Join 762 Media as we enjoy scenes around Melbourne of Steamrail Victoria's classic Tait Electric Train following restoration to service in 2021! Enjoy!
I first rode the red rattler's as a boy in the '60s. The paint was never as glossy! Chalky and a lighter red with no grey stripe along the window line. I do look back on them fondly. In the summer we'd ride with all the doors and windows open. No electronic doors and no air conditioning! Less things to break down...
I travelled on the “dog box” from Mooroolbark to Lilydale each morning and return each evening to Lillydale High in the 1960’s. It was a great experience of 6 years
Really enjoyed your video, I had many cab rides in the Tait and also Harris sets in the late 60's and to mid seventies as a boy having school holidays in Melbourne, my uncles best mate was a driver on the "sparks" with VR. The bogies off the Tait sets were used in the construction of the "Y" class diesel loco's to save costs, also I think they used the horns too from the Tait on the "Y" class. Nothing like a Tait set to bring out the rail buffs! Jeff Hook, a cartoonist with the Melbourne Sun newspaper used to draw a cracking Tait set in his cartoons., Jeff used to hide the "hook" in the cartoon. Thanks for the memories!
The Bloody red rattlers.... experienced them getting to and from work between Laverton and Melbourne in the very early 1980s. It was an adventure every time you boarded one; you might make it to your destination before the train broke down, but then I also recall the number of times the trip took up to four hours. If I never see one again I'll be happy.
The swing-door compartmentalised red-rattlers - this I presume is the defining charactristic of the Tait? - used to run on the Port Melbourne line in the '70s, sharing with 'newer' (relatively) sliding-door red rattlers. I caught them several times on my way to go fishing off Station & Princes Piers. Complete with vintage tourist posters for Mt Buffulo.
Another advertising poster I remember was for Andrew Kopp photography. It's funny how a person hangs on to the most innocuous, some might say trivial details.
I remember these 'red rattlers' alongside the 'blue trains' in my teens, they were, if anything, far worse than the name would suggest Still, it is all part of our history in Melbourne. The suspension on them was astonishingly bad, with every expansion joint in the rails loosening fillings. They were also very noisy for that reason. The total lack of heating and cooling added that extra something of discomfort as well. Additionally, the doors opened outwards, with a brass handle, which is something no longer seen in any train of the 20th century.
Beautiful old world quality , excellent workmanship , comfortable .. unfortunately if this was in general revenue service it would be converted to a rolling pig sty within a week and then probably burned .. the quality of people has gone too far down the feral path to to appreciate anything ..
Brought back fond teenage memories! Thank you!
Probably the only cool electric train we've had!
Nice video thanks. They were coming and going from Belgrave again the other day
I first rode the red rattler's as a boy in the '60s. The paint was never as glossy! Chalky and a lighter red with no grey stripe along the window line. I do look back on them fondly. In the summer we'd ride with all the doors and windows open. No electronic doors and no air conditioning! Less things to break down...
And no staff panicking because a door won't close
I travelled on the “dog box” from Mooroolbark to Lilydale each morning and return each evening to Lillydale High in the 1960’s. It was a great experience of 6 years
I like the Ad's of the Mt Buffalo Chalet in them.😅
Looks like the train is in much better state of maintenance then the tracks are in many places.
Really enjoyed your video, I had many cab rides in the Tait and also Harris sets in the late 60's and to mid seventies as a boy having school holidays in Melbourne, my uncles best mate was a driver on the "sparks" with VR. The bogies off the Tait sets were used in the construction of the "Y" class diesel loco's to save costs, also I think they used the horns too from the Tait on the "Y" class. Nothing like a Tait set to bring out the rail buffs! Jeff Hook, a cartoonist with the Melbourne Sun newspaper used to draw a cracking Tait set in his cartoons., Jeff used to hide the "hook" in the cartoon. Thanks for the memories!
The Bloody red rattlers.... experienced them getting to and from work between Laverton and Melbourne in the very early 1980s. It was an adventure every time you boarded one; you might make it to your destination before the train broke down, but then I also recall the number of times the trip took up to four hours. If I never see one again I'll be happy.
The swing-door compartmentalised red-rattlers - this I presume is the defining charactristic of the Tait? - used to run on the Port Melbourne line in the '70s, sharing with 'newer' (relatively) sliding-door red rattlers. I caught them several times on my way to go fishing off Station & Princes Piers. Complete with vintage tourist posters for Mt Buffulo.
The sliding-door cars are the Taits (the ones shown in this video). The swing-door cars with compartments were called Swingdoors or Dogboxes.
Another advertising poster I remember was for Andrew Kopp photography. It's funny how a person hangs on to the most innocuous, some might say trivial details.
Steam and electricity on the one train, now that's something you don't see often!
Great video mate! You got some great shots! I loved the first one at Syndal
Great video mate love the voiceover mister down the line ops mister 762 media (lucas)
Cheers
Johnny Rail Life TV
Yes I was there that day
I remember these 'red rattlers' alongside the 'blue trains' in my teens, they were, if anything, far worse than the name would suggest Still, it is all part of our history in Melbourne. The suspension on them was astonishingly bad, with every expansion joint in the rails loosening fillings. They were also very noisy for that reason. The total lack of heating and cooling added that extra something of discomfort as well. Additionally, the doors opened outwards, with a brass handle, which is something no longer seen in any train of the 20th century.
It's difficult to fathom that, of the hundreds of Tait railway carriages manufactured - we've reduced that number to only four. Absolutely criminal.
Technically six still operable. There’s one motor carriage still getting worked. There’s an extra trailer that is trafficable still
@@762Media42 Six or four - it's still sad that we didn't keep more of them on the rails. Great video.
@@bradwilliams1691 thanks mate
The paint looks quite glossy. Were the original trains that glossy? the films I've seen show a redder less shiny finish.
Fresh out of the workhops I reckon so, but yeah a bit dirtier more often then not
3:42. Geez the track condition is shocking there. Third world conditions.
Foreshortening from the very long camera lens would be greatly exaggerating it. See how much it appears to distort the train's length too.
Beautiful old world quality , excellent workmanship , comfortable .. unfortunately if this was in general revenue service it would be converted to a rolling pig sty within a week and then probably burned .. the quality of people has gone too far down the feral path to to appreciate anything ..
100% agree
bit of a dodgy video mate
Thank you very much for your opinion on this video. Very much appreciated.
@@762Media42 no wakkas