Portugal's STUNNING Douro Valley Line aboard coaches from the 1940s!
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- Up this week, we take a look at the stunning Douro Valley line aboard Comboios de Portugal (CP) carriages that date from the 1940s and hauled by a locomotive which has close ties to the UK!
Date of Travel: June 2021
Class of Travel: 2nd Class
Rolling Stock: Série 1400 locomotive & Schindler coaches
Type of Service: InterRegional
Train Number: IR 868
Origin: Pocinho, Portugal
Destination: Porto São Bento, Portugal
Via: Porto-Campanhã, Portugal
Cost of Ticket: €21.65 (£18.50, $25.60 for a return including 25% discount for being under 25)
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Dylan, I first did the Douro Valley in September 1965 ,before the damming of the Douro. In those days the line continued beyond Pocinho to Barca d'Alva and into Spain. Every major valley that fed into the Douro from the north had its steam worked metre-gauge branch line . I have my own photographic record of the many visits to that magical part of Portugal. Wonderful memories. In 60 years time you will look back at your own excellent videos and ponder a very different past. Good luck to you and keep recording.
Best wishes,Garth
👍👍
Travelled through to Spain on that line in early 80’s.Not sure when it stopped being a through route.
@@sanspareil3018 It was closed on Januray, 1st 1985 from Barca D'Alva to La Fuente de San Esteban. In 1988 the Sabor railway line which was from Pocinho to Duas Igrejas (Miranda) was closed and two or three weeks later it was close the Douro Railway line between Pocinho and Barca D'Alva.
@@otozept Thank you for the information. I remember when I travelled on it (1982 I think) there were not many others on the train and the it must have cost to have a frontier post there. It’s a pity though.
@@sanspareil3018 It closed when we had EU freedom of travel, and European subsidies to renew infrastructure. It was plain wrong to close that line, and really dumb not to re-open it. It lasted wars, revolutions and dictators, but couldn't survive bureaucrats.
This was well worth waiting for! What a wonderful ride! As regards the open doors, nothing new for me. Growing up in South Africa in the 50s and 60s, I often saw train doors open -- it helps circulate some air when outside temperatures are nudging 50°C! We had a saying that I was to hear again when living in the Azores: "If you don't do stupid things, you won't kill yourself; if you do... well, then you deserve what you get!".
What a marvelous little station in Pocinho, a splendid one in Porto, and what a charming train!
The cat's Name is, of course, Tigresa Ferroviária do Pocinho (Railway Tigress of Pocinho) or shortly Tigresa Ferro.
Took this train from Pinhao down to Porto a couple of years ago and is stunning along the river. Once the line leaves the river it seems to take a huge arc and a lot of time around into Porto rather that what seems to be a rather roundabout route. Love the open doors too. Rather than health and safety obsessed, some countries still use a system called common sense and lack of morons. Moving train, open door, best keep clear - simples!
Dylan, I hate to say this.. but this is a GEM of a ride you had. Not just a quirky old train, but a train that has older running cars! You had the BEST ride of a life time! If I had internationally traveled like you did by trains, I would have sought out old fashioned trains to ride on! Given that you could ride a train with the window down and nearly lean out, you had one of the best UNIQUE experiences ever! Even I, as an old gent, am jealous of you, but always would caution you to be careful. I don't want you to be hurt, but yeah, shocking as it was to find those train doors open! Not a real good idea! Being able to look out the back of the train was fun! But one more thing I want to point out, They didn't use modern railroad tracks! It looked like they were still using the older rail and timber tracks which makes it unique sounds. I loved how you described their rest rooms, of how the soap was GROTTY! I laughed at that comment out of you!! In other words, welcome to my parent's era of their lives. Imagine an era where nothing is handicapped accessible yet, and I would assume, you could put the window down and smoke on the train!! Crazy, but yes, it was in those days. Be thankful that older stock equipment is still worth running to carry people these days. The last part is that the weather was on your side for a gem of a ride that you had. You had it down to a point where you introduced the old station. You had your viewers hooked for a ride of a journey you had.
