Trams in Porto

Porto tramway network
A tram on route 22 in Porto
Operation
Locale	Porto, Portugal
Horsecar era: 1872 (1872)–1904 (1904) Propulsion system(s) Mules Steam (1878–1914)
Electric tram era: since 1895 Status Open Routes 30 (maximum) 3 (present) Operator(s) Until 1946: CCFP From 1946–present: STCP Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) Electrification 600 V DC Depot(s) Boavista (1874–1999) Massarelos (original power station 1914–present) Website STCP (in Portuguese and English)

The tram system of Porto in Portugal is operated by the Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos do Porto (STCP) and currently has three regular tram routes with 30-minute headways. All are heritage tram routes, as they use vintage tramcars exclusively, and should not be confused with the modern Porto Metro light rail system.

History

In 1872 the Companhia Carril Americano do Porto à Foz e Mattosinhos opened the first mule tram line in Porto, connecting Rua dos Inglezes (nowadays Infante) with Foz (Castelo) and Matosinhos. ^{[1] [2] [3]} In the next year, a branch line from Massarelos to Cordoaria was opened. A second company, the Companhia Carris de Ferro do Porto (CCFP) (the Porto Tramways Company), was established in 1873, and it opened a line from Praça Carlos Alberto via Boavista to Foz (Cadouços) in 1874. More lines were added through the 1870s until the 1890s. In 1878 the CCFP line from Foz to Boavista was converted to steam traction. ^{[1] [2]} At Boavista was the change of traction between mules and steam engines. Four years later, the interurban line of the CCFP was extended from Foz (Cadouços) to Matosinhos. ^{[1] [2]} CCAPFM and CCFP merged on 13 January 1893, using the latter's name for the resulting company. ^{[1] [2] [3]} Electric traction was introduced in 1895. The last mule-drawn car was retired in 1904, and electrification was complete with the elimination of urban steam engines in 1914.

In 1946, the city purchased the tram system from CCFP and took over its operation, with a new municipal company, Serviço de Transportes Colectivos do Porto (STCP). By 1949, it reached its maximum length of 81 kilometers with 150 kilometers track length. The 1960s and the 1970s were marked by a continuous dismantling of tram tracks and a preference for cheaper bus transport. ^[1] The system shrank from 81 kilometers with 192 cars in 1958, to 38 kilometers with 127 cars in 1968, to 21 kilometers with 84 cars in 1978, to just 14 kilometers with 16 cars in 1996. The last remaining line (18) was the start of the current heritage tram system.

For many years, the system had more than 20 lines, but most were closed during the 1960s and 1970s. ^{[3] : 45–47} By July 1978, only four routes remained: 1, 3, 18 and 19. Route 3 (Boavista – Pereiró) closed on 30 April 1984. For almost 10 more years, the three remaining routes continued in operation without any closures, as routes 1 (Infante – Matosinhos), 18 (Carmo – Castelo do Queijo – Boavista) and 19 (Boavista – Matosinhos). ^{[3] : 46} The section from Castelo do Queijo to Matosinhos was closed on 11 September 1993 with the withdrawal of route 19 and of that section of route 1. The remainder of route 1, between Castelo do Queijo and Infante, was withdrawn on 10 September 1994. ^{[3] : 46} On 11 June 1996, the final route, 18, was downgraded from a full-service tram line to a heritage service with reduced frequency, but operating seven days a week. Buses took over most of the service on the route at that time, but with trams continuing to operate some trips, as a heritage service. The service used only three trams, operating on a 35-minute headway. ^[4] Route 18's 4 km section along Avenida Boavista was later closed, but tram service was gradually re-introduced in the 2000s on other sections, in the form of additional heritage-tram services, lines 1 and 22, as well as the former Line T (the Porto Tram City Tour, which has since been discontinued).

