1969/11/02, 1. Porto was a haven of antique transport systems, having some wonderful old trams as well as the steam operated metre-gauge railways. Here, Porto tram No. 181 approaches the Praça da Liberdade working on route 3 to Pereiro, also carrying a board "Via Palacio". Sunday 2nd November 1969.

1969/11/02, 2. Porto tram No. 210 pauses in the Praça da Liberdade on route 6 to M. dos Burgos, while a more modern bus overtakes it. Sunday 2nd November 1969.

1969/11/02, 3. The metre gauge lines north of Porto started from the terminal station at Porto Trindade, however, the original terminus was at Porto Boa Vista. In railway terms, this was very well named as there were indeed some beautiful sights to behold! At the loco servicing depot there Henschel Mallet 0-4-4-0T No. E170 (the "E" prefix denoted a narrow gauge engine) positively gleams in the late afternoon sunshine after attention from her driver. At this time engines were still "single-manned" - allocated to one crew - and great pride was taken in the engines' appearance. Sunday 2nd November 1969.

1969/11/02, 4. CP metre-gauge 2-8-2T No. E143 (Henschel 1931) starts its two-coach train away from Avenida da França station, passing the entrance tracks into Boa Vista depot, en route from Porto Trindade to Povoa de Varzim. Sunday 2nd November 1969.

1969/11/02, 5. CP No. E101 was a 2-6-0T built by Kessler in 1907 and is seen here simmering in the yard at Porto Boa Vista on the evening of Sunday 2nd November 1969.

1969/11/03, 01. View overlooking Porto Boa Vista depot from the through platforms to Porto Trindade, showing the original terminus now in use as carriage stabling, as well as the steam loco shed. In the right foreground is E114, a 2-6-0T built by Kessler in 1907, this engine with outside Stephenson Link Valve Motion. Beyond that with its smokebox door open is E144, one of the 2-8-2T's built by Henschel in 1931, while on the left is E169, one of the Mallet 0-4-4-0T's also built by Henschel from 1905-1908. All are being prepared for the early morning trains on Monday 3rd November 1969.

1969/11/03, 02. The through platforms alongside Porto Boa Vista were actually called Avenida da França and northbound trains from Porto Trindade arrived through a tunnel. One of the four large 2-8-2T's built by Henschel in 1931 arrives with a train for Povoa de Varzim on the morning of Monday 3rd November 1969.

1969/11/03, 03. Henschel metre gauge 2-8-2T No. E144 crosses the viaduct over the Rio Ave just south of Vila do Conde with a train from Porto Trindade to Povoa de Varzim on Monday 3rd November 1969. It looks like Monday was washday as some of the locals use the river and some large stones - how times have changed!

1969/11/03, 04. CP metre-gauge 2-8-2T No. E143 (Henschel 1931) comes round the curve from Vila do Conde station and approaches the viaduct over the Rio Ave with a passenger train from Povoa de Varzim to Porto Trindade on Monday 3rd November 1969.

1969/11/03, 05. Henschel 2-8-2T No. E142 starts away from the station stop at Vila do Conde and is about to pass under the old aqueduct as it makes its way to Povoa de Varzim with a train from Porto Trindade, Monday 3rd November 1969. The aqueduct was built in the 18th Century, was five kilometres long with 999 arches, bringing water to feed the fountain in the Cloisters of the Convent of Santa Clara.

1969/11/03, 06. Seen from the platforms of the terminal part of the station at Povoa de Varzim, the small sub-shed plays host to Henschel 2-8-2T No. E142, while the crew prepare the engine for its next run back to Porto Trindade. Monday 3rd November 1969.

1969/11/03, 07. Povoa de Varzim was the terminus of the main part of the metre gauge line north from Porto (there was a through platform serving the loop line to Famalicão and Lousado as well) and boasted a one road engine shed. Here, one of the four very handsome Henschel 2-8-2T's built in 1931, No. E142, is serviced before returning to Porto and gives an incredible display of smoke generation with the soft coal. How the local population kept their white-painted houses clean is something of a mystery! Monday 3rd November 1969.

