Trip to Spain -  Winter 2025

General Notes

Ten days in Spain, centred around the PTG Tours "Spanish Alco - 25th Anniversary Special". I spent two days before and two days after the PTG Tour covering more of my required Spanish passenger track.

Numbers/letters in [square brackets] are platform identifiers.

Operating Company Abbreviations:

  • MZA - Compañía de los ferrocarriles de Madrid a Zaragoza y a Alicante (Madrid to Zaragoza and Alicante Railway Company) (pre-nationalisation train operator in Spain)
  • RENFE - Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles (principal train operator in Spain)
  • TBF - Compañía de los Ferrocarriles de Tarragona a Barcelona y Francia (Tarragona, Barcelona & France Railway) (pre-nationalisation train operator in Spain; later MZA)

Track gauge

RENFE trains are broad (1668 mm) gauge unless otherwise stated: gauge-changing trains are listed individually. The ALSA special trains are broad gauge. All other trains, metros and trams are standard gauge unless otherwise stated; standard gauge: 1435 mm; metre gauge: 1000 mm.

Place Arrive Depart Train Traction details & notes

Thursday 23rd January 2025

Timperley    05:07   taxi
Manchester Airport T3 (MAN) 05:22 07:30 FR7542 Ryanair G-RUKB B737-8AS push-back from gate 44 07:19, take-off 07:28 from runway 23L
Barcelona (BCN) 10:45     landed 10:24 on runway 24?, on stand 10:28
Aeroport T2B   10:55   airport shuttle bus
Aeroport T1 11:16 11:18 [1] 'L9S' Barcelona metro
Zona Universitària 11:49 12:01 'T3' Barcelona tram 02
Francesc Macià 12:11 [1] 12:44 [2] 'T3' Barcelona tram 10
Sant Feliu / Conseil Comarcal 13:16 [1] 13:22 [1] 'T3' Barcelona tram 10
Montesa 13:34 [2] 13:38 [1] 'T2' Barcelona tram 17 via Cornellà Centre
Llevant-Les Planes 13:55 [2] 13:58 [2] 'T2' Barcelona tram 17
Cornellà Centre 14:08 [2] 14:12 'L5' Barcelona metro
Sagrada Familia 14:35 14:43 'L2' Barcelona metro
Gorg 14:58 15:03 'T5' Barcelona tram 02
Glòries 15:26 [2] 15:30 [2] 'T4' Barcelona tram 05
Verdaguer 15:37 15:51 'L4' Barcelona metro
Barceloneta 15:59     walk, ~5 minutes
Barcelona França   16:45 [5] 'R13' 30567 RENFE EMU 447 set 062
Via Barcelona Sants [12] - Sant Vicenç de Calders [5] - Valls arr 18:26 / dep 18:36
La Plana-Picamoixons 18:34 [2] 19:17 [3] 'R14' 30578 arr 9 late / RENFE EMU 470 set 023
Tarragona 19:56 [1]     Today's photos
New passenger track today: Completion of Barcelona tram routes; Sant Vicenç de Calders - Valls - La Plana-Picamoixons.
Overnight: Hotel Lauria, Rambla Nova 20, Tarragona (8 mins walk from station)
Notes
I flew to Barcelona as I still need a fair few lines in that area. As last September, I stayed overnight in Tarragona where the hotels are cheaper. First thing to 'tick off' were the Barcelona tram routes I didn't do last time, including an extension to line T4 that had opened since last September.
Long term engineering works between Sant Vicenç de Calders and Tarragona means that there are no direct trains for five months. There are plenty of buses but the route via Valls and La Plana-Picamoixons was on my 'required' list and was seeing extra trains, diverted away from the direct route, so it was actually easier to cover than usual.

