Portugal 01/04 to 08/04 2001 "The Coach of Death"
A last chance saloon attempt to finally get an Alco down the Algarve, the only remaining booked turn for the class being the 0853 ex Barreiro & 1620 return. I would also be trying to cover all my required diesel hauled track in Portugal. I was single manned on this trip & again # = required loco.
Sunday 01/04/01
A day transiting my way across France and Spain to pick up the overnight at Irun.
3209 Waterloo International - Paris Nord 1000 Waterloo I - Paris Nord 494km
337#) Paris Montparnasse - Irun 1555 Paris Mont - Irun 807km
402#)
252069# Irun - Valladolid 2210 Irun - Lisbon 391km
Monday 02/04/01
My alarm was set for the loco change at Valladolid - Beast 333 087 forward.
333087# Valladolid - Vila Formosa 2210 Irun - Lisbon 400km
5605# Vila Formosa - Coimbra-B 2210 Irun - Lisbon 216km
Phew! that was a long journey, I had stocked up on snacks and beer in Paris then managed to stay awake for the 333 thrash for a couple of hours then got my head down. I have no record of my move from Coimbra-B to Porto!
1417# Porto (Campanha) - Vianna de Costello 1035 Porto - Vianna d.C. 82km
A good long run out behind 1417 with the added bonus of a different loco back (I never had the track north of here to Valenca though).
1405# Vianna de Costello - Porto 1421 Valenca - Porto 82km
1411# Porto (SB) - Ermisinde 1725 Porto - Regua 11km
I seem to remember a Unit bowl out at Ermisinde which left me with no option than to wait for the following service forward - a beer was partaken of in a nearby bar to kill the fester.
1410# Ermisinde - Paredas 1835 Porto - Pocinho 26km
1408# Paredas - Porto (SB) 1708 Tua - Porto 37km
I checked into my hotel near to Sao Bento then made my way down to the harbour front, my main recollections being it was hard to find a decent beer & all the pavements were dug up meaning everyone was having to walk in the road!
Tuesday 03/04/01
My head was a bit fuzzy this morning, I think I must have tried one Port too many last night.
Today's aims were to do the whole route from Porto to Pocinho including the narrow gauge branch from Tua to Mirandela.
1409# Porto (SB) - Pinhao 0800 Porto (SB) - Pocinho 129km
1409 waits time at Marco de Canaveses (thanks to AFC45014 for station info)
A cracking run along the Douro river valley in glorious sunshine until, on arrival at Pinhao, everyone disembarked & a lady knocked on the window & gestured towards the car park - Bustitution!
The line was closed between Pinhao & Tua due to a rockfall (what else!)
"Coach of Death" Pinhao - Tua
This coach journey was horrendous - up the side of a mountain on single track roads with a myriad of blind corners & death-defying drops then back down the other side - it certainly wasn't for the faint-hearted!
The line was closed between Pinhao & Tua due to a rockfall (what else!)
"Coach of Death" Pinhao - Tua
This coach journey was horrendous - up the side of a mountain on single track roads with a myriad of blind corners & death-defying drops then back down the other side - it certainly wasn't for the faint-hearted!
9030# Tua - Mirandela 1121 Tua - Mirandela 54km
It was a long, twisty & mountainous route:
Alsthom 9030 winds its way through Tua Valley Natural Park alonside the Rio Tua. I believed I was the only passenger on the outward journey too (however I have been informed at least 2 other cranks were on this service!).
I had an hour here so I was hoping they would swap the loco to give me a winner back - I went to a cafe over the road where I had a chicken salad & a pot of tea!
9030 Mirandela - Tua 1450 Mirandela - Tua 54km
9030 Mirandela - Tua 1450 Mirandela - Tua 54km
I had a bit of time at Tua, waiting for the coach to arrive from Pinhao, I found a shop carved out of the rock-face opposite the shack - the only route to the shop being across the Ballast (Health & Safety eat your heart out!) where I bought a couple of bottles of Dark Beer (about the best you could get in Portugal) most welcome on a hot day like this. When the coach arrived Gruntle & Kev Coumbe alighted, both looking a bit white & shaken up. Gruntle said he didn't know if he could face doing the coach again on the way back to Porto so I took them to the shop & we bought their whole supply of Dark beer - a couple of carrier bags full - so we could all get well oiled before we had to face the return journey!