I'm sure more than enough were disappointed you got on to a modern train to get to your last stop. As if it was a SLAP in the face! (sorry, can't help it! I have to call it as I see it.).
Over all, I think this was the best of the best of the Dylan's Travel Reports! As I always tell you, Stay Safe please.
Wow, no hermetically sealed cars there! Love the fresh air, love the views, love the old time station and especially that they have a "station cat". The whole experience is far too cool. A bargain!
Oh Wow Dyls! Once more your research has uncovered a brilliant gem. Thank you for making my evening
Glad you enjoyed Roy 😁
Never done the train journey, but have driven around the alto Douro region, for my money one of the most beautiful areas in europe. I have taken the train from Sao Bento to Braga, and returned there from Barcelos via Nine, but that was many years ago. I think there are long term plans to reopen the line from Pochino to Barca de Alva. Thanks for sharing.
When the train stopped in Pinhao I was hoping you would turn your camera in the other direction to see the wonderful tile work on the station building, which depict various stages of the Port wine growing and transporting system.
Thanks for opening my eyes to the fact that you can still have a proper train ride in Western Europe in 2021 - Amazing. Proper rolling stock, opening windows, a real locomotive with good sounds, bliss. I must make it a trip. :-)
This old rolling stock was recently renewed for this kind of service. It was, IMHO, a great upgrade over the airconditioned DMU that were there before.
That was a fascinating trip back in time, beginning with that quiet station waiting room with its polished floor and grandfather clock. The rattling sound added to the older days feeling, though luckily it was a short trip or its charm might wear thin. The open doors? Better keep kids close at hand if you have some with you. Wonderful scenery, especially when the valley widened and the train was riding above a small village. Excellent trip.
Doors can be closed or opened by hand. Some coaches had the middle doors, those are disabled now for safety. This is a humble rural regional train, but most people i know like this old rolling stock much better than the airconditioned DMU that ran this service before.
I’ll make this trip at the end of these October. I’ll look for the cat 🐈at Pocinho station . I hope you enjoy all your trips and thanks for your videos.
Excellent video as always, Dylan.
Did this beautiful trip in 2019. Sadly I didn't come across the Pocinho station cat, though there WAS a large black dog who followed me from the platform to the area immediately outside the station. His connection to me might have had something to do with the salami that was in my backpack, from which he ended up with the greater proportion.
I know how that is, my neighbor's dog comes to beg me for food, and I always cave in and feed him. I know he is supposed to be on a diet and is manipulating me into helping him cheat! My neighbor and my boyfriend call me weak, but I can't help falling for the big sad eyes, the tilted depressed head and then for the happy wiggles when I bring some food. I mean it's a corgi, it's supposed to be fat!
Loved that train. Loved that gorgeous scenery. Definitely worth the money, IMO. :)
Absolutely beautiful views, also the station cat was adorable! 😅
Adorable, and very vocal!
Dylan, I LOVED this. The train, the open windows, the seats, the scenery... one of my faves. I hope you can find more old time trains like this one!!!
This locomotives série 1400 start to operate in Portugal in 1969 anda the carrieges are from the late 40'.
@@MyCutedragon The CP Class 1400 were built by English Electric based on the UK Class 20.
@@danielsellers8707 yes that right. Those locomotives are the old lady's. From the inicial order of 67 locomotives only 11 are in service today.
Silly bit of trivia. The station clock is technically a "Grandmother" clock. Reason? A Grandfather clock has a glass front showing the pendulum and weights. A Grandmother clock is more modest and doesn't show its "private parts." LOL. My uncle was a Master clock repairman...after all we are Swiss!!!. Absolutely lovely report young man as always.
