Greetings chaps,

Just got back from the CP and extremely riotous as ever.
09/05 2557 1855 Porto Camp-Castelo Branco to Guarda
09/05 1434 1855 Porto Camp-Castelo Branco ex Guarda
09/05 18?? (07 we think) 2005 Barreiro-Beja
10/05 1808 0845 Barreiro-Setubal + 1000 return
10/05 1805 1105 Setubal-Barreiro + presumably inbound,
1330 Barreiro-Setubal + 1500 return, 2005 Barreiro-Beja
1902 1837 Barreiro-Setubal
11/05 1810 0835 Barreiro-VRSA + 1618 return
12/05 1803 0835 Barreiro-VRSA but return caped due to strike
13/05 1803 0638 VRSA-Barreiro
14/05 1810 0835 Barreiro-VRSA to Faro + 1501 DIT
1810 1500 Faro-Poro Camp to Entroncamento where train caped due to strike, 1501 continued to VRSA on 0835.

Strike (Greve) from 11/05 to 25/05 resulting in a lot of capeages.
1635 Barreiro-Funch/1935 Barreiro-VRSA/1618 VRSA-Barreiro DNR, the Algarve o/n starts+finishes at Funcheira; the southbound conveys 1400 DIT+ stock for the 0550 Funcheira-Barreiro.
A list of caped trains at Torres Vedras shows little activity on the Foz line now with 1310/1740 ex LSA DNR but 0910 ex Leiria did run one day with 1428 and the local TV turn was 1462 on 12/05.
0803 Lisboa-Covilha + 1515 return DNR on 11/05
1830 ex Covilha caped at Entron on 14/05 with no FO Castelo B.
NO Lisboa-Porto o/ns
Not surprisingly the blue train/college train are now also DNR
Plenty of Alco activity with the Beja line almost solid and the Algarve o/n appeared to be solid as well.
1501 was 0638 VRSA-Barreiro on 15/05
1510/12/24/25 all worked on Beja line services
1510 though was 0835 Barreiro-VRSA on 16/05 - not what u want to see when you're about to fly home - eh Barney.

Moves to follow assuming the PC can cope with it all!

adeus,
Gazza.
 

FROM DAVE CRAIK
 

Newton-le-Willows 2027 : Schenectady 1595

Having been, er, shall we say "distracted" over the years by 751's in the Czech/Slovak Republics, 232's in East Germany and lately MLW/ALCO's in Greece, I made full use of some unexpected leave to pay my first ever visit to Portugal to see if this land of orange locos lives up to the last land of Orange (Greece).

Sunday 09.05.99

Fast car from my Parents in Yorkshire down to Stansted to meet up with veteran CP expert Tony Passingham for a weeks' cranking. Stansted almost deserted and brand new B737-300 straight out of its box (less than 100 flying hours on the clock) for my first flight with GO, which only had about 30 punters on board.  Decided on a taxi to Santa Apolonia station and we were treated to some erratic (to say the least) portuguese taxi driving.  No problem picking up Bilhete Touristico at Santa Apolonia but then the bad news; Big sign saying that there was going to be a strike starting on 11.05.99 at 00.00!!  Oh joy of joys!!!  Since the last strike lead to the ALCO's being more or less switched off, I decided to head straight for Barreiro while Tony headed north to cover the SuO College train from Porto to Castelo Branco for required 1401 track.  I hadn't appreciated what an outrageous "heritage" station Barreiro is.  Straight out of books full of b/w phots of the mid-19th century.  Barreiro basically consists of 4 bays with a small train shed for the middle two and the whole lot is right on the harbour front.  An ALCO duly obliged on IR893 and there was no way I was getting off before Beja!  Went for a wander round the town which was pleasant but somehow I was expecting more from the Rough Guide description.

G-IGOK Stansted  09.30 GOE301 09.25 Stansted - Lisbon
Taxi Lisbon 12.00 12.30  Cost Esc. 2,000
Walk Lisbon (Santa Apolonia) 12.40 13.00
„Estremadura"
 Lisbon (Terreiro d. Paco) 13.15 13.20  13.20 Lisbon (T.P.) - Barreiro
1512 Barreiro 13.50 16.00 IR893 16.00 Barreiro - Beja 154 km
1512 Beja 17.50 19.20 IR894 19.20 Beja - Barreiro 138 km
1421 Pinhal Novo 21.16 22.05* 17122 21.32 Setubal - Barreiro 16 km
1419 Barreiro 22.30* 22.35 17125 22.35 Barreiro - Setubal 7 km
1204 Alhos Vedros 22.48 22.57 17124 22.25 Setubal - Barreiro 7 km
1933 Barreiro 23.10 23.54 R4707 23.54 Barreiro - Vila Real SA 218 km
 

