Issue No. 1 Summer 2006 INAUGURAL MEETING - LONDON 22nd February 2006

The meeting took place at the Model Railway Club and was attended by about 20 prospective members from all around the UK. A general discussion took place and introductions, suggestions and proposals were made. At this meeting a small committee was voted on and tasked with setting up the Society on a formal basis.

The Committee members are: Chairman David Stevenson Secretary and Membership Secretary Charles Philips Journal Editor Michael Guerra Treasurer Tony Bowles (volunteered after meeting) Publicity & Exhibitions Myles Muncey

Some of the names may be known to you, some not. No doubt in the first magazine we will write some short pieces about ourselves.

The meeting was followed by a fascinating slide show given by Lawrie Marshall, the well-known author and photographer. Later Myles Muncey gave a short talk on modelling Iberian Railways.

THE BASICS The remit of the Society is to stimulate interest in and disseminate information about railways on the Iberian Peninsular and the Balearic Islands. It was felt at this time that extending this remit to Spanish and Portugese speaking areas of the world would be too ambitious.

It is proposed that a Society Journal be published four times a year and that this would be the main conduit between members. Local meetings and branches were also to be established wherever possible to encourage membership from the widest possible area. A fledgling library could be made available to members as time went on.

Consideration would be given to organising trips from the UK, both formal and informal, as a way of enabling members to meet in a very convivial atmosphere and whilst indulging their passion for rail travel!

MEMBERSHIP Membership was to be open to all and would entitle the member to receipt of the magazine, use of the Societies’ facilities and attendance and voting rights at an Annual General Meeting.

MEMBERSHIP RATES FOR ONE YEAR – APRIL 2006-MARCH 2007 UK £12.00 EUROPE £14.00 REST OF WORLD £16.00 Payment CHEQUE (Payable to: Iberian Railway Society) - Send to: Charles Phillips 52 Brookmans Road Stock, Ingatestone Essex CM4 9DB

Those joining during the year pay the Annual Rate and will receive all copies of the journal for that year. Membership of the IRS is subject to the rules and constitution of the IRS. Membership records are held on a computer database in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act. 2 Title Page

The Society 2 Introduction to Iberian Railways 4 Editor’s Page 5 News 6 Photography & Permits 8 Railway Holiday in Spain 1992 9 Zafra-Huelva Passenger Services 1936 19 London to Lisbon 1997 20 The RENFE Class 269 21 Media Reviews 27 The Magazine—An Overview 30 Diary 31

Contributions for publication should be, if possible, by email or computer disk (to avoid time spent transcribing text). Photos should be of good quality, sharp, well composed or of significant historical interest. Prints, slides, digital photos or good scans can be accommodated. All prints and slides should be sent by recorded delivery, they will be scanned as quickly as possible and returned by recorded delivery. Articles can be of any length, though generally of between 500 to 800 words for a book review, and up to 4,000 words for a main article. Maps should be of a good clear line, and legible at quarter page size.

Submissions should be to: Michael Guerra, 6 Nash Close, Welham Green Hatfield, HERTS AL9 7NN Email (pref): [email protected]

Front Cover: RENFE Class 316 just off a coal train at Bobadilla 05/92

3 he railways of Spain and Portugal were born of their unique culture and geography, their rather variable T economics, their relative isolation (on the periphery of Europe), and of the parochial mindset of the many proud provincial leaders all vying for attention during the later stages of the European Industrial Revolution. Iberian railways have had a fascinating history, through good times and bad, and have played an important part in the development of Spain as a whole industrial nation with foreign markets, yet still kept back with its determination to resist invasion by stubbornly (and later forlornly) keeping to its mainline track gauge of six Castilian feet. And yet it has managed to develop, through diligence and innovation, and has become one of the most reliable systems in Europe.

At the Asturian Railway Museum in Gijon there is rolling stock of seven different gauges, built in countries as diverse as Spain, France, Belgium, England, Scotland, Germany, and the United States. And across the Spanish system are some of the largest and smallest steam traction ever seen in Europe. But the reasons why we enjoy the Iberian railway systems are probably more complex. From the Celtic verdant north from Galicia to Euskadi, to the empty table land of Castilla, the agricultural basins of Aragon and the Levant and to the dry regions of the Extramadura and Andalucia. From the grey rain-swept Atlantic coasts to the Mediterranean beaches can be found many layers of geology, history and ideology. The great variety of culture, food, music and temperament all adds to the enjoyment of magnificent journeys that can be taken across the diverse landscapes of Iberia.

The railways of the Iberian peninsular were built to fulfil some kind of dream; a dream of an Industrial Iberia, aping the economies of Britain, France and Germany. But both Spain and Portugal were poor and rural, and that was holding them back. Their Empires were waning, and in Spain especially there was a bubbling of social unrest that was to tragically explode in the death of the Second Republic.

Today, both Spain and Portugal are modern countries, expanding their economies with international trade while their railway systems develop. There are growing pains of course, with Portugal especially feeling the loss of empire. In Spain the death of Franco and the re-birth of democracy were like the releasing of a great spring. A European identity was born, and with that Spaniards were allowed to be outward looking, - wholesale modernisation became the new ideal. But it is being achieved by not forgetting the past. Although Spain in its early history, especially in the south, was a great melting pot of cultures and ideas; since the Reconquest it looked inward, in so creating a more cohesive, national identity. Lost wars, and a demographic that was mainly rural, held it back, meaning that the landscape, and even the towns and cities, are still littered with architecture and artefacts from all periods of human occupation. In no other region in Europe is it possible to see such a depth of culture and history. Every provincial centre has a cathedral (or two); and castles and fortified towns litter the landscape. The cuisine of Spain is enormously varied, encompassing ingredients and techniques from all over the Mediterranean and the New World, yet entirely dependant on fresh local produce. Every town has a centre where people congregate and maintain social cohesion, where rules of deportment, engagement and discourse have remained unchanged for centuries. Yet today’s Iberia can call itself modern. Madrid and Lisbon are gregarious European capitals, and are talked of in the same terms as London and Paris. Barcelona is one of the most visited cities in the world, and with every year foreign tourists expand their horizons as the other Spanish cities wake up to their international status. And this is providing the impetus for the development of the Iberian railway networks.

Most of the Iberian systems were built with foreign capital, foreign rolling stock and foreign expertise. Mistakes were made, opportunities lost, and over-optimistic expectations failed to materialise. But all that adds to the history. In recent years there has been a re-evaluation of Iberian railway history. Old museums have been refurbished, and new ones emerged in the competition for the tourist culture Euro. Though not as grand as those of York, Mulhouse, Nürnberg and Luzern, the collections at Vilanova I la Geltru, Madrid Delicias, Gijon and Azpeitia are all worth of serious consideration. Serious railway scholarship is now accepted, and used as a point of local interest and pride. 4 am by profession a design engineer. I am currently working on two packages at St Pancras. I have been a I rolling stock designer for the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways. Although I was not born until 1959, my association with Iberian railways probably began in 1939, when a train saved my father’s life.

My father was born in Torrelavega in Cantabria in 1916 into a well-to-do land-owning, but liberal family. He lost the bottom half of his left leg at the age of four when he was run over by one of the only cars in northern Spain. In 1936 he found himself in London outside UCL, just about to start medical studies when he read in an English newspaper that Franco had landed and that the Republican government had had to declare war. He (and his father – who was in London on business), rushed back to Dover, the ferry and via Paris to Irun where he enlisted in the Republican Army.

After a difficult war, mostly in the north, he rose to the rank of major by the age of 23 (mostly due to the attrition of officers, but also due to his leadership in various actions). After being evacuated by a British ship following the fall of Gijon, he returned to Spain and found himself being put in charge of the Montjuic hospital in Barcelona. As the Fascists closed in and the Republican cause disintegrated in the political machinations of the extreme left, my father was ordered to commandeer a train and evacuate the walking wounded to France.

There was fighting along the Ramblas, along with summary executions of the captured as the train departed the Francia station. Port Bou and the border to Cerebere was still in Republican hands so the wounded were transferred to the standard gauge line to Toulouse. Major Fransisco Guerra returned with the train, unaware that Barcelona had fallen, and just north of Figueres the train was halted, with all the Republican combatants (mostly hospital staff) taken prisoner.

Any history of la Guerra Civil is full of the horrors of summary executions and unmarked graves, and in the case of my father’s brigade only 18 of the original 500 survived the war. He was captured by Moroccan mercenaries and was being lead off across a goods yard to a field and a rendezvous with a bullet. Luckily for him, and a couple of others, an empty goods train was heading north, just crossing in front of them. The guards were distracted and the escaping prisoners ran under the 4-wheelers passing slowly through the yard. My father slung himself in the underframe and hung on until the tunnel just short of Port Bou. There he met his commandant, the very man who had given him the order to evacuate Montjuic.

