Era in Northern Portugal
- The Modern Era along the Douro Valley Line and its Metre Gauge Branches
- The Modern Era in the Porto Area
- The Modern Era in Central Portugal
- The Modern Era in Southern Portugal
- A Visit to Entroncamento
- Trams in Portugal
- A Final Look
The photographs are presented in one-per-page format with accompanying captions at the foot of each page. Railways of Portugal also includes an appendix listing the steam, diesel and electric locomotive classes that have operated in Portugal, and a map of the Portuguese railway network. 144 pages. Hardback.