Monday 10.05.99

Off the o/nt at Funcheira and listened to 1933 disappearing into the night for at least 10 minutes after it had left during which time the Redcap switched off most of the station lights and presumably went back to sleep.  I made my way across to the stabled stock of R3800 and crashed out in a compo.  Was duly woken by 1524 bursting into life around 05.40 but quickly went back to sleep.  The Barreiro Commuters were definitely entertaining enough to keep me amused for a few hours, especially when Barreiro kept on kicking out 1801s.  Met up with Tony again for the evening rush hour but by Pinhal Novo we were already going our separate ways again.  1524 put in a hellfire performance on R3801.  There had been a major derailment on the incline south of Grandola with about 8 bogie oil tankers lying in a heap next to the line.  IR872 was about 50 late on the return so I was given a proper introduction to the noise level a 1931 can produce.  I was in the third coach and the noise was still unbelieveable.  On a good day these things can defintely give A-456 a good run for it's money, although on this Alsthom there didn't appear to be much of a turbo scream.  Off at Setubal to look for a bed for the night since I didn't want to risk a farce due to the strike starting.

1524 Funcheira 03.39 05.50 R3800 05.50 Funcheira - Barreiro  141 km
1423 Palmela 08.15 08.20 17207 07.40 Barreiro - Praias Sado 5 km
1416 Setubal 08.25 08.30 17206 08.20 Praias Sado - Barreiro 19 km
1808 Moita 08.59 09.04 17107 08.45 Barreiro - Setubal 19 km
1808 Setubal 09.32 10.00 17110 10.00 Setubal - Barreiro 22 km
1204 Baixa da Banheira 10.40 10.46 17209 10.35 Barreiro - Praias Sado 13 km
1805 Venda do Alcaide 11.11 11.22 17112 11.05 Setubal - Barreiro 20 km
1423 Barreiro 11.58 12.05 17111 12.05 Barreiro - Setubal 29 km
1423 Setubal 12.56 13.17 17114 13.17 Setubal - Barreiro 13 km
1805 Penteado 13.44 13.53 17113 13.30 Barreiro - Setubal 13 km
1805 Setubal 14.15 15.00 17116 15.00 Setubal - Barreiro 29 km
1525 Barreiro 15.45 16.00 IR893 16.00 Barreiro - Beja 16 km
1524 Pinhal Novo 16.12 16.52 R3801 16.35 Barreiro - Funcheira 149 km
1935 Funcheira 19.17 20.22* IR872 16.18 Vila Real SA - Barreiro  136 km
 Setubal 22.10*
 

Tuesday 11.05.99

Quick breakfast in the Residencial before the short walk to Praça do Quebedo for R3800.  Tony was on board having had an ALCO on the southbound overnight which had terminated at Funcheira.  We both bailed at Pinhal Novo for a coffee and roll in the station buffet and view the first Beja and Vila Real.  Since today was the first day of the strike and the overnight had already produced an ALCO we were both hopeful that one of these trains would produce something interesting.  The Beja was 1525 which we let go and were duly rewarded when 1810 rolled in on load 8 on IR871.  Decision made and the EE-Gods were indeed smiling upon us!  There was no way I was getting off this before Vila Real de San Antonio (VRSA).  The train was only 20% full and with the windows down, sun shining and 1810 thrashing away up front I was finally beginning to understand what this country is about.

Celebration Lunch taken on the seafront at Vila Real (in the shade) before returning to settle down to another 6 hours of 16CSVT music.  The line between Tunes and Funcheira is well worth doing with a heavy(ish) train.  The line climbs and falls continuously but there appear to be two climbs (one n'bd/ one s'bd) which tax the locos quite severely.  The n'bd climb resembles Talerddig bank on the Cambrian with the valley getting narrower the nearer you get to the summit but with a tunnel at the summit.  The sun was shining, 1810 was doing the business and thrashing it's way up the bank.  What more could one ask for?

Couldn't turn down the opportunity of having an ALCO on the o/nt so it was a return visit to Funcheira for yet another run off 1524.  Incidentally, rumour has it that a certain top ALCO basher requires this line for said traction.  Honestly, Barney, if you will insist on getting off at Praias Sado every time!!!!

