Railways in Trás-os-Montes during the second half of the 19th century:

projects and achievements

Hugo Silveira Pereira (CITCEM – FLUP)

Railroads in historical context - construction, costs and consequences -

Initial proposals (mid-1840’s):

•  M. Huguin, Augusto Garvelle and Charles Jucqeau – railway between Lisbon and Porto with a branch to Braganza and the Portuguese frontier with Spain •  Samuel Clegg, William Law, Arriaga e Cunha, Sousa Botelho and Pinto Soveral – railway between Porto and Régua •  Alto Douro Railway company – railway between Porto and Salamanca or Torre de Moncorvo •  all of them highly speculative •  viscount of Vilarinho de São Romão, a rich landlord of the Douro – railway through the Douro valley (proposed in the parliament)

Other ideas (1850’s):

•  Albino de Figueiredo – railway along the Douro valley to Régua and from here to Vila Real •  Fontes Pereira de Melo, minister of Public Works orders that the studies of northern lines forecast its extension towards Minho and Trás-os-Montes •  Watier doesn’t believe in the possibility of a rail line in the direction of Trás-os-Montes •  the entrepreneurship (count of Reus and baron of Lagos) is more attracted to lines in Minho

Parliamentary lobbying (1860’s):

•  three times Júlio do Carvalhal Sousa Teles and Afonso Botelho proposed the building of a railway between Porto and Régua or Tua •  1862 – the government orders the survey of a railway through the Douro valley •  businessmen still felt more attracted towards railways in Minho •  further lobbying from Júlio do Carvalhal Sousa Teles and Afonso de Botelho

Parliamentary lobbying (1860’s):

•  new studies are ordered by the government •  new idea of the marquis of Sá da Bandeira – rail line through the Douro valley to Regua, turning north to Vila Real and then east towards Mirandela, Braganza and Zamora (Spain) •  some concerns of the Portuguese military as far as these railways were concerned •  1865 – the government promises the building of the Douro railway to the parliament •  further lobbying tries to place Chaves in the railway route

Accomplishments

•  2.7.1867 – a law authorizes the government to build the railways Porto – Valença (Minho line) and Porto – Pinhão (Douro line) • 1872-1873– the building actually begins •  1875 – the Douro line reaches Caíde •  1875 – the Minho line reaches Braga and several men advise that the line should be extended to the northwest of Trás-os-Montes, in vain •  1879-1880 – the railway enters Trás-os-Montes (Rede, Régua and Pinhão)

Extension of the national network through Trás-os-Montes

•  as a possibility to cross the north-eastern frontier with Spain •  as a set of lines of local importance •  1875 – a group of congressmen proposes the construction of a railway in the Corgo valley between Régua, Vila Real and Chaves (years after the arrival of trains to Régua) •  1877 – a line through the Sabor valley is also spoken of in the parliament (as part of the final section of the Douro line entering Spain) •  1877 – experiments with Wintherthur locomotives in the Corgo valley

The debate about the national network

•  between 1876 and 1879 •  several proposals were presented •  enormous faith in the railways through the Tua and Sabor basins both as part of international routes and as part of a railroad parallel to the Spanish frontier

First proposal of the PCEA

Proposal of the engineer Valadas

Proposal of the engineer Sousa Brandão

Second proposal of the PCEA

Proposal of the engineer Guerreiro

Third and final proposal of the PCEA

Proposal of the engineer Pimentel

Proposal of the engineer João Crisóstomo

Bill of the minister Lourenço de Carvalho

New projects (late 1870’s/early 1880’s):

•  Porto à Póvoa and Famalicão Railway Company – railway between Famalicão, Chaves and Régua (presented to the parliament but never discussed) •  Railway from Braga to Trás-os-Montes (suggested in the parliament) •  Guimarães Railway Company – expansion to Chaves •  network proposals of Sousa Brandão and Pereira Dias

Sousa Brandão network proposal

Pereira Dias network proposal

The Douro line follows the river to the frontier

•  thanks to lobbyists from Oporto •  the Douro line would follow along the Douro margins to Barca de Alva and Salamanca •  the idea of building a transnational railway across Trás-os-Montes is put aside •  any railway in the region is “doomed” to serve only as a national line

The Tua line

•  need to build railways in the heart of Trás-os-Montes •  efforts of Clemente Meneres, a businessman that had invested large sums in Trás-os-Montes •  valorisation of some properties (“quintas”) bought by powerful and rich man from Lisbon •  lobbying in both houses of the parliament (namely the bishop of Braganza) •  lobbying in favour of other railways (connecting Régua, Vila Real, Vila Pouca de Aguiar, Mirandela, Chaves, Braganza and Zamora to the Douro railway)

The Tua line

•  the Tua line would be the chosen one: –  interest of the count of Foz –  it was already surveyed –  it would cross Trás-os-Montes in its central part, serving what was regarded as the richest regions of the province –  it was the preferred of the advisory committee of the ministry of Public Works

•  1883 – the issue is brought to the parliament: –  the main issue was to know in which bank should the rails be deployed – the bill granting a guaranteed income to the company that would build and operate the railway is approved

The Tua line

•  some of the conditions of the contract didn’t please the investors •  Clemente Meneres tries to attract some investors, like Burnay or the Pereire brothers •  the contract is altered and the count of Foz makes a bid in the tender •  the project is highly praised by the ministry of Public Works even though some engineers didn’t believe in the economic viability of this enterprise •  the count of Foz creates the Railways National Company

The Tua line

•  a hard endeavour •  a very steep and curvilinear narrow gauge railway (in order to reduce the building expenses) •  disconnected from Braganza and the mines nearby •  conditionally opened in 1887 (in 1888 there were still flaws to correct) •  disappointing net profit

Other projects (late 1880’s)

•  during the construction of the Tua line •  the preferred was the Corgo line (proposed thrice, but never discussed) •  the idea to extend the Guimarães line to Chaves and Régua is retaken (but never discussed) •  1888 and 1890 – the extension of the Tua line to Braganza is proposed •  1888 and 1890 – the government proposes to build the rest of the desired network north of the Mondego river (but the bill would never be discussed)

A twenty year delay in building railways in Trás-os-Montes

•  distance of the province to the shore •  priority to the transnational railways connecting Lisbon’s harbour to Europe •  expected difficulties during construction due to the hilliness of the region •  low expectations of profit •  lack of interest of the potential investors

A twenty year delay in building railways in Trás-os-Montes

•  difficulties in connecting Lisbon to Porto •  financial difficulties •  decision to take the Douro line to Spain through Barca de Alva •  lobbying in favour of the line (by businessmen that had invested in Trás-os-Montes and by some congressmen)