They waited for dark before walking around the outside of Port Bou transfer yard and into the International tunnel that would lead to Cerbere. There they climbed aboard an empty freight, this time bound for Marseilles. In Marseilles he was able to obtain a valid Spanish passport from the Consul who was still loyal to the defeated republic. Some Jesuits provided him with a civilian coat and enough money to get him to Paris. In Paris he was found by a man from his regiment who had made friends with a man who ran a cinema in Montmartre. They would sleep in the cinema after the last performance, sharing what food they could scrounge, while the bandages from my father’s left stump would dry in the toilets. Eventually he befriended someone in a freight forwarding office, where he managed to get a passage to Vera Cruz in Mexico. In Mexico City he supported himself and his father (my grandfather) who had also escaped with a few funds (he was also on a death list). He finished his medical studies and eventually gained a teaching and research position at Yale. And there, in 1959, I was born.

My love of railways didn’t really begin until after my parents separated when I was 8 or 9. My maternal uncle was an early volunteer on the Ffestiniog Railway, and the summers were often spent in Wales with my maternal grandparents. Years later, I became a postgraduate engineer, married and then with children. Since 1992 we have become regular visitors to Spain, often to see family or visit the historic towns and cities of Spain. My Spanish is not fluent, but I can get by (along with French, German and a smattering of Italian), and each visit is like returning home. We always travel by train (we do not own a car for environmental reasons), and there is nothing we like more than settling down on a Talgo and taking in the scenery. 5 It is hoped that these pages will eventually be filled by our members’ news items, obtained from the ‘field’. In lieu of that, for this first issue, we will have a brief analysis of the current state of the Iberian systems.

Spain

Spain is currently going through a high-speed building boom, comparable with that of France 10 or 15 years ago. Having been convinced of the high speed economic model, and of having benefited from the experiences of France and Germany, the Spanish have embraced EU funding for infrastructure improvements and are on the 2nd phase of the 3 phase high speed expansion. A visit to Madrid underlines this expansion, with major tunnelling projects for Metro extensions, relief of the Charmartin to Atocha bottlenecks, and the provision of additional through AVE platforms at Atocha. Indeed, all over Spain, railway infrastructure investment is at its highest level ever, with tunnelling under the Pajares pass near Leon, in Castille for the Zaragoza to Madrid section, and in Andulucia on the Cordoba-Malaga line. Dual gauge track-laying on the Zaragoza-Huesca is complete, with promises from the French over the extension to Canfranc and on to Pau. So far promised improvements on the broad gauge are being delivered, but one wonders if ADIF will continue to find funds for lower-usage routes when the maintenance requirements for the increased AVE network hits home. Certainly SNCF/RFF have taken their eyes off the ball.

The well publicised difficulties of introducing ERTMS on the Zaragoza-Lleida line seem to have sorted out. Having invested in 350km/h rolling stock and limiting their use to 200-250km/h has been embarrassing for ADIF/RENFE. Essentially the problem is one of ballast flying up and damaging the aerials. Anyone with a knowledge of the permanent way will know that different grades of ballast should be used in building the formation, with the heaviest, largest stones used on top, to stop ballast migration. This happens somewhat naturally – try leaving muesli on top of a vibrating fridge and you will find the large flakes and raisins rise to the top. The Spanish are probably wishing that they had built on slab track like on the new Dutch HSL.

As discussed elsewhere in this issue GIF have become ADIF in line with EU Open Access agreements, with RENFE ‘relegated’ to just running trains. This is problematic for the enthusiast who wishes to obtain

Tortosa: RENFE Class 444 EMU awaiting departure to Barcelona Franca 03/04 6 photographic permits, and this has also resulted in a dramatic confusing change in station decoration as the RENFE logo is replaced with ADIF.

On the narrow gauge, FEVE, Euskotren and FGC are consolidating. There are small improvements in infrastructure along with a continuing upgrade in rolling stock. There are also planned expansions to both the Barcelona and Valencia tramway systems. As in France and Germany, local authorities are looking at subsidising or completely taking over some of RENFE’s least profitable, yet socially important lines.

On the heritage side things are little more mixed. Madrid Delicias had a refurbishment last year, with an expanded permanent way exhibition with a rather good audio-visual display. However, the lighting on the main exhibits is still too poor for good photography. The Zaragoza group are having a confusing time. One of the architects of the new Zaragoza Delicias station (and president of the heritage group) made provision for the group’s rather delicate collection of old (mostly CIWL) cars; unfortunately he couldn’t make financial provision, so the collection is safe but in limbo, awaiting a saviour. The fabulous Canfranc station (once mooted as a location for the Zaragoza collection) is being rebuilt, if only to stop it from falling down and is providing one possible focus for a Pyrenean Winter Olympics bid.

Portugal

Economically, Spain’s poorer neighbour, Portugese railways are not faring so well. Both infrastructure and rolling stock have suffered in the last generation or so. Also the Portugese have not been so successful in presenting their case for EU infrastructure investment. Like in France, the EU-led liberalisation of the railways has been deeply unpopular with the workforce (resulting in a series of protests and strikes in the late 1990s). The lack of good rolling stock has resulted in battle lines being drawn between the new train operating companies coming from the split of CP into profit (or loss!) centres. The splitting up of CP is supposedly in line with EU Open Access agreements; however, the so-called privatisation has merely focussed attention on the lack of resources for all, and line closures a certainty in a move to move funds into a promised North- South high speed link, which is also integrated into the RENFE system. After many years of procrastination over routes the Spanish are going to build west from Badajoz in the hope that the Portugese notice, and in the end decide to join up. There do seem to be one or two success stories, notably the Fer Tagus service, with its new double-deck EMUs, along with expansion of the Lisbon metro network.

Estacion Valencia Nord at night 03/04 7 rinted here is my old RENFE photographic P permit. This was obtained by writing to the public relations office near Madrid Chamartin. It is the only one I have ever managed to obtain. As everyone knows, even before the atrocities on the Madrid Cercanias on 11.03.04, the photography of railways on railway land (and even off) has been fraught with difficulty. With a photographic permit the procedure was to go to find the Jefe d’Estacion or the security office, armed also with your passport (which is likely to be scanned or photocopied). It is also useful to have a copy of any articles or books you may have written to demonstrate your credentials. If you were lucky you SPECIMEN would be on your way in a matter of minutes, or you could be given a lecture on not photographing railway personnel. In recent years, when the permit was only carried as a keepsake, I found that providing you travelled as family you could take pictures almost with impunity. However, times have changed and having just returned from a long trip around Andalucía we found it was almost impossible to take pictures around stations. The current situation is that the stations are now run by ADIF (having taken over the infrastructure from GIF). RENFE only run the trains. So as every Jefe d’Estacion will tell you need to have an ADIF permit. I will try to obtain one (or several—one for each region—if one stationmaster is to be believed). Many securities experts are of the opinion it is better to have as many people photographing as possible in order to increase the chances of anything awry being witnessed. Almost every mobile phone can be used as a surreptitious camera, so making persecution of open photography pointless.

However, you can always try. Please make yourself known to the railway officials, armed with your passport. Always act with dignity, good grace and a smile, and always keep to the public areas when on railway property. Spain is a large country with plenty of opportunities for railway photography off railway lands. A classic case being the Mediterranean corridor, where there are photographic opportunities from beaches and hotels (Tarragona being a good example). A database of such locations should be kept as a Society resource (or published on a website). Travelling with an organised tour is an especially good way of obtaining access to usually forbidden areas – though travelling en-masse can make it doubly difficult to compose the perfect picture (imagine standing at Kings Cross awaiting the departure of a steam special!).

The inauguration of the Iberian Railway Society has presented us with an opportunity. It may be possible (though this has not been presented to either Spanish or Portuguese authorities) that the Society may provide a more durable and broader approach to the authorities. If the Society in general is in agreement, we could approach the ADIF/RENFE and CP authorities, (and higher level government if necessary), to press for the re-introduction of photographic permits to bona-fide railway enthusiasts, dedicated to the study and promotion of Iberian railways. A good public relation is the best approach, and perhaps a first approach would be with the Spanish Embassy in London. Does anyone else have other contacts and/or ideas? 8 ith this article we hope to generate interest in Spanish railways from the point of W view of a traveller, modeller, and railway enthusiast.

This is essentially the story of a 2 week trip we took in April/May 1992 undertaking a loop through Spain using railways as much as possible, resorting to metros and buses only where necessary. We wished to visit a number of places (notable for historical sights rather than railways) by train, using as many different types of railway service as possible.

Like thousands of others our trip began at London Victoria. A brisk ride to Dover left us looking forward to experiencing the trip to Paris behind a class 92 (or TGV) via 'The Chunnel' in 3 hrs instead of the 9 hrs of the currently advertised service. The ferry was late so our Rapide service from Calais Maritime left at 1522 rather than the advertised 1430. No matter, our sleeper was not due to leave Austerlitz until 2145. There was the usual loco change at Amiens (Crewe of the Nord) where diesel-electric BB67596 was exchanged for electric BB16054. We arrived at Paris Nord at 1927, 10hrs 43 mins after leaving Victoria. We managed to use a couple of year-old Metro tickets to get to Austerlitz where we waited for our train to the Spanish border.