1524 Praca do Quebedo  08.05 R3800 05.50 Funcheira - Barreiro 14 km
1810 Pinhal Novo 08.27 08.50 IR871 08.35 Barreiro - Vila Real SA 328 km
1810 Vila Real SA 14.05 16.18 IR872 16.18 Vila Real SA - Barreiro 344 km
1525 Barreiro 21.53 23.54 R4707 23.54 Barreiro - Vila Real SA 218 km
 

Wednesday 12.05.99

O/nt again terminated at Funcheira and we remained on the stock until 05.30 when the alarm clock went off (1524 starting up!!) and we transferred to R3800 and continued dossing.  Same move as yesterday morning with 1801 paranoia beginning to sink in.  This time had to flag required 1501 on 08.25 Beja on the off chance that IR871 produced an 1801 again.  I needn't have worried because 1803 duly rolled round the corner and off we went again (Tony leapt at Setubal and decided to head north in search of his last two 1401's).  This time the plan of attack was to do the 1401's on the Algarve before heading north again.  1803's run was even better than 1810 yesterday (1810 had been hunting on full power) and the driver was in a hurry to get to the Algarve.  I left 1803 at Tunes and opted for 1417 on the Lagos branch.  Having decided there was more mileage and less festering by doing the 1401 on the IR turn from Lagos to VRSA I leapt short of the crossing point (after all the train ran yesterday!).  Bowled!  Train wasn't running today!!  Oh well, dose in the sun at Alcantarilha until the next train arrives.  Nearly two hours later a Sewing Machine arrived going to Lagos so I headed for 1417 again.

1417 duly worked back to Tunes but then everyone was turfed off the train.  That was it; Train to Lisbon caped!!!  Next train to Lisbon?  Maybe tomorrow?  Settled for the next train to Faro which just happened to be 1418 anyway.  No gen from the Redcap at Faro.  All he kept saying was "strike" and shrugging his shoulders a lot.  I gave up and headed into town to find a bed for the night.  Found one at the second attempt although in doing so I had managed to slip on a piece of perspex lying on cobbles and gone arse over apex onto the deck (to the mirth and amusement of onlookers).  So there I was with a bloody knee the size of the Breitling Orbiter hobbling the streets of Faro.

1524 Funcheira 03.39 05.50 R3800 05.50 Funcheira - Barreiro 149 km
1803 Pinhal Novo 08.27 08.50 IR871 08.35 Barreiro - Vila Real SA 272 km
1417 Tunes 12.22 12.29 IR2870 12.29 Tunes - Lagos 9 km
1210 Alcantarilha 12.41 14.28 IR976 12.43 Vila Real SA - Lagos 37 km
1417 Lagos 15.25* 17.00 IR2871 17.00 Lagos - Tunes 46 km
1418 Tunes 17.56 19.18 IR981 18.23 Lagos - Vila Real SA 39 km
 Faro 19.54

Thursday 13.05.99

At least I could still walk this morning.  Woke the Receptionist (dossed on camp bed at 07.00) and hobbled to station to see what was happening.  Both IC and IR running to Barreiro according to the Redcap so I flagged the IC hoping for 1803 on the IR.  Need not have worried because 1803 duly appeared and was taken all the way to Barreiro.  Again the run through the hills between Tunes and Funcheira was exhilerating as was the run north of Ermidas-Sado where the driver made up 15 mins to Barreiro.  Absolutely dreadful piece of driving.  By this time I had given up all hope of seeing anything else of Portugal and was staying south of the Tagus in the hope of picking up ALCO's and/or 1801's.  Managed to pick up 1510 in the course of the afternoon before settling for another run to Beja for something to eat up in the town and a few phots of 1524 basking in the evening sun.  Tonight's overnight move was to Beja to hope for 1501 coming north on the overnight from Funcheira.

1803 Faro  07.52 IR870 06.38 Vila Real SA - Barreiro  288 km
1425 Barreiro 12.27* 13.00 17211 13.00 Barreiro - Setubal 16 km
1510 Pinhal Novo 13.33 14.56 IR892 13.10 Beja - Barreiro 16 km
1524 Barreiro 15.10 16.00 IR893 16.00 Barreiro - Beja 154 km
1524 Beja 17.50 19.20 IR894 19.20 Beja - Barreiro 138 km
1931 Pinhal Novo 21.16 21.50 17122 21.32 Setubal - Barreiro 16 km
1510 Barreiro 22.18 23.54 R4707 23.54 Barreiro - Vila Real SA 154 km
 

