Portugal: At Aregos, CP Class 1400 diesels arrive/depart on Douro Valley line Regional trains

Portugal: At Aregos in the scenic Douro Valley, CP Class 1400 diesel locos are seen departing and arriving on Regional passenger trains to/from Porto. Clips recorded 13 October 2024. Clip 1 - Loco no.1455 departs on train IR875, the 1725 from Porto Campanha to Pocinho. Clip 2 (1:39) - Loco no.1427 arrives on train IR876, the 1714 from Pocinho to Porto Sao Bento. -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ The CP Class 1400 are a series of 67 diesel-electric locomotives built for the Portuguese Railways (CP) between 1967 and 1969. They have a top speed of 105 km/h. They were ordered primarily to replace steam locomotives then still in use on CP. Designed and engineered by English Electric, they are closely modelled mechanically on the British Rail Class 20 locomotives but using a more powerful intercooled 1,330 bhp 8CSVT version of the Class 20's 8SVT engine. The locomotives were designed for the 1,668 mm (5 ft 5+21⁄32 in) Iberian gauge and larger loading gauge than possible in United Kingdom. The first ten were built in England at the Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows, with the remaining locomotives assembled in Portugal by Sorefame. The locomotives share many components with the larger and more powerful Class 1800. During the early years of the 21st century, some were sold for further service in Argentina, but many remain in service with CP. -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ CP - Comboios de Portugal, EPE (English: Trains of Portugal) is a state-owned company which operates passenger trains in Portugal. Prior to June 2009, CP stood for Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses (English: Portuguese Railways) although the company has been using its current designation as a brand name since 2004. On 28 October 1856, the first railway line in Portugal was inaugurated between Lisbon and Carregado. While the early railways in Portugal had been constructed in standard gauge, subsequent lines were built to the Iberian gauge as to be compatible with neighboring Spain; the initial standard gauge tracks were also rebuilt into Iberian gauge for consistency. The railway network was gradually expanded both south of the Tagus and to the north of the country, as well as in the metropolitan areas of Lisbon and Porto and to Spain. It was during the 1950s that the Portuguese railway network expanded to its greatest extent, covering roughly 3,750 km (2,330 mi).[ Throughout the second half of the 20th century, the majority of CP's rolling stock was built in Portugal by Sorefame - notably carriages with stainless steel bodywork. Gradually, electrification was put in place for a little less than half the network. In 1975, the company was nationalised, after which its name was shortened to CP. During the 1970s and especially during the 1980s, as cars became increasingly affordable to average citizens, passenger demand on CP's network declined considerably, spurring decreases in investment, the cutting back on little-used services, and the closure of less trafficked lines. -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ The Douro is the largest river of the Iberian Peninsula by discharge. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in the Spanish province of Soria, meanders briefly south, then flows generally west through the northern part of the Meseta Central in Castile and León into northern Portugal. Its largest tributary (carrying more water than the Douro at their confluence) is the right-bank Esla. The Douro flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Porto, the second largest city of Portugal. The scenic Douro railway line runs close to the river. Adjacent areas produce port (a mildly fortified wine) and other agricultural produce. A small tributary of the river has the Côa Valley Paleolithic Art site which is considered important to the archaeological pre-historic patrimony, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within Spain, it flows through the middle of the autonomous community of Castile and León, with the basin spanning through the northern half of the Meseta Central. The latter includes wine producing areas such as the Ribera del Duero DOP. -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ @FrontCompVids - Follow us on Twitter! More FrontCompVids clips are regularly added to so don't forget to Like and Subscribe! Click    / frontcompvids   for more details :-)