On the agenda for last week’s photographic adventure in Portugal was a venture into the Douro Valley.

In recent weeks line-works had resulted in a throw-back operation of regularly scheduled Douro Valley passenger services using vintage English Electric diesel hauled trains in place of diesel railcars.

[Translation: a limited opportunity to make photos of vintage trains in very scenic settings.]

Denis McCabe and I departed Porto in our hired car for a location I’d preselected the night before.

Google Maps provided the most direct (if not the shortest) route to a point south east of Aregos on the south bank of the river. Neither of us had ever been here before.

For me the Douro Valley resembles a populated version of California’s Feather River Canyon.

We made it just in time: shortly after our arrival we heard a diesel working up the valley. The cameras were hastily switched ‘on’, positions taken and photos made.

Special thanks to Tracking the Light reader and fellow photographer Stephen Hirsch who supplied us with up to date details on Douro Valley operations.

Not bad for our first minutes in the Douro Valley. But there’s more to come! Stay tuned . . .