Friday 14.05.99

1501 duly obliged by appearing on R4706.  Yet another FC compo to myself for some reasonable doss.  I had decided that I wanted to be at Barreiro to view both the 08.25 and 08.35 departures in the hope of seeing both locos before having to make a decision.  I had hopes of something big because two 1801's looked as though they were paired up on the shed.  In the end it was only 1810 and 1501 that backed down onto IR871!!  The ALCO was dead unfortunately but I did wonder what was going on so decided to follow.  Someone, somewhere was short of an engine and today was Friday.  Hmm?  Something for the Blue Train?  The additional weight of the ALCO in the train lead to some serious thrashing of 1810, especially south of Funcheira with speeds down to under 30 mph on the banks.  Nothing unusual happened at Tunes; the rear three coaches were detached and taken to Lagos behind a 1401 and the cavalcade continued south.  Sure enough at Faro the crew of 1810 jumped out and leapt into the cab of 1501 and another crew got on 1810.  The ALCO was fired up and 1810 was detached.  Over in the sidings there were two car carriers full of cars.  Aha!  So the Blue Train was running.  A tough decision and not easy to let the ALCO go to VRSA but the chances of an 1801 working the Blue Train and me being there?  Virtually nil!  So Blue Train it was.  No problem in obtaining a reservation (again compo to myself).  Lots of phots of 1810 basking in the Algarve sunshine.  The run north was good but I hadn't realised quite what a totter the line from Funcheira to Beja is.  Fellow ER reader Gary Stratford clambered aboard at Beja and was as surprised as I was to find a Hoover on the train.  After 5 days of trying I finally crossed the Tejo again as we rolled into Setil.  I hadn't in my wildest dreams expected to be doing it in this manner.  Highlight of the day was undoubtedly the run under the wires from Setil to Entroncamento, especially north of Santarem.  Certainly one of my best ever runs on the Continent behind a diesel.  Rolled into Entroncamento to find no shunter standing on the platform!!  Porto maybe?  But it wasn't to be, the train was caped at Entron and everyone turfed onto the following IR.  Gary and I went our separate ways.  He returned south to pick up the rest of his things in Setubal and I found a room in the Residencial Gameiro just across the square in front of the station.

1501 Beja 02.12 03.00 R4706 21.43 Vila Real SA - Barreiro 154 km
1421 Barreiro 05.40 06.00 17105 06.00 Barreiro - Setubal 16 km
1423 Pinhal Novo 06.24 06.51 17106 06.32 Setubal - Barreiro 16 km
1810 Barreiro 07.20 08.35 IR871 08.35 Barreiro - Vila Real SA 288 km
1810 Faro 13.25* 15.00 20860 15.00 Faro - Porto 404 km
 Entroncamento 21.34   „Comboio Azul"
 

Saturday 15.05.99

Woke with the sound of 16CSVT music still ringing in my ears.  Nothing special today other than have a lie in and make my way down to Lisbon SA (1322 viewed on pway train on outskirts of Lisbon), deposit my backpack in a locker and go for a wander around the city for a few hours.  Maybe next time I can be a real tourist?  But then again, if the 1801's come out to play???  Couldn't be bothered to walk from Oriente to the Airport (too hot) so jumped in a taxi.  Surprise, surprise the plane home was the same one I had out.  Still I'd rather have my luck on the rails than in the skies!

2606 Entroncamento  10.24 IC540 07.15 Covilha - Lisbon (SA) 107 km
2601 Lisbon (SA) 11.30 15.05 IR827 15.05 Lisbon (SA) - Porto C 7 km
Taxi Oriente 15.14 15.30  Cost: Esc 900
G-IGOK Lisbon 15.35 17.15 GOE306 17.15 Lisbon - Stansted
 Stansted 19.30

* denotes actual time (service delayed)
 

Accommodation

Setubal  Pensao Residencial Setubalense  Tel.: 065 - 525790 / 525963
   Rue Major Afonso Pala 17 - 1   Fax: 065 - 525789
   2900 Setubal
   Esc 5,000 for a single en-suite with breakfast
 
   Directions: Mentioned several times in previous ER's.
 
Faro   Residencial Madalena    Tel.: 089 805806
   Rua Conselheiro Bivar 109
   8000 Faro
   Esc 5,000 for a single en-suite without breakfast

Directions: In Rough Guide.  Turn right out of station and follow road round to left.  Walk past Res..... (on left) and take next (alley) left.  Follow to end of alley and the Madalena is signposted.

Entroncamento Residencial Gameiro    Tel.: 049 - 66834/ 66844
   Rua Abilio Cesar Afonso   Fax: 049 - 718708
   2330 Entroncamento
   Esc 4,500 for a single en-suite with breakfast

   Directions: Across the square in front of the station.

So, what do I think?  Yes, it does live up to the last land of Orange (at least as long as the 1801's come out to play).  Shame no more work for 1551/1961's.  And just for the record:

ALCO mileage  = 1595 km
EE Mileage = 2258 km
Total Mileage  = 4404 km
EE/ALCO Index  = 87,5 %

Must remember to pack even more pots of jam next time!!!
 

Dave Craik