On Saturday 14 March 2026 at 14.45, we shall visit the former Barbadinhos Steam Pumping Station and the Water Museum run by Águas de Portugal. Some of you may remember that we published an article on the pumping station exploring the British connection, as the engines were all supplied by a British company. The article can be found here, and would give a good background prior to the visit.
We will start with a visit to the museum, which in 1990 was given a Council of Europe prize for its contribution to cultural heritage. We shall have a guided tour in English by the museum's Director, Tiago Nuno Ramos, covering the following broad areas:
We will then move on to the pumping station, which was established between 1871 and 1880 when it became clear that the water supply from the Águas Livres Aqueduct would not be able to meet Lisbon's needs. The new station obtained its supply from the Alviela aqueduct, which transported water collected 114km north of Lisbon from the Alviela river to the Barbadinhos Reservoir. We will see the four steam engines supplied by the Windsor company. One is now powered by electricity for demonstration purposes.
The cost will be €6, payable on the day. Please be prompt, come equipped with the correct amount and pay our treasurer/chairman Edward Godfrey, so we can buy the tickets in bulk and avoid long queues at the museum's reception.
The museum is a ten-minute walk from the Santa Apolónia station but it is uphill. It has some car parking space. Those coming by train to Cais do Sodré may prefer to take a taxi. If so, please make sure that the driver knows the correct location as there are several other sites that are also part of the Museu da Água.