Our 2145 sleeper to Port Bou did not in fact leave until 2245, and during the night we woken by a multiplicity of stops along the way (it is much easier to sleep while the train is moving!). And as we were due in Port Bou at 0850 I was little surprised to learn from the steward that we were almost 4hrs late. We finally arrived at 1220, 3hrs and 40mins late.

We had seen some TALGO PENDULAR stock at Paris Austerlitz but this was the first time we had seen broad gauge. An INTERURBANO (3 car EMU) took us efficiently to our first stop at Figueres. There we stayed the night after visiting the Dali museum instead of going on to Barcelona as we had originally planned. Our plans already changed we decided to make the most of it and visit the old city of Girona before pushing on to Barcelona. So before dawn we packed, left our hostal and walked hopefully to the station to catch the SNCF BB79731 With Port Bou Sleeper 05/09

9 Figueres 05/92: RENFE Class 269 with Fast Freight 0624 to Barcelona which we would leave at Girona. Another 3 car EMU, old but clean, an echo of the older CORREO's which stopped, sometimes for hours, at every station to collect mail and light freight. There is still a letter slot at the end of each unit on much of the older EMU and DMU stock, though I doubt it is still used.

These old multiple-units, with their upright seats, large windows, slow speed and air-conditioning (that works most of the time), are the ideal way of seeing Spain. It is the best way of absorbing the Spanish collective psyche and culture.

We arrived in Girona as advertised at 0722. The enormous Romanesque cathedral, and the old Jewish and Arab quarters are not to be missed. New stations in Spain, like Girona, are simple concrete affairs, the emphasis being on providing shade.

We were soon getting used to the punctuality of RENFE trains and we were not surprised when a REGIONAL arrived on time to take us to Barcelona. This train became quite busy as we came into Barcelona as we picked up more and more people from the suburbs so that they could get to the popular areas at Mt. Montjuic and to the beaches further down, for this was Sunday - a major recreation day. This could explain why on Spanish railways the Sunday timetable keeps around 90% of its weekday workings.

In Spain 1992 was El Ano de los Construcciones, the year of construction, no better exemplified than by Barcelona. The whole city was a construction site, not just Gaudi’s 80 year-old Sagrada Familia. It seems that in the last 20-30 years the change in Spanish railways has been profound. The vast amount of electrification (3KVDC - early American and French influence) has been instigated, though electric traction has been used for many years (especially in the north) since the ‘20’s. There is also std. gauge being built, there is a TGV-type service already running called AVE (Alta Velocidad de Espana) running from Madrid Atocha to Sevilla via Cordoba. The AVE maybe the first in a vast changeover to std. gauge but the government is getting cold feet; they had not even started the new line from Barcelona to Madrid. The AVE is an advanced version of the French TGV with smoother lines. They are built under license from Alsthom and run off 25KVAC (noticeable 10 Blue Tram at Tibidabo, Barcelona 05/92 by the pantograph running off a single wire, whereas the 3KVDC wires are doubled to allow easier pickup of the higher currents). An observation: All Spanish broad gauge (via ancha) and std. gauge (via internacional) we saw ran on the right-hand road, but on the metre gauge (via estrecha) the trains run on the left (except at passing places on single track working, where it seems to be at the discretion of the signalman). Also on broad gauge and metre gauge, all locos and trains sound on moving off, either on departure from stations or shunting light engine. This maybe due to the continuing influence of early British practice, the British being largely instrumental in building many of the early Spanish railways - especially for mineral roads. Now, with the new std. gauge there is no sounding - much like modern practice.

After visiting Barcelona, (including its wonderful, ricketty blue tram up Mt Tibidabo) we continued to Tarragona taking INTERCITY No. 66, which would continue to Malaga. Reservations were necessary for this large air-conditioned 3 car EMU. This is quite a plush train, not really very fast (the average speed of RENFE trains was raised from 66kph in 1979 to 78kph in 1986) but makes the long journey times bearable with dubbed Hollywood movies and documentaries on overhead TV screens, one pays for the dubious pleasure of hiring headphones. But we are getting a little ahead of ourselves, for south of Barcelona at the town of Vilanova I la Geltru there are a number of restored and rescued steam, diesel and electric locomotives. We didn’t know they existed until we arrived at Madrid, but next time. One thing that should spur folk to visit Vilanova is apparently (i.e. we didn’t see them), the last 2 Garretts in Spain, including the double Pacific, a couple of Mallets and a myriad of other retired engines.

Arriving at Tarragona (on time) we found ourselves on the Mediterranean (almost literally). There we watched classes 276, 269 and 250 shunting long, heavy coal trains for the local power stations. It seems that some coal and ore comes into the small port at Tarragona. Class 269’s are the most numerous electric loco (Mitsubishi design) and can be seen doing any job from fast freight to TALGO workings. The class 250 (most of which work out of Valencia) is a locomotora de gran potencia and is the second largest on RENFE, the largest being the 11 Tarragona 05/92: RENFE Class 446 with Train 61 from Barcelona Francia 138t class 251 BBB, with a tractive effort of 276kN. Being a BBB (it uses 3 class 269 power bogies) it is used mostly on heavy trains on the twisty routes through the Cantabrian mountains.

Tarragona has much to commend it, a splendid cathedral, Roman amphitheatre, walls and aqueduct (to name just 4) but our stay was short, and we were booked on the 1835 sleeper to Cordoba. This train, like many sleepers, is 2 workings in one. The train would eventually finish up in Sevilla but half of it would be left behind in Valencia. When it arrived at Tarragona it was 17 coaches long, consisting (from the loco); 2 double decker drive-on car wagons, 13 RENFE passenger stock (1st & 2nd class seating, 1st &2nd class couchette and a buffet car), and 2 Wagons Lit, 1 each 1st and 2nd class.

As we travelled south the towns gave way to orange groves and a the strong scent of orange blossom pervaded everything, including the local chorizo we were having for supper. Again we slept soundly until the train stopped at major locations for change in direction. At Valencia half the train disappeared and we changed direction. We also changed direction at Albacete and Lineares. Anyway, at 0610 we arrived at Cordoba Central , and we disembarked into the pre-dawn, still asleep. Here we found standard gauge, and a new station. Cordoba is on the new AVE line from Madrid Atocha to Sevilla. We also found two brand new (or newly rebuilt) class 319.2 diesel-electrics in std. gauge, and as the sun rose we found signs that all was not finished in the electrification department (hence the 319’s). A word about Spanish loco class numbering: the loco numbers are a 3-figure class number followed by a 3-figure series number and then a control number. Diesel locomotives all have the number 3 as the first digit of the class number, electric locos all have the number 2, EMU’s start with 4 and DMU’s with 5. This numbering system is relatively recent, and was completed under the auspices of the UIC; the complete registration number actually runs to 16 figures.

A little later we had our first look at the AVE (they advertise this service on Spanish TV to the strains of Schubert’s Ave Maria). Cordoba is a historically fascinating city with many influences from Roman to Baroque, via Visigoth and Arab. The Mezquita is a must despite the coach loads of tourists. We stayed overnight here in another wonderful cheap hostal. 12 Cordoba 05/92: Standard gauge RENFE Class 319 & AVE

The next day we took a class 445 EMU to Bobadilla, a junction in the middle of nowhere (actually south of Cordoba and west of Granada) where we were to change onto a class 592 DMU into Granada. Bobadilla is a railway town and its size was due to the crossing of 2 lines (Granada to Sevilla and Cordoba to Algerciras). There we found one of the few remaining active ALCO class 316 diesels - very American.

On the trip to Granada we had our first glimpse of the Sierra Nevada, the highest mountains on the Iberian peninsular; they are a striking backdrop to the city and especially to the Alhambra palace/citadel which we had come to see. There used to be a tram that climbed up into the mountains from Granada but we saw no sign of it, except for a bit of dual gauge in the station, the metre gauge coming from a quarry/factory close to the city. Like many narrow gauge lines around the world their marginability made them easy targets in the competition with the road vehicle. Narrow gauge revival, or tourist railways in general, have not really taken off in Spain. To our knowledge, only 2 steam workings regularly run; that of the Strawberry train (Tren de la Fresa) from Madrid to Aranjuez and a small metre gauge tourist train from Leon. We did see other small signs but quite often they were simply rebuilt antique trains (steam or electric) used as summer publicity on a state line. If and when they do get around to rebuilding or preserving lines for tourism it is unlikely that they will have much stock available for preservation. The geographical, topographical and populational nature of Spain would probably limit serious rail expansion to urban areas.

