PORTUGESE national rail operator Comboios de Portugal (CP) is planning to reinstate loco-hauled regional trains and expand inter-city services.
This follows a decade where services were cut back, and nonelectrified routes were mostly operated using hired DMUs from RENFE in neighbouring Spain.
CP has re-opened its workshops at Guifoes, near Porto, to overhaul rolling stock and several 1400 class diesel locos, which were built by English Electric/Sorefame 1967- 1969 with 1,300hp EE 8CSVT engines, have been in regular use working services on the Porto to Regua line in the Douro Valley since July.