Friday 24th January 2025

Tarragona   08:30 [3] 'R14' 33524 RENFE EMU 447 034 set
Reus 08:50 [5] 09:50 [5] 'R15' 30580/30542 RENFE EMU 2 x 470 sets
Via La Plana-Picamoixons 10:28 [4] / 10:34 [1] (shunt via reversal on single line beyond station) - Valls 10:42 (dep 11 late) - Sant Vicenç de Calders 10:52 (dep 26 late)
Barcelona-Sants 11:39 [13]     arr 36 late
Barcelona-Sants   13:50 [6] Ouigo 6540 Ouigo class 108 sets 812 and 808 via Lleida and Zaragoza avoiding lines
Madrid Puerta de Atocha 16:20 [6]      
Madrid Atocha Cercanías   16:35 [7] 'C4a/b' RENFE EMU class 465 sets 044+015
Parla 17:04 [2]      
Parla Centro - Bulevar Norte   17:21 'ML4' Parla tram 08 (anti-clockwise)  - via Estrella Polar Norte 17:37/17:38
Parla Centro - Bulevar Norte 17:51 17:52 'ML4' Parla tram 07 (clockwise)  - via Venus Sur 18:05/18:07
Parla Centro - Bulevar Norte 18:21      
Parla   18:30 [2] 'C4a/b' RENFE EMU 465 sets 007+062 via Atocha 18:59 [5] - Sol
Madrid Chamartín 19:13 [4]     Today's photos
New passenger track today: Zaragoza standard gauge avoiding line; Parla tram routes (complete).
Overnight: PTG Hotel: Hotel Chamartín The One, Calle Agustín de Foxá, s/n 28036 Chamartín; on Chamartín station.
Notes
Main aim for today was one of the small number of non-stop high speed trains between Barcelona and Madrid, which cover the 'required' avoiding line at Zaragoza. I chose one of the open access 'Ouigo' workings which use the excellent double deck TGV Duplex sets, in fact this was a double set and appeared to be fully booked, so was carrying in excess of 1200 passengers.
On the way to Barcelona I had time to cover the diversionary route bypassing the Tarragona - Sant Vicenç de Calders engineering works again, this time on a through train which reversed on the single line north of La Plana-Picamoixons.
After getting to Madrid I got the Cercanías to Parla to cover the tram route there - nominally a simple circular route, passing Parla's Cercanías station, but with a section separated around a housing development so it needs to be done both ways.

Saturday 25th January 2025

Madrid Chamartín   08:05 11179  ALSA DL 2150 + 1603 PTG special train
Via Ávila – Cardeñosa de Ávila (photo stop 10:25/10:45)
Salamanca 12:05 12:55 11790 ALSA DL 1603 + 2150 PTG special train
Via Medina del Campo (photo stop 14:00/14:25) – Valladolid - Venta de Baños – Palencia – Mataporquera (photo stop 17:44/17:59)
Muriedas-Bahía 19:53     PTG bus
Hotel Bahía       Today's photos
New passenger track today: none.
Overnight: PTG Hotel: Hotel Bahia, Cadiz 22, 39002 Santander.
Notes
Day 1 of the PTG tour: Madrid - Ávila - Salamanca - Medina del Campo - Valladolid - Venta de Baños - Palencia - Mataporquera - Muriedas-Bahía. We had to get buses the short distance from Muriedas-Bahía to our Santander hotels as there were no paths available into Santander station.

Sunday 26th January 2025

Hotel Bahía       PTG bus
Muriedas-Bahía    07:43  11690 ALSA DL 2150 + 1603 PTG special train
Delayed by high winds and signalling/communications equipment faults - Reinosa (dep 10:18, 60 late) Via Palencia        
* Venta de Baños 11:43 12:39 (11690) arr 60 late then shunt and refuel locos ALSA DL 2150 top-n-tail 1603 PTG special train  dep ~120 late
Via Magaz – Burgos - Miranda de Ebro (photo stop 15:16/15:41, arr/dep ~ 120 late) – Altsasu – Beasain (photo stop cancelled) - San Sebastián
Irún 19:13 [6]     arr ~110 late - then PTG bus
Hotel Barcelo Costa Vasca       Today's photos
New passenger track today: none.
Overnight: PTG Hotel: Barcelo Costa Vasca, Avenida de Pío Baroja, 15, 20008, San Sebastián.
Notes
Day 2 of the PTG tour: (bus from Santander hotels) - Muriedas-Bahía - Palencia - Venta de Baños - Magaz – Burgos - Miranda de Ebro – Altsasu – Beasain - San Sebastián - Irún (bus to San Sebastián hotels).

