A million thanks to all the volunteers who restored these iconic old rattlers.

A great memory of when I was with P&O on the "SS ORONSAY" in 1969 the first visit to a very different MELBOURNE , docking at Port Melbourne and getting on board these for the trip to Flinders Street Station...How the city has changed!! My last visit was in 2010 and still has the best tram system..Good on ya..from the UK...

@brackenboy6321

3 жыл бұрын

Unless they were specials run onto the wharf the Port Melbourne line was operated with doggies (dog box carriages).

@johnd8892

3 жыл бұрын

@@brackenboy6321 both Tait and swing door trains ran on the Port Melbourne line in the late sixties. Lots of photos confirm this.

Thanks for posting this. Loved the Old Red Rattlers. I used to travel on them every day from Montmorency. Lovely ornate ceilings and summer we would leave the door open as we crossed the bridges! No one ever fell out! Quite comfortable too.

Beautiful restoration, congrats to all concerned. I never thought I would live to see the day. The Taits were one of the things that drew me to move to Melbourne from Sydney in 1981, as well as the trams and, of course, wonderful Melbourne back then. Great sights and sounds. Now all I have to do is ride in one while trying to hold back tears of nostalgia. 😊👍❤

So happy to see it run under it's own power, great memories indeed

I love these red rattlers! I used to catch them every day to school in the early 1970's. I used to love riding home in them on a hot summer afternoon with the door open, resting back in the comfortably padded seats and listening to the clack, clack, clack. Thanks for the memory! Well done to everyone involved in restoring them. I would love to ride in one again, but I'm sure that sitting next to an open door is not going to happen, LOL.

@edmundcarew7235

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, hardly anyone to my knowledge ever fell out in the 1960s and 1970s, or indeed up until 1982. Today....

@pistolpete8539

Жыл бұрын

@@edmundcarew7235 Today, people are too woke, and not willing to take full responsibilities for their own actions.

Top notch restoration and a very charismatic EMU set. I'm an active volunteer in railway preservation myself and I know what kinds of effort are asked for from the team, well done!

They were great trains, I grew up with them and preferred them to modern trains, they were beautiful inside with comfy seats.

Tickets please....what a wonderful site I'm a baby boomer and have many fond memories of the old red rattler. When i was waiting on the platform i would hate it when one of the new blue trains would turn up. I fell asleep many times to the clackity clack sounds 😜

@gorillaau

3 жыл бұрын

On the way to work or school, or only the homeward journey?

Great video. No mindless chatter stating the blooming obvious. Just sweet train sounds. Well done.

I remember going to school on these from Newport to Williamstown back in the 70's and 80's great stuff Steamrail, you people are fantastic and keep up the great work. I wish I had of known this as I would have been out to see these go past as I live in Laverton now and they would have gone straight past me.. Thanks for the footage, its great to see the old stuff coming back to life.

I can still smell those carriages! Thanks for a wonderful childhood memory!

It’s rare and wonderful to see a 5-car 100+ year old EMU set completely restored and running at speed. In the UK, we have nothing to match this. Bravo!

I remember catching an old red rattler. No one was sitting on the seat so I sat down. The seat sank to floor level. So I stood up again.

beautiful piece of machinery. brings back memories of catching the train from Coburg to Flinders street then onto Richmond to visit my gran as a kid back in the '70's

I grew up in Yarraville and in 1956 aged 10 moved to Newport, and from 1959 to 1962 attended Willy Tech. My best mate and I traveled each school day on the Taits between Newport and Nth Williamstown. This video brings back very happy memories to me and of course my friend now living in Sydney. His father was involved in the VR signal area. Thanks for the Memories Alex Hehr OAM

@TimsBitsnPieces

3 жыл бұрын

I went to Willy Tech also but later than you.. I was there in the late 70's to early 80's.. a great school and lots of fun on those trains back and forth to and from school.

@ThePlataf

2 жыл бұрын

I'm from Willy, and only travelled on these til 1962, when we got the Harris trains. The Rattlers have a definite personality. I can't wait to travel on them once more.

