Virtual Railfan Tour of the Azores - A Cement Mixer and a Water Tank

In 2008 Mary and I took a trip to Portugal stopping off in the Azores for a few days. Coming in from the airport at Ponta Delgada we passed a rail mounted cement mixer. This was by a roundabout close to the end of the airport runway.

The rails were wide gauge



I knew that broad gauge equipment surplus from the Holyhead Harbour work had been brought to the Azores to build the breakwater here and this was an indication that some broad gauge railway relics might still be in existence here.

In town and close to the hotel I spotted a water tank which had the feel of the Great Western Railway about it


Clearly the tank had also come from Holyhead. It was dated 1862 on this side.

No date on the other side but the origin was quite clear.

Holyhead Harbour in Wales was built to the Great Western Railway broad gauge of 7' 0¼" and the cement mixer was obviously of the same gauge. I checked into the hotel wondering what other railway relics had survived.







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