1414# Tua - Pocinho 1740 Tua - Pocinho 32km
1414 Pocinho - Tua 1910 Pocinho - Tua 32km
"Coach of Death 2" Tua - Pinhao
At least it was dark by now so you couldn't see the drops, we all sat on the other side of the coach even so!
1411 Pinhao - Porto (C) 2018 Pinhao - Porto 126km
1414# Tua - Pocinho 1740 Tua - Pocinho 32km
1414 Pocinho - Tua 1910 Pocinho - Tua 32km
"Coach of Death 2" Tua - Pinhao
At least it was dark by now so you couldn't see the drops, we all sat on the other side of the coach even so!
1411 Pinhao - Porto (C) 2018 Pinhao - Porto 126km
Wednesday 04/04/01
I had looked at the diagrams and I noticed a class 14 worked an IC out of Braga at 0750 but you couldn't get to it from Porto - so I flagged a bed for the night, doing one of my infamous non-overnight's instead.
1410 Porto Campanha - Vianna de Castello 0035 Porto (SB) - Vianna d C 82km
The first 30 minutes of my fester were ok as I wandered around Vianna, but then the heavens opened so 3 hours stood in a doorway on the station it is then!
1405 Vianna de Costello - Nine 0505 Vianna - Porto 42km
Unit Nine - Braga 0612 Nine - Braga 15km
1412# Braga - Porto (C) 0750 Braga - Lisbon 54km
I got my head down in the back coach until about 20 mins from Lisbon, while walking through the front coach to check the loco number I bumped into a number of cranks just off a PTG charter.
5602# Porto (C) - Lisbon (SA) 0750 Braga - Lisbon 336km
"Are you going for the MLW?" I was asked - no but I am now ! It was Barneys last one, 1551, out vice a 1400 on the Figuera da Foz turn - but he had flown home the night before!
They were all due at the airport so most had to leap at the first shack - but I had no such problem so was the only one able to take it all the way!
This was, at the time (*), my BEST EVER thrash run in my whole bashing career. This loco was a Beast and the Driver was straight to full out of every station. I didn't sit down once on the whole 215km journey. (* now 2nd best, beaten by a pair of 2095's from St.Polten to Mariazell!)
1551# Lisbon (SA) - Figuera da Foz 1313 Lisbon - Figuera 215km
MLW 1551 stands in for the usual class 1400 at S.Martinho do Porto on the 1313 Lisbon (SA) - Figuera da Foz
I was so overcome with the Thrash that I rang Betty (at work in the UK) and said "listen to this" giving him a dose of mega thrash down the phone. Of course he shouted "How am I supposed to work with that going on!", he got me back a couple of years later when he had a run behind Greek MLW A466 & rang me at work! (A466 made some peoples ears actually bleed on that run.)
Figuera da Foz
1551 Figuera da Foz - Caldas da Rainha 1736 Figuera - Caldas da Rainha 110km
Many 20's! 1425 stabled on passenger stock at Caldas da Rainha with no less than 3 sister locos multied up on a freight.
MY320 Caldas da Rainha - Cacem 2010 Caldas da Rainha - Cacem 88km
A much needed hotel for the night in Lisbon, proper beers up in the Old Town tonight where, due to it's large student population, trendy bars selling "Craaaft" beers were open well into the small hours.
Thursday 05/04/01
Wednesdays 0853 from Barreiro was an Alco (gen from the PTG lot) so a good chance it would stick to diagram for me today. OR NOT!
1931# Barreiro - Ermidos Sado 0853 Barreiro - Vila Real 130km
1931 stands at Ermidos Sado on the 0853 Barreiro to Vila Real
3 1900's in multi accelerate away from Ermidos Sado station on a freight service
In a bit of a huff, not really any alternative bashes to do - I eventually decided to bail here & return to Barreiro for the "Rush".
1939# Ermidos Sado - Barreiro 0747 Vila Real - Barreiro 130km
1938 Barreiro - Pinhal Novo 1525 Barreiro - Beja 15km
An 1800 brings a very short intermodal service through Pinhal Novo.