1969/11/03, 08. Station staff and engine crew exchange glances as one of the delightful Henschel Mallet 0-4-4-0T's, No. E164, arrives at the through platform at Povoa de Varzim station with a train from Lousado and Familição, which connected with the train about to be hauled by E142 to Porto Trindade on the metre gauge lines. Monday 3rd November 1969.

1969/11/03, 09. Metre-gauge Henschel 2-8-2T No. E142 has just been serviced at the small loco depot at Povoa de Varzim and is now making its way towards the terminal part of the station (out of picture to the right), while Mallet 0-4-4-0T No. E164 has just arrived at the through platform with a train from the Lousado and Familição loop line, Monday 3rd November 1969.

1969/11/03, 10. Henschel 2-8-2T No. E142 pauses at Senhora da Hora station with its lightweight train from Povoa de Varzim to Porto Trindade. Some 15 months after the end of steam on British Railways, sights like these were a wonder to behold! Monday 3rd November 1969.

1969/11/03, 11. Henschel Mallet 0-4-4-0T No. E169 arrives at Senhora da Hora with a marvellous rake of four-wheel coaches and a van, a working from Porto Trindade which terminated here, the engine running round and taking water before returning to Porto after a short wait. Monday 3rd November 1969.

1969/11/03, 12. The late afternoon sun glints off the immaculate paintwork of Henschel Mallet 0-4-4-0T No. E169 as it gets its train away down the grade from Senhora da Hora station with a train returning to Porto Trindade. Senhora da Hora was the limit of "inner suburban" trains from Porto, several trains terminating there during the morning and evening rush hours. Monday 3rd November 1969.

1969/11/03, 13. Metre-gauge Henschel Mallet 0-4-4-0T No. E169 catches the last rays of the evening sunshine as it brings its wonderful train of four-wheeled coaches and a van along the somewhat switchback track near Francos with a working from Senhora da Hora to Porto Trindade. Monday 3rd November 1969.

1969/11/04, 01. The morning of Tuesday 4th November 1969 dawned with an autumnal mist which took some time to clear. In the gloom at Contumil depot to the north of Porto is dumped No. 211, a 4-6-0 4 cylinder compound built by Henschel in 1924. Strangely, I saw it again a year later at Pocinho, so was it returned to traffic? Behind the 4-6-0 is 0-6-2T No. 014 and behind that is 0-6-0 No. 23, both products of Beyer Peacock.

1969/11/04, 02. CP No. 23 was an 0-6-0 built by Beyer Peacock in 1875 and is here dumped in the yard at Contumil depot. It had been in use until recently as the station pilot at Porto São Bento. It was later moved to Braga shed and preserved. Tuesday 4th November 1969.

1969/11/04, 03. The sun has nearly burnt through the early morning autumn mist to pick out the elegant lines of now stored Henschel 1924 4 cylinder de Glehn compound 4-6-2 No. 558 at Contumil depot. Behind is classmate No. 559, which looks as though it has been out of use for some time. Tuesday 4th November 1969.

1969/11/04, 04. CP 2-6-4T No. 075 (Societé Suisse 1916-1920) basks in the early low sunshine at Contumil depot on the morning of Tuesday 4th November 1969, looking well cared-for.

1969/11/04, 05. CP 4 cylinder De Glehn compound 4-6-2 No. 559 (Henschel 1924) and classmate No. 558 in front are stored at Contumil depot - did they ever work again? Tuesday 4th November 1969.

1969/11/04, 06. The sun is beginning to pierce the morning mist and silhouettes CP 2-6-2T No. 033 shunting in the goods yard at Contumil, seen from the loco depot across the main lines. This engine was built by Beyer Peacock in 1890. Tuesday 4th November 1969.

1969/11/04, 07. CP 2-6-2T No. 033 shunts in the goods yard at Contumil, on the opposite side of the main line from the loco depot, seen in front of the engine. This remarkable engine was built by Beyer Peacock in 1890. Tuesday 4th November 1969.

