Guimarães railway station

Guimarães railway station is the terminus of the Linha de Guimarães, a 1,668 mm (5 ft 5+21⁄32 in) gauge railway line that runs from Porto to the municipality of Guimarães, in the Braga District of Portugal. It was officially opened on 14 April 1884.^[1]

Guimarães railway station Estação Ferroviária de Guimarães
New Guimarães station, 2016
General information
Location	Urgezes, Guimarães
Coordinates	41°26′07.05″N 8°17′42.21″W
Line(s)	Guimarães line
Tracks	2
History
Opened	April 14, 1884; 140 years ago (1884-04-14)
Location Guimarães railway station Location within Portugal

Description

Location and access

Old Guimarães station, now used as a clinic, 1990

The station is located on the south side of the Avenida Dom João IV, in the city of Guimarães.^[2][3] It is just to the south of the buffer zone around the UNESCO world heritage Historic Centre of Guimarães and Couros Zone.^[4]

The station is at the eastern end of the Linha de Guimarães, a single track line that fans out into four tracks as it approaches the terminus.^[5] The four tracks are between 205 and 292 metres (673 and 958 ft) long, while the platforms are 220 metres (720 ft) long and 90 centimetres (3 ft) tall.^[6] There is a trailing siding to the west of the platforms.^[5]

Both the old and the new station are located in the freguesia or civil parish of Urgezes.

History

Background

The first ever train at the Guimarães train station, 14 April 1884.

In the middle of the 19th century, the Minho region suffered from a lack of communication with the rest of Portugal, due to its poor railway infrastructure. This improved after the Portuguese Regeneration led by Fontes Pereira de Melo, when many railway lines were created, including those from Porto to Braga and Guimarães.

One of the first projects aiming to bring rails to Guimarães was made by the Minho District Railway Company Limited, who planned to build tracks from Santo Tirso to Guimarães, but the company filled for bankruptcy in January 1879. Later that year, a new concession was opened for a line to Guimarães.^[7]

Construction and opening

The Guimarães Railway Company started construction on the Trofa to Vizela line, with the first section being opened on 31 December 1883.^[8] The next section, which included Guimarães station, opened on 14 April 1884.^[1] On 16 September 1895, the Railway Gazette reported that contracts had been awarded to start construction on an avenue between Toural Square and Guimarães Station.^[9]

Old Guimarães station, 1990

20th century

Guimarães ceased to be a terminal station on 21 July 1907, when an extension of the line to Fafe opened.^[10] In 1913, there were stage-coaches from Guimarães station to Caldas das Taipas and Braga.^[11]

In 1927, the companies of Guimarães and Póvoa, that managed the Porto-Póvoa-Famalicão line, merged into a single company called Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro do Norte de Portugal [North Portugal Railway Company]. On 14 March 1932 a new section between Guimarães, Senhora da Hora and Trofa was opened, with part of the ceremony taking place at Guimarães Station, which was decked out for the event.^[12] By around 7 pm,the inaugural train arrived at Guimarães station, where a reception was held for president of the Portuguese republic, Óscar Carmona.^[12] In 1937, a special train ran to Guimarães, to transport the railway sapper veterans. A ceremony was held in the square in front of the station.^[13]

Train in the old Guimarães station, 1996

In 1947, the North railway company was given to the Company of Portuguese Railway, that had interests on the old railways of that company, including the Guimarães line.^[14][15]

Services beyond the station to Fafe were withdrawn in 1986, and Guimarães reverted to being a terminus.