Love it! Thanks for the great video!!!! The "old, quirky" train has just been added to the top of my list! I'll take my portable table (folds to the size of a laptop - legs and all), pack a picnic lunch, grab a window seat, pull down the window, set up the table, and toast the glorious views as I picnic along the ride!
Glad you enjoyed 😁
It's incredible that this train is still used for regular service and not for a piece of a museum
That main station at the end. What lovely tiling. I noticed it on many rural stations. The Portuguese have a lovely way with tiles that suits their warmer climate as it makes the area feel cooler I think.
Cool little trains there - yeah nice and quirky and obviously such beautiful views too. So refreshing to see the doors open like that during the journey.
Made that journey so many times, used to always sleep all the way 😅 (tired from work). I used to work on the river cruise boats, this was our longest journey back to Porto or Régua. And then get off at Paredes (if I remember correctly 🤔)and swap to the train to São Bento at Porto. And from there to Vila Nova de Gaia.
Beautiful train experience. As well as the scenery, I kept thinking of the Douro grapes ripening in the vineyards along the river which will eventually end up as delicious Port wine! I agree with your impressions of Ocinho Station, you could be in a spaghetti western, waiting at some remote station expecting a posse of ne'er do well outlaws to ride up at any moment! I believe the carriages are based on the Swiss Railway "lightweight coaches" which I remember from holidays there in the 1960's. They had air-operated doors, though, not like these. On journeys with my wife in Poland shortly after "regime change" in the 1990's, I was alarmed to see vestibule doors left open not only on branch-line trains, but on high speed electrically hauled inter city services. Given that consumption of vodka was at a quite high level, I wonder what the resultant fatality rate might have been!
The entire journey feels very "Wild West-y" and may I say, very romantic.
Absolutely beautiful preservation of a bygone era. Love it.
10:37 "Do not use during stops at stations"
Unsurprisingly, trains of this age and nature empty their waste directly onto the tracks.
Still, the toilets looked pretty clean - and in any case, the train actually has toilets. There are other trains I know of, which are significantly newer, and have no on board toilets.
now they have a reservatory for it.
That was brilliant, thank you. Wonderful scenery. Station cat, the booking hall and in Porto a beautiful station with model locomotive. Ah the 2CV of trains! WiFi? forget it. Air con? don’t bother, doors optional. BUT you get seats that line up with the windows, windows that open and curtains. All they need to do is to make the carriages wheelchair accessible and they will be good for another 70 years.
Wow! I was in Porto and knew nothing about this great little train. Guess I must head back 🚂
I have to say that this journey, despite the lack of safety, is one of the hidden gems of Portugal. If I was able to travel it would be a must on my to do list. Thank you Dylan for sharing it with us. Cheers, Bob
Nothing hidden about this. We have people from all over the world doing this. Douro Valley is heavily advertised. Usually boat up, train down.
I have a long history of using that line frequently in the 80's. Remember the carriages & 1400's, never thought the open door as odd. The beauty of this line is not only the vista but the scent. Modern air con carriages may be comfortable but would take away the special pleasures this trip brings. I'm glad you went to Pocinho, most people stop at Régua or Pinhão.
a little anecdote: I used to spend many summer nights in Pinhão, the house I stayed was next to the line, if I open the window I could reach out to the trains. I remember the steam trains clearly that ran till late 70's I think. The drivers use to blow their whistle right outside my room, that was one heck of a wake up call!
There is talk to link the old extinguished line from Pocinho to Salamanca. I hope this would be the case but it's quite a climb from Barca D'Alva till the plains that lead to Salamanca.
Stunning scenery for the entire journey and ADORE the railway cat 🐈
Sounds like one of the wheels on your carriage needs to hit the lathe soon! That's a pretty bad flat spot! Anyways, I'm pretty much a local and I take these trains very often, and I'm thrilled you enjoyed the experience.
What a lovely scenic ride! I think the train cars’ age is part of the charm of this route. And those stations along the way were very attractive in their simplicity. Thank you for the video.