Just Brilliant that it has been kept long enough to restore and return to public display in working condition. WELL DONE Melbourne

Many great memories. My father was a train driver on the Lilydale-Belgrave lines in the 70s and 80s. That first shot got me in the ‘feels’. Another great memory was going to the beach during the summer holidays and having the wind come through the carriage and had my first Big M. Well done to all those involved in getting these amazing trains running again.

@pistolpete8539

Жыл бұрын

First Big M in 1976.

Congratulations. Brings back memories of my uni days in the 50s. Sliding door propped open with a foot as we raced through the suburbs. All those doors allowed quick exit and entry. If i recall correctly, major stations (Richmond, North Melbourne, Caulfield, etc, etc, specified a 15 second stop, lesser stations 10 seconds. Try that today!

@ThePaulv12

3 жыл бұрын

Sitting with the door open on a 40 deg C day. The smell of steel on steel brakes at a station, the whine of the traction motors, the creaking of the woodwork, the sound of the wheels on the track, and the air compressor. The sound of relays cutting off and the waft of sand on a hard brake application. The horn. Taits. Uncomfortable, noisy, often ridiculously harsh if the bogie springs were getting coil bind but boy what a ride! Sitting mid car in a T gave the smoothest ride, sitting at either end of an M consistently the harshest. In the final years I rode them often; just because. I loved them.

@brucewilliams8714

3 жыл бұрын

@@ThePaulv12 And I love your comment. Ah, memories.

I think these were the first trains I ever rode on with my Mum as a child. I recall you could just have the doors open if you felt like it.

@paulstubbs7678

3 жыл бұрын

None of this 'service cancelled' junk just because one door won't close.

@pistolpete8539

Жыл бұрын

@@paulstubbs7678 No wokeism back then.

A magnificent effort to get the Taits back in action after years of toil and technical issues..suburban heritage lives on!

Excellent work. This video has now been seen by the owners of a preserved electric train here in the UK. Well done to all concerned

Thank you for this. Loved to catch these on the Altona line when it terminated at Altona. Can still remember the 'clink-clink' of the grab handles especially over Kororoit ck bridge!

@ashleighcruickshank345

3 жыл бұрын

Id have liked to see Galvin in this even just passing through the old location up the end of our street next to the refineries...bought back many memories

When I was living in Melb, I was looking at being a volunteer and got a private tour of the workshops 14 years ago and seeing these in a state. At the time it was when V/line had rolled out the auto doors on the N sets, which also did make some of this an issue for the tilt's as there were many doors on a carriage. But it is now great to see many hoops have been jumped through to get these sets up to today's standard. Well done team for all the members been volunteers or not that worked hard to get back on the main line.

What a treat! I'd heard of these iconic trains, but never have In seen one. Aren't they just so perfectly stytlish? Fantastic.

Thanks for recording this bit of Melbourne history so well. This livery was called the Rose Red and Moonstone Grey scheme. In use for new painting around 1936 to 1956. Longer lasting since it used new improved automotive paint., It replaced an earlier chocolate coloured scheme, but this faded too much. Early days these chocolate coloured cars were lined with yellow pin striping. So a bit of history unfamiliar to many less interested in history.

@pistolpete8539

Жыл бұрын

Cheers. Thanks for the history lesson John. I only knew the Taits as a bright red colour during the 1970/80's. Never thought the Taits were once "chocolate brown". Ha! That would be a sight to see, that never will be. Lost to time.

@johnd8892

Жыл бұрын

@@pistolpete8539 before the dogbox swing door train was lost to an arsonist it ran in the preserved chocolate colour for quite a while : kzread.info/dash/bejne/qneisqSPZpDAZ8Y.html An official Melbourne Olympics film has some colour film of the Tait and dogbox trains running in 1956 with the grey window band.

Remember getting on these from the city to St. Kilda (to and from work) in the 70's. Looking forward to getting back on one sometime next year,..now stranded overseas due to Covid.