Granada is a city desperately in need of a tram system. The relatively narrow streets, high altitude, surrounding mountains and ridiculous amount of fossil fuel combustion reduces the availability of breathable air to the gardens of the Alhambra. The worst air is to be found on the 25% incline up to the Alhambra itself. One can be covered with soot from the buses and lorries that continually climb up this road. Our stay in Granada was also too brief and on the second morning we walked back to the station for our trip to Madrid. This was a REGIONAL EXPRESS of only 3 coaches hauled by class a 333 diesel (de gran potencia) built in 1975. Our train forward was the 0840 Granada - Sevilla service, a semi-fast via Bobadilla where we arrived at 1020 (this was 35 mins quicker than the class 592 DMU ‘stopping service’). At Bobadilla we had time to look at some locomotives stationed between workings. 13 Madrid Chamartin 05/92: RENFE Class 269 with Rapido working from Granada

Our RAPIDO duly arrived at 1145 for our journey to Madrid Chamartin. This journey was notable for its relative duration and its many stops. The climb up on to the Meseta was interesting if only for the geology. At Alcazar de San Juan, which is a major locomotive and stock storage depot south of Madrid, we saw 2 large Mikados stored there for the Tren de la Fresa. Just before Alcazar de San Juan we also saw, for the first time, a small yard with rusting steam locos and stock, and apart from a small shed at Torrelavega this is all we really saw of days past.

We arrived at Madrid Chamartin 4mins early after 7hrs 45mins. It might be argued that it is relatively easy for Spanish railways to be punctual with its slow average speed (and top speed) and long waits at stations, but the whole point about punctuality is keeping to an advertised timetable (BR take note).

We stayed in Madrid for 3 nights so we could see the sights. This included the Prado, Palacio Real and El Museo de Ferrocarril. The railway museum is at the defunct Madrid Delicias station (close to Atocha) where the Strawberry train departs. As collections or museums go it is pretty basic, but they do have a number of interesting exhibits, including an early TALGO II. They also have one of the world’s largest Crocodiles - a 4-C- C-4 and Europe’s largest unarticulated steam locomotive - the 213t Confederation. There is a little bookshop which sells postcards, maps and picture books, but unlike British or other Continental railways there is precious little written on Spanish railways, ancient or modern. RENFE (the nationalised company started in 1941) stands for Red Nacional Ferrocarril de Espana, which means the national railway network of Spain (Red means ‘network’ in Spanish). RENFE runs all the via ancha (broad gauge) and the metre gauge of the Sierra de Guadarrama. FEVE (Ferrocarril de Via Estrecha) run the metre gauge along the Cantabrian coast, FV (Ferrocarril Vascongado) runs the metre gauge through the Basque country and the FGC (Ferrocarril Generalitat de Catalunya) has metre gauge and standard gauge in and around Barcelona. There are about 4 other very small companies and then there are the metro companies of Madrid and Barcelona.

14 Top Left: Madrid Delicias Museum—242F Confederacion, Top Right: Madrid Delicias Museum Talgo II, Bottom Left: Bobadilla RENFE Class 269.298 with Barcelona-Malaga Talgo III, Bottom Right: Reinosa RENFE Class 438 with Interurbano to Santander

Like the Metro in Barcelona the Madrid underground runs off overhead catenary. We took the Metro to Madrid Atocha which is the northern terminus of the AVE. There we also saw, apart from the AVE passenger sets, class 319.2 diesels and the very new asynchronous-motored class 252 std. gauge electric locos. Asynchronous motors and ‘chopper’ control have been a feature of some Spanish EMU’s for a few years now, so it is not surprising that they should move to using that technology on mainline locos, especially when using 25kVAC. It is quite possible that Spanish broad gauge railways would be electrified at 25kVAC today if the SNCF had changed to that system before the Spanish authorities had decided on 3kVDC. The relatively low voltage direct current has intrinsic problems with sub-station rectification (much energy wastage), transmission problems (more energy wastage) and pickup (two lines required for higher currents and higher wear on pantograph carbons). The ideal situation is of course is ultra high voltage alternating current with frequency modulating controlled asynchronous AC motors. RENFE, giving DC electric traction an efficiency factor of 1, found that diesel traction has a factor of 3.1, oil-fired steam locos a factor of 18.3 and coal-fired steam a factor of 30.4. With asynchronous motors and regenerative braking AC traction efficiency would be about 25% better than DC.

On the 3rd morning we rose early to catch the 0726 TALGO PENDULAR to Avila, the famous walled city. The TALGO PENDULAR can be likened to BR’s APT, but it works, though those travelling in the last coach will find the ride a little wobbly. The TALGO system is certainly interesting and has come a long way from the 1942 prototype. The latest tilting version, PENDULAR RD CAMA, which runs the overnight Paris to Madrid, has cleverly designed sleeping compartments and variable gauge axles. The tilting allows centrifugal accelerations up to 1.2m/s2 but requires modified class 269 electric locos (or TALGO class 353/354 diesels) to make full use of this. The TALGO, like the INTERCITY service, has the dubious facility of video and piped music.

15 Torrelavega RENFE Station 05/92, two RENFE Class 251s shunting containers for Madrid, via Reinosa & Palencia

This journey also took us to our greatest altitude of 1365m through the Sierra de Guadarrama, and at 1133m Avila is Spain’s highest city. Apart from its walls and other historic buildings, Avila has the doubtful honour of being the final resting place of Thomas de Torquemada, the first Grand Inquisitor.

Our next journey was the 1433 REGIONAL EXPRESS Avila to Palencia. At Valladolid we espied a large roundhouse with a couple of old railcars therein, and also a now rare 1950’s English Electric class 277 CC electric loco, the remainder of which are being withdrawn at Oviedo. At Palencia there is a good cathedral and the beautiful Romanesque church of San Miguel. After staying overnight, we decided to travel into the Cantabrian mountains and stay in Reinosa, a small industrial town with a rough alpine charm. Though of little railway interest, we saw many heavy coal trains at passing places waiting to negotiate the steep, winding track over the mountains to Santander and the coast. The next morning we took the first CORREO north to Torrelavega through some of the most beautiful scenery we had seen, verdant deep valleys in sunshine. There were 2 points where we turned back on ourselves, so we see could the track emerging from a tunnel down below on the other side of the valley: a journey to be recommended. Another trip worth doing is Leon to Gijon, a journey through the Cantabrian mountains, full of switchbacks and steep grades, something to do in a snaking TALGO.

We arrived at Torrelavega to witness 2 large class 251’s making up freight trains in the station. Here we took a bus to stay 2 nights at the beautiful mediaeval village of Santillana del Mar. To complete our brief tour of Spain it was necessary for us to make our way to the frontier at Hendaya. There are a few ways of doing this from Torrelavega: Our original choice was to travel broad gauge from Torrelavega to Palencia, from Palencia to Valladolid (or Venta des Banos) and from Valladolid to Burgos. At Burgos a couple of overnight expresses stop on their way to Paris; but the Lisbon-Paris express was withdrawn and the TALGO CAMA was beyond our pockets. The another method, and our chosen route, was to travel on 4 metre gauge trains from Torrelavega to Hendaya. Our sleeper was to leave at 2240 so we left Santillana at 1015 and took a bus to the

16 Torrelavega FEVE station for the 1037 to Santander. While waiting for the train we spotted an old shed 100m from the station. There were a couple of heavily rusted 0-6-2T’s of indeterminate manufacture (the shed gates were locked so we never got closer than 15m). Picture taken, we climbed aboard a modern metre gauge EMU for our relatively short trip to Santander. By now we were taking punctuality for granted and the FEVE was no exception, we left each station within 10 seconds of advertised timetable. At Santander we saw the Trans- Cantabrian tour train in for cleaning. This is a metre gauge Orient Express (though not actually an express - the average speed is only 50kph); specially built for the 8 day tour from Santiago de Compostela to San Sebastian; opulence in metre gauge.

When we travelled from Santander to Bilbao (a 2hr 45min journey) punctuality was within 25secs; we are not clock watchers by nature but this was so unusual. The journey from Santander to Bilbao was also noteworthy for the beauty of the countryside and the villages, the best journey so far.

On arriving in Bilbao, a large industrial town, we had to find the terminus for the Ferrocarril Vascongado which would take us to San Sebastian. Eventually we found the Chourri terminus. After having to wait until 15mins before departure to purchase a ticket, and waiting behind an automatic glass door (for the train to arrive) we finally climbed into another metre gauge train, this time bound for San Sebastian. The FV is not officially part of the FEVE and apart from the gauge bears little relation in terms of service. After 3hrs 15mins of a tour through the less lugubrious parts of the Basque country we arrived in San Sebastian 30 mins late. Of the 25 stations we stopped at, only 6 had names. We missed the last connection to the frontier by 15mins. We eventually found a bus to Irun and then walked the 4km through to the frontier. We missed our sleeper by 30mins. We caught the next train at 0336 which arrived in Paris Austerlitz at 1040. In the event we managed to get our ferry, but that is another story (3hrs from Calais to Dover in a south-westerly gale - how we long for the tunnel!).