I can tell you had an absolute blast on the scenic Douro line. Thank you for it with us sharing Dylan.
The noise is the best part! Or am I the only one who finds it calming?
Thank you Dylan, very nice video from you.
That’s something magical on the train, to offer such great journeys and touristics attractions for a normal train ticket price.
I put this line on my “to do” list !
Exceptional views & being an older train does make it more special.Well done.
Great video, lovely railway ride along the river side, beautiul views, the video shows at times trains running on the left track, and the gauge looks to be a wider width than in most of Europe. (I guess to match Spain's standard gauge!). At one moment the upholsterly in the first carriage made me think of London underground, it had a familiarity to it. I guess in winter even with the door closed there will be a cold draft near the doors, I recall from my younger days the guards on the London underground would sometimes leave a door open whilst the train was travelling between stations, especially on the outdoors sections on a hot day. Finally, I am old enough to remember "slam door" carriages (with either compartments or open so that passengers could walk from one end to the other), these doors were passenger operated. Arrival at the station was always fun, open the door prior to the train stoppping to get a head start on the exit, whilst trying to avoid any waiting passengers too far forward close to platform edge or falling over if alighting too early. Those were the days!
Portugal wide gauge is similar to Spain, 1668mm. Standard gauge is 1435mm.
i enjoyed the sliding windows and the views were so beautiful
Great video Dylan! As a portuguese, I did my first trip on Douro’s line last year on the summer, but I only did part of the journey (Porto-Campanhã to Régua and Régua-São Bento on the way back). It was really an amazing experience as a train enthusiast myself. The old carriages and locos in combination with the amazing view and the possibility to open the windows and capture amazing footage. Never had that experience before. Believe it or not, I did not notice the train had toilets when I travelled on that train 😅 glad to know that! Now I see that I missed the most beautiful part of the journey, between Régua and Pocinho, will definitely have to do it after seeing your video. Regarding the open doors, yeah, it is a bit unsafe… I guess it’s just because they are old carriages, on the “regular” rolling stock of CP that does not happen.
The Schindler carriages were actually abandoned for years, alongside with some old Sorefame carriages. They started being recovered in 2020 to be out on this services on the Douro line, I think it’s the best thing that they did. Great video once again.
What an awesome video. Stunning scenery. Cracking little train. Portugal looks amazing. Nice one Dylan. Keep these gems coming.
What a beautiful line this is. It's now a high priority on my bucket list!
Thank you so much for this lovely and in depth sharing of your journey. It was very enjoyable to see this level of detail, and your gentle and humble personality as you "narrate" via text makes it a very enjoyable experience.
Nice video and some great scenery, I enjoyed the ride.
I've done this trip for 13 years straight. When my father past away in 2009 I collapse. My father love this trip so much and I just can't back to the Douro by myself, it's just to emotional.
So next year I will return to the Douro with my wife and my newborn son
hey Dylan how are ya this is interesting nice old station quite lovely sceenery . the train looks comfortable despite its age hope you have a great trip and pat the cat for me hes cute cheers mate
Oh man what an incredible experience you've had what an amazing ride thank you so much for this those coaches looked so good for their age the loco also had a nice sound similar to the class 20s anyway great day out for you see you next Friday keep safe
Wow! Just... WOW! One of your very best video. Utterly fascinating vistas all the way. I just wish you'd have the time to tell us about the offerings at the café at the start... I'm always curious about food... Anyway, keep up the good work!
Love this video. I have been to Portugal. Hopefully I can go back there and take this train.
Thanks for the view of the beautiful destination station.
beautiful ride. thank you
Thank you all to enjoy my country! Thank you Dylan for sharing!
Thanks for your video, Dylan ... well done! I watched this a few weeks ago and it led me to fit the roundtrip from Sao Bento to Pinhao, into one of my days in Porto. Enjoyed it very much and had to laugh at all the open doors during my journey too!
