Like the music? It's by my brother Cian, check out his stuff here: hyperfollow.com/cianbennetmusic Want to support the channel, get early access to new videos a look behind the scenes? Join me on Patreon: www.patreon.com/Taitset Check out some spectacular rough weather Freshwater action here: ruclips.net/video/0YoEaxi-Iy8/видео.htmlsi=MSk7HIhxfn39g2tK
TfNSW Marketing needs to watch this video and update the slogan. 'Sydney Ferries: a lot like a tram network, but the track is wet and has sharks in it!' Absolute gold! Cian's music is a nice touch, too.
Yarra trams really should watch as well. "Catch the 96 to St Kilda Beach. Just like the Manly Ferry, only you won't get seasick and there are no sharks!"
The Sydney Manly ferry trip is an absolute must do for me when I am in Sydney. The transit Department in NSW just doesn’t get how popular these ferries are for people like me. When it’s rough it’s just a bit of fun. I just couldn’t believe it when I first heard, that the Freshwaters were going to be retired . I also found it bazaar that the newest ferry of the fleet the Collaroy which had been fitted with Stabilisers is unlikely to be seen again. Sydney just doesn’t really know what it’s got with these 3 ferries. They should be marketed as a major tourist attraction.
Coming from the USA, we were excited about touring Sydney, especially from the ferry and the monorail. We rode both when we were there in 1989. It was such a treat, I found a model of the monorail that I put on my HO scale model train layout.
Oh gosh, l remember riding on that monorail. It was an oddity and a novelty. These days whenever I hear or read "monorail", I can't help thinking about a certain Simpsons episode.
I lived in apartments in Darling Harbour and at that time used the monorail to commute into the city. Novel and weird but very effective for those in the area
Last time i was in Sydney i took the Ferry to Paramatta the weather was uneventful on the way but a big storm swelled up on the way back, everyone starts going inside to sit out the waves meanwhile I'm standing out front like a madman having the time of my life with the ferry bouncing haha Most fun i had that entire trip
😅when my now wife and I were courting 38 years ago we got up extremely early, and bought two $5 day rover tickets, this day was planned to the Nth degree, we started at Birchgrove and travelled on EVERY single Sydney ferry service to EVERY single public wharf, we took the private Birkenhead point ferry and the govt bus back to circular quay to keep going, it took from about 6am till 10pm and was one of the best days out of our lives..
Anither melburnian here, absolutely love Sydney's ferries, when I was visiting last year I had about 4 hours to kill before my flight home so I took a train out to Parramatta and rode the ferry all the way into circular quay, and then out to Manly and back. There was a fire out on either Dobroyd or Middle Head that day, got a good view from the ferry Would absolutely love some more ferry related videos!
I never thought that you would make a Sydney Ferry video. I was never a boat person (partly because I have a fear of boats sinking) but I found this video quite interesting. (While still managing to see most of the trains at Circular Quay in the background.)
I’m so happy that someone who actually makes good videos has covered Sydney ferries. I couldn’t pick fault with a single part of your video and it’s a great impression on anyone who wants to travel on one of these beautiful vessels. I’d say that I’m one of Sydney’s leading ferry enthusiasts on the internet so it’s very nice to see someone cover this topic without getting their facts wrong in everything they say. It’s fantastic to see these boats returning to the run although the retirement of Collaroy really shook me up since she is my favourite ferry, and as much as I hate to admit it I don’t believe she’ll return to service. Thank you so much for this great video Taitset, and I’d certainly love to see more ferry content in the future 😊
Another "Well done Martin!" from me. Your commentary revealed several things I was unaware of regarding Sydney's ferries and the political storm over the catamarans. 🙂
I used to catch Lady Herron to work (in the early 90s) from Cremorne Pt to the Quay and would frequently ride in the wheelhouse with a captain who became a very good friend. Late last year I saw her (Herron) lying at Carrington Shipyards and I am very sad to hear she was scrapped. A stunningly beautiful vessel. I also travelled on many of the harbour cats at the time and the similarity (in build) and the difference (double/single deck) to those in Newcastle currently is just lovely. Thanks for the memories.
