FUTURE MEMORY | TRANSPORTATION

Coach operated by FlixBus – Socitransa seen at Gare do Oriente, Lisboa, in August 2022. This coach is a third-generation MAN Lion's Coach C registered in 2021. It has an overall length of 43 ft and uses the MAN D2676 LOH engine. Based in Verín , Socitransa operates regular services, regular specialized services and occasional services. Socitransa is also a partner of the FlixBus brand, based in München , which operates intercity bus services in Europe, North America and Brazil. ● Autocarro operado pela FlixBus – Socitransa visto na Gare do Oriente, Lisboa, em Agosto de 2022. Este autocarro é um MAN Lion's Coach C da terceira geração registado em 2021. Tem um comprimento total de 13,10 m e utiliza o motor MAN D2676 LOH. Baseada em Verín , a Socitransa opera serviços regulares, serviços regulares especializados e serviços ocasionais. A Socitransa é também parceira da marca FlixBus com sede em München , que opera serviços rodoviários intercidades na Europa, América do Norte ...

Coach operated by Ovnitur seen at Gare do Oriente, Lisboa, in December 2015. This coach with fleet number 43 is an Irmãos Mota Atomic 7 registered in 2010. It has an overall length of 39.4 ft and can possibly accommodate 55 seated passengers. It uses the MAN 18.400 HOCL chassis with the 294 kW (400 hp) MAN D2066 LOH engine. Established in 1987 and based in Ponte de Lima , Ovnitur operates regular services, regular specialized services and occasional services. Here, we see this Irmãos Mota Atomic 7 in an occasional service. The birds painted on the sides are supposedly swallows and convey the idea of a safe return home. At the front door, the operator greets passengers with a warm " Seja bem-vindo ", meaning welcome. The Irmãos Mota Atomic VII→VIIm→7 is a touring coach body, featuring a distinctive and appealing style. As a note of interest, one of the recurring questions from readers concerns the origin of the peculiar designation " Atomic " used by Irmãos Mota. Un...

Coach operated by Carris Metropolitana – ALSA Todi seen at Gare do Oriente, Lisboa, in August 2022. This coach, ex-Auto Viação Feirense 368, now with fleet number 12704, is an Irizar i4 registered in 2022. It has an overall length of 40 ft and can accommodate 55 seated passengers, 17 standees, and 1 passenger with reduced mobility (55+17+1PRM+1). It uses the MAN 18.310 HOCL-NL/CNG chassis with the 228 kW (310 hp) MAN E2876 LUH compressed natural gas engine.  Carris Metropolitana  – ALSA Todi  ¹  operates since 2022 regular services in the municipalities of Alcochete, Montijo, Moita, Palmela and Setúbal and provides connections to Barreiro and Lisboa. It also offers specialized regular services and occasional services. The fleet displays the yellow paint scheme common to the four operational areas of Carris Metropolitana. Here, we see this Irizar i4 waiting for the 11:15 departure on regular service 4720, Lisboa (Oriente) – Setúbal (Terminal Várzea). ● Autocarro op...

Some readers have asked me why I haven't published anything on this website – for so long. In fact, unless I'm traveling or doing some maintenance or restoration work, every two days I methodically publish something somewhere. However, I do have an interest on several topics, as diverse as vintage audio electronics or contemporary Portuguese ceramics. Thus, the absence of publications on a given topic only indicates that another topic is holding my attention. For all intents and purposes, I always try to make the most of each day, carefully dividing it between professional activity and each one of these topics – and family and friends. And each day is always too short. Since 2020, I've been doing maintenance and restoration work on a few radios and amplifiers from the 1950s. Not an overwhelming complicated work – but it does require patience and, for obvious safety reasons, a laser focused attention.  But don't worry. The topics that I share on my websites are lifelong ...

Diesel locomotive operated by Pedras d'el Rei seen on the Praia do Barril tourist line in November 2007. This diesel-mechanic locomotive with fleet number 002 is built by Ruston and features a locally made superstructure which seeks to evoke the appearance of an old steam locomotive. Wheelset arrangement is B'. Gauge is 1 ft 11 5⁄8 in. Located near Tavira , Pedras d'el Rei is a tourist resort and the rail line provides an easy access to the Barril beach, covering about 0,6 miles across the Ria Formosa marshlands. The diesel locomotives, numbered 001 and 002, are painted in black with some details picked out in red, and can haul or propel one or two bogie cars, painted in red and open on the sides. Here, we see locomotive 002 propelling a single carriage en route to Pedras d'el Rei. As a matter of interest, some evidence suggests that the existence of the rail line predates the tourist operation, having been initially implemented to serve the tuna fishing activity on t...

Diesel locomotive operated by Transpraia seen at the Costa de Caparica (Nova Praia) terminus, on the Costa de Caparica tourist line, in September 2019. This diesel-mechanic locomotive with fleet number 3 is built by Schöma (Christoph Schö ttler Ma schinenfabrik) and uses a 25 kW (34 hp) Mercedes-Benz engine. Wheelset arrangement is B'. Gauge is 1 ft 11 5⁄8 in. I believe top speed is around 12 mph. The two-axle cars, open on the sides, can accommodate 32 seated passengers. Based in Costa de Caparica , Transpraia, short for Transpraia – Transportes Recreativos da Praia do Sol, runs its seasonal services from June 1st to September 30th, between Costa de Caparica (Nova Praia) and Fonte da Telha, along the dunes of the Costa de Caparica beaches, a distance of around 5.59 miles  ¹ . First public service takes place on June 29, 1960. With the summer season drawing to a close, we find this Schöma locomotive, number 3 of the fleet, with cars 19 and 16, waiting for the 10:30 AM departure to...