On our return our thoughts turned to modelling. In Spain there are 2 main companies that produce models of Spanish stock: Ibertren and Electrotren. Ibertren has re-emerged after some financial difficulties, but all we managed to find was an N gauge TALGO III set and although Electrotren produce HO models, the only locomotive we managed to buy was a class 333 in green and yellow livery. Although we did not try very hard, (we arrived in Madrid on a holiday weekend when everything was shut), we saw more German, Swiss and French HO stock, and even more British OO stock than anything Spanish. This is actually not too much of a problem, as most locomotives (especially steam) were of foreign manufacture and design, quite often standard designs; so standard British, German and French kits could be modified to suit. Rolling stock, Torrelavega FEVE Station 05/92, two 0-6-2Ts rusting away in the old station pilot house 17 especially passenger stock, could be repainted SNCF units and freight stock is the usual run of continental styles. Recently a few more European manufacturers have been producing models for the Spanish modeller. For those wishing to model more accurately, the problem of gauge arises, in HO scale broad gauge 1668mm converts to 19.2mm, which is not exactly a standard size. However, a good proportionate look can be achieved using P4 Code 60 rail (18.83mm) and closing up the sleeper spacing to HO standards. Spanish sleepers are 2 concrete blocks connected by a length of steel which lies hidden beneath ballast (as on SNCF) , some wooden sleepers exist on little used lines, but the steel/concrete variety have been in widespread use for nearly 40 years. The use of P4 track would allow the use of increasingly available P4 wheels and axles, though bogies (and frames on steam engines) would have to be widened.

Ideas around which layouts could be designed range from the simple country station with engine shed, using turn of the century Sharp Stewarts; a mineral line using double-headed 3-phase electrics; a Swiss style mountain climb, electric or steam; Valencia station with a few Garretts and Mallets; a port with broad gauge, meter gauge, 75cm and 60cm lines , or for masochists how about Hendaya - a port with broad gauge, standard gauge and metre gauge, including a working gauge-changing yard and shed for Wagons Lit and TALGO RD.

Although the Spanish rail network is not as widespread or as complicated as other Continental or British systems, it has a great deal of unique features, broad gauge notwithstanding, and is a fascinating country, especially away from the tourist ghettos along the Mediterranean costas. We will certainly be returning as soon as possible, if only to find a castle or walled town that needs a narrow gauge station, especially overlooking a small fishing village with a mineral tram road to a small wharf, - a kind of Moorish Conway!

We hope this article has demystified Spanish railways and inspired more people to enjoy its many different aspects.

Top Left: Bobadilla RENFE Class 592.101 with Regional Express to Algecirias , Top Right: Tortosa Wagons-Lits T2 at rear of Barcelona to Malaga sleeper, Bottom Left: Granada RENFE Class 333 with 08.40 to Sevilla, Bottom Right: Torrelavega FEVE Station

18 his brief article is about the passenger train services on the Zafra-Huelva Railway in Spain that were in T operation prior to the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. The information is taken from the July 1938 Continental Bradshaw which shows the services for Spain as those in operation prior to the outbreak of the Civil War.

The Zafra-Huelva Railway was a British financed company which ran 111¾ miles between the two named towns in Andalusia via Valencia del Ventoso, Fregenal, Jabugo-Galaaroza, Almonaster, Valdelamusa, Calaňas and Gibraleon. At Zafra the railway worked into the Madrid, Zaragoza and Alicante station, but at Huelva it had its own station.

At the formation of the RENFE its motive power was rather varied and consisted of one Sentinel 0-4-4 steam rail motor built in 1933, three 0-6-6-0 Mallets built by Maffei between 1913 and 1922, eight 0-8-0s built by Dubs between 1884 and 1887, six 2-4-0s built by Dubs between 1885 and 1886 and ten 0-6-0s built by Dubs between 1883 and 1886.

At the end of peace in 1936 there were three passenger services a day in operation on the railway. There was one train a day in each direction that only ran the 41½ miles between Valdelamusa and Huelva. The down train left Valdelamusa at 6.10 a.m. and took 3 hours and 35 minutes to cover its journey arriving at Huelva at 9.45 a.m or an average speed of just over 11½ miles per hour. The return train left Huelva at 5.00 p.m. and took 3 hours and 45 minutes to cover its journey arriving at Valdelamusa at 10.45 p.m. or an average speed of just over 11 miles per hour Both workings were locomotive hauled. There was one train a day in each direction that only ran the 82 miles between Fregenal and Huelva. The down train left Fregenal at 7.35 a.m. and took 3 hours and 48 minutes to cover its journey arriving at Huelva at 11.23 a.m or an average speed of just over 21½ miles per hour. The return train left Huelva at 3.30 p.m. and took 3 hours and 59 minutes to cover its journey reaching Fregenal at 7.29 p.m or an average speed of 20½ miles per hour. This service was worked by the rail motor. There was one train in each direction that ran the whole 111¾ mile between Zafra and Huelva. The up train left Huelva at 5.30 a.m. and took 7 hours and 33 minutes to reach Zafra at 1.03 p.m or an average speed of nearly 15 miles per hour. The down train left Zafra at 2.00 p.m. and 6 hours 45 minutes to reach Huelva at 9.15 p.m. or an average speed of 16½miles per hour Both workings were locomotive hauled.

From the above it is interesting to note the use of the rail motor. According to Lawrence Marshall in Steam on the RENFE the vehicle only had accommodation for 35 passengers information confirmed by the RENFE’s data in RENFE Parque Motor Vol 3 which part of a series details of all RENFE motive power. This would suggest that train were not very well patronised Indeed from looking at the motive power make up of the railway of the 28 machines only seven i.e. the rail motor and the six 2-4-0s were passenger machines, although I would suggest that the 0-6-0s and the 0-8-0s could be used in passenger service. Indeed there is a photograph of one of the latter in Vol 2 of the afore mentioned work

19 ertainly since the advent of cheap flights by the budget airlines most people tend to travel medium to long C distances within Europe by aeroplane rather than by train or ship. This move away from rail and see is helped by the demise of a lot of the longer distance services. I prefer to use the older forms of transport.

This article is about a journey I made from London to Lisbon in the late September of 1997.

My journey started off at Waterloo Station on a Monday which was sunny and a bit sultry. I boarded a Eurostar train at about 10.20 for Paris. My memories of that part of the journey are it being rather sticky, being in a window with a young Frenchman in the aisle seat and feeling slightly queasy and nervous. (The previous year I’d been across the North Sea from Harwich to Esjberg on a rough night and felt perfectly alright.). Whilst I could find some pleasantness in the English section of the journey which at that time used the conventional lines all the way to the Channel Tunnel I can say I’ve ever found the high speed line from the Tunnel to Paris all that attractive.

On arrival at Paris I took Line 4 of the Metro to the Gare Monparnasse, where I boarded a TGV train at about 4 (French time) for Irun in Spain. My memories of this part of this part of the journey are not much better than the those of the previous part. As Portugal and England have the same time zone I decided to keep my watch at English time and consequently was in my own time zone. It was hot. I was again sitting next to the window, this time hemmed in by a short French woman, who’d at one point stood on the seat to put her cases on the luggage rack. I can’t also remember too much about the scenery. I seem to recall that near Paris it was quite flat and that bales remained in the fields from the end of the harvest. Near Bordeaux the vineyards were encountered. As this was well past mid summer I was not on this southbound run to see the scenery of southern France and consequently Biarritz was reached in the dark. It was about this point that things started to go a bit wrong. In the form of one of the overhead wires coming down with the result that only line could be worked. To his credit the guard did find out how many people had bookings on the connecting services to Madrid, Lisbon and Porto at Irun. Eventually the train made it to Irun and we were hurried through the deserted border post on to in the case of passengers for Portugal the Sud Express. Technically this was the first time I’d stepped foot on Spanish soil. My carriage on the Sud Express was a Spanish couchette. When all was loaded we set off somewhat late. I spent a little time in the corridor looking at what I could of a darkened Spain before retiring for the night.

Early next morning we were woken up by Portuguese border officials at the Spanish-Portuguese border, which was rather high up in the mountains. One has to say not the ideal border post. One passenger train a day in each direction in 1997. And very early in the morning. I am not sure of the goods service

Dawn came as the train made its descent from the mountains to the plains. And what spectacular scenery. Huge boulders that were big enough to knock an engine off the lines. Deep wide valleys. I had breakfast in the dining car and it was very good. Part of the journey was on single track so we had to wait for Portuguese locals to pass us.