I was heading down Maidstone Street and the gates came down and rather than the usual freight or V Line service. The old Tait came past,delightful sight. Would love to see a Harris in similar condition roll by.

@comengsh

3 жыл бұрын

sadly, the harris trains have been dumped in a quarry in clayton and the quarry has since been filled in so the harris trains are deep underground. no hope of having a restored harris set anytime soon.

@kirklenagh3095

3 жыл бұрын

@@comengsh Asbestos concerns?

I thought I would never again see the Tait "Red Rattler" trains run again on metropolitan network. Such a beautiful train. Brings back so many memories of catching the Taits during the 1979/80's. My dearest congratulations to the team of individuals at Newport, for their dedication and love in restoring this Tait set shown in this video. A five star effort indeed by all indeed. It was a sheer travesty of Melbourne's history, that so many Taits (in good useable condition) were needlessly destroyed in the mid-1980's, rather than simply storing them away for later preservation by later generations by train buffs.

Australia is destined to become the world focus for heritage electric rail. Glad you could Join us, Melbourne. I'll be the first to buy a ticket.

@osocool1too

2 жыл бұрын

I'm travelling on it's official return on March 8th to Belgrave. 👍🤗🥳

I remember waiting for the train at Clayton station and hoping, to Christ, we’d get a blue train.

@brackenboy6321

3 жыл бұрын

I did the same, ten years of commuting and I hated the Taits, freezing in winter, roasting in summer, noisy, and rough when braking. So relieved when a Harris blue train would arrive at Carnegie.

@petertrezise4545

3 жыл бұрын

@@brackenboy6321 remember when the doors wouldn’t close properly. Heaven forbid if you accidentally got on a smokers carriage.

@us351w

3 жыл бұрын

Same here. I remember looking towards Westall station from Clayton hoping for a Comeng in '83 but instead seeing that single headlight come into view.

@petertrezise4545

3 жыл бұрын

@@us351w I feel your pain and disappointment 🚂

I would so love to see these back in full time operation. They had a special place in my heart. And the Blue Rattlers.

Awesome. Well done to all involved in the restoration and effort getting these beautiful trains back onto the tracks. They look awesome.

I fondly remember my commutes on the Melbourne to Ballarat line every weekend on the Red Rattler. Best days of train travel. Many times following the acoustic music and singing coming from one of the cabins. The most pleasant and fun ride ever had. Miss those days so much. These days train travel is no longer a social and community event. Please bring them back and let us drink and sing again.

That brings back a lot of memories for me riding on those trains, it’s good to see them running again , and those seats so comfortable back then

For me, growing up near a station and level crossings, the sounds are as nostalgic as the pictures. Thanks to everyone involved for restoring this piece of important history.

That's so cool. Well done to all those involved in the restoration and the great filming of them. Wonderful stuff!

i remember back in the 80s is sharpies , skinheads on red rattler trains & hanging out on stations & telephone boxes .

Could not have picked a more 'Melbourne in winter' (albeit autumnal) day to return to the main line. Just great! The footage is outstanding, with around 6:21 especially terrific as the set accelerates on the up ex Laverton. Made me recall Sundays when I travelled to Newport, Camberwell or Eltham for a trip on the single car Tait (to Altona, Alamein or Hurstbridge) lwhere along the way the guard sold Edmondson tickets from the van. Yes, it worked well. Or riding in the cupola in the guard's van on an up Frankston "express Malvern to Richmond", barrelling through Hawksburn. In those days if trains were full and standing, guards would often let passengers into the guard's van so one didn't have to wait for the next train.

Nice to see the new hub station that Paisley has become. 😁

Fantastic work. The grey windows look great, though they were before my time riding these carriages.

Well done to everyone involved in this splendid restoration.

The original design and build must have been very sound as the Tait stayed in service way beyond any reasonable service life. I spent 100's of hours riding in them on the Hurstbridge line in the 60's and 70's, with the occasional swing-door or dog-box making an appearance. Let's not forget the smoking/non-smoking carriages

Awesome job restoring them, Taits were very common up to the ‘80s. I was lucky to have travelled to Traralgon in a Tait.

