A Journey Through the Tua Line Heritage

Abílio Beça was one of the main politicians responsible for the construction of the railway from Mirandela to Bragança. Taking the railroad to the district capital was the main objective of his political career.

The train represented progress and modernity, which initially arrived on the trailer of steam locomotives and, later, on self-propelled and diesel-electric machines.

The steam locomotives that circulated on the Tua Line were all of German origin, from the same manufacturer, purposely standardized to ease maintenance and operation.

This locomotive was built by the german house Machinenfabrik Emil Kessler, in 1886, and was acquired by the Companhia Nacional, for the inauguration of the first rail section, between Tua and Mirandela. From 1906 onwards, it started to circulate to Bragança, where it remained throughout its service life.

This locomotive was acquired in 1907 by the Companhia Nacional, to work on the extension of the Tua Line, in the section between Mirandela and Bragança.  

This locomotive was acquired in 1889 by the Companhia Nacional, to operate on the Dão Line (from Santa Comba Dão to Viseu), where it circulated until 1947. During this period it received the name “Dão”.

It arrived at the Tua Line in the 1950s, when the line was transferred to the management of Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro (CP) and received the number CP E55. It was mainly used in the section between Foz-Tua and Mirandela.

These steam locomotives were gradually replaced by diesel fuel powered machines.

It is still possible to remember how it was travelling aboard the 1st and 3rd class carriages on the Tua Line. They started out as two-axle carriages, being replaced by bogie carriages, that were used from 1906 onwards and allowed greater comfort on the trip.

The carriage was acquired by the Companhia Nacional for the inauguration of the line from Tua to Mirandela, in 1887. In 1906, it began to circulate to Bragança. Always on the Tua Line, it ceased to have regular use in the 1970s. 

The interiors were modified in 1913/14, on the railway workshops of the Companhia Nacional, in Mirandela.

The carriage was acquired by the Companhia Nacional for the inauguration of the Line from Tua to Mirandela, in 1887, from the Belgian company Société Anonyme La Metallurgique. It remained in circulation until the 1970s, in passenger or mixed trains.

The Tua's 3rd class carriages were originally compartmentalized. This, in particular, was significantly modified in the railway workshops of the Companhia Nacional, in Mirandela. 

The arrival of bogies carriages and Allan railcar on the Tua Line pushed these old carriages away to the short-distance services.

After 1974, the Tua Line received carriages from different origins and lines.

This is a bogie carriage and was acquired in 1905 by the Companhia do Caminho de Ferro. 

In 1978, already under the management of Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro (CP), it was transferred to the Tua Line, where it reinforced the services in times of greater affluence, until 1980.

The Companhia Nacional (CN) acquired this freight wagon to transport luggage and mail on the Dão Line, where it operated until 1947. It passed through Vale do Vouga between 1947 and 1981, and through Pocinho, where it circulated until Duas Igrejas.

This wagon originally circulated on the Dão Line and was used to transport perishable goods or cattle.

This wagon was purchased for the Dão Line. On this wagon, the brakeman, was completely exposed to atmospheric conditions, and operated according to a strict code of signals transmitted by the train drivers, which was a common procedure in wagons with hand brakes.

The railway system depends on various support operations, often far from our eyes, but essential for trains to run safely. 

One of these activities is the inspection and maintenance of the infrastructure, which has its own vehicles for this purposes. It is the case of the quadricycles distributed by the Company from 1931 onwards.

The motorized trolley were handed over to the district managers, track section chiefs and metallic struture engineers engineers, for inspection visits. The four-wheeled pedal trolley were distributed to section supervisors and used for inspections on the track.