Locomotive Roundhouse
This is one of the most emblematic sections of the museum, the so-called locomotive roundhouse and turntable
RoundhouseNational Railway Museum
The history of roundhouse is linked to the Entroncamento city’s evolution and other buildings that form part of the railway complex.
RoundhouseNational Railway Museum
It was built on the site of the original building, demolished in 1976. Here, the locomotives were stabled between workings or whilst waiting for overhaul or repair at the old steam workshops.
From the original building, the 1911 turntable is preserved and still operational, with 14 lines converging on to it. This installation is used to reverse locomotives’ direction of travel. Here we find steam locomotives which operated in Portugal.
Steam Locomotive CP 855National Railway Museum
Steam locomotives are as old as the railway. Initially they were simple and insubstantial machines, neither powerful nor fast. However, they quickly evolved, becoming the driving force which brought modernity to even the remotest of locations.
In Portugal, locomotives of various origins were operated, from British, French, Belgian, American, Spanish builders, amongst others.
Steam Locomotive CP 135National Railway Museum
Despite their common characteristics, these could be of different types, for example steam locomotives with a tender (a kind of wagon where the water and fuel reserves necessary for the locomotive to operate were transported);
RoundhouseNational Railway Museum
tank locomotives (which transported their own boiler water) or small shunting locomotives (shunters).
RoundhouseNational Railway Museum
The steam locomotive evolved in two different ways. Speed was required for passenger trains, but greater haulage capacity for freight trains. There were also “mixed traffic” locomotives, capable of operating either type of working.
Steam Locomotive CP 027National Railway Museum
Each was assigned to a specific crew, composed of a driver and a fireman, responsible for both driving and maintenance. The relationship between man and machine was close, almost like a family.
Many of these locomotives remained in service for much of the 20th century, gradually being replaced by diesel locomotives and later, following electrification of the national network, by electric traction.
RoundhouseNational Railway Museum
In addition to their series number, locomotives sometimes received nicknames. In this view, we can see the Swallow, the Mouse, Maria Alice, the Pacific and the Spaniard.
RoundhouseNational Railway Museum
Their nicknames could be related to their specific characteristics, their shape, a technical aspect, their country of origin, as well as railway related stories and jargon.
Steam Locomotive CP 553 DetailNational Railway Museum
These could be passed down through several generations of railway workers, right up to the present day.
In this section, the locomotives are presented chronologically, from the oldest to the most recent.
Steam Locomotive CP 02049National Railway Museum
Steam Locomotive CP 02049
Steam Locomotive CP 02049 is the oldest surviving locomotive in Portugal. Built in England at the time of the railway’s inauguration in our country, it became commonly known as "Andorinha" - the Swallow.
Steam Locomotive CP 001National Railway Museum
Steam Locomotive CP 001
Although these locomotives did not make long journeys, they played a fundamental role in the shunting and preparation of trains that would then cross the country. This is the case of these small locomotives, CP 001, CP 003 and CP 005, also known as Little Mice.
Steam Locomotive CP 003National Railway Museum
Steam Locomotive CP 003
Due to their small size, combined with their robustness and manoeuvrability, they were allocated to track construction works and shunting at stations, locomotive depots or goods yards. This is the case of the one that can be found in the museum at Entroncamento.
Steam Locomotive CP 005National Railway Museum
Steam Locomotive CP 005
Additionally, we can see, in order, CP 135 (1881, Germany), CP 027 (1890, England), CP 262 (1898, France), CP 042 (1908, Belgium), CP 357 (1911, Henschel, Germany), CP 754 (1914, Germany), CP 553 (1924, Germany), CP 070 (1944, Portugal), CP 855 (1945, ALCO, USA), CP 832 (1947, Spain) and CP E163 (1905, Germany).
Steam Locomotive CP 135National Railway Museum
Steam Locomotive CP 135
This steam locomotive without a tender was built in Germany by Sächsische Maschinenfabrik during 1881.
Purchased by the Companhia Real dos Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses (Royal Portuguese Railway Company), it was versatile and suitable for all types of passenger and goods services, as well as shunting.
Steam Locomotive CP 027National Railway Museum
Steam Locomotive CP 027
Built by the French company Fives-Lille, CP acquired this locomotive in 1890 for use on suburban or local trains in the Lisbon region (also known as the Tranvias service), principally on the Sintra Line.
Steam Locomotive CP 262National Railway Museum
Steam Locomotive CP 262
Also built by the French company Fives Lille, this locomotive dates from 1898 and began the era of fast trains in Portugal.
Steam Locomotive CP 042National Railway Museum
Steam Locomotive CP 042
This locomotive, of Belgian origin, was acquired in 1908 by the State Railways from Société John Cockerill, to operate on the Minho and Douro lines on local Tranvias (suburban) passenger services.
Steam Locomotive CP 042, Detail
Steam Locomotive CP 357National Railway Museum
Steam Locomotive CP 357
This locomotive was manufactured by the German company Henschel & Sohn in 1911, being notable for its use on emblematic and prestigious trains such as the Sud-Express and proving to be one of the fastest steam locomotives to operate in Portugal.
Steam Locomotive CP 754National Railway Museum
Steam Locomotive CP 754
This locomotive was manufactured in 1914 by the German builder Berliner Maschinenbau L. Schwartzkopf and is one of the series acquired by the Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro do Estado (State Railway Company) for operation on the Minho and Douro Lines.
Steam Locomotive CP 553National Railway Museum
Steam Locomotive CP 553
CP 553 is one of the most imposing locomotives in the collection, known as a "Pacific". It was acquired in 1924, as part of the First World War reparations to the Allies.
Steam Locomotive CP 070National Railway Museum
Steam Locomotive CP 070
Steam Locomotive CP 070 is an example of construction undertaken in Portugal. It was manufactured at the CP General Workshops at Lisbon Santa Apolónia in 1944.
Steam Locomotive CP 070
Steam Locomotive CP 855National Railway Museum
Steam Locomotive CP 855
This example was purchased from the American Locomotive Company (ALCO). It is notable for its distinct lines, inspired by the North American “war locomotives”, being equipped with a cow catcher, riveted smoke box door and an “American-style” cab.
Taken as a whole, the size of the small tender is notable when compared with the locomotive. This shorter length was the solution to allow the locomotive to fit onto existing turntables at various stations in Portugal and respect the weight limits on as many bridges as possible.
Steam Locomotive CP E163National Railway Museum
Steam Locomotive CP E163
Although the majority of locomotives represented are broad gauge, narrow gauge examples are not forgotten. Steam locomotive CP E163, dating from 1905, was manufactured by the German company Henschel & Sohn for the State Railways. It operated on all of the narrow gauge lines in the north of the country.
Steam Locomotive CP E163.
RoundhouseNational Railway Museum
A line waits for the Espanhola, built in 1947 by the manufacturer La Maquinista Terrestre y Maritima. This locomotive is being restored in the museum's workshops. It was one of the last steam locomotives delivered to the Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses
Pejão mining locomotiveNational Railway Museum
Pejão mining locomotive
The mining locomotive “Pejão” is the smallest example on display. It was built in England by the manufacturer Robert Hudson in 1918. It testifies to the importance that the railway had in other sectors.
It testifies to the importance that the railway had in other sectors. This locomotive was built to operate on 600 mm narrow gauge (the distance between rails) lines.
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Here you will find real national treasures, wonderful engines that travelled through histoy and the railway network!