Stunning! Sure does beat my regular route of Dundee - Edinburgh!
Still a scenic route is Dundee to Edinburgh, I do that route sometimes but mainly to Glasgow.
@@aaronarshad3687 Very true, i consider myself quite fortunate that i get to travel the route fairly often!
@@Connnnnor2000 That's great!
That front coach's seats were not just 2x2, but also had a more back-friendly angle to the seat backs. And the way that gent opened the doors to exit before the train stopped brought back memories of how we always used to do that in the UK back in the good old days of slam-door rolling stock!
That was great dylan a real hidden gem of a beautiful scenic train journey thanks.
Hey Dylan, Great report, I remember doors being left open on old Sydney red rattlers, the electric suburban trains , because it was so bloody hot in summer, back when I was a lad. Also spend a bit of time in Portugal during the early 1970s, It was quirky then visited there I think 2 years ago it is a country I am still fond of. Best regards, Peter Mac Donald, Penang, Malaysia.
Well that's another line added to the to-do list. Thanks!
The Loco is beautiful. Great video, Dyl!
I can remember as a kid growing up in the 80s in Sydney alot of our old trains (red rattlers as they were called) still had doors that were wide open like that even in peak hour people would almost be hanging out the doorways, its extroadinary to think back
Stunning journey. Oh and as soon as I saw the station at Pocinho I immediately thought "Huddersfield".
I very much enjoyed this video today. The views of the Douro valley were awesome. I can only hope to one day take this and many of the train trips available in Europe.
One of the best videos really stunning scenery erased noise of train. Thank you very much
Brilliant! Great scenery, loco-hauled old feel, including grandiose, interesting stations. Even a bit of short rail near the end. all for a minimum outlay. Thanks for sharing - I may well be packing my bags to go there.
You absolutely should!
Beautiful video! The scenery was gorgeous....stunning. Thanks
Nice memories of my trip 15 years ago. Also pulled in 3 narrow gauge branches now alas closed.
Great video Dylan and shot in a beautiful part of the world. Alexandrina Victoria is of course, the name for the cat (if she is a girl) and I don`t suppose anyone has fallen from an open door
on one of those trains in the last 50 years.....it`s only in the UK where we would fall out and hurt ourselves !
amazing journey thanks for showing it to us
What an incredible journey - wonderful!
What a wonderful-looking journey! Thanks for a great video.
Brilliant video, nice to see a proper train, as for the doors being open, the old circle line trains you could up to 1950,also the Berlin s bahn in the 1990s in the days when people used their brains, really enjoyed that.
This is awesome.
Quaint, aesthetic, all stunning.
Of course the carriages are old but gives characther.
The company believes people are civil and behave like in old days, with good sense. But there are certainly some worrying breaches.
Thank you. 🇵🇹
Looks like a stunning train with some stunning views out the window. Makes me want to travel along it one day
It looks like a beautiful trip! Worth every penny!
I loved the old style of the stations on the trip.
This was beautifully filmed ! I’ll have to plan a trip to Portugal soon. When back in Huddersfield, consider visiting Westgate barbers for a fresh trim.
That geometric orange upholstery reminds me of some of the older London Underground seat cover designs.
Brilliantly made video, you just feel of travelling in 80s with simplicity of life and feels relaxed form of life..you are in nature's company..nothin to bother..
Fantastic really enjoyed the video great line proper train and great carriages one of your best
The old station was lovely and had a magic about it the carriages brought back memories from my younger days in Ireland, great video thank you for sharing x
It seems to me that the train Is exceptionally well mantained, the interiors are like new and the design Is pre-space Age / streamline.......i loved it
brought back memories of welsh valley trains where you could drop the windows right down and get a right lung full of steam and/or soot as the steam trains chuffed along ..and yes we'd stick our heads out...never get away with it these days...just as well i suppose 😢👍
Lovely scenery. Were you not slightly tempted to push that man out of the open door lol . Great video keep safe and take care.