1969/11/04, 08. The sun has now burnt off the November early morning mist to reveal a clear blue sky as CP 2-6-2T No. 033 shunts in the goods yard at Contumil, on the opposite side of the main line from the loco depot. This remarkable engine was built by Beyer Peacock in 1890. Tuesday 4th November 1969.

1969/11/04, 09. CP 4-6-0 No. 293 (Henschel 1913) has just come on shed at Contumil after working the 08:55 train from Braga to Porto, and is about to have its oil tank refilled by the crew. On the right is a line-up of three 2-6-4T's with No. 088 (Henschel 1929) in the foreground, all the engines sparkling in the sunshine. Tuesday 4th November 1969.

1969/11/04, 10. Contumil loco depot lay between the main Minho and Douro lines on one side and the branch line to Leixões on the other. In the foreground is 2-8-0 No. 715 in the depot yard, while 2-8-0 No. 701 is climbing away from the main line on the embankment behind with a freight train for the docks at Leixões. No. 715 was built by North British in 1921 whilst 701 was built by Schwartzkopf in 1912. Tuesday 4th November 1969.

1969/11/04, 11. CP 4-6-0 No. 293 was one of the series built by Henschel in 1913, apparently based on the Prussian P8 design, and looks a treat! The engine has just come on shed at Contumil having worked the 08:55 Braga to Porto passenger train, and is having the tender tank refilled with fuel-oil by the crew. Tuesday 4th November 1969.

1969/11/04, 12. CP 4-6-0 No. 293 was one of the series built by Henschel in 1913, apparently based on the Prussian P8 design, and looks a treat! The engine has just come on shed at Contumil having worked the 08:55 Braga to Porto passenger train. Tuesday 4th November 1969.

1969/11/04, 13. The shed pilot at Contumil was 0-4-0T CP No. 003 (Cockerill 1890), here getting some attention outside the half-roundhouse shed building. Beyond is one of the Henschel 2-8-4T's No. 0185, a rather larger machine! Tuesday 4th November 1969.

1969/11/04, 14. Henschel 1925 2-8-4T CP No. 0182 basks in the sunshine at Contumil depot in Porto, Tuesday 4th November 1969.

1969/11/04, 15. 2-6-4T CP No. 095 (Henschel 1929) positively gleams in the sunshine as it pauses at Ermesinde station with the 11:15 mixed train from Régua to Porto Campanhã, the train mainly of wonderful old 4-wheel coaches. Ermesinde was the end of the electrification north of Porto at this time, also the junction station for the Minho and Douro lines. Tuesday 4th November 1969.

1969/11/04, 16. Henschel CP metre gauge 2-4-6-0T Mallet No. E214 catches the last of the November sunshine as it departs from Régua with the 17:45 mixed train to Chaves on the Corgo line. The 17:35 broad gauge train to Barca d'Alva has just left and this train follows in its path along the mixed-gauge section to the viaduct over the River Corgo, then turns north. Tuesday 4th November 1969.

1969/11/05, 1. CP 2-8-4T No. 0187 (Henschel 1925) pauses at Régua with an eastbound train of cement for the dam works at Bagausté, the Barragem de Régua, a few miles further on. It has already taken water and is ready to depart as Régua's broad gauge station pilot 0-6-0DM No. 1005 (Drewry 1948) potters about in the yard. Wednesday 5th November 1969.

1969/11/05, 2. Henschel Mallet 2-4-6-0T No. E204 is making heavy weather of shunting its train at Régua station in the foreground, while in the background 2-8-4T No. 0187 is about to depart eastbound with a train of cement for the dam works at Bagausté. Wednesday 5th November 1969.

1969/11/05, 3. Metre-gauge Mallet 2-4-6-0T No. E205 is being turned on the mixed-gauge turntable at Régua depot as Fives-Lille built 4 cylinder compound 4-6-0 No. 268 looks on from one of the mixed-gauge tracks around the turntable. Wednesday 5th November 1969.

1969/11/05, 4. CP inside cylinder 4-6-0 No. 281 (Henschel 1910) is turned on the mixed-gauge turntable at Régua depot having arrived with a train from Barca d'Alva on the morning of Wednesday 5th November 1969. Note the turntable was also built in Germany!