Heritage system

A tram on line 1

Lines

Tram fares are paid with a customized ticket that can be bought on board of the vehicle, at the Museum or in some hotels. Consult the STCP web site for the current fare schedule. ^[5]

• Line 1: Passeio Alegre-Infante follows the northern bank of the Douro River from Infante, via Alfândega and Massarelos, to Passeio Alegre in Foz do Douro. This line is heavily used by tourists.
• Line 18: Passeio Alegre-Clérigos: connects Passeio Alegre and Massarelos (site of the Tram Museum) and then diverges via Rua da Restauração to Carmo (Praça Parada Leitão) next to the Rectory of the University of Porto, and onwards to Clérigos.
• Line 22: Circular Carmo-Batalha: connects Carmo and Praça da Batalha with the Funicular dos Guindais, with convenient connections to three stations on the Porto Metro. Please note: due to the closure of Rua dos Clérigos for the construction of the new station in Praça da Liberdade of the Metro do Porto network, it was necessary to suspend the line 22, from 10 November, 2021 for about three years. ^[6]

Line 1 - Passeio Alegre–Infante

Legend
Infante Cruzeiros no Douro Alfândega LINHA 18 Massarelos Douro Azul Bicalho Ponte da Arrábida Sécil Gás Ligação Marítima à Afurada Fluvial D.Leonor Cantareira Passeio Alegre

Line 18 - Passeio Alegre–Clérigos

Legend
Clérigos LINHA 22 Carmo LINHA 22 Hospital de Santo António Viriato Restauração Entre Quintas LINHA 1 Massarelos Douro Azul Bicalho Ponte da Arrábida Sécil Gás Ligação Marítima à Afurada Fluvial D.Leonor Cantareira Passeio Alegre

Line 22 - Carmo–Batalha

Legend
Batalha (Guindais) Praça da Batalha Pç. da Liberdade São Bento R. Santa Catarina Bolhão Pç. Dom João I Av. Aliados Aliados Clérigos Pç. Filipa de Lencastre Guilherme Gomes Fernandes LINHA 18 Carmo LINHA 18

Legend

• Metro do Porto
• Bus
• Train
• Connect with funicular
• Connect with boats
• Connect with helicopter

Proposed expansions

Line 1 - line could in the future be extended from Foz to Castelo do Queijo or even Matosinhos and from Infante to the São Bento railway station via Rua Mouzinho da Silveira.

Tram museum

The Tram Museum building on the bank of the Douro.

Main article: Porto Tram Museum

The Tram Museum is located in the old central power plant of the tram in Massarelos, next to an active STCP depot. The museum was inaugurated in May 1992. It preserves sixteen electric cars, five trailer cars and two maintenance cars. A parade of old cars is held annually between Infante and Passeio Alegre.

See the museum's web site for the current entry fee. A discount may be obtained with a valid tram ticket. ^[7]

Rolling stock

The fleet of electric trams ^[8] was renumbered (almost) complete three times: in 1907, in 1924/5 and in 1946. The renumbering of 1907 was done by adding 100 to the old number. The data about the renumbering of 1924/5 are lost, but it appears not the type of car, but the type of motor was leading for allocating. Starting 1924 the existing trams were gradually modified or reconstructed, including replacement of the motors by new ones from General Electric. As replacing motors was at slow pace, renumbering on an individual car level continued for over two decades. Above that the workshops built complete new trams, although many to the old Brill designs. This process continued until 1946. In 1946 STCP renumbered the fleet with the type of car leading for allocating the number. Car designations as given below were not official and could change over time.