The train made its way down south. At Coimbra B the coaches for Porto were detached. My first impression of Portugal was of a country which went at a slightly slower pace than the rest of Europe. Donkeys drawing carts were in evidence. Also as it was further south than England autumn hadn’t yet started to change the colours of the leaves. Huge melons could be seen growing. I’m awfully sorry but I can’t remember much about the motive power seem. I remember seeing a diesel rail car at Coimbra B and the French built diesel and electric locomotives that were quite similar. What I do remember is passing through Santarém and seeing the Pacific type locomotive preserved there. Eventually the train made its way into Santa Apolonica station at about 11.25. 25 hours after leaving London I’d reached Lisbon. My first initial discovery in Lisbon was that whilst I knew the Underground hadn’t yet reached Santa Apolonica unfortunately the trams had left it and I was thus dependent on the bus. Not that I have anything against buses. It just seemed odd that such important station as Santa Apolonica didn’t have any trams running to it even though there were still tram lines in the road. But then this was something I found about Lisbon. A lot of disused tramlines, which be put 20to better use.. I first encountered the RENFE class 269 loco on a visit to Spain by rail in 1997. Lines of these weird looking machines lay idle in a siding at Port Bou the border station where traffic is exchanged between the French (standard gauge) and Spanish (broad gauge) rail systems.

At first sight these locomotives are nothing special with their somewhat sinister box like appearance, but the class contains several interesting features.

Perhaps the most appropriate adjective to describe the 269 is omnipresent. The locomotive is an excellent subject for an article because it is indisputably the most numerous locomotive on Spanish Rails. So for anyone tempted to model a Spanish layout, this loco is a ’must have’ because it then becomes easy to replicate the prototype.

Most of the early locomotives were built in Spain under licence from Mitsubishi earning them the nickname of ‘Las Japonesas’, since when construction has been vested in many different firms including rebuilds carried out by RENFE themselves. Note that 269s that have been transformed into twin unit ‘Tandem’ locos do not form part of this article.

I will not bore readers with long list of numbers but a resumee of the way the class is divided up would be helpful.

At the last count there were well over 300 class 269s though that figure should not be taken as definitive as numbers can vary with locos being damaged, withdrawn etc.

The locomotive can be found throughout Spain. They perform a wide variety of duties and can be seen on just about any type of train. A feature of quite a few of the class is their ability to perform in two speed bands adjusted accordingly through some clever gearing. To provide the driver with a choice may seem odd but the purpose of the lower speed is to provide greater tractive effort for mountain ranges. The speed band will be shown as 140/80 for example.

MAIN FEATURES – common to all locos. Track gauge 1,668mm Height (pantograph lowered) 4,260mm Length over buffers 17,270mm Weight 88 tonnes Wheel diameter 1,250mm (except 269.0 - 1,350mm) Wheel arrangement Bo-Bo

The subclass variations are shown below with extra notes where deemed necessary.

Class 269.0 Number 108 Number range 269.000-269.114 Built 1973 and 1978 Builder CAF/Mitsubishi Speed (km/h) 140/80 (Cargas locos restricted to 100km/h on upper speed rating) Sector Cargas/Transporte Combinado Depots Can Tunis, Leon, Zaragoza, Santa Justa and Miranda.

21 Class 269.2 Number 130 Number range 269.201-269.331 Built 1998 and 1999 Builder CAF/Mitsubishi/Macosa/Ateinsa Speed (km/h) 100 Sector Transporte Combinado/Grandes Lineas Depots Can Tunis, Valencia, Zaragoza, Miranda,

5 locomotives (269.248/251/253/256/265) are for use on T200 trains between Madrid andCadiz or Huelva.

An unidentified class 269 in Grandes Lineas livery passes El Tejar on the northern outskirts of Madrid with an Alicante to Gijon working. In this instance no class number is shown on the bodyside.

Class 269.4 Number 18 Number range 269.410-269.420 Built 1973/1978 Builder RENFE Speed (km/h) 160 Sector Grandes Lineas/A.V.E. Depots Fuencarral/Santa Justa,

In 1994 these machines were equipped with new motors, new bogies and chopper control for working at higher speeds.

Those working for the A.V.E. sector are painted in T200 livery and work trains between Cordoba and Malaga: the others are mostly in grey/yellow. The locomotives feature re-style bogies 22 Class 269.5 Number 22 Number range 269.501-269.522 Built 1980/1984 Builder CAF/Mitsubishi Speed (km/h) 160/90 Sector TC/Cargas/Mercancias Depots Zaragoza,Miranda del Ebro, Can Tunis

Electrotren’s 269.237 in the rather attractive ‘Mil Rayas’ livery 269.308 is another H.O. scale model by Electrotren this time in the on the author’s layout. very fetching ‘Estrella’ livery. This livery now sadly obsolete was used by RENFE up until the early 1990s on overnight sleeping car trains

Class 269.6 Just four of these machines exist. All are passenger locos working for the Long Distance sector and are painted in that livery. The machines feature chopper control and re-styled cabs with very narrow slits for windows. So if anything they look even more creepy than the regular machines! They are based at Madrid Fuencarral. I haven’t unfortunately got any technical information for them.

Class 269.7 Number 22 Number range 269.501-269.522 Built 1980/1984 Builder RENFE Speed (km/h) 120 Sector TC Depots -

A rebuild from locos originally in the 269.2 and 269.3 number series, these new machines are all intended for the Transporte Combinado sector and have been re-geared for 120km/h. No actual depot allocations as yet.

Class 269.8 and class 269.9 Although these locomotives are listed as 269s both types are being held in reserve for conversion to tandem locos. The number ranges are 269.801-814 and 269.901 to 269.923. Liveries There are now only a few liveries applied to the 269s compared with the myriad colour schemes which used to appear before things were standardised. A brief description of each follows.

Standard grey/yellow. This is the most common colour scheme around and is applied to all locomotives working for the freight sectors and many of the passenger train locomotives. It consists of a grey body side with yellow cab fronts and yellow wrap around. The locomotive number is normally displayed using the peculiar RENFE system of white numerals with larger figures for the actual class and smaller ones for the individual locomotive number. An example would be: 269.242

Grandes Lineas All over white with a blue band at solebar level. Grey roof. The Grandes Lineas logo of two ticks one blue, one orange is normally applied.

Talgo A livery applied to a few machines this livery may in fact now be obsolete. Exactly the same as Grandes Lineas except that the RENFE chevrons symbol is carried along with the locomotive number in blue numerals on the bodyside.

Talgo 200 A refinement of the above livery but in this instance a yellow band appears at solebar level along with the inscription Talgo 200 on the front and rear ends.

Models in H.O. scale. The latest Electrotren catalogue that I have in my possession (and an earlier 2003 version) lists 7 locomotives altogether in H.O. scale. These are:

2607 269.237 IV Mil Rayas 2609 269.308 IV Estrella 2611 269.294 V Grey/Yellow 2613 269.601 IV Blue/yellow 2615 269.403 V Talgo 200 2617 269.504 III Green livery

In addition there is a train pack ref.3450 consisting of one class 269 loco (number not known) and a set of three double-deck coaches, one of which is a drive-end trailer. This set is in the red and white Cercanias or suburban livery and is quite useful if planning a minimum space layout with no run round facilities. This is actually 269.242, but it bears the same standard RENFE livery as many other machines of this class and is a good example of the way the livery is actually applied.. Observe the peculiar Spanish practice of displaying the class number in large numerals. To find the

Recommended reading.

RENFE 269 La Tracción Eléctrica. By Josep Miquel and Jaume Roca. 72pp softback. All you need to know about these strange machines. Xativa: RENFE Class 251 with steel coil train 03/04

Latour de Carol-Envetig: RENFE Class 440 EMU arriving with service from Barcelona Sants 03/06

25 Paris Austerlitz: Madrid Trenhotel ’ Fransisco de Goya’ reversing into platform 10 03/06

Cadiz: RENFE Class 269-2 with Talgo from Madrid 04/06 26 TALGO 1942 – 2005 De un sueño a la alta velocidad (From a dream to high-speed) López-Luzzatti & Eruste (Spanish text) Patentes Talgo October 2005 278x278mm, 254pp hbk. 320 illustrations €45 (www.rocafort.com) ISBN 84-93134-49-x

Nothing is more wonderful or idiomatic about modern Spanish rolling stock than Talgo. As a design engineer I have always marveled at the implicit simple inventiveness of the system, from the lightweight low-slung cars to the elegant self- steering mechanism, and of course the gauge- changing that makes the Paris to Madrid Trenhotel service so comfortable.

This well illustrated book essentially charts the history of Talgo, from the first prototype based on each car’s steering pivot being centered on the axle of the car in front (with slight toe-in) to the latest high speed S102 and Finnish double-deck units. Each chapter covers a different model type starting with the Talgo I in 1942, which was born with the idea that lightweight rolling stock could be used to help Spain recover from the disastrous Guerra Civil. The building of the Talgo II in the USA by ACF in 1948, was due to the lack of necessary manufacturing infrastructure resulting from the war, and although their use required special wyes to reverse them they remained in use until 1972. It was with the Talgo III that the design matured. A new reversible self-steering axle (still with only primary suspension), the invention of RD gauge-changeable principle, and with the introduction of sleeper cars Talgo crossed frontiers and became international. Introduced into service in 1964 (their design was instigated in 1958), they are still (just) in service. They allowed Spain into the prestigious TEE club, and there are photographs in this book of Talgo IIIs standing behind all kinds of non-Spanish motive power in ‘exotic’ locations.