@stevegray370

3 жыл бұрын

Great work. Taits rule! A Harris "died" trying to get to Traralgon. Vale the Gippsland line electrification.

@darylcheshire1618

3 жыл бұрын

@@stevegray370 I rode on a Hitachi when they tried a Comeng and the VR got cold feet, but ran a Comeng years later. My favourite which I never travelled on, was a Harris to Mirboo North, presumably pulled by a T class, alas I think that was in the ‘60s when I was a primary age. I think a Harris was towed to Stratford but not sure.

Congratulations on a beautiful restoration. The middle carriage looks like the original red paint. Brings back memories of travelling from St Kilda to Flinders Street and back in the 1960's.

@johnd8892

3 жыл бұрын

Originally lined chocolate brown, then the two tone rose Red and Moonstone Grey window treatments. The post 1956 red scheme of the centre car is the most recent and remembered.

Wow these certainly bring back some good ole' memories riding the Red Rattlers into town, on the Altona, Werribee Lines! 😎😉👍👌

great video Adam, was certainly a great day out seeing the Tait's roaming the Werribee line. Looking forward to it's next runs. Great to see it back.

Great to see the red rattlers back on track,fond memories of them from the 70s and early 80s

Very nice to see the restoration work on the old electrical trains

I remember those trains that have wooden seats that used to run from St. Kilda to Flinders Station!

@ThePlataf

2 жыл бұрын

Those were the dog boxes, whose doors opened outwards. They're even older than the Tait ,i believe

Ahhhhh. The old red rattlers, I can just smell the asbestos brake linings now. Great video.

@neilmansfield8329

3 жыл бұрын

These trains are good. I am glad they are back

@neilmansfield8329

3 жыл бұрын

They should put these back on the warriga line

@neilmansfield8329

3 жыл бұрын

I mean Warrigal line

@alanlarpent8794

3 жыл бұрын

They had cast iron brakes

@bradwilliams7683

3 жыл бұрын

Alan Larpent Correct. But the brake linings were asbestos.

Wow, great to see !

What A buzz I bet First thoughts next morning was I want to go for another ride Upfield line Here l come 📢🖐️ Excellent Job. Braking sound like a time machine

I love these old trains. Bring back great memories. I just hope that they are treated with respect and not tagged by “artists” who believe it is their right to destroy/deface anything that comes in their path, with a spray can!

absolutely bloody brilliant, great video, weel done.and thanks for sharing.............................

Brings back memories growing up in Melbourne in the early 50s one of best cities in the world 👌😍😍😍🇦🇺❤️❤️❤️

@gorgen23

3 жыл бұрын

Where are you now?

As a small child I came to Melbourne in February or March 1979 and saw the Red Rattlers which seemed fewer in number, the Blue Trains which think had a yellow stripe along them, and the Silver trains which were brand new and just coming into service.

Really quite remarkable and a fascinating video. I had no idea that suburban railway electrification came comparatively early to Australia and that the system adopted was overhead 1500 V DC. This was long before the French adopted the same system in their extensive railway electrification between the wars. The Taits also had impressively long lives. Early British electric trains from the same era had long gone by the 1980s, in fact their 1950s replacements were going on obsolescent. What interests me is that the current Australian system is the international standard 25KV AC. I did a quick google search and I could not find anything which talks about the additional equipment needed to convert the 25KV AC to 1500V DC. Although on high voltage electric trains in the UK the incoming AC voltage is massively stepped down and transformed to DC for the traction motors.

@johnd8892

3 жыл бұрын

1500 DC system inspired by the success of the North Eastern Shildon Newport electrification after first proposed low voltage third rail by Merz founding partner of SKM. Changed his recommendation. A coincidence that the Melbourne Newport is pivotal in our railway system. Some history here touching on the early rotary converter system needing huge sub station buildings to house them. Rapidly found better methods. kzread.info/dash/bejne/qYmJmdWQfNO-etI.html

I’d almost forgotten the rows of whirligigs spinning in the wind, what passed for air conditioning in those days I suppose. The manual doors gave a traffic flow feature long lost, the ability to exit the train before it had stopped moving!