• Transformados, Carros antigos, Risca ao Meio - The oldest electric trams in Porto were made by electrifying existing mule trams, hence the original designation Transformados. As there were several types of mule trams used, there were also several types of these electric trams. There were also differences because several different types of trucks and motors were used, apparently to compare. Most had bodies with seven windows at each side, but there were also with eight windows. They all had longitudinal benches for 18 passengers. There were in total 24 of these which had at the end of 1903, apparently after already some renumbering, the numbers 1-14, 18-19, 28-32 and 35-37. In 1904 one electric tram was made with the use of two small mule trams. It got the number 67, had longitudinal seats for 22 and was disposed about 1916. Except for electric trams transformed from mule trams, also seven electric trams were made with new built bodies of the seven window mule tram type. Three of these new bodies were made by the workshops of the tram company in 1898/9. Perhaps first numbered 10-12, but later they were 15-17. The other four new bodies were made by the local firm A Constructora in 1900 and got the numbers 20-23. Soon no difference was made anymore between trams with these new built bodies and those transformed from mule trams. Many of this class were disposed already by 1919. Although with slowly decreasing numbers, several made it into the STCP time, two of these as electric trams with the numbers 101, a seven window type, and 104, an eight window type. They were scrapped in the late 1950's, but in 1997 a replica of 104 was made for the museum. Four more of these very old electric trams were by the STCP in 1946 converted to trailers getting the numbers 21-24. Trailer no.22 was later electrified again to become part of the museum collection.
• German trams - Two trams delivered in 1898. One tram was built by Siemens & Halske. It had four windows at each side and seats on longitudinal benches for 16. It was unique with having two headlights at each end. The original number was 14, about 1901 changed to 26. It was disposed about 1919. The other tram was delivered by Schuckert & co. It had five windows at each side and seats on longitudinal benches for 18. The original number was 13, about 1901 changed to 27. It was disposed about 1916.
• Carros antigos, Risca ao Meio - The six trams of this type were made by the local firm A Constructora, two in 1901 with the original numbers 24-25, two in 1902 (33-34) and two in 1903 (38-39). They had seats for 18 on two longitudinal benches and were copies of the in 1898 by Schuckert delivered tram, but with larger platforms. Their original five windows at each side were later replaced by six smaller ones. The trams 24-25 had originally Brill 21E trucks and Siemens & Halske motors, 33-34 had Schuckert trucks and motors and 38-39 had Brill 21E trucks with Walker motors. After a runaway accident with no.34 already in 1902, 33-34 disappeared from the fleet. A few years later these cars reappeared with the numbers 55-56 and apparently new trucks and motors. Likely two were lost in the 1928 Boavista fire. Two made it to the STCP and were in 1946 renumbered to 102-103.
• Carros abertos - In 1903 the workshops of the tram company transformed an open mule tram into an electric tram. It got the number 40 but disappeared from the fleet already in 1904. That same year, 1904, the local company A Constructora transformed two more open mule trams into electric trams. They had nine transverse benches 1.80 m wide: five reversible and two fixed against each of the bulkheads. They got the numbers 41-42, since 1907 141-142 and in 1925 renumbered into 100 and 115. Both were lost in the 1928 Boavista depot fire.
• Constructora, Risca ao Meio - This class originally counted 24 tramcars and was built by the local firm A Constructora on Brill made 21E trucks and with Siemens-Schuckert motors. They were built in the period 1904-1906 and had originally the numbers 43-54, 57-66 and 68-69. No.46 was already in 1907 reconstructed into a tram of the next type, of the others the same year the numbers were raised by 100: 143-145, 147-154, 157-166 and 168-169. They had longitudinal benches for a total of 22 passengers. Seven made it to the STCP in 1946 and were renumbered into 105-11. No.107 was brought back to close, but not complete original condition and represents the type in the museum as no.163. The body of no.111 was used to replace the old body of works car no.48.
• Constructora, Sometimes erroneous designated as Brill-23 - They were longer than the previous series and had transverse seats in 2+1 configuration in five rows and longitudinal benches for two in each of the corners. Two were built in 1907 by the local firm A Constructora getting the numbers 199-200. A third was produced the same year by the workshops of the CCFP by reconstructing a tram (no.46) of the previous class. This tram had originally the number 201. A fourth car was made by A Constructora in 1909 and got the number 250. All had Brill built 21E trucks and originally Siemens-Schuckert motors. Three cars made it to the STCP and were renumbered into 112-114.
• UEC, Carros Ingleses (English cars) - These five trams were built by UEC of Preston in 1909 and were originally numbered 202-206, in 1913 already changed to 296-300. Their original trucks were made by Mountain & Gibson and of the type 21EM, a Brill 21E copy. Their original motors were made by Siemens-Schuckert. The period 1925-1946 saw a number of undocumented modifications and renumbering, all getting the original platforms replaced by Brill-style platforms with three of the extended platform type. STCP numbered them in 1946 into 115-119. One is kept for the museum with the number 247 that was carried by one of these trams in the period before 1946.
• Brill-23 – This designation came into use in Porto when wider cars were introduced in the mid 1920's. The number 23 refers to the number of seats. Built by the J. G. Brill Company of Philadelphia in 1909–1912 with 65 cars over 3 orders, originally numbered 251-270, 271-295 and 171-190. The first twenty, 251-270, originally had General Electric motors, the others Siemens-Schuckert. In 1946 the remaining 27 were numbered by the STCP to 120–146. Ten were modified in the 1950’s, getting extended platforms and most also retractable steps. Of the modified trams, three are still in Porto (one available for the daily service, one for special services and one in storage) One of the unmodified cars, No. 122, is now used by McKinney Avenue Transit Authority on the M-Line in Dallas, Texas.
