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The man behind Tua's railway: chief engineer Dinis da Mota

José Manuel Lopes Cordeiro (University of Minho)

PRESENTATION (pdf)

Abstract: 

On 27 October 1887, with the presence of King Luís I and the Royal Prince D. Carlos, the Tua Railway was inaugurated, between Mirandela and Foz-Tua. Engineer Dinis Moreira da Mota was the man driving the locomotive “Trás-os-Montes”, which proceeded to the inauguration. He was in charge of the construction of that narrow gauge railway, almost sinceits inception in October 1884. Born in Azores Islands, Dinis Moreira da Mota began his professional life on the Continent, with only twenty-four years, shortly after the conclusion of his civil engineering degree at the Escola do Exército (School of Army). By July 1892, when he returned to Azores, he had directed the construction of several railway lines, in the Algarve, Trás-os-Montes and Beiras. Also in the Azores, where he developed his professional life until 1914, date of his death, he has not abandoned his interest in railways, proposing a rail connection between Ponta Delgada and Ribeira Grande, which, although approved, was never built.

In this paper the author presents the Moreira da Mota’s activity as a railways construction manager, with particular emphasis on the railway connection between Mirandela and Foz-Tua.

Universidade do Minho, Portugal