@triarb5790

3 жыл бұрын

Like you used to be able to do other trams too,and in the old buses in London.

That's the Melbourne I knew, classic Tait sets, thank you. Don't remember them having grey and black trim around the windows or on the roof when I was boy though, maybe before the late 1960's they had that scheme? Pity one of the carriages had a skidded wheel. They look great, a job well done by the Steamrail people.

@edmundcarew7235

3 жыл бұрын

Great job by the volunteers, but I'd prefer if all the Tait cars Steamrail has were painted in Vintage Red or whatever the name of the specific colour. Like you, the gray/black isn't something I recall: it must have been a livery earlier than the late 1960s/1970s.

@dieseldavetrains8988

3 жыл бұрын

@@edmundcarew7235 Could have been the original colour scheme when they were first introduced maybe? Still, nice to see them out on the main lines once again.

@johnd8892

3 жыл бұрын

This livery was called the Rose Red and Moonstone Grey scheme. In use for new painting around 1936 to 1956. Longer lasting since it used new improved automotive paint., It replaced an earlier chocolate coloured scheme, but this faded too much. Early days these chocolate coloured cars were lined with yellow pin striping. So a bit of history unfamiliar to many less interested in history.

@dieseldavetrains8988

3 жыл бұрын

@@johnd8892 Thanks John, so they dropped the Moonstone around 1956 in favour of the current scheme which I remember as a boy.

@johnd8892

3 жыл бұрын

@@dieseldavetrains8988 I think last painted in this two tone scheme in 1956. Be interesting to know how long the last one lasted until repainted.

Thank you so much! Brought back so many memories.

Brilliant!!!!!

Wow!! Interesting seeing these trains back on the rails. Thanks for sharing.

Looked absolutely awesome . . .

Nice restore! Would be cool to see the inside

Great to see the brilliant work of the Steamrail people.It would be great if they could run the Taits on a regular basis on the suburban network to raise money for Steamrail.For example joyrides on weekends.People would be only to happy to pay 10 or 20 dollars for a ride on these icons.Keep up the fantastic work of maintaining our heritage Steamrail and everybody out there call your local MPs as i read that the government wants Steamrail to move from Newport and tell them Steamrail must not move from Newport.Shame on them for even thinking of Steamrail to move.

That's some great footage you've got there mate! Appreciate the trip down memory lane =]

Fabulous to see 🥳🥳👍

excellent. well done to all concerned. A joy to see

Crying with gratitude to all those responsible. Cant wait to travel like this again.

Great video! 👍👌

I loved the old red rattlers and would sometimes come home with my dad the train would stop at lilydale all the men would jump of and head to the bar, I of course would have to sit outside with a glass of lemon squash and a packet of chips. The beers would be poured and ready for the men to drink. The train driver would give a toot or 2 before the train headed back towards flinders street. I can still remember loads of men jumping back on the train only to get of the train a few stops up the line.

This is a great video of the red trains Glad they are back

From UK love it thanks..

Living rail history!

Brilliant! That shot down Skeleton Creek was especially picturesque.

Boy, this brings back memories.

Good to see

Magical!

Incredible to watch! would love to ride in this.

Great job to all those involved with this now all i have to do is ride in one with a bit of luck lol just for old times sake

Great video, I remember these when I was small in the mid 70's. No steam trains came to Ballarat today as I didnt see or hear any here in Ballarat

@peterbumper2769

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, but you have been hearing them the last two days

Awesome

Brilliant :)

Remember travelling on the Red Rattlers in the early 70's from Box Hill or Laburnum to the city

Brings back the 70s, a big strike saw some weird sets, a six car consisting of three Tait and 3 Harris. In 76 I would lie in bed in the early mornings counting train horns. Every thirty minutes until rush hour which wasn’t till 8am in those days. Taits we’re still running when my sister started on the railways and I recall being delayed between Jolimont and Princes Bridge when Tait dummy had short and killed the overhead power. It was still smoking on platform 13 when we arrived on platform 12.

