The Train to Lamego: Geographical Essays on an Idealised Railway Line

Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Portugal experienced a "madness" in railway construction, with numerous ideas for new routes, many of which never left the drawing board. The connection between Régua and Lamego was one of these ambitions, with its first preliminary study presented in 1886 by Emídio Navarro and completed in 1888.

The proposed law, authored by Emídio Navarro and Mariano Carvalho, envisioned the construction of a narrow-gauge (meter gauge) railway line connecting Vidago to Vila Franca das Naves, passing through Lamego, over a distance of 193 kilometers.

This project was included in the National Plan of 1900, but doubts arose early on regarding the viability of the section between Régua and Lamego due to the enormous difference in elevation between the two towns and the need to build a bridge over the Douro River. Solutions were considered involving smaller radius curves (up to 60 meters) and the use of a rack and pinion system to reduce costs and facilitate traction.

Despite successive advances and setbacks, and new authorizations, such as the 1920 law that allowed the Lamego City Council to build an electric railway, the works would only advance near the end of the 1920s. The final route, approximately 19 kilometers long, would be quite winding, with tight curves and steep gradients, starting at the Régua station and curving south towards a new bridge over the Douro River.

The history of the railway line to Lamego is intrinsically linked to Régua Station. Inaugurated on July 15, 1879, as part of the construction of the Douro Line, the station became the natural starting point for a future connection to the left bank of the Douro River. Initially, the connection between Lamego and Régua was made by stagecoach, on a difficult route along the old royal road, which passed over the medieval Varosa bridge.

The first major challenge of the project was crossing the Douro River. Construction of the bridge began in 1927, designed by Engineer Avelar Ruas and overseen by Engineer Maçã Fernandes, and was completed in 1933. The choice of stone over iron, a more common material at the time, reflected a trend towards economy and durability, similar to what was done by the Vouga Valley Company.

After crossing the Douro River, the line began the difficult climb towards Lamego, overcoming the rugged terrain. Work progressed along the slopes, with the opening of trenches, the construction of embankments and retaining walls, and the preparation of the track bed. This earthwork, essential to create a stable bed for the rails, represented a considerable effort and left deep marks on the landscape.

Much of this effort was not in vain, as many of these sections, with the trenches and embankments already opened, were later used to create roads and access paths to the towns, making it easy to identify, even today, where the train should have passed.

The bridge continues to connect the two banks of the Varosa River, awaiting a future that will preserve it as a reminder of the effort invested in the ambitious railway link.

The final destination, Lamego, had been envisioned and prepared for decades. In May 1909, the land for the station was reserved. Later, in 1926, part of the walls of the old Episcopal Palace were demolished to prepare the site, and several projects for the passenger building were presented. Everything seemed to be on track for the line to be completed, but the world and the country had changed.

National Road 2 shortened the distance between Régua and Lamego to 15 kilometers, compared to the 19 kilometers planned for the winding railway route. The appearance of buses from the Vale do Vouga Company, which in 1930 made the connection in 25 minutes, made the future train, slow and with an uncompetitive route, an economically unviable option with a budget deficit. Pressure from road operators and the outbreak of World War II in 1939 dictated the definitive end of the project.