Roni
Member
Hi,
Sorry for the long delay between photo reports, currently I am not too keen on working on my PC at home - other hobbies may be revealed in time...
But don't worry, many photos are still waiting for editing. :0)
To the previous part of the series:
Overland from Porto home - 2: Douro Valley I (50 p.)
railroadforums.com
We stayed in Porto for one week of the three-week trip, still including two rainy days after a period of bad weather in the region. The first full day already proved to be quite nice - ideal for exploring the city.
April 5 2024
As we started our sightseeing tour after breakfast, a Stadler class Euro 4000 diesel hauled empty stake wagons from the south across Ponte de São João Douro bridge. The area around Porto is quite densely forested, almost looking like Central Europe. Viewed practically from our house door, 177 metres tall Torre de televisão de Vila Nova de Gaia in the background.
Picture taken through the Ponte Infante Dom Henrique road bridge towards metro line D on Ponte Luís I.
We walked along the ridge above the riverbank.
View from the other side: a class 3400 EMU crossing the Douro River.
The metro is operated by Bombardier-built Eurotrams, only few vehicles feature ad liveries.
Former Augustine monastery Serra do Pilar to the left, later it had been repurposed as army barracks.
View along Avenida Vimara Peres down to Ponte Luís I.
This painter reminds us that not only modern metros can be found here...
... but a short walk along the shore towards the mouth of the Douro River away:
en.wikipedia.org
Masses of tourists board the tram at the terminal station Infante of line 1.
#287 is a so-called "Belgian" unit, part of a 10-car-order from "Société Anonyme des Ateliers de Construction de et à Familleureux" in 1929.
The Alfândega Nova (new custom house) to the left, nowadays used for various exhibitions.
https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfândega_Nova_(Porto)
View from Monchique halt back towards the new custom house.
Trams generally run for tourists, but with intermediate stops and regular timetables. However, the vehicles usually fill completely at the terminals. Sometimes local surfers were hanging from the doors, this one was shouting around.
Alfândega loop to the left - the last Douro bridge before reaching the Atlantic to the right, Ponte da Arrábida:
de.wikipedia.org
Regular local traffic of line 500 to São Bento station operated by MAN Lion's City DD buses.
I usually love taking photos of balconies in Italy - Portuguese balconies even increase the intensity several degrees!
Balconies & almost 100-year-old tram. :0)
Back at Infante.
I climbed up the terrace of the Franciscan monastery.
Then we went to lunch in the centre near São Bento terminal.
April 7 2024
I took my first pictures there after returning from the already shown Douro excursion at noon. The hall adorned by Azulejos is the highlight, but during the day it is full of tourists. I will post photos taken at an early hour before departing for my second Douro excursion later. The DMU had brought us here, otherwise I only spotted more modern class 3400 EMUs at the terminal station.
Just a handful of loco-hauled trains reach the terminal daily, including one pair of Linha do Minho InterRegionales into the northwestern corner of the country with connection to Spain.
The empty coach stock of IR 853 reached the terminal. Nez-Cassée 2627 was leading, another had been coupled to the other end to take over for the trip to Valença on the border river Minho.
Once again the class 0592.2 DMU on loan from RENFE.
The terminal is built between steep hills. Torre dos Clérigos - the tallest church tower in Portugal - in the background:
en.wikipedia.org
April 5 2024
We walked there after lunch. A tram of the second operating line 18 - joining the riverside line 1 further downstream - was just arriving.
A lot of the centre had been closed due to construction of a new metro line. Line 18 terminated here, the circular line 22 connecting to it was not running at all.
What did I promise earlier about balconies?
We waited for another tram at Jardim de João Chagas / Cordoaria near Cordoaria halt.
Oh no! Mishap! Directly behind me, the pantograph jumped off the wire.
This was immediately rectified, of course - but it provided another photo opportunity. All trams were escorted by a police quad through the park and across the street in front of the tower.
Break between trams.
Ready for departure.
Impression walking through the city on April 7 2024.
April 6 2024
The sun came through in the evening of the rainy Saturday.
IC 523 arrived from Lisbon shortly before seven o'clock.
Next time, we will travel to the furthest point of the trip in the north...
Sorry for the long delay between photo reports, currently I am not too keen on working on my PC at home - other hobbies may be revealed in time...