@johnd8892

3 жыл бұрын

Amazing to see a Harris Tait combination. Would have thought the coupler difference would have prevented that.

@Wenlocktvdx

3 жыл бұрын

I’d have thought so, I think the sets had compatible couplers but between motors and trailers where different. The Comeng trains had an integrated coupler but carried C couplers so older trains could tow them if necessary.

I remember travelling on these growing up the blue ones too it was awesome i miss the old days

YAY

I love the Ratters especially on a hot day and you open the doors they didn’t close automatically like they do now this was in the 70s

The track to left of screen appears to be Standard Gauge (6:49), as against the track on which the Tait train stands, which is clearly Broad Gauge.

Great to see the carriages but I would love to have seen inside them as well.

@johnd8892

3 жыл бұрын

These are only test evaluation runs, so no public allowed to travel on them and take videos inside. Agree with you that there is a lack of interior shots of historic carriages. The interiors after all was what was most experienced by the public.

@ThePlataf

2 жыл бұрын

The interiors were lovely, with moulded ceilings and vintage lamps, plus the most comfortable seats ever invented.

That's an interesting looking train

I assume they will be bringing these back to service to cope with the capacity constraints of the current network?

@brackenboy6321

3 жыл бұрын

Love your sense of humour James but wooden carriages are banned from the city loop

@johnd8892

3 жыл бұрын

Fan and special trips only is the plan. Don't squawk too loudly or the government and rail operators might spit the dummy and stop even this. Did so for the last 17 years.

Wish we kept old emus in good working condition in the UK.

@johnd8892

3 жыл бұрын

Steamrail got extra income from them running behind steam on suburban fan trips when they were not allowed to be powered on their own for the last seventeen years. So an incentive of them to be kept in good condition. Many of the general public prerrefered a shorter suburban steam trip on a weekend.

Saw the steam train earlier this week waiting for my train at Williams Landing station

Don't remember First Class in suburban service, remember the guard's van

@johnd8892

3 жыл бұрын

Suburban class system abolished about 1958 or so.

I was on todays steam train

Nice video will there ever be a mainline heritage tour with the tait set?

@nickstransportvlogs

3 жыл бұрын

Not sure, but we’ll have a look in the future about it.

@bradwilliams7683

3 жыл бұрын

I sure hope so. It would bring back so many memories for us oldies.

I can remember riding in a Tait carriage that had a ticket office in it.

Wow! Just, wow! I would regard myself as a hard line steam enthusiast and Australian steam locos, with the odd exception - the Garrets particularly - are a bit 'commonplace', if you don't mind me saying. Many of them were built here and shipped out anyway, but that electric set is absolutely, quintessentially Australian. And it is gorgeous. It is impossible to tell from the video, what gauge the EMU is - I'm guessing 5'3"? Either way, I imagine they are a bit hard riding and noisy, but in their time more than a hundred years ago, they would have been regarded as the dog's bollocks. And the care that has obviously been lavished on its restoration, is a credit to Ozzie rail enthusiasts - well done everyone involved.

@PaulinesPastimes

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, all 5'3". They lasted until the late 1980s on the St Kilda and Sandringham lines. Pressed metal Art Nouveau ceiling and wall panels, big padded seats, antique lighting and varnished timber everywhere. They were not too bad to ride in and in the summer you could just leave all the doors open. Fabulous.

@johnyoung1128

3 жыл бұрын

@@PaulinesPastimes And you could open the windows!

@no_triggerwarning9953

3 жыл бұрын

@@PaulinesPastimes They were on the Glen Waverley line until the late 1980's as well. However they became less frequent from the mid 1980's when the Comeng trains started replacing them.

@PaulinesPastimes

3 жыл бұрын

@@johnyoung1128 Yes! ✔

@PaulinesPastimes

3 жыл бұрын

@@no_triggerwarning9953 😊