Monday 27th January 2025

Hotel Barcelo Costa Vasca       PTG bus
Irún   07:10 10980 ALSA DL 2150 + 1603 PTG special train
Via San Sebastián – Altsasu (photo stop 09:34 (~20 early)/09:49) – Pamplona - Castejón de Ebro (photo stop 11:59/12:14) – Zaragoza Delicias – Samper
Móra la Nova 16:30     arr ~25 late
Móra la Nova west side       MZA 606 SL (0-4-0T) (built by Marcinell et Couillet, Belgium in 1885; later RENFE 020-0236)
Móra la Nova east side       TBF 25 SL (2-4-0T) (built by Sharp-Stewart, Manchester UK in 1877; later MZA-178; later RENFE 120-0202)
Móra la Nova east side       RENFE DL 10836 (Bo-Bo) (built by General Electric / Babcock & Wilcox in 1969; later RENFE 308-036)
Móra la Nova east side       RENFE EL 7631 (Co-Co) (built by MACOSA under license from Alsthom in 1958; later RENFE 276-031)
Móra la Nova   20:17 10500 ALSA DL 2150 + 1603 PTG special train shunt from track 1c / dep ~45 late; loco problems, fixed
Vila-seca 21:16     arr ~70 late / PTG bus
Hotel Catalunya Express       Today's photos
New passenger track today: Zaragoza – Samper - Móra la Nova - Reus.
New non-passenger track today: Móra la Nova museum tracks.
Overnight: PTG Hotel: Hotel Catalunya Express, General Contreras 16, 43004 Tarragona.
Notes
Day 3 of the PTG tour: (bus from San Sebastián hotels) - Irún - San Sebastián – Altsasu – Pamplona - Castejón de Ebro – Zaragoza Delicias – Móra la Nova - Reus - Vila-Seca (bus to Tarragona hotels). This covered my longest 'required' line in Spain (Zaragoza Delicias - Reus) but also included an excellent visit to the museum at Móra la Nova. We were able to have four different locomotives for rides on different sidings, plus a visit to the preserved signal box and the extensive museum. We were also provided with plated food and hot drinks. Highlight for me was the ride behind preserved electric locomotive 7631; I also met up with the museum's electrical engineer and we discussed the status of the other electric locomotives they have, including 1927 CAF-built, Tarbes-equipped 1003 and 1006, later RENFE class 281.

Tuesday 28th January 2025

Vila-seca   08:03 10501 ALSA DL 1603+2150 top-n-tail 2148 PTG special train dep ~10 late
L’Aldea-Amposta-Tortosa 09:01 11:10 10400 ALSA DL 1603+2150 top-n-tail 2148 PTG special train dep ~90 early
Via Almenara (photo stop 12:26/12:48) - north curve to Sagunt Cargas (reverse, 13:08/13:45) - south curve
València Nord 14:13     arr ~20 late
Xàtiva   15:17 '5'  metroValència metro 4338 metre gauge
Marítim 15:28 15:36 '6' metroValència tram 4229 metre gauge
Tossal del Rei 16:12 16:14 '6' metroValència tram 4229 metre gauge
Trinity 16:26 16:28 '4' metroValència tram 3821 metre gauge
V.Andrés Estellés 16:52 16:56 '4' metroValència tram 4220 metre gauge
Lloma Llarga Terramelar 16:58 17:03 '4' metroValència tram 4220 metre gauge
À Punt 17:06 17:17 '4' metroValència tram 3818+3807 metre gauge
Mas del Rosari 17:24 17:44 '4' metroValència tram 3818+3807 via Dr. Lluch 18:39 metre gauge
La Cadena 18:47 18:55 '6' metroValència tram 4215 metre gauge
Grau - La Marina 19:03 19:09 '8' metroValència tram 4228 metre gauge
Neptu 19:11 19:15 '8' metroValència tram 4228 metre gauge
Marítim 19:22 19:30 '7' metroValència metro 4338 metre gauge
Bailén 19:42     Today's photos
New passenger track today: Bif. Vila-seca - Bif. La Feredat; València tram routes 4, 6, 8 complete, except 'Fair' route.
New non-passenger track today: north and south curves into Sagunt Cargas (Sagunt port exchange sidings)
Overnight: PTG Hotel: Hotel Zenit València, Bailen 8, Extramurs, 46007, València.
Notes
Day 4 of the PTG tour: Vila-seca - L’Aldea-Amposta-Tortosa - Almenara - Sagunt Cargas - València Nord. We were supposed to do the Tortosa branch from L’Aldea-Amposta-Tortosa but this was impossible due to the only ALSA driver that 'signed' the line being unavailable for unfortunate family reasons. We were able to cover the two freight-only curves into and out of the exchange sidings on the Sagunt port branch.
We were also supposed to cover the suburban branch to Gandia, but this was still affected by last year's floods so no paths were available.
In the afternoon/evening I cleared my remaining Valencia tram routes, with the exception of the rarely-used branch to the 'fairs' site.