21st century

In the 1990s, the Cabinet of the Nó Ferroviário of Porto started a requalification program of the rails located around the city of Porto, that were, at that time, outdated and didn't keep up with demand, including the Guimarães line. This program had the objective of improving de working conditions, by improving infrastructure and getting new trains. The Guimarães line,was improved by improving the electrification and altering the track gauge, remodeling many stations, and installing electronic signals, the line resumed operations in 2004.^[16]

In August 2007, a passenger was electrocuted, as well as two fireman that tried to rescue him; they were transported to the Senhora da Oliveira Hospital where they all made a full recovery.^[17]

Guimarães Station in 1996

Expansions to other lines

On 16 August 1895, the railway gazette started planning a line between Guimarães and Famalicão,^[9] and on 1 September 1899, it was reported that construction had started.^[18] In 16 February 1901, the line was requested to be built to accommodate Horsecar trams, with steam traction.^[18][19]

On the railway gazette of 1 December 1899, it was announced that Italian engineer Cachapuz had requested a license to build many railway lines in the north region of Portugal, including a line from Guimarães to Braga.^[20] A decree dated 27 April 1903 ordered the opening of a public tender for this line, along with those in Vale do Lima and Alto Minho.

v t e Porto Commuter rail
Legend
Porto metropolitan area commuter rail services
Guimarães Covas Nespereira Vizela Pereirinhas Cuca Lordelo Braga Giesteira Ferreiros Vila das Aves Mazagão Caniços Aveleda Santo Tirso Tadim Ruilhe Caíde Arentim Meinedo Couto de Cambeses Bustelo Nine Penafiel Louro Paredes Mouquim Oleiros Famalicão Irivo Barrimau Cête Esmeriz Parada Lousado Recarei-Sobreira Trofa Trancoso Portela Terronhas São Romão São Martinho do Campo São Frutuoso Valongo Leandro Suzão Travagem Cabeda Ermesinde Águas Santas/ Palmiheira Rio Tinto Contumil Porto-Campanhã General Torres Porto-São Bento Vila Nova de Gaia Coimbrões Aveiro Madalena Cacia Valadares Canelas Francelos Salreu Miramar Estarreja Aguda Avanca Granja Válega Espinho Ovar Silvalde Carvalheira- Maceda Paramos Cortegaça Esmoriz
Legend
Ramal de Braga/Linha do Minho Linha do Douro Linha de Guimarães Linha do Norte
Source: Official site, January 2019

See also

• Comboios de Portugal
• Infraestruturas de Portugal
• Rail transport in Portugal
• History of rail transport in Portugal

