Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

Hi,

To aid the island of Madeira's economy we have moved here for four weeks.  While here I found this on a local bloggers site:

 

It shows Madeira's integrated transport system as it was in the early part of the last century, alas the railway closed in 1943, now there are cable cars to get to the gardens at Monte or it is far more exciting and cheaper to use a local bus!

Take care.

Tony.

Hi Charlie,

I will do my best.  Assuming the wind drops so planes can land we leave Madeira on the 14th. of next month.

Take care Tony.

Hi,

I wonder how they get those basket sledges back up hill? Very enjoyable video Tony, Thanks for sharing it.

These days by lorry and the drivers in a bus. When the films were made they were carried by one man, who was not one of the drivers the distance from Monte to Pombal in Funchal was 4km today they only do the first 2km then taxi or walk. I don't know the distance from the top station down to Monte.  The CFM; the cog railway had quite an integrated travel system, when you arrived by boat they would transport you to shore and if you wished you could take the horse drawn street car to the station of the CFM then travel to visit the gardens at Monte or to stay in the hotel there, you could travel beyond to the restaurant at the end of the line which had seating for 400.  For the return journey you could use a sledge or train back to Monte and then choose sledge or train back to Pombal and either walk or street car back to your ship.  The CFM owned the Hotels street car and sold tickets for the sledges.  Alas motorcars were later used to travel to Monte and beyond, the railway closed in 1943.

Take care Tony.