165 anos do Caminho de Ferro em Portugal

Cá tomo em Santa Apolónia um bilhete para me transportar a Azambuja, ao sol e à poeira de um estúpido compartimento de primeira classe, almofadado em lã como um aparelho sudorífero, enquanto a dois passos de distância reluz aos meus olhos a bela faixa aquática do Tejo, em que deslizam, reflectindo-se como num espelho, as velas enfunadas e vermelhas das faluas.
Ó meu tão pitoresco e vestuto vaporzinho de Vila Nova! Com que saudades me lembro da vestuta navegação em que nos levavas à velha estrada das Caldas! E com que sincero ardor amaldiçôo os que tão acintosamente os imolaram à pedantesca retórica administrativa, à sórdida metáfora do silvo da locomotiva rasgando as entranhas do progresso!
(Ramalho Ortigáo, “As Farpas”)

A Fermodel associa-se à efeméride que celebra os 165 anos da primeira viagem de comboio em Portugal no troço entre Lisboa e o Carregado, realizada a 28 de Outubro de 1856, com a publicação de um artigo da autoria de Mário Mendes (membro da Fermodel).

Hoje, dia 28 de Outubro de 2021, completam-se 165 anos da inauguração do caminho de ferro em Portugal.
Em boa verdade essa não terá sido a “viagem inaugural”, pois que as duas locomotivas ao serviço já haviam feito inúmeras viagens naquele troço durante a fase da construção.
Mas para assinalarmos uma tão importante data no domínio do transporte ferroviário, que permitiu o avanço de civilizações por todo o mundo, virá a propósito evocar como chegou o caminho de ferro a Portugal.

Um pouco de história

A primeira empresa nacional para a construção de caminhos de ferro foi a “Companhia das Obras Públicas de Portugal”, criada em 1844 pelo governo de Costa Cabral para promover o desenvolvimento dos transportes em Portugal; no entanto, esta tentativa falhou devido à instabilidade política.

Após o regresso a um ambiente mais estável, renovou-se o interesse pelo caminho de ferro, pelo que, em 1851, o empresário inglês Hardy Hislop apresentou uma proposta para uma linha de Lisboa a Badajoz, que foi entregue no ano seguinte à “Companhia Central Peninsular dos Caminhos de Ferro de Portugal”, formada por Hislop para esse fim, sendo assinado o contrato em 13 de Maio de 1853, para a construção de um troço até Espanha, passando por Santarém e seguindo o vale do Tejo, com a bitola de 1,44m.
E é em 28 de Maio de 1853 que a Rainha D. Maria II inaugura o início das obras da primeira linha de comboios, cujo troço inicial seria de Lisboa até ao Carregado.
Porém, as obras foram paralisadas devido a conflitos entre a empresa e os empreiteiros, tendo a gestão das obras passado para o estado português, sob a égide de Fontes Pereira de Melo, que em 15 de Dezembro de 1855 assina novo contrato com a “Shaw & Waring Brothers”.
Até que em 28 de Outubro de 1856, foi inaugurado o primeiro troço, até ao Carregado, designado por “Linha do Leste”, já que o propósito seria levar o comboio à fronteira com a Espanha, até Badajoz.

Todavia, a companhia continuou a sofrer de graves problemas financeiros e de gestão. Então, o empresário inglês Samuel Morton Peto, que se encontrava a dirigir as obras, foi encarregado de formar uma nova empresa, que substituísse a Companhia Peninsular, mas sem sucesso, tendo o seu contrato terminado em 6 de Junho de 1859.

A inauguração da linha do comboio até ao Carregado

Finalmente, no dia 28 de Outubro de 1856 foi inaugurado o primeiro serviço público dos caminhos de ferro em Portugal, ligando Lisboa (Estação de Santa Apolónia) ao Carregado, na distância de 36,454 Kms.

Juntaram-se na Estação o rei D. Pedro V, acompanhado pelo pai, D. Fernando II, a infanta Isabel Maria, o Cardeal Patriarca de Lisboa, membros do corpo diplomático e altos funcionários do estado.
Estava previsto que o primeiro comboio a circular em Portugal iria ser composto por catorze carruagens e duas locomotivas, indo na carruagem do centro a família real, enquanto que na primeira iria a Guarda Real dos Archeiros, sendo que uma das locomotivas era a locomotiva a vapor Nº 1, denominada “D. Luíz”, por homenagem ao irmão do rei, o infante D. Luiz, que viria a ser monarca por falecimento de D. Pedro V sem descendência.
Essa locomotiva foi construída no ano de 1855 em Manchester, nas oficinas “Beyer Peackok & Cº Ltd” e é a locomotiva mais antiga em Portugal, tendo trabalhado durante mais de 50 anos, prestando serviço urbano na Linha do Sul e pode ser hoje vista e apreciada no Museu Nacional Ferroviário, no Entroncamento.