Thank you for this. Very nostalgic. We did the trip from Pinhão but sadly it was dark most of the journey - but then, we had come UP by boat! Your video highlighted what we missed on the return. Great video!
This is gorgeous. A most scenic ride, beautiful weather, a beautiful country and wonderful people. Too bad it wasn't hauled by a steam locomotive, that would have been perfection listening to the sounds echoing. Ahhhh.
I agree with you about the doors. That would never be allowed here in the USA. Oh well, when in Rome, etc. Extra ventilation!!!
The steam Train wasnt running when I went 7 years ago as it was seen as too much of a fire risk
So beautiful landscape.... Great video 😊
Thank You For Traveling Our Trains ! :D
Lovely scenery. The coaches reminded me of my first UK train trip from Holyhead Wales to Inverness Scotland in 1983. Same bench seats and windows that opened part way. Great fun.
You should ride the Tren de la Sabana in Bogota, Colombia! It was built for workers commuting to and from the salt mines on the outskirts, but is now the only remaining service of Colombia’s National railroad. It’s now geared toward tourists although workers do still use it. It’ll be converted to a modern commuter rail in the next five or so years so there’s not much time left!
This was charming! Great scenery and, of course, the cute train.
It takes me back to train trips when I was a child when the noise of the train (and the open windows) was part of the experience.
I like the livery and decor of the coaches - very upbeat yet not garish.
Enjoyable as always Dylan!
I hope you don’t mind a second comment. I was looking at these and thought ‘These are how I imagine the passenger cars in TTTE (classic) to look like! I hope I haven’t offend you :)
The views are amazing. As for the loos, on the Aberdeen to Newark (ending at Kings Cross) we, still get the odd one that are not only built like a small shoe closet, have no room and ask you to not flush in the station. And at least that one has room. Not sure if, like in the U.K., it had a flush button that would nearly wreck my arthritic thumbs!!
Love a bit of nostalgia, and how wonderful it is a scheduled service and not a tourist attraction. Fabulously scenic trip thank you for sharing. Re the cat, I propose Pocahontas in view of the station she is resident at.
Train travel as it used to be ! Lovely
Brilliant video, thank you! I have heard so much about this line, ever since I read an article about it in a railway magazine when I was a kid. I would love one day to make the journey, while the old trains still run!
What a beautiful end station. It’s kind of funny when I see a new train, I say wow, but I say the same thing about the old ones you ride too.
Spectacular. Thank you so much - this is definitely on my APT list. No, not advanced passenger train, after pandemic travel. BTW the place Britain's Class 20 diesels were built was Vulcan Works; it didn't become part of English Electric until some years later. In its final years the site became Ruston Paxman, making engines both for transport and industrial use.
It's a different world from Britain, not least in the chap jumping off the moving loco and going between the loco and the train while the loco was still moving.
Thank you for a wonderful trip this morning! You brought back memories of my childhood in and a year spent in Italy in 1985 when we traveled at least once a week from Lecco to Milan. That train in northern Italy was not unlike the loco and cars you showed us today! Open windows, open doors and a placard that on one of those trips told me the car was built 1948!
As for the moggy: El Mouser or EM for short?
While watching this video I kept getting a feeling of Deja View as in didn't I just see this route? Then I remembered that Non Stop Eurotrip just did this line a week or two ago. You, Non Stop Eurotrip and Superalbs Travels all need to meet at a pub somewhere and over a pint or few agree on who covers what. Having said that I am subscribed and do enjoy your videos.
Very cool ride Dylan ! Looking out the window at some of the scenery, you would think you are in South America. Very interesting train, you're right the engine looks British. The cars ride pretty well for their age, but they could have put better seating, maybe something reclinable for a long ride. Maybe at some point they need the capacity fixed seating gives them. And in the vestibule, a manual hand brake ! The price was very low; I have to visit Portugal when we can travel again.