The Talgo Pendular then introduced another innovation, - passive tilt. While capable of only 4 degrees (and a little unnerving while going slow-speed points) the system works well and allowed faster average speeds on twistier routes. Other more expensive active systems (as developed from the ATP) can claim greater angularity and higher speeds, they do so with greater complication and energy consumption.

The various Krauss-Maffei Talgo locomotives are covered, from the 350 to the 354; the new high speed diesel is covered in a chapter on the TalgoXXI. High speed is covered in some detail, following on from the Talgo 7, though the introduction of second suspension system is only mentioned and not detailed despite it being crucial to high-speed stability.

The book also covers Talgo’s various foreign adventures; in the USA (both epochs), in Germany (DB Nachtzug), Kazakhstan etc., its wagon business, its tie-up with Sumitomo, its maintenance division and a taste of the future – the double-deck Talgo 22.

The Spanish text is not too difficult for this partial Spanish-speaking reviewer and the pictures are good quality and large. There is not a huge amount of technical detail (about floating floors and secondary suspensions etc.), but the historic detail is precise, as is the insight into some of the people that made it happen. The Talgo system is something the Spanish should be extremely proud. In the history of railway innovation and design they are as important as the invention of compounding, articulation, and asynchronous motors. This book goes a long way to recording that. Highly recommended. Michael Guerra 27 CANFRANC, EL MITO Parra, et al (Spanish text) Pirineum editorial December 2005 257x227mm, 335pp hbk. 500+ b&w illustrations €42.55 (in Spain) ISBN 84-932355-9-8

Canfranc, The Myth is a book I have been waiting for. Ever since we spent a few days in Zaragoza in 2003 and took the long ride into the mountains past Heusca and Jaca, I wanted a book that told the history of this extraordinary monument to optimism. Canfranc International station is a relic of Aragonese international aspiration. It was built at some considerable expense in a valley just north of Canfranc village with the Pyrenean mountains rising mightily on either side. And yet the area afforded to the International exchange sidings is on a par with either Hendaye or Port Bou (and far larger than Latour de Carol). Arriving at Canfranc in a 2-car Class 592 seems somewhat absurd when the platform would accommodate twenty UIC standard cars (and triple traction!), but that is part of the fascination; its raison d’etre.

This book charts the history of building of the line between Zaragoza and Pau (in France), the long straight and steep Somport tunnel, the many bridges, viaducts and smaller tunnels as well as the grand station/hotel edifice. It is profusely and stylishly illustrated. The story begins in November 1853, right at the beginning of the building of mainline railways in the Peninsular. The Aragonese petition the Madrid government to set up a commission to survey a route to Canfranc, a border town at the south end of a pass to France. In 1882 work begins on the Zaragoza to Huesca section in earnest while negotiations continue with the unenthusiastic French. Araogonse persistence knew no bounds, and eventually an agreement for the Somport Tunnel and a rail to Pau is agreed. The tunnel is finished in 1914, just in time for WW1. And while the French commit themselves to battles in the north the Spanish continue building to Canfranc. The exchange sidings and grand station require the diverting of the Rio Aragon, and in 1921 the station itself is started. Everything comes together for 1927 when the first through train arrives from France. And then in 1929 the Wall Street Crash almost collapsed trade through the Pyranees. At the same time the coastal routes via Hendaye & Port Bou were competing for trade, undermining the more difficult mountain routes. Things improved until 1936 when Franco closed the Tunnel. At the end of la Guerra Civil in 1939 the Tunnel was opened; just in time for the start of WW2!

It was not until 1946 that intermittent services resumed. The French Midi railway had been subsumed into SNCF and with that any agreements on maintenance and service levels disappeared. The French gave up their service when a derailment destroyed a bridge at L’Estanguet in 1970. Renfe still run a service from Zaragoza 2 or 3 times a day, but the line struggled with regular landslides. Recently the line has been laid to dual-gauge and in 2005 there was agreement to support the rebuilding of the International Station and make it the centre for a bid for a future Winter Olympics based at Huesca/Jaca.

This book is a labour of love, well written, designed and bound. It does require a knowledge of Spanish to obtain the greatest benefit, but with 500+ illustrations it can be recommended as an enjoyable insight into early Spanish railway engineering optimism. Although there have been a couple of books written in English about the Canfranc line, no other books appear to be currently in print. This book was purchased via the excellent www.abebooks.com site. 28Michael Guerra New Horizons 16—Spain Producer: Tele Rail, 9a New Street, Carnforth, Lancs LA5 9BX Format: PAL DVD-R Duration: 90mins Production Date: 1999

The New Horizons series of documentaries cover railways systems of all over the world. We have several, but not all. The format is straightforward and over 90 minutes most types train and traction are covered from the latest AVE to Garratt special into the Pyranees.

The documentary is split into a tour of Spain, centred around Madrid, highlighting the different passenger and freight services, including electric and diesel hauled Talgos, the Tren de la Fresa from Atocha to Aranjuez, AVE to Sevilla, the hydraulic signalbox of Algodor (now at the Delicias Museum), the Alstom works at Valencia (now in new ownership), Talgo gauge- changing at Port Bou, FGC, Nuria and FEVE narrow-gauge passenger & freight.

The photography is very high-quality, the narration informative. Its tenor is part travel, part transport enthusiast. It is a good balance and can be heartily recommended , even though now it looks a little dated. Michael Guerra TTR 6 Out & About — Lisbon Producer: FHP Audio Visual, Hayfields, Upton, Scudamore, Warminster, BA12 0AE (www.tickettoride.co.uk) Format: PAL DVD-R Duration: 63 mins Production Date: 2000

For those readers who have not come across the Ticket To Ride Out & About video series, these programmes provide an excellent guide to visiting a European city, using the public transport systems and seeing the sights. The programmes are railway orientated and are usually filled with different rolling stock and tips on good places to watch trains.

This programme begins at Lisbon’s airport, with a link to Lisbon’s fabulous Oriente station. There is orientation using the Metro system (good maps). There are items on trips from Oriente, visiting the 1998 Expo site (now an entertainment centre), a trip to Vila Franca, across the Tagus on FerTagus, along the Estoril line to Cascais, and a trip out to Sintra (via bus. There are items on Lisbon’s famous tram system, ferries across the Tagus and on to the Algarve. All manner of rolling stock is seen, from the most modern Alfa Pendolinos and CAF double-deck EMUs to English Electric diesels and stainless steel intercity stock. A good introduction to the Portugese way of doing things and a good guide to a great city. Michael Guerra 29 This page would be normally reserved for letters, however as this is the first issue, there were no letters!

ny editor of a magazine would like it to be read and enjoyed widely. It should reflect the interests of it A readers and provide them with information in an entertaining manner. It should inform and publish issues for reasonable debate. It may be difficult to find the right balance from the outset but we will rely upon readers to help us out. In essence Correo is to be the identity of the Society itself. The job of the editor is to provide a collection point for articles, photographs and correspondence.

Any magazine on Iberian railways will interest itself in the history and context of the railways, rolling stock ancient and modern, geography, the tourist perspective, modelling landscapes and stock, places of railway interest, advice on photography (and permits), book and DVD reviews, and of course news. News is problematic for a journal published only 4 times a year so the idea of a Web forum has been mooted (though www.ptg.co.uk [mostly CP] and Today’s Railways Europe do a good job of providing news in English). It does depend on a technology that not all are au-fait with, but it does provide immediacy not possible on paper. However, the magazine does provide an opportunity for ‘slow news’; news that does not have to be acted on immediately.

The Society, amongst its members, is potentially a huge source of information on Iberian Railways, a source that should be shared for all to benefit from. The modern medium for that has become the World Wide Web. There are a great number of railway enthusiasts’ sites, mostly privately run and financed, some dedicated to Spanish or Portuguese railways. They are immediate to access and potentially almost limitless in their scope. However, being generally freely accessible there is little financial benefit to the user in paying a subscription. Some sites do provide a subscription service that allows access to more in-depth material, downloads or access to a forum. Ultimately it is the future, and as almost every wall in my tiny house is covered with floor to ceiling bookshelves, there is a strong argument for maintaining the Society resource library as a website. Articles, pictures, maps, and video can be accessed or linked from any web page, in ways that a printed magazine could never do.

However, to read a magazine one does not need to switch on a computer,. Printed matter can last hundreds of years, an unsecured website can disappear in seconds (though regular back-ups preclude much damage). The format issue is one of member age.

