Brill-28 Plataforma Salão

In 1938 (re)construction of the Brill-28 ceased in favour of reconstruction into the Brill-28 Plataforma Salão model. In total 24 to 26 were made until 1946. Work on the last one only began short before take over by the STCP on 1 July 1946 and the car was only ready after this date.

Brill-28 Plataforma Salão CCFP no.244 was one of the last made of this type, only finished after take over by the STCP in 1946. Here it’s on the premises of Boavista depot already with STCP crest, but before it was renumbered to STCP 201. (MCE)

Most of these trams were numbered by the STCP as series 200-223. However two tramcars had, or retained the numbers 160 and 169, which places them in the Brill-28 class. It’s unknown when the platforms of these two trams were extended making them the Plataforma Salão type. The narrow corner pillars of no.169 prove it was originally a Brill of the first, 1909 order. It might be that 169 was the prototype for the Brill-28 Plataforma Salão class and 160 was the result of a modification of a Brill-28 tram about 1950.

Brill-28 Plataforma Salão tram STCP no.160 on Avenida da Boavista, about 1975.

Brill-28 Plataforma Salão tram STCP no.169 in Foz, February 1992. (EK)

This class was In many aspects similar to the Brill-28, but they had longer platforms increasing the standing capacity. Probably none of these cars was totally new but all were reconstructions out of Brill-23 cars or constructions with the use of parts of older cars.

In later years many of these trams got platform doors instead of folding gates.

The use of the Brill-28 Plataforma Salão trams was equal to those of the Brill-28 type. When the tram operations of the STCP were diminished, these were the most numerous of the last cars in use. Five are in use on the current heritage system, one is available for special services and two are in storage.

Brill-28 Plataforma Salão tram no.206 on Praça de Lisboa / Rua das Carmelitas in December 1993. (EK)

length 9.92 m (160: 9.75 m, 169: 9.40 m)
width 2.40 m (160: 2.32 m)
weight 11773 kg (160 & 169: 11500 kg)
truck Brill 21E
wheelbase 2.25 m
motors 2 x 55 hp GE270
controllers B54E
seating 28 in the late 1950’s reduced to 23

Brill-28 Plataforma Salão trams nos.222 and 223 in Rua da Senhora da Luz. (EK)

STCP	CCFP	In service	Withdrawn	Remark
160	260	unknown	1986
169	169	1938?	1998	Brill 1909 batch.
200	240	1940	1978
201	244	1946	1991
202	262	1942	1967
203	248	1942		Available for special services
204	204	1940	1989
205	165	1944		In service after a major overhaul
206	166	1943	1994
207	207	1941	1967
208	238	1941	1989
209	249	1946	1967
210	210	1940	1993
211	167	1943	1967
212	172	1939	1993
213	213	1940		In service after a major overhaul
214	234	1946	1990
215	174	1939	1989
216	216	1946
217	237	1945	1991
218	218	1938		In service after a major overhaul
219	219	1939	1992
220	227	1940		In service after a major overhaul
221	176	1940	2007
222	222	1938	2009
223	173	1939	1998

CCFP renumbered individual tramcars between 1925 and 1946, but all these renumbering data are lost.

Brill Plataforma Salão tram STCP no.209 in service on line 6 on the intersection of Rua de Oliveira Monteiro (line 6) and Rua de Nossa Senhora de Fátima (lines 20/21), likely Summer 1967.

Brill-28 Plataforma Salão tram STCP no.214 at Boavista, about 1968.

Brill-28 Plataforma Salão tram no.203 waits on Avenida de Montevideu for the moment the permanent way gang gives the track free again, 1993. (EK)

Brill-28 Plataforma Salão tram no.218 waits for the conductor changing the points at Castelo do Queijo, 1993. (EK)

Interior of Brill-28 Plataforma Salão tram STCP no.216, 29 July 2006. (EK)

The work space of the driver of a Brill-28 Plataforma salão tram, 14 September 2002. (EK)

Busy times on the Batalha terminus of heritage tramline 22. At the right Brill-28 Plataforma Salão tram no.213 of the regular service. At the left Brill-28 Plataforma salão tram no.203 and modified Brill-23 tram no.143 preparing to return to the depot after a special service. 8 September 2014 (EK)

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