Wednesday 29th January 2025

València Nord   08:35 10403  ALSA DL 2150+1603 PTG special train
* Benifaió-Almussafes 09:09 09:50   ALSA DL 1603 top-n-tail 2150 PTG special train
Via Xàtiva (reverse, 09:39/09:44, ~44 late) – Alcoi (reverse, photo stop 11:26/12:21 arr ~33 late, dep on time)
Xàtiva 13:25 13:59 10405 ALSA DL 1603 top-n-tail 2150 PTG special train 
Shunt to goods line alongside Xàtiva maintenance base - then via 'new' old alignment
* La Encina   15:04   ALSA DL 2150+1603 PTG special train arr ~10 early / dep ~20 late
Via Albacete (photo stop 16:28/17:27) - Alcázar de San Juan - Aranjuez - Villaverde Bajo - diverted via Madrid Atocha - Recoletos
Madrid Chamartín 22:30     arr 10 late Today's photos
New passenger track today: new alignment of Xàtiva line from València Nord.
Overnight: PTG Hotel: Hotel Chamartín The One, Calle Agustín de Foxá, s/n 28036 Chamartín; on Chamartín station.
Notes
Day 5 of the PTG tour, mainly involving the novelty of taking two Alco locos to Alcoi. Time in Alcoi to view the 'plinthed' loco from the closed metre gauge Alcoi - Gandia line. Despite being on time we were delayed during the evening run, and saved time by heading direct to Madrid Chamartín via Madrid Atocha and Recoletos rather than the booked route via Vicálvaro - the locos made a fine noise climbing up through the Madrid tunnels.

Thursday 30th January 2025

Madrid Chamartín   09:00 '10' Madrid metro
Plaza de Castilla 09:02  09:07 '9' Madrid metro
Puerta de Arganda 09:42 09:46 '9' Madrid metro
La Poveda 10:02     five minute walk
La Poveda   10:26   SL "ARGANDA" 0-6-0 metre gauge 20605 (built by Henschel, Kassel, Germany in 1925; later RENFE 020-0236)
Via Laguna del Campillo (run-round; arr 10:44, dep 10:54; false start 11:00/11:01) - photo stop at Jarama River Bridge (11:16/11:22)
La Poveda 11:33       
La Poveda   11:50   DL 0-4-0 25632 (built by Orenstein & Koppel and Lübecker Maschinenbau in Dortmund/Dorstfeld, Germany in 1956)
Via La Poveda Apeadero (visit to museum 11:55/12:18, reverse)
La Poveda 12:22 12:45 '9' Madrid metro
Arganda del Rey 12:49 13:22 '9' Madrid metro 
Puerta de Arganda 13:40 13:58 'C8' RENFE EMU 446 sets 017+036
Madrid Atocha Cercanías 14:15 [2] 14:30 [7] 'C3' RENFE EMU 465 sets 104+065
Villaverde Bajo 14:39 [3] 14:46 [2] 'C4a' RENFE EMU 465 sets 081+083
Madrid Chamartín 15:07 [4] 15:10 [11] 'C1' RENFE EMU 465 set 063
Aeropuerto T4 15:23 [1] 15:46 [1] 'C1' same set
Madrid Chamartín 15:58 [11] 17:08 AVLO 4975 RENFE AVE 106 set 051 (standard gauge) dep 8 late
Via Segovia Guiomar (17:37 [4] dep 12 late) - Medina del Campo AV (18:01/18:03 [3] dep 12 late) - Zamora (18:24/18:27 [4] dep 12 late) - Sanabria AV (18:54/18:56 [3] dep 11 late) - A Gudiña Porta de Galicia 19:11/19:13 [3] dep 13 late) - Taboadela gauge changer 19:48 (to broad gauge)
Ourense 19:50 [3]     arr 17 late Today's photos
New passenger track today: 
Overnight: Hotel Alda Estación Ourense, calle de San Paio 6, 32001 Ourense (opposite station).
Notes
As an add-on to the PTG tour we had a special visit to the "Vapor Madrid" preservation site at La Poveda, south-east of Madrid. Trains run from the main station at La Poveda (a short walk from the line 9 metro stop of the same name) around 4 km to a lakeside halt at Laguna del Campillo, and there is a museum and model railway building at La Poveda Apeadero. We were made very welcome by the railway staff and we were able to arrange some "extras" in Branch Line Society fashion such as propelling the train towards the buffer stops at both ends of the line. Several photo stops were made en route.
To pass the time before getting a late afternoon train to Ourense, to be in position for tomorrow's train, I did a couple of runs on the Madrid Cercanías, to cover 'required' sides of the grade separated junctions on the Aranjuez line at Bif. Planetario and on the Madrid Airport line at Hortaleza.
The train to Ourense was one of the new class 106 trains (designated as AVE but with gauge-changing capability) with their 3+2 seating (I pre-booked a left side window seat in a 2+2 row), the ride at 300 km/h is very poor. The train was supposed to go through to Vigo but I found out later that the train was declared a failure, and was still in platform next morning....