1934 Pinhal Novo - Barreiro 1427 Beja - Barreiro 15km
1425# Barreiro - Pinhal Novo 1640 Barreiro - Funcheira 15km
I would have taken this through to destination in the days the train was booked an Alco - no chance today though.
1425 at Pinhal Novo on the 1640 Barreiro - Funcheira
Unit Pinhal Novo - Barreiro 1710 Pinhal Novo - Barreiro 15km
1937 Barreiro - Setubal 1953 Barreiro - Vila Real 28km
I had seen reports in ERG of a decent pub in Setubal so had booked a cheap B&B online. I soon found the bar, I think they had about 8 draft beers on (very good for Portugal at this time) so I got stuck in. After trying 3 or 4 I started on the draft Hoegaarden - I had a few of these before the Landlord, seemingly amazed by how many beers I'd had, said my beer was free for the rest of the evening! Thanks VERY Mucho!
Friday 06/04/01
A groggy start to the day, probably my last ever chance of a 1500 (Alco RSC-2 2000hp from 1948) down the Algarve - lets hope they've swapped the bloody Alsthom off the diagram.
Unit Setubal - Pinhal Novo 0830 Prais Sado - Barreiro 13km
I couldn't look, turned my back to the inbound train - then I heard the unmistakable Ships Horn! Camera out!!
Monster 1510 draws the 0853 Barreiro - Vila Real Santo Antonio into Pinhal Novo. What a run followed down the Algarve !
My Lords I'm in! 338km of pure thrash to look forward too.....
1510 waits for a northbound service to arrive at Loule on the 0853 Barreiro - Vila Real
1510 enroute to Vila Real waits patiently for a 1400 to pass at Loule
Crew change on the 0853 Barreiro - Vila Real Santo Antonio possibly at Tavira. I knew it wouldn't be the best photo but the excitement of the run was getting to me. I had been joined from Funcheira to Tunes by Gruntle & Kev Coumbe who were apparently now on a "normal" holiday!
1510 Pinhal Novo - Vila Real 0853 Barreiro - Vila Real 338km
1510 & stock being serviced at Vila Real after the arrival of the 0853 from Barreiro
1510 stands at Vila Real while the stock is serviced for the 1620 to Barreiro
1510 Vila Real - Barreiro 1620 Vila Real - Barreiro 353km
All was well until we met a failure coming the other way.
Here we see a 1400 waiting to take the failed Alsthom forward & 1510 coming back onto its own train after dragging the failure to just outside the station. The Driver was making sure his Alco went back to Barreiro ! Disgruntled passengers (to the right) can't wait for the train to be dragged into the platform so have already de-trained. No 3rd rail, Health & Safety fears or press photographers here !
What a day this was - I would love to do it again, about 12 hours of solid Alco thrash.......
1938 (with 1432 Dit) Barriero - Tunes 2350 Barreiro - Lagos/Vila Real 250km
Saturday 07/04/01
After such a hellfire day of Alco thrash the overnight was enjoyed (with a couple of celebratory bottles of beer), even though the compo's were somewhat hot! Then an early morning of 1400's on the Lagos branch.
1418 Tunes - Silves 0535 Tunes - Lagos 17km
1425 Silves - Tunes 0555 Lagos - Faro 17km
1434# Tunes - Silves 0703 Tunes - Lagos 17km
1421# Silves - Algos 0657 Lagos - Faro 13km
1419# Algos - Estombar Logoa 0747 Tunes - Lagos 19km
1418 Estombar Logoa - Tunes 0803 Lagos - Tunes 23km
Doing these "class 20's" along the coast was thoroughly enjoyable, I covered all the diagrams. Then I leapt up to Funcheira hoping for another Alco on the day train.
1936 Tunes - Funcheira 0747 Vila Real - Barreiro 83km
(1939 DIT)
1936 & 1939 at Funcheira on the 0747 Vila Real - Barreiro
1935 Funcheira - Tunes 0853 Barreiro - Vila Real 83km
No Alco on this so, flagging a bit, I decided to go to the resort of Lagos for lunch & a relaxing day on the beer.
