Porto Trams Part 2 Matoshinos & Boavista - some speedy trams!

23 Minutes. A few scenes show these trams going very fast, at least for 4 wheelers.

[@RUIXARUTO72]

Thank you for this treasure. I grew up traveling in these trams and i still do it.

[@tressteleg1]

I am pleased that you liked it. Unfortunately the present-day operation with these old trams is just for tourist rides, as far as I know. At the time of my visits, the track was in good condition and if new trams could not be afforded, I thought that good secondhand trams from Europe would make a great difference for the travelling public, compared with buses bumping over some of the roads.

[@PedroCoelhoPessoal]

This is such a greate footage. Now I remember how trams use to be so fast when I was travelling with my grandmother to go to the beach in the summer❤❤❤

[@tressteleg1]

Yes for old trams, they certainly were driven fast and I had some quite exciting rides on them. I expect that the tourist operation is very much slower but better than nothing.

[@luismachado6920]

I'm from Oporto .I love this old videos.

[@tressteleg1]

And I very much liked the system as it was. Ancient design trams being driven fast on track which was in good condition. What more could you want? I have not been back to see the new situation but single track on the side of the road of course is better than nothing, I expect it lacks the speed and atmosphere of the past.

[@1070370]

Great video. Nice to see a little bit of the history of the public transport in my hometown. Nowadays trams are reduced to 3 lines with touristic purposes, and the number of riders increases every year. In the 2000's, plans were made to return the trams to Matosinhos, tracks were set, but were never used. Sadly, trolleybuses disappeared completely.

[@tressteleg1]

Thanks for that update. I knew about the tourist service but can’t understand why double track was reduced to single which is never reliable but I suppose for tourists it doesn’t matter at all. I remember thinking at the time that for regular operation it would even have been worth getting some good secondhand trams from Germany or somewhere. For four wheel trams to operate smoothly, the track must have been in good condition even if wearing a bit thin. I had a feeling that trolleybuses were all gone.

[@1070370]

@@tressteleg1 My guess is that the single track operation was the way chosen to take the trams out of the regular traffic, so that its reduced speed does not "bother" other drivers. Since the schedule is not very intensive most of the time it works ok, but even now there is always someone that parks on the track... Trams were already in decline since the early 60s, when trolleybuses were introduced on southern routes. I guess in the long run the idea was to close most of the network. Trams (and trolleybuses) regular operation was doomed by a overhaul the city had in the late 90s. In the mid nineties, almost everything was gone and replaced by diesel buses

[@tressteleg1]

Unfortunately replacing trams with buses especially in the English speaking world was the ‘modern’ way to go, starting in the USA in the 1920s. What is odd is that Porto scrapped its old tramway while building the new ‘Light Rail’. Surely an upgrade would have been in order. I’m just glad I could record as much as I did when I did. Your comment about not bothering motorists was probably correct. While Lisbon was interesting I much preferred Porto as its trams were fast. Lisbon trams just strolled about.

[@PedroCoelhoPessoal]

Wow you still can see the wrecked ship near the fort!!!

[@tressteleg1]

Yes it was there from at least 1975 to 1986 but apparently has since been removed.

[@marcconyard5024]

Pinion whine heaven!

[@tressteleg1]

Agreed! It’s one of those movies where the sound may be even more important than the vision, but where else on earth then or since have we ever seen ancient-looking 4 wheelers going so fast in normal service?

[@marcconyard5024]

tressteleg1, were these cars direct control? Did you get to Lisbon and ride the tortuous route 28?

[@tressteleg1]

Yes they were direct control. Nothing fancy but the electric brake did work. While rocketing down Boavista Boulevard a car became a risk for collision and the driver used the electric brake for a few seconds. As for Lisbon, I have heaps of video and some movie from 1975 onwards. I’ll process it one day.

[@luispereira8008]

Best time off my life be able to ride them on dangerous situations especially av boavista if ticket men don’t caught us on lock doors 😃

[@tressteleg1]

Good to hear from you. Young boys hanging off the back of trams in Portugal was not unusual. Just boys having fun. I was surprised when Boa Vista Avenue was closed to trams. While it is good to see some have been kept for tourist rides, I expect it is a slow ride these days. I loved the high speeds they ran at. And your name is the same as a former tram destination 😊

[@luispereira8008]

@@tressteleg1 was abt 7 years old ,when start it we my best freind we live close fluvial swimming pool if you remember and double decks buses back where engine stand was more crazy fun even come magazine front page on 80/90 on av boavista taken but wish to remember the newspaper where magazine was😃

[@tressteleg1]

You boys certainly started young! And I suppose nobody ever fell off and got hurt 👍 Today’s children are kept away from every little danger, they must have no fun. Possibly the bus was a British Atlantean. Unfortunately there is no way I can think of to find your childhood photo, unless you know what sort of magazine it was.

[@luispereira8008]

@@tressteleg1 majority of buses was lancia and British buses too

[@luispereira8008]

@@tressteleg1 myself ones in my arm on boxes stand along track on av boavista too narrow my freind yes ticket men caught us and we panic him jump to tracks on good speed😂😂😂 all brushed and me laughing all the way home but worse is crossing the bridge Arrábida concrete one walking all the way underneath to afurada now I’m 44 live England I wish doing everything again back to naive teenager life wedout responsibility 😄