Hey Martin I was in Sydney around the same time your were in march. It was amazing how Sydney transports people around the city, from the double deck suburban and intercity trains to the regional trains they use such as the XPT which I took overnight service definitely recommend if you have been on the Xpt but the ferry were the interesting as some who lives in the mallee/north west VIC. Anyway awesome video very informative, cheers Brandon
As a Sydney child of the 60's I have a fond recollection of a trip on the Manly ferry. It was not particularly bad weather but that ferry was certainly moving around. The adults may have been queasy but for a kid it was as good as a roller coaster ride at Luna Park. I rode a hydrofoil once as well and I'm glad I can say I did. I have other fond memories of the harbour, like standing at the open doors of a red rattler crossing the bridge and sticking my head out to peer down through the ironwork to the water far below. Heck, I even dimly recall seeing a flying boat take off or land out near Rose Bay. Then there were the days when Navy ships at Garden Island would be open for inspection by the public. Such simple pleasures are easily taken for granted by a wee lad but are mostly unrepeatable today. Subscribed. P.S. thankyou for your MSTS work.
Great work again, Martin!! I would like to see a video on the Sydney ferries network. P.S. I took some photos of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House on the back of a ferry when my girlfriend and I went to Sydney last year, if you want me to share 👍
Excellent perspective on these iconic vessels! Manly Ferry is up there with the London Routemaster Bus, Melbourne W Class Tram and the San Francisco Cable Cars!
yep, just outstanding, many a time many years ago I watched the ferries come and go at circular quay and watch them go past Middle Head to Manly and back just wonderful times.
Yes, please to more Sydney Ferries stuff! How I didnt go on a Manly ferry when I lived on the Central Coast is a mystery to my current self. And also other less known and interesting public transport things from around Oz, but especially Melbourne is welcome!
As a train enthusiast that loved S sets.. once they were gone i found myself becoming just as happy with a ferry run.. the freshwater class remind me of very large S sets in a way internally. . the rivercat class to olympic park are apparently going to be scrapped soon and replaced with the river class fully. Itd make a great video before they go These days i find myself prefering the awesome rawness of a ferry ride vs the soundproofed sterility of a train Great video :)
I visited Sydney in 2015 from Switzerland and clearly noticed these beautiful Freshwater ferries. Thank you for your great video doing justice to this fleet! And like many other commenters, I would love to hear more about the ferry system!
I Rode those ferries many times as a teen in the early 90's while travelling to Manly and/or Shelly Beach. I'm glad to hear that they still remain in service.
I've been sad about the retirement of the Freshwater Class since their retirement was announced. I'm so glad to hear they weren't replaced (didn't hear the news earlier). Like you, to me they are THE Sydney ferry and try to ride to Manly and back every time I'm in Sydney. I can't wait to go back to Sydney to ride one!
Incredible video! I’m a sucker for trains, don’t get me wrong But this was such a refreshing video with how different it was, keep up the incredible work and love all your footage you get 🥳
Nice one mate. Your photos are amazing and narration is perfect. When it comes to using the upper deck ramps, back in the days before the Emeralds, both ramps were used for pretty much all trips as they were typically carrying about 500 a run. Now with just 100-200 a run, there's no need for the upper deck ramp (I've had trips where there's been 4 of us). It's unfortunate that the Collaroy and Narrabeen are still off the run and I hope we will see both vessels back soon - Narrabeen will return next year. I was aboard Collaroy's final run, up in the wheelhouse, where it was a mix of emotions. Definitely keen to see more ferries!
Another superb video Martin - thanks 😊 As a Sydney boy who lived in the west around Parramatta it was always great as a kid to travel to Circular Quay by train for a ride to Manly for fish and chips on The Corso and return by ferry with the harbour lights at night. Ferries like the South Stein and Dee Why and Curl Curl and then of course The Freshwaters - I call them real ferries. You summed up the history beautifully and even though you are probably a proud Melbourne-ite you did a brilliant job promoting a real Sydney travel icon. Would certainly love to hear a video on the other ferries including the new Parramatta River Cats. Thanks again for an informative video on the Manly Ferry. PS - as an announcer for 38years who has done radio, tv and voice over work I really like your narration style - it’s very easy to understand and listen to - well done 👍 ✅😀. TD. (Terry)
A really well composed and informative clip. I've been on the Freshwaters, but didn't realise they did trips outside the Heads at one stage. Decades back I went a couple of times outside the Heads on the South Steyne. It was built in Scotland and actually steamed under its own power to Sydney. You could look down into the engine room from above during the journey. One trip was particularly rough with the bow being engulfed by water and the prop rising out of the sea on the waves. as a teenager it was such fun. A reciprocating steam ferry certainly has all the class and personality, if not more, than a classic steam locomotive.