1422 Tunes - Lagos 1307 Faro - Lagos 46km
I had a Chicken Paella Al-Fresco then wandered up the "Strip" looking for decent beer. I found a bar with draft Hoegaarden so settled in for the session. It was only about 2 doors down from my cheap B&B!
The only Barmaid on duty took a shine to me, a couple of freebie drinks & a promise of doing "something" when she finished her shift at 8pm! Of course by 8pm I was wasted (she had plied me with a few Jagermeisters....which I wouldn't normally touch but I didn't want to upset her being a gentleman (no laughter back there please)) they didn't really go with my Hoegaarden - sod the women, Thrash & Beer will do for me any day. Off to bed, early, on my own then.
Sunday 08/04/01
A day to get my flight back to the UK from Faro, hence staying in Lagos last night. I was pretty poorly this morning - did I have something to drink yesterday?
I had looked at the diagrams and I noticed a class 14 worked an IC out of Braga at 0750 but you couldn't get to it from Porto - so I flagged a bed for the night, doing one of my infamous non-overnight's instead.
1410 Porto Campanha - Vianna de Castello 0035 Porto (SB) - Vianna d C 82km
The first 30 minutes of my fester were ok as I wandered around Vianna, but then the heavens opened so 3 hours stood in a doorway on the station it is then!
1405 Vianna de Costello - Nine 0505 Vianna - Porto 42km
Unit Nine - Braga 0612 Nine - Braga 15km
1412# Braga - Porto (C) 0750 Braga - Lisbon 54km
I got my head down in the back coach until about 20 mins from Lisbon, while walking through the front coach to check the loco number I bumped into a number of cranks just off a PTG charter.
5602# Porto (C) - Lisbon (SA) 0750 Braga - Lisbon 336km
"Are you going for the MLW?" I was asked - no but I am now ! It was Barneys last one, 1551, out vice a 1400 on the Figuera da Foz turn - but he had flown home the night before!
They were all due at the airport so most had to leap at the first shack - but I had no such problem so was the only one able to take it all the way!
This was, at the time (*), my BEST EVER thrash run in my whole bashing career. This loco was a Beast and the Driver was straight to full out of every station. I didn't sit down once on the whole 215km journey. (* now 2nd best, beaten by a pair of 2095's from St.Polten to Mariazell!)
1551# Lisbon (SA) - Figuera da Foz 1313 Lisbon - Figuera 215km
I was so overcome with the Thrash that I rang Betty (at work in the UK) and said "listen to this" giving him a dose of mega thrash down the phone. Of course he shouted "How am I supposed to work with that going on!", he got me back a couple of years later when he had a run behind Greek MLW A466 & rang me at work! (A466 made some peoples ears actually bleed on that run.)
1551 Figuera da Foz - Caldas da Rainha 1736 Figuera - Caldas da Rainha 110km
MY320 Caldas da Rainha - Cacem 2010 Caldas da Rainha - Cacem 88km
A much needed hotel for the night in Lisbon, proper beers up in the Old Town tonight where, due to it's large student population, trendy bars selling "Craaaft" beers were open well into the small hours.
Thursday 05/04/01
Wednesdays 0853 from Barreiro was an Alco (gen from the PTG lot) so a good chance it would stick to diagram for me today. OR NOT!
1931# Barreiro - Ermidos Sado 0853 Barreiro - Vila Real 130km
In a bit of a huff, not really any alternative bashes to do - I eventually decided to bail here & return to Barreiro for the "Rush".
1939# Ermidos Sado - Barreiro 0747 Vila Real - Barreiro 130km
1938 Barreiro - Pinhal Novo 1525 Barreiro - Beja 15km
1934 Pinhal Novo - Barreiro 1427 Beja - Barreiro 15km
1425# Barreiro - Pinhal Novo 1640 Barreiro - Funcheira 15km
I would have taken this through to destination in the days the train was booked an Alco - no chance today though.