1969/11/05, 5. CP inside cylinder 4-6-0 No. 281 has been stabled off the turntable at Régua depot and is now having steam pressure built up with an incredible pall of oily smoke rising into the air. The local residents must have loved it! Wednesday 5th November 1969.

1969/11/05, 6. Borsig 4 cylinder compound 4-6-0 CP No. 248 comes off the shed at Régua after servicing to take up its next duty, taking over a diesel hauled train from Porto onwards to Barca d'Alva. The main line from Porto arrives in Régua through the tunnel in the background. Wednesday 5th November 1969.

1969/11/05, 6. One of the most remarkable survivors in Portugal at this time was No. 268, a 4 cylinder De Glehn compound 4-6-0 built by Fives - Lille in 1898 (I think!), and pure French in appearance. Here, the engine sits out of steam at Régua loco depot on one of the mixed-gauge tracks around the turntable on the morning of Wednesday 5th November 1969. I did see the engine in steam later, but only managed a very poor photo from another moving train as we passed it.

1969/11/05, 7. CP No. 285 is one of the inside cylinder 4-6-0's built by Henschel in 1910 and known as "B12's" to British enthusiasts. In immaculate condition, the engine is in full cry with a mixed train from Barca d'Alva approaching Corgo and not far from the next stop at Régua. Wednesday 5th November 1969. The vines on the terraced hillsides of the Douro valley are just turning to their autumn colours.

1969/11/07, 01. Watched by some of the passengers (and myself!) aboard the broad gauge train at Tua, metre-gauge station pilot No. E52 (Kessler 0-6-0T named "Vizeu") does some shunting prior to the next departure for Mirandela on the dull morning of Friday 7th November 1969.

1969/11/07, 02. On the rather dull morning of Friday 7th November 1969, I took the 06:45 "Misto" train from Régua for my first trip east along the Douro valley to Pocinho, and I was delighted by the rugged terrain of the landscape. The engineering to build the railway required tunnels, viaducts and ledges through the gorges and the whole journey was very impressive. Here, an unidentified "B12" type Henschel 4-6-0 is at the head of the train as it approaches the viaduct which crossed the Douro from the north to south side, Ferradosa station can just be seen beyond the viaduct. Since the dam was built downstream from here, this viaduct was demolished and a new concrete and lattice girder bridge built slightly further upstream. This meant a new station was required for Ferradosa, the old station now being a restaurant!

1969/11/07, 03. Like Régua locomotive depot, Pocinho was also a mixed gauge depot. In a busy scene two of the Henschel inside cylinder 4-6-0's Nos. 286 and 281 are being serviced, while the depot staff chat by the water column. On the right is the narrow gauge station pilot No. E41, an 0-6-0WT built by Hohenzollern in 1904. Note the "funnel" to fill its well tanks! Just visible in the right background is No. 012, a broad gauge 0-6-2T built by Hannoverische in 1902. Unfortunately, this was out of use! Friday 7th November 1969.

1969/11/07, 04. Henschel Mallet 2-4-6-0T No. E216 comes across the viaduct over the Douro with a Sabor line train from Duas Igrejas - Miranda to Pocinho. This was the only steam-hauled working of the day, the rest of the sparse service being operated by rail-buses. This train also included a postal coach and connected with the broad gauge train from Barca d'Alva to Porto. Friday 7th November 1969. Sadly, the Sabor line is now closed and derelict.

1969/11/07, 05. CP No. 012 was an 0-6-2T built by Hannoverische in 1902 and although dumped and out of use at Pocinho, it looks like someone was still looking after it as its external condition is pretty good! Next to it is an equally ancient 4-wheel coach and just visible beyond that is one of the narrow gauge rail-buses that worked most of the services on the Sabor line. Friday 7th November 1969.