A viagem

A composição partiu de Lisboa pelas onze horas da manhã e durou quarenta minutos até ao Carregado. Três quartos de hora depois partiu um segundo comboio de nove carruagens, transportando accionistas e convidados, puxadas por uma outra locomotiva.
Chegados ao Carregado, foram brindados com um banquete volante no pavilhão montado na estação, onde existiam três compartimentos ricamente decorados, sendo um para a família real, outro para o cardeal patriarca e membros do clero que o acompanharam e o último para o corpo diplomático. No exterior foi montado um grande anfiteatro com toldo para os restantes convidados.

Pelas quatro horas e meia da tarde o comboio real, composto pelas duas locomotivas e catorze carruagens, regressou à capital, numa viagem que duraria duas horas, porque estiveram parados cerca de uma hora em Sacavém devido a uma avaria na tubagem de uma das locomotivas. Como essa locomotiva ficara inutilizada, restou à outra encetar o regresso a Lisboa, com seis carruagens.

Só por volta das dez horas da noite foi possível trazer à capital os restantes convidados.
Em jeito de conclusão poderemos afirmar que a primeira viagem de comboio em Portugal foi bastante curta e atribulada. Poucos quilómetros bastaram, no entanto, para revolucionar a nossa geografia, apesar das muitas vozes contra, pois “Velhos do Restelo” há-os contra tudo o que é o progresso, ou simplesmente porque qualquer português suave sofre ainda do complexo gerado por aquela malfadada palavra “inveja”, com que o grande Luís de Camões concluiu a sua obra “Os Lusíadas”.

Text by the Mário Mendes (Fermodel Member)

Veja mais sobre esta data comemorativa no site do National Railway Museum

Fermodel Group visit to the National Railway Museum at Entroncamento

"The train was also pulled by horses of a different breed; steeds with no mane, no elegance, no beautiful colours - horses that didn't neigh and didn't have vaulting skills.
They were animals from a new stud that came to transform everything, making a revolution deeper than the one felt by the primitive tribes, when domesticated the horse-beast.
Now, the horsepower, a fighting weapon of a class that would rise to the peaks of life and wanted to spread around the world. It was a powerful force that would conquer markets, promote industries, unleash needs and create countries."
Alves Redol (1911 - 1969), Portuguese neorealist writer.

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On the October 16th 2021, Fermodel group realized one of the pillars of its existence and goals, as an organization identified as the “Association of Friends of Railroad Modelling”, with a visit to the National Railway Museum at Entroncamento.
This event was possible to perform due to the Fermodel Board Members enthusiasm and dynamism, by the commitment of Fermodel Member José Manuel Salgado, as well as Dra. Maria José Teixeira (Museum Board Director) endorsement, with 33 people participating, including members of Fermodel, family and friends .

The visit took place in the morning, being taken through out the Museum galleries under the guidance of Mr. João Paulo, who proved to be a very knowledgeable guide, mentioning very interesting details, not only about the museum but also intervening, explaining the “whys and hows” of wrong decisions taken regarding the national railway plan, prompting the intervention with the visitors about the future of the railway in Portugal.

The visit itself suggests two phases, the first one in which we learn about the beginning of the railways, evoking the history about the epic construction of the railways and the beginning of the railway in Portugal and in the world.
The second phase of the visit can be characterized by a journey through out the time, spiked with a visit to the museum rolling stock heritage.

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In a first approach provided by the museum guide, Mr. João Paulo, we learned that museum heritage collection is made up of about 36.000 objects, small and large, which can be classified in the following categories: Railway rolling stock; Track and Catenary Equipment; Workshop Equipment; Communication, Information and Signalling Equipment; Station, Office, Ticket Price List and Ticketing Equipment; Protection and Security; Restoration Equipment; Textile Equipment; Health Equipment and a valuable collection of documents assets.

The visit began in the building known as “Víveres Warehouse”, where used to be a warehouse that, for decades, served as a supply food and other necessities for the families of the railway workers at more affordable prices. It was designed by the prestigious Portuguese architect Cottinelli Telmo in 1939.

Nowadays, the “Armazém de Víveres wharehouse” houses one of the museum's exhibition halls, incorporating the visitors reception services (ticket office, shop, cafeteria, WC), as well as a room for temporary exhibitions. The permanent exhibition begins in this building, consisting of objects and contextualized information on social services provided by railway workers, such as apprentice schools, medical services or holiday camps. The professions related with the railroad deserve special attention, with the representation of some figures and the clothing used in the most remote times.

The smallest pieces of the collection are gathered in this space (workers' everyday tools, ticketing objects, communication instruments, station equipment) where the miniature steam locomotive – La Liliputienne – the toy locomotive offered to the Portuguese Royal Family by Louis Philipe the King of France, stands out. Also impressive is the model replica of the Pacific no. 1501 steam locomotive, built in 1940 by apprentices at Barreiro Workshops.


