CP's 0500 rocket series

The rocket service trains

The Portuguese Railway Company acquired the CP 0500 series diesel multiple units in the 1950s. The purchase of this rolling stock was directly linked to the Company's goal of launching a fast, high-quality service between Porto and Lisbon for the upper-middle class. This led to the creation of the ‘Foguete’ (Rocket), the commercial name for CP's top service, following the introduction of the new 0500 series.

This series, built by the Italian manufacturer FIAT, based in Turin, consisted of three self-propelled trains, each comprising two motorised coaches, each with a driver's cab, and an intermediate trailer. Capable of reaching a maximum speed of 120 km/h, these trains were famous for their comfortable, luxurious interiors and the option to serve meals on board. Seating was available only in 1st class and featured what was a first in Portuguese rail service: air conditioning. The seats could be adjusted according to the direction of travel.

The first FIAT 0500 unit arrived in Portugal via the Cáceres branch line on 15 January 1953. In February, it underwent its first tests on a journey between Lisbon and Porto. That same month, CP received the second unit. On 9 March, the first official trip of the newly created ‘Foguete’ (Rocket) service took place, attended by numerous figures from Portuguese society. Later that month, the third and final unit was delivered. The FIAT railcar fleet stood out for its silver livery with a narrow red stripe running under the windows along the entire length of the train. At the beginning of commercial operation, they bore the word ‘Foguete’ engraved on the front of the train.

The inaugural journey of the new CP service took place on 5 April 1953. The elites of the 1950s and 1960s travelled on it. The ‘Foguete’ was so popular that it was expanded to include more daily services. However, this situation contributed to mechanical problems because the small fleet of three trains was heavily used.

The 1960s brought changes to the fleet. After the first 10 years of service, the trains were given a new livery in shades of dark blue, with a red stripe along the units. However, with the completion of the electrification of the North Line in 1966, the FIAT 0500s became unnecessary for the ‘Foguete’ service on the country's main railway line and were replaced by trains consisting of electric locomotives and coaches.

At that time, the fleet ceased to operate a fixed service and began providing other services and running on other lines, such as the Beira Baixa and Oeste lines. The 1970s marked a new direction for the FIAT 0500 railcars. CP wanted to create a premium service similar to the ‘Foguete’ to connect Lisbon to the south of the country.

To this end, the fleet underwent modifications at the Barreiro workshops, and in 1971, the ‘Sotavento’ was inaugurated. This new service connected Barreiro, Setúbal, Albufeira, Faro, Olhão and Tavira to Vila Real de Santo António-Guadiana. The 0500 railcars were given a new white livery with a red stripe running the length of the train. The word ‘Sotavento’ was applied, and red diagonal stripes were applied to the tops.

In the late 1970s, due to mechanical problems with the 0500 series, part of the ‘Sotavento’ service was provided by diesel locomotives and coaches. In 1982, the fleet was definitively withdrawn from commercial service. Some of the coaches were converted into rescue vehicles and assigned to the Contumil and Barreiro stations. Currently, the complete existing unit is awaiting a conservation and restoration project.

The commercial name ‘Foguete’ was so well accepted that it remained in the popular imagination, associated with the subsequent fast services on the Lisbon-Porto section of the North Line until the late 1980s. It even lent its name to a well-known RTP television programme dating from 1983.