Friday 31st January 2025

Ourense   09:25 Alvia 625 RENFE Alvia 130 set 35 (broad gauge)
Via Monforte de Lemos (reverse, 10:13/10:15 [2]) - Ponferrada - southerly route at León - León Clasificación gauge changer 13:26 (to standard gauge) - León  (reverse 13:30/13:35 [4]) high speed line - Palencia (14:17/14:19 [3B]) high speed line - Burgos (14:53/14:58 [3]) - Burgos gauge changer 15:00 (to broad gauge) - Pancorbo
* Miranda de Ebro 15:55 [4] 15:57 [4]   Attach to rear of train 631 from Salamanca (Alvia 130 set 04)
Via Altsasu south curve - Pamplona - Zaragoza gauge changer (19:39, to standard gauge) - Zaragoza Delicias (19:21/19:24 [4], dep 29 late) - long curve - high speed line - long curve
Lleida-Pirineus 20:12 [2]     arr 27 late Today's photos
New passenger track today: Ourense - Monforte de Lemos; Monforte de Lemos - San Clodio-Quiroga.
Overnight: Hotel Ramon Berenguer IV, Plaza Ramon Berenguer IV Nº2, 25007 Lleida (opposite station).
Notes
Just the one train today, almost all the way across Spain from west to east. Ourense to Monforte de Lemos, and on to San Clodio-Quirog, has been closed for a couple of years for long term engineering works.

Saturday 1st February 2025

Lleida-Pirineus   11:12 [5B] 'RL4' 15634 RENFE EMU 447 set 167
Terrassa Nord 13:38 [1] 13:45 [2] 'R4' RENFE EMU 465 set 241
Cerdanyola des Vallès 14:05 [2] 14:35 [1] 'R7' RENFE EMU 465 set 244
Cerdanyola Universitat 14:42 [5] 14:50 [2] 'R8' RENFE EMU 465 set 239
Castellbisbal 15:07 [1] 15:24 [2] 'R4' RENFE EMU 465 set 233
Cerdanyola des Vallès 16:27 [1] 16:35 [2] 'R4' RENFE EMU 465 set 241
Barcelona Sants 17:05 [7] 17:09 [11] 'R2' 28447 RENFE EMU 465 sets 253+208
Aeroport 17:28 [1]      
Barcelona (BCN)   20:55 FR7545 Ryanair B737 MAX 8-200 EI-IJI push-back from gate W43 21:00, take-off 21:20 from runway 06R
Manchester Airport T3 (MAN) 22:30 23:15   landed 22:38 on runway 23R, on stand at 22:45 - taxi home
Timperley 23:30     Today's photos
New passenger track today: Lleida-Pirineus - Terrassa Nord - Cerdanyola des Vallès - Montcada Bifurcació; Cerdanyola des Vallès - Cerdanyola Universitat; Rubi Can Vallhonrat - Bif. Papiol - Castellbisbal.
Notes
Lleida to Terrassa and onwards into the Barcelona suburban system was the last long section of 'required' track in Spain. I then fisnihed off the remaining suburban lines and curves before heading home.

Summary

A very successful trip. Not counting some lines being built or being significantly reconstructed, plus a need to visit Majorca, I have now nearly cleared my Spanish passenger track.

Tickets used: single tickets as required.