Unit Pinhal Novo - Barreiro 1710 Pinhal Novo - Barreiro 15km
1937 Barreiro - Setubal 1953 Barreiro - Vila Real 28km
I had seen reports in ERG of a decent pub in Setubal so had booked a cheap B&B online. I soon found the bar, I think they had about 8 draft beers on (very good for Portugal at this time) so I got stuck in. After trying 3 or 4 I started on the draft Hoegaarden - I had a few of these before the Landlord, seemingly amazed by how many beers I'd had, said my beer was free for the rest of the evening! Thanks VERY Mucho!
Friday 06/04/01
A groggy start to the day, probably my last ever chance of a 1500 (Alco RSC-2 2000hp from 1948) down the Algarve - lets hope they've swapped the bloody Alsthom off the diagram.
Unit Setubal - Pinhal Novo 0830 Prais Sado - Barreiro 13km
I couldn't look, turned my back to the inbound train - then I heard the unmistakable Ships Horn! Camera out!!
My Lords I'm in! 338km of pure thrash to look forward too.....
1510 Pinhal Novo - Vila Real 0853 Barreiro - Vila Real 338km
1510 Vila Real - Barreiro 1620 Vila Real - Barreiro 353km
All was well until we met a failure coming the other way.
What a day this was - I would love to do it again, about 12 hours of solid Alco thrash.......
1938 (with 1432 Dit) Barriero - Tunes 2350 Barreiro - Lagos/Vila Real 250km
Saturday 07/04/01
After such a hellfire day of Alco thrash the overnight was enjoyed (with a couple of celebratory bottles of beer), even though the compo's were somewhat hot! Then an early morning of 1400's on the Lagos branch.
1418 Tunes - Silves 0535 Tunes - Lagos 17km
1425 Silves - Tunes 0555 Lagos - Faro 17km
1434# Tunes - Silves 0703 Tunes - Lagos 17km
1421# Silves - Algos 0657 Lagos - Faro 13km
1419# Algos - Estombar Logoa 0747 Tunes - Lagos 19km
1418 Estombar Logoa - Tunes 0803 Lagos - Tunes 23km
Doing these "class 20's" along the coast was thoroughly enjoyable, I covered all the diagrams. Then I leapt up to Funcheira hoping for another Alco on the day train.
1936 Tunes - Funcheira 0747 Vila Real - Barreiro 83km
(1939 DIT)
1935 Funcheira - Tunes 0853 Barreiro - Vila Real 83km
No Alco on this so, flagging a bit, I decided to go to the resort of Lagos for lunch & a relaxing day on the beer.
1422 Tunes - Lagos 1307 Faro - Lagos 46km
I had a Chicken Paella Al-Fresco then wandered up the "Strip" looking for decent beer. I found a bar with draft Hoegaarden so settled in for the session. It was only about 2 doors down from my cheap B&B!
The only Barmaid on duty took a shine to me, a couple of freebie drinks & a promise of doing "something" when she finished her shift at 8pm! Of course by 8pm I was wasted (she had plied me with a few Jagermeisters....which I wouldn't normally touch but I didn't want to upset her being a gentleman (no laughter back there please)) they didn't really go with my Hoegaarden - sod the women, Thrash & Beer will do for me any day. Off to bed, early, on my own then.
Sunday 08/04/01
A day to get my flight back to the UK from Faro, hence staying in Lagos last night. I was pretty poorly this morning - did I have something to drink yesterday?
1422 at Lagos on the 0853 to Faro
1422 Lagos - Faro 0853 Lagos - Faro 84km
G-IGOG Faro - Stansted
Total Km = 5671 Total Moves = 45
Daily Average = 708 km Average per move = 126 km
This trip had everything. Total MLW Thrash. Total Alco Thrash. Desperate (Non) Overnight. Jam Pot 1551 vice 1400. Then finally the Alco all the way down & back up the Algarve. (Then flagging the shag for the Beer). What more could you fit in a week?
A most enjoyable/nostalgic read, but a couple of amendments for Tuesday 3rd required I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteWe were also on the 08.00 ex Porto SB - for the Coach of Death experience to Tua - and it was 1409 not 1415 (I took a couple of photos which are both on my Flickr site). We also did the 11.21 Tua - Mirandela and 14.50 return, and your photo of 9030 at Tua is after arriving back there.