• Brill-28 – These trams are a wider version of the Brill-23 with originally 28 seats. The first came into existence about 1925 when the local workshops started to modify existing Brill-23 trams by making them wider. Later these reconstructions evolved into rebuilding of the bodies. Also complete new trams of this type were built by the workshops. This process continued until 1938. STCP renumbered the class to 150-168 & 170-199. It's not known exactly which cars were reconstructions and which were complete new. No.199 is still available for special services. In the 1990s, some of the CCFP-built examples were sold by an American dealer in secondhand trams to the transit authority in Memphis, Tennessee, for operation on the MATA Trolley line.
• Brill-28 Plataforma Salão – This type is in most aspects equal to the Brill-28 type, but with larger platforms, hence the name. They were (re)constructed by workshops 1938–1946. STCP numbered them into 200-223. No.169, not renumbered by the STCP was in 1938 modified from a Brill-23 of the 1909 batch. STCP extended the platforms of Brill-28 no.160 making it a Plataforma salão type too. Five (205, 213, 216, 218 and 220) are still available for the daily heritage service and one (203) for special services. Several more are in storage.
• Brill-32 – 12 new cars built by workshops 1926–1928. This is a longer version of the Brill-28 with one row of seats and at each side ome more window. No.250 represents the type in the museum.
• Brill-bogie - One four axle tramcar built by the J.G. Brill Company in 1904. It was of the Brill patented grooveless semi-convertible type and open platforms. The tram had seats for 32 passengers. The two Brill-27G bogies had each two Siemens-Schuckert motors. The original number was 90, in 1907 changed to 190. About 1913 it became 191 as its number was needed for the last of the then arriving Brill-23 trams. Sometime during WWI the tram was changed into a trailer. In 1924 it got new General Electric motors, but only one in each bogie, which made the tram unsuitable for steep inclines. The platforms were now closed and its new number became 226. STCP renumbered the tram into 249. In 1965 the old bogies were replaced by maximum-traction bogies. The motors were replaced by stronger ones in 1967. In 1970 this tram was sold to the Rockhill Trolley Museum in Pennsylvania.
• Brill-bogie - These trams were built by the workshops of the tram company to the design of the Brill-bogie tram delivered in 1904. They were wider making a 2+2 seats configuration possible with a total of 40 seats. The platforms were larger and they had platform doors from the beginning. The bogies were of the maximum traction type. Two were built in 1926 and got the numbers 200-201, six more with the numbers 268-273 were built in 1928. STCP renumbered 268-269 into 274-275 and 200-201 into 276-277 making it the series 270-277. No.273 was sold to the National Tramway Museum in Crich (UK), 274 belongs to the Porto museum collection, 275 is available for special services and the other five are in storage, none of them scrapped.
• Familleureux, Belga - Immediately after the Boavista depot fire of February 1928 these ten four axle trams were ordered from Familleureux in Nivelles, Belgium. Most already entered service before the end of the year. Their design with large windows was complete different from the American designs with small windows that were at that time most common in Portugal. They had maximum traction bogies and seats for 40. Their original numbers were 274-283, STCP changing in 1946 the first six into 284-289 making the series 280-289. No.287 is available for the daily service on heritage line 1, no.288 is part of the museum collection, 280, 283, 284 and 285 are in storage. The other four were disposed in or before 1982.
• CFP-28, Fumista - These sixteen two axle trams were built by the workshops of the tram company in 1929-1930. They had seats for 28. Originally the windows were removed during the Summer period making them open trams. During that period it was allowed to smoke inside, hence their nickname (Fumista = smoker). The twice yearly conversion between closed and open tram that had to be done by the workshops was later abandoned by changing the windows into a type that could be opened by the passengers. Their original numbers were 296-311, STCP changed in 1946 the first four into 312-315 making the series 300-315. They were withdrawn between 1967 and 1978. No.315 is part of the museum collection.
• CFP-40, Fumista-bogie - These four trams were the large version of the previous type. They had maximum traction bogies and seats for 40. Their construction started in December 1930 and all four entered service in the next year. Their original numbers were 312-315, changed by the STCP in 1946 into 266-269. Nos.267 and 269 belong to the museum collection, the other two were sold to the USA around 1980.
• STCP-28 (Pipi) and STCP-20 (Pipizinho) - STCP designed a new two axle tram type with matching but smaller trailer, both unidirectional. In contrary to the older trams, the seats were not upholstered. Of the motorcar design a total of 24 were built in the period 1947-1952. Only one trailer was finished as such in 1947 and got the number 28. Five trailers under construction were finished as motorcars, but of smaller size as the 350-373. These small trams were numbered 400-404. Trailer no.28 was converted to motorcar no.405 in 1949. This tramcar was scrapped in 1955 after a runaway accident causing two fatalities. As they were compared to the older trams less flexible in use because of their unidirectional configuration, less comfortable and less robust, all except for six of the large type were withdrawn about 1967. Five of these were withdrawn in 1972 and only no.373 made it to 1974. This latter tram, together with small tram no.400 (converted to trailer no.25) are in the museum.
• Carro 500 - This tramcar was the prototype for a new generation of trams, both two axle and four axle. However these new trams would never be built. The design was derived / copied from existing Italian (Torino) and Madrid trams. This unidirectional tram has seats for both the driver and conductor and remote controlled doors. It entered service in 1951, a year before the last Pipis, and was withdrawn in 1972 becoming on of the first trams of the museum collection.