1969/11/07, 06. 4 cylinder compound 4-6-0 No. 248 was one of two survivors (the other being No. 238) built by Borsig in Berlin in 1904 and was a very handsome machine. It is at the head of a mixed train (including a Postal coach) which has arrived at Pocinho from Barca d'Alva and is now preparing to depart for Régua and Porto. It was banked out of Pocinho by 4-6-0 No. 281. Friday 7th November 1969.

1969/11/07, 07. Not a brilliant picture as this caught me by surprise! Seen from the Barca d'Alva to Régua train, Fives-Lille built De Glehn compound No. 268 is in charge of an eastbound goods train at Vargelas, the station within Taylor's port Quinta of the same name. This was the only time I saw this engine in action, unfortunately. Since the building of the dam further downstream, the valley on the right is now flooded by the Rio Douro to a level only a few feet below the railway, Friday 7th November 1969.

1969/11/07, 08. Many stretches of the beautiful Douro line from Porto to the Spanish border at Barca d'Alva involved spectacular engineering works. Here the afternoon mixed train from Barca d'Alva to Porto has just left Ferradosa station and is crossing to the north side of the Rio Douro over the lattice girder bridge as it heads for Tua through the river gorge. This part of the river has since been dammed and this viaduct was demolished, only the abutments remaining. A new concrete and lattice girder viaduct was built slightly further upstream and a new station built for Ferradosa. Part of the old trackbed was used to build a new road to Taylor's Port Quinta de Vargelas, which also has its own station within the vineyard! The train is hauled by one of the two remaining Borsig 4 cylinder compound 4-6-0's, No. 248, built in 1904. Friday 7th November 1969.

1969/11/07, 09. Simultaneous departures from Tua as a metre-gauge Allan railcar leaves for Mirandela, climbing away from the broad-gauge line where Borsig compound 4-6-0 No. 248 is departing with its mixed train from Barca d'Alva to Porto, which it hauled as far as Régua. Friday 7th November 1969.

1969/11/08, 01. Henschel 1924 built 4 cylinder compound 4-6-2 CP No. 553 rushes down the grade near Rio Tinto with the 08:55 train from Braga to Porto on the very dull morning of Saturday 8th November 1969. Apologies for the poor quality of this photo - this was the only time I saw one of these engines in action!

1969/11/08, 02. CP 2-6-4T No. 077 is in charge of a train of ancient coaches at the terminus station at Braga, waiting to depart for Nine, the junction station with the Minho line north from Porto. Saturday 8th November 1969.

1969/11/08, 03. Preserved in the old engine shed at Braga were two ancient engines. This one is CPMD No. 02049, a 2-2-2ST built by Fairbairn in 1854. The engines have now been moved to Entroncamento Works, I believe. Note it was not considered necessary to keep the shed locked! Saturday 8th November 1969.

1969/11/08, 04. Two ancient locomotives were preserved in the old engine shed at Braga, this one was CP No. 9, a 2-4-0 built by Beyer, Peacock in 1875. I believe the engines were later moved to Entroncamento works. Saturday 8th November 1969.

1969/11/08, 05. CP 2-6-4T No. 090 (Henschel 1929) is in full cry with a train of ancient passenger coaches on the line from Braga to Nine near Tadim, Saturday 8th November 1969.

1969/11/08, 06. CP 2-8-4T No. 0183 (Henschel 1925) has just taken water at Nine station and now waits to get away with a long train of boxvans northbound on the Minho line, Saturday 8th November 1969.

1969/11/08, 07. CP 2-6-4T No. 077 sits in the branch platform at Nine station about to return to Braga with the delightful set of antique coaches which seemed to form many of the trains on the line. In the background is the small sub-shed, only one of whose tracks still seems to be in place, though still used. The main Minho line goes off to the left of the picture, eventually to Monção by the Spanish border. Saturday 8th November 1969.

1969/11/08, 08. Detail shot of CP 2-8-4T No. 0183 (Henschel 1925) at Nine station waiting to get away with a long train of boxvans northbound on the Minho line, Saturday 8th November 1969.

1969/11/08, 09. CP 2-8-4T No. 0183 has taken water at Nine station and now gets away with a long train of boxvans northbound on the Minho line, Saturday 8th November 1969.