In this building, by way of a preamble, the museum guide placed greater emphasis on the steam engines period, addressing topics such as the railway infrastructure - bridges, tunnels and stations that are fundamental for the operation of this means of transportation, the materials and equipment used, the tools used by employees, either when manoeuvring trains or carrying out their day-to-day work in workshops, where rolling stock was subject to repairs and maintenance.

Then we moved on to the second phase, which would be the corollary of the visit of the Fermodel group, which began at the “Locomotives Round table”, usually known in the railway jargon as “Redonda”, whose semi-circle-shaped building served for parking and maintenance of steam locomotives. It has a turntable where the 14 lines of its interior converge and this platform is used to reverse the direction of the locomotives or simply store them. Here it was possible to see the steam locomotive “001”, the first to circulate under the aegis of CP, as well as the steam locomotive “0135”, that participated in the construction of the Beira Baixa railway line, considered by many experts as a true masterpiece in the railway world.

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The group was then taken to the area where the “Portuguese Royal Train” was located, which deserved a special attention due to the luxury and comfort inside the coaches where the royal family travelled. This consist was used by the Portuguese Royal Family when traveling to the south of the country and, mainly on the trips to Vila Viçosa, for the country residence. The Royal Train consists included the D. Luiz steam locomotive locomotive with a tender, as well as the Queen Maria Pia's Carriage and the Prince's Carriage.

A detail that didn't go unnoticed was the fact that the Royal Family and their accompanying members travelled comfortably installed, but the locomotive engineer, who was responsible for all of their lives, travelled outdoors, subject to winter weather or the harsh summer sun .

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As a curiosity, it should be noted that the D. Luiz locomotive was ordered from the English manufacturer Beyer Peacock & Co, Manchester, being completed in 1862, for traction Queen Maria Pia's carriage and named after the King Luís I. It had an exquisite and unique design, and that same year it was exhibited by the manufacturer, having been awarded with a gold medal at the London International Exhibition, before being handed over to the Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses (Portuguese Railways Company) in the south of the Tagus.
Later, with the establishment of the Republic in 1910, this consist remained in service carrying out suburban trains on the Southern Line but was later withdrawn from service in 1923.

It was also possible to visit the area with the electric and diesel locomotives, with a special attention given to the “1311” diesel locomotive, that replaced the steam locomotives serving the Beira Baixa railway line.
It's interesting to mention here an historical moment, revealing the importance of the introduction of the “1300” diesel locomotive class in Portugal.

In the mid-twentieth century, the Portuguese Railway Company (Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses) started a modernization program in order to improve its services; As part of this project, twelve diesel-electric locomotives where ordered, with the support of the National Development Fund, under the Marshall Plan.

Thus, in 1952, the American Whitcomb Locomotive Company built 12 diesel traction locomotives, numbered from 1301 to 1312. They were about 16 meters long, 96 tons weight with 1350 horsepower and could reach up to 132 kilometres per hour.

It would be the end of the steam era in Portugal…


Finally, the visit culminated with the splendour of another CP composition, the “Presidential Train”, also known as the “Blue Train”.

The creation of the so called “royal trains” dates back to the second half of the 20th century. XIX, in which special compositions were prepared and suited for the use of kings and emperors in the exercise of their functions, since, in a Europe governed by constitutional monarchies and empires. It was essential to endow the executive power with means of transport worthy of the monarchy. The railways were a novelty and played a decisive role to the acceleration of the transport of people and goods, with the growth of the countries own economies, which could not be neglected by the monarchs themselves at that time.

Of course, in national terms, this consist was converted into a “Presidential Train”, having travelled on it, among others, Marshal Carmona, Salazar, General Craveiro Lopes and Admiral Américo Tomaz. More recently, this composition took trips along the Douro railway line for gastronomic purposes, with famous “Chefs” being invited to prepare their tasting menus.

To end our report, we would like to empathize that the visit to the museum was very interesting, mainly because it was accompanied a guide who knew what he was talking about, in a very lively and enthusiastic way, providing the possibility to know the history or parts of the museum that most people didn't know, namely the younger generations.

In addition to the beauty of the locomotives, the high level of maintenance provided and the educational project are also highlighted by the existence of a museum of this nature.

What the group retained is nothing more than learning about the importance of rail transport, but, no less important, the preservation of our culture, as it was through the railways that many populations were able to improve their standard of living and have access to cultural means that at the time were exclusive to populations living in large metropolises.

The last but not the least and as a proposal, the museum should become a symbol of progress and modernity, with two train journeys across the country, showing the importance of rail transport to the majority of the population, namely placing a locomotive steam pulling the royal train and the presidential train, pulled by the blue English Electric Diesel 1400 class locomotive.

Text by the Mário Mendes (Fermodel Member)

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