But don't worry, many photos are still waiting for editing. :0)
To the previous part of the series:
Overland from Porto home - 2: Douro Valley I (50 p.)
Overland from Porto home - 2: Douro Valley I (50 p.)
Hi, To the previous part of the series: Overland Home - 1: London Prelude (50 p., 1 v.) https://railroadforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/overland-home-1-london-prelude-50-p-1-v.23469 April 4 2024 A TAP A320 took us from London Gatwick to Porto. Cool and wet weather had dominated the...
We stayed in Porto for one week of the three-week trip, still including two rainy days after a period of bad weather in the region. The first full day already proved to be quite nice - ideal for exploring the city.
April 5 2024
As we started our sightseeing tour after breakfast, a Stadler class Euro 4000 diesel hauled empty stake wagons from the south across Ponte de São João Douro bridge. The area around Porto is quite densely forested, almost looking like Central Europe. Viewed practically from our house door, 177 metres tall Torre de televisão de Vila Nova de Gaia in the background.
Picture taken through the Ponte Infante Dom Henrique road bridge towards metro line D on Ponte Luís I.
We walked along the ridge above the riverbank.
View from the other side: a class 3400 EMU crossing the Douro River.
The metro is operated by Bombardier-built Eurotrams, only few vehicles feature ad liveries.
Former Augustine monastery Serra do Pilar to the left, later it had been repurposed as army barracks.
View along Avenida Vimara Peres down to Ponte Luís I.
This painter reminds us that not only modern metros can be found here...
... but a short walk along the shore towards the mouth of the Douro River away:
Trams in Porto - Wikipedia
Masses of tourists board the tram at the terminal station Infante of line 1.
#287 is a so-called "Belgian" unit, part of a 10-car-order from "Société Anonyme des Ateliers de Construction de et à Familleureux" in 1929.
The Alfândega Nova (new custom house) to the left, nowadays used for various exhibitions.
https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfândega_Nova_(Porto)
View from Monchique halt back towards the new custom house.
Trams generally run for tourists, but with intermediate stops and regular timetables. However, the vehicles usually fill completely at the terminals. Sometimes local surfers were hanging from the doors, this one was shouting around.
Alfândega loop to the left - the last Douro bridge before reaching the Atlantic to the right, Ponte da Arrábida:
Ponte da Arrábida – Wikipedia
Regular local traffic of line 500 to São Bento station operated by MAN Lion's City DD buses.
I usually love taking photos of balconies in Italy - Portuguese balconies even increase the intensity several degrees!
Balconies & almost 100-year-old tram. :0)
Back at Infante.
I climbed up the terrace of the Franciscan monastery.
Then we went to lunch in the centre near São Bento terminal.
April 7 2024
I took my first pictures there after returning from the already shown Douro excursion at noon. The hall adorned by Azulejos is the highlight, but during the day it is full of tourists. I will post photos taken at an early hour before departing for my second Douro excursion later. The DMU had brought us here, otherwise I only spotted more modern class 3400 EMUs at the terminal station.
Just a handful of loco-hauled trains reach the terminal daily, including one pair of Linha do Minho InterRegionales into the northwestern corner of the country with connection to Spain.
The empty coach stock of IR 853 reached the terminal. Nez-Cassée 2627 was leading, another had been coupled to the other end to take over for the trip to Valença on the border river Minho.
Once again the class 0592.2 DMU on loan from RENFE.
The terminal is built between steep hills. Torre dos Clérigos - the tallest church tower in Portugal - in the background:
Clérigos Church - Wikipedia
April 5 2024
We walked there after lunch. A tram of the second operating line 18 - joining the riverside line 1 further downstream - was just arriving.
A lot of the centre had been closed due to construction of a new metro line. Line 18 terminated here, the circular line 22 connecting to it was not running at all.
What did I promise earlier about balconies?
We waited for another tram at Jardim de João Chagas / Cordoaria near Cordoaria halt.
Oh no! Mishap! Directly behind me, the pantograph jumped off the wire.
This was immediately rectified, of course - but it provided another photo opportunity. All trams were escorted by a police quad through the park and across the street in front of the tower.
Break between trams.
Ready for departure.
Impression walking through the city on April 7 2024.
April 6 2024
The sun came through in the evening of the rainy Saturday.
IC 523 arrived from Lisbon shortly before seven o'clock.
Next time, we will travel to the furthest point of the trip in the north...