References

1. Aguilar, Busquets de (June 1, 1949). "A Evolução História dos Transportes Terrestres em Portugal" [The History of Land Transport in Portugal] (PDF). Gazeta dos Caminhos de Ferro [Railway Gazette]. Vol. 62. p. 383-393. Retrieved January 19, 2017 – via Hemeroteca Digital de Lisboa.
2. "Guimarães – Linha de Guimarães". Infraestruturas de Portugal. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
3. "Guimarães". Comboios de Portugal [Trains of Portugal]. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
4. "Historic Centre of Guimarães - maps of the inscribed property". UNESCO. March 26, 2014.
5. "Guimarães Train Station". Google maps.
6. "Linhas de Circulação e Plataformas de Embarque" [Lines of Circulation and Boarding Platforms]. Directório da Rede 2012 [Network Directory 2012]. Rede Ferroviária Nacional [National Railway Network]. January 6, 2011. p. 71-85.
7. Sousa, José Fernando de (March 1, 1937). "Eduardo Plácido, ferroviário: justa homenagem" [Eduardo Plácido, railway worker: a fitting tribute] (PDF). Gazeta dos Caminhos de Ferro [Railway Gazette]. Vol. 49. p. 128-132. Retrieved August 17, 2013 – via Hemeroteca Digital de Lisboa.
8. Torres, Carlos Manitto (March 16, 1958). "A evolução das linhas portuguesas e o seu significado ferroviário" [The evolution of Portuguese railway lines and their significance] (PDF). Gazeta dos Caminhos de Ferro [Railway Gazette]. Vol. 71. p. 133-140. Retrieved August 17, 2013 – via Hemeroteca Digital de Lisboa.
9. "Efemérides" [Events] (PDF). Gazeta dos Caminhos de Ferro [Railway Gazette]. Vol. 51. January 16, 1939. p. 81-85. Retrieved January 19, 2017 – via Hemeroteca Digital de Lisboa.
10. "Troços de linhas férreas portuguesas abertas à exploração desde 1856, e a sua extensão" [Sections of Portuguese railways open for operation since 1856, and their length] (PDF). Gazeta dos Caminhos de Ferro [Railway Gazette]. Vol. 69. October 16, 1956. p. 528-530. Retrieved August 17, 2013 – via Hemeroteca Digital de Lisboa.
11. "Serviço de Diligencias" [Stagecoach services]. Guia official dos caminhos de ferro de Portugal [Official guide to Portugal's railways]. Vol. 39. October 1913. p. 152-155. Retrieved February 25, 2018 – via Biblioteca Nacional Digital.
12. "A Visita do Chefe de Estado ao Norte e a Inauguração do Túnel da Trindade e Linha da Senhora da Hora à Trofa" [The Head of State's Visit to the North and the Inauguration of the Trindade Tunnel and Senhora da Hora Line to Trofa] (PDF). Gazeta dos Caminhos de Ferro [Railway Gazette]. Vol. 45. March 16, 1932. p. 135-143. Retrieved August 17, 2013 – via Hemeroteca Digital de Lisboa.
13. Sousa, José Fernando de (May 16, 1937). "Os antigos combatentes na Flandres" [Former combatants in Flanders] (PDF). Gazeta dos Caminhos de Ferro [Railway Gazette]. Vol. 49. p. 254-259. Retrieved August 17, 2013 – via Hemeroteca Digital de Lisboa.
14. "Ao XI Concurso das Estações Floridas apresentaram-se 78 estações" [Seventy-eight stations entered the 11th Station Gardens Competition] (PDF). Gazeta dos Caminhos de Ferro [Railway Gazette]. Vol. 65. November 16, 1952. p. 338. Retrieved January 19, 2017 – via Hemeroteca Digital de Lisboa.
15. "XI Concurso das Estações Floridas" [11th Flower Season Competition] (PDF). Gazeta dos Caminhos de Ferro [Railway Gazette]. Vol. 66. May 16, 1953. p. 112. Retrieved January 19, 2017 – via Hemeroteca Digital de Lisboa.
16. Reis, Gomes & Gomes 2006, p. 202.
17. Cipriano, Carlos (August 14, 2007). "Três vítimas de choque eléctrico no comboio Intercidades na estação de Guimarães" [Three victims of electric shock on Intercity train at Guimarães station]. Público.
18. "Efemérides" [Events] (PDF). Gazeta dos Caminhos de Ferro [Railway Gazette]. Vol. 51. February 1, 1939. p. 111-114. Retrieved January 19, 2017 – via Hemeroteca Digital de Lisboa.
19. "Há 50 anos" [50 years ago] (PDF). Gazeta dos Caminhos de Ferro [Railway Gazette]. Vol. 64. April 16, 1951. p. 76. Retrieved January 19, 2017 – via Hemeroteca Digital de Lisboa.
20. "Há Quarenta Anos" [Forty years ago] (PDF). Gazeta dos Caminhos de Ferro [Railway Gazette]. Vol. 51. December 1, 1939. p. 520. Retrieved January 19, 2017 – via Hemeroteca Digital de Lisboa.

Bibliography

• Davies, W J K (1998). Narrow Gauge Railways of Portugal. Plateway Press. ISBN 978-1-871980-35-6.
• Reis, Francisco; Gomes, Rosa; Gomes, Gilberto; et al. (2006). Os Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses 1856-2006 [Portuguese Railways 1856-2006] (in Portuguese). Lisbon: CP-Comboios de Portugal e Público-Comunicação Social S. A. ISBN 989-619-078-X.