I love these particular ferries.great to use for a day out on the harbour to manly.also for me taking photos of the passing ships.i also use the other ferries for Watson's bay.fish and chips, the darling harbour ferry to Pyrmont and back is worth the trip.great video.thanks.👍👍👍👍🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺
Does Sydney have the world's best public ferry system in terms of number of lines, ridership and frequency? I know Hong Kong and Istanbul also have strong ferry services, but in North America, the only cities with true commuter ferries are probably Seattle (Bainbridge Island), Vancouver (Seabus to North Shore) and NYC (Staten Island)
Sydney isn't ranked at the top but rather around 7th I believe in terms of passenger numbers. I may be wrong but it's an easy search to get the proper placement.
Fantastic video. One of my favourite early memories is catching a Freshwater around age 4 or 5. Going to stay with my Grandparents and Aunt in Disney during the Christmas holidays often involved catching a Rivercat from Meadowbank into either Circular Quay to then catch the Manly Ferry, or to Darling Harbour. The harbour and its activity has always been my favourite part of Sydney.
I remember when I was very young being on the Manly ferry being inside looking down into the hull seeing the big engine working. For me that was so exciting.
Remember back in the late 70's early 80's sometimes when the weather was shitty and the swell was up we'd go down and pay for a return fare on the ferry. Would stand up on the seats in the outside deck just in a small covered area on the seaward side of the ferry and ride the swells. Hide in the loos just before we got to the Quay and re-emerge after the return trip was started - then rinse and repeat (almost literally) at the Manly end the at the Quay and so on. Good days entertainment for the price of a return token.
In early 1999 I was on Narrabeen when it bounced off one of the points of Middle Head whilst avoiding a flotilla of those little tiny two person sailing racers. The ferry headed straight for the nearest beach across the harbour but then headed to Circular Quay and docked at the cruise ship wharf. It was on the news that night that it lost a rudder and propellor, had a deccent hole in the hull and was sitting around 5' lower in the "bow". Two weeks later I shipped out to recruit school in the Royal Australian Navy!!
Sydney Ferries is my favorite public transport in the world, nothing beats being at the front of the boat on a sunny day. I recently took a trip to Manly on an emerald class it's quite fast only a couple minutes slower then the Manly fast ferry I would say.
Pith they didn't keep one of the old Scottish built ferries operable as a tourist attraction, North Steyne, South Steyne etc. They were the classics. great video and well researched.
Sometimes older is better. I was fortunate enough to be in Sydney when the Freshwater class were reintroduced into service. Sadly I didn’t get to ride them but it was definitely an impressive sight to see in the harbour. Great to hear they’ll be in service for many years to come. Bye.
I had the good fortune about 4 years ago to go sailing with Don Laverick (Laverick's were Carrington Slipways). His sons still sail out of RMYC Toronto. Don was discussing design and he told me they didn't have computed aided design back then - he had 30 men with paper, pencils, graphs, set squares and compasses and every boat was hand drawn. I currently sail with one of his old project managers. At the time of writing this Don is 93.
I've been on those ferries. The last one I remember steeping on board was the MV Narrabeen, not sure if it was from Manly to Circular Quay or Circular Quay to Manly!
i didnt know the collaroy would be taken out of service a few months after i went to sydney in september 2023, luckily i took as many photos as i could of it
Hi Taitset, I sail on the racing yacht shown from 8:52. I was very Suprised to see it in this video! Is there any chance you have the full unedited clip that you shot?
Nice video, very educational, how well does the ferry network integrate with the train and bus network across the public Sydney transport system? As a Victorian it is interesting to see others states transport systems.
I’ve never been on a freshwater, and in fact I’ve only ever been on one ferry, in the 1980’s I went to the zoo on Fishburn. It’s strange but I have this odd attachment to it, and when I’m in Sydney I’ll always look out for it, and see if there’s any new RUclips videos taken on it or featuring it. I should go and ride it again, it’s only been 40 years or so..
Hey Taitset, i'm doing a Melbourne train station battle royale where i spin the wheel and that station then gets removed. I then keep on doing this until one remains so do you wanna particapate? (Also do you know any apps that when you zoom in on an image it doesn't get pixelated?)