At the meeting in London the average age of the assembled was probably 50+ (and that includes my 9 year old son!). Such a demographic would probably prefer printed matter, yet the discussed level of subscription would not support the production of anything more than this size and quality (quarterly 32pp A5 printed on a colour laser), even if the articles were written for free, and edited for free (which it is of course).

There is already the issue of an aging membership; making this society limited in its sustainable potential. While that age brings with it a huge depth of knowledge (a wonderful example of that is Lawrence Marshall), a maturity of knowledge, and a greater free time in order to do so, it does so to a reducing readership. The coming generations are using the Web more and more as a first line of research. Even I do this, though I have a fair library (in English, Spanish – which I can read with a dictionary, and Basque – which I find almost impenetrable!). It is immediate, searchable and more up to date than any book. Some sites are wonderful (like the European Railway Server - www.railfaneurope.net/), some not so. They are not suited for the reading of long articles, or for high definition photography or video (yet), but they do allow for a wider range of research (remember railways are product of many things, landscape, markets, culture etc.). .

The least expensive intermediate alternative is the emailed newsletter. This avoids printing, packaging and postage costs (and also storage at home), though it could of course be printed it out at home. All the pictures would be in colour (where possible) and on a computer screen can be seen at a decent a quality. It could be sent in a range of formats, including HTML (or XML) Word .doc, or probably the most universal – the Acrobat .pdf format. Most people have a computer that allows them to receive email attachments (some of the free email accounts do not unfortunately). These issues could then easily become part of the Society resource website, or printed out as part of promotional material to be used at exhibitions.

So what does the Society want? Answers on a postcard to the address on P3. 30 JULY 2006 AUGUST 2006 July 1, 2006 August 5 & 6, 2006 Chiltern Narrow Gauge Waveney Valley Model Railway Exhibition Icknield High School, Riddy Lane, Luton St Felix School, Halesworth Road, Reydon, Southwold, Suffolk

July 1 & 2, 2006 August 5 & 6, 2006 Basildon Model Railway Exhibition Porthmadog Model Railway Exhibition Laindon Community Centre, Laindon High Road, Basildon, Essex Glaslyn Leisure Centre, Church Street, Porthmadog, Gwynedd

July 2, 2006 August 12 & 13, 2006 Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway Society Exhibition Scalefour Society Exhibition Pages Park Station, Billington Road, Leighton Buzzard Town Hall, Wells, Somerset

July 15, 2006 August 12 & 13, 2006 Powerrail Model Railway Exhibition Plymouth Model Railway Exhibition Denefield School, Long Lane, Tilehurst, Berkshire The Guildhall, Royal Parade, Plymouth

July 15 & 16, 2006 August 13, 2006 Hartlepool Model Railway Exhibition West Wales Model Railway Exhibition Manor College of Technology, Owton Manor Road, Hartlepool Primary School, Wellington Gardens, Aberaeron, Ceredigion

July 15, 2006 August 19 & 20, 2006 Chiltern Model Railway Association Totally Interactive Modelling Leyland Model Railway Exhibition Event Fire Training Centre, Washington Hall, One Westway, Southport Road, Westfield School, Watford, Hertfordshire Euxton, Lancashire

July 16, 2006 August 19 & 20, 2006 Telford Narrow Gauge Show St. Andrews Model Railway Exhibition Telford Moat House Hotel, Foregate, Telford, Shropshire Madras College, South Street, St Andrews, Fife

July 16, 2006 August 20, 2006 Alton Limited (All American Exhibition) East Hayling Light Railway Model Railway Exhibition Eggars School, Alton, Hampshire Beachlands Station, Hayling Seaside Railway, Hayling Island, Hampshire

July 22 & 23, 2006 August 26 to 28, 2006 Festival of Model Tramways Corris Model Railway Exhibition Museum of Transport, Boyle Street, Cheetham Hill, Manchester Community Centre, Maengwyn Street, Machynlleth, Powys

July 22 & 23, 2006 August 26 to 28, 2006 Welsh National Model Railway Exhibition Bridlington Model Railway Show Llandudno Conference Centre, Llandudno, Clwyd Leisure World Complex, The Promenade, Bridlington, Yorkshire

July 22 & 23, 2006 August 27 & 28, 2006 Camrail 2006 Rutland Railway Museum Model Railway Exhibition St Margaret's Hall, St Margaret's Street, Bradford on Avon, Ashwell Road, Cottesmore, Rutland Wiltshire August 27 & 28, 2006 July 23, 2006 Westinghouse Model Railway Club Exhibition Cholsey Model Mania Lackham Country Park, Lacock, Chippenham, Wiltshire Cholsey Primary School, Station Road, Cholsey, Wallingford, Oxfordshire SEPTEMBER 2006

September 2, 2006 July 29, 2006 North Downs Model Railway Exhibition Bridport Model Railway Exhibition St Peter's Church Hall, Chipstead Way, Woodmansterne, Surrey Bridport United Church Hall, East Street, Bridport, Dorset

September 2 & 3, 2006 July 29 & 30, 2006 Warrington Model Railway Exhibition Tywyn Model Railway Exhibition Masonic Hall, Winmarleigh Street, Warrington Tywyn Secondary School, Neptune Road, Tywyn, Gwynedd

31 September 30 & October 1, 2006 September 2 & 3, 2006 Western Model Railway Society Exhibition Birmingham Model Railway Exhibition Barnhill Community School, Yeading Lane, Hayes, Middlesex Cock Moors Woods Leisure Centre, Alcester Road South, Kings Heath, Birmingham September 30 & October 1, 2006 Ilford and West Essex Model Railway Club Exhibition September 9, 2006 St Edward's School, London Road, Romford, Essex Harley Model Railway Society Exhibition Harley Village Hall, Shrewsbury Road, Much Wenlock, Shropshire OCTOBER October 1, 2006 September 9 & 10, 2006 Western Model Railway Society Exhibition EM Gauge Society Exhibition Barnhill Community School, Yeading Lane, Hayes, Middlesex Colne Valley Leisure Centre, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield October 1, 2006 September 9 & 10, 2006 Ilford and West Essex Model Railway Club Exhibition Medway Model Railway Show St Edward's School, London Road, Romford, Essex Fort Pitt Grammar School, Fort Pitt Hill, Chatham, Kent October 7, 2006 September 9 & 10, 2006 Beaconsfield & District Model Railway Club Exhibition N Gauge Show Beaconsfield School, Wattleton Road, Beaconsfield Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, Fosse Way, Leamington Spa October 7, 2006 September 16, 2006 Dorking and District Model Railway Club Exhibition Bristol Model Railway Exhibition Odd Fellows Hall, High Street, Dorking, Surrey St Ursula's High School, Brecon Road, Westbury on Trym, Bristol October 7 & 8, 2006 September 16 & 17, 2006 Folkestone Model Railway Exhibition Shipley Model Railway Exhibition Leas Cliff Hall, The Leas, Folkestone Baildon Recreation Centre, Green Lane, Shipley, Yorkshire October 14 & 15, 2006 September 16 & 17, 2006 Elizabethan Railway Society Model Railway Exhibition Railway Enthusiasts Club Model Railway Exhibition Summit Centre, Pavilion Road, Kirkby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire Leisure Centre, Woking Park, Kingfield Road, Woking, Surrey October 14 & 15, 2006 September 16 & 17, 2006 Rail-Ex Taunton Southwest Worthing Model Railway Show Richard Huish College, South Road, Taunton Boundstone Community College, Upper Boundstone Lane, Sompting, Lancing, Sussex October 14 & 15, 2006 Croydon Model Railway Society Exhibition September 16 & 17, 2006 John Ruskin College, Selsdon Park Road, South Croydon, Surrey Ayr Model Railway Show Citadel Leisure Centre, South Beach Road, Ayr October 14 & 15, 2006 Farnham and District Model Railway Club Exhibition September 17, 2006 Connaught Leisure Centre, Tongham Road, Farnham, Surrey Great Yarmouth & District Model Railway Club Exhibition Denes High School, Lowestoft, Suffolk October 14 & 15, 2006 Corby & District Model Railway Society Exhibition September 23 & 24, 2006 St Peter & St Andrew Church Hall, Beanfield Avenue, Corby Sandown Model Railway Exhibition The Broadway Centre, Sandown, Isle of Wight October 21, 2006 September 23 & 24, 2006 Chelmsford & District Model Railway Club Exhibition King Edward VI School, Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, Essex Scalefour Society Exhibition Leatherhead Leisure Centre, Leatherhead, Surrey October 21 & 22, 2006 September 23 & 24, 2006 Uckfield Model Railway Exhibition Civic Centre, Bell Farm Lane, Uckfield, Sussex Bexley Model Railway Exhibition Freemantle Hall, High Street, Bexley, Kent October 21 & 22, 2006 September 30, 2006 Beckenham and West Wickham Model Railway Club Exhibition Langley Park Boys School, Beckenham, Kent Oxford & District Model Railway Club Exhibition Sandhills Primary School, Terrett Avenue, Headington, Oxfordshire