Network Map

See also

• Funicular dos Guindais, a cable car route in Porto, is distinct from the tram system
• Porto Metro, Porto's light rail system which is also distinct from the tram system
• List of town tramway systems in Portugal

References

1. Guido de Monterey O Porto, origem, evolução e transportes (2a edição, 1972) Porto, published by the author Guido de Monterey
2. Manuel Castro Pereira (1995). Os Velhos Eléctricos do Porto published by José Carvalho Branco and Soc.Editorial Notícias da Beira Douro
3. King, B. R.; Price, J. R. (1995). The Tramways of Portugal (4th ed.). London: Light Rail Transit Association. ISBN   0-948106-19-0.
4. Light Rail and Modern Tramway , August 1996, p. 315. Ian Allan Publishing/Light Rail Transit Association.
5. "STCP fares".
6. "STCP service notice".
7. "Museu Carro Eléctrico".
8. Brian King; Carl Isgar (2022). The Tramways of Portugal (5th ed.) Light Rail Transit Association. ISBN 978-0-948|06-55-2

External links

• STCP – official website
• Porto database / photo gallery  and Porto tram list at Urban Electric Transit – in various languages, including English.
• Porto database / photo gallery at Phototrans – in various languages, including English.
• Sítio oficial da STCP (in Portuguese)
• Sítio oficial do Museu do Carro Eléctrico (in Portuguese)
• Sítio oficial do Porto Tram City Tour (in Portuguese)