What specific song do you use in this video? also brilliant video! I live in Seattle & we have a massive ferry fleet to, only ours are entirely designed as "auto" ferries, w e use them as high capacity transport vehicles, but also to carry a signifigant number of cars, ours even feature full cafe's with a full kitchen, and usually have 3-4 levels, pretty much all our ferries, have the same iconic design, just very signifigantly in size from the tiny kwa-de-tabil class with "only" 750 pax and cars, to the Evergreen & olympic class, both can carry over 140 cars, and 1500 passengers, mainly used on the bremerton-seattle run. interestingly most of the sound is pretty calm even in high winds, however the routs from anacortis to the San Juan islands can face pretty heavy seas going out toward the pacific ocean, although for the most part its still fairly sheltered. We have recently added back up propellers to all of our ferries, so 2 forward & 2 rear (although each ferry is almost exactly the same on each side, and all are bi-directional.) this is because we have had multiple "hard landing" incidents where the ferries either hit a wave, and slammed into the dock, or just didnt slow down in time, so the back up propellers now automatically engage if an alarm isnt triggered in time (like AWS for trains but for boats) this has prevented a hard lnding incident, and for the most part, the ferries, are very reliable, almost every route operates every hour or better, most run half hourly, and the bremerton route at sunset is just spectacular. WE LOVE OUR FERRIES! we also have the largest ferry fleet in the united states.
Oh yes I just had a look, the Seattle ferries look very cool! The song used in this one was made specifically for the video, so it doesn't appear anywhere else at this stage.
The names of the Emerald class ferries are reminiscent of the former hydrofoils on the Manly run in the 1960s . Possibly the best known was the Fairlight , and like the Emerald class , these vessels were also plagued with mechanical problems , so the reuse of the names would seem to be appropriate !
I watch and subscribe to your RUclips channel from the U.S. Do you happen to know why Sydney Trains Cabview took down all his rail videos, and now it appears the channel itself no longer exists? I didn't know whether you two might have been acquainted. We suffered a loss when that channel went away.
I'm not sure of the exact situation, but rumour has it Sydney Trains management became aware of the channel and issued a warning to all staff not to use recording devices in the cab. It's a big shame, it was a great channel!
Best urban ferries I’ve ever travelled in, and should be retained not only as a beautiful historical fleet (much like the Hong Kong Star Ferry (2nd best)) but should be restored to having a bar, food, and cafe on board. I’d also love a hydrofoils to be returned to the harbour, even as only a tourist vessel. Damn I miss them.
What is your opinion on the effectiveness of the routes at the moment. For example should f9 and f7 be combined to provide more connections along the route, or is the main focus on getting people to and from circular quay. Also do you know if they will open new routes?
Good question, it does look like it would make sense for both to connect somewhere. Although there are probably buses that would do the job for trips like that. I'm not sure if there are any plans for new routes!
The Emerald Class replacements were a mistake as was obviously publicly shown. The Freshwater ferries being as old as I am are tough, tested seafaring ferries that have stood the test of time.
I wish I knew about the timetable quirk when I visited Sydney last month. I was stuck with an Emerald Gen 2 on my trip. Of course the NSW LNP are idiots when it came to the new trains etc. I feel there was no reason we couldn't have hit up our southern neighbours, in Vic, to build the new trains and trams.
The Freshwater’s interior reminds me of the CityCat, but more green. The exterior though is way cooler; especially with the double-ended operation like a multiple unit train
I don't feel the need to replace them? Star Ferry in Hong Kong still runs with iconic old ferries and they are much reliable then Gen2s. The freshwaters just need an engine and interior refit with a hull strengthen, then that's it. And Australia do have great shipbuilders, don't understand why they chose a Chinese one. I'm not saying Chinese ships are bad, but there isn't a good reason to do so.
Heres one for you. Why does the Parramatta ferry rarely go to Parramatta? I was there a few months ago and thought, 'you know what would be fun? Taking the Ferry into the city'. Nope, its like it only runs 3 times a day, its like the Dungong train service.
If the Parramatta River is in flood, the Rivercat won't run to Parramatta (the wharf at Parramatta will probably have the river running over it). And if the tide is low. The upper reaches of the river are quite shallow and narrow. The ferries run more often to Olympic Park and Rydalmere, from where you get a bus the rest of the way into Parramatta. The Parramatta River Rivercat service is quite popular on weekends. They often have to leave passengers on various wharves because they are full. If you are planning a trip, it's best to check the timetable/transport app. Currently there are no ferries running to Parramatta due to work being undertaken on the Gasworks Bridge.
There is another RUclipsr in Melbourne who runs a channel called Oceanliner Deaigns mostly about ships, ocean liners, and sometimes ferries. If you ever do another ferry video, I think it would be cool if you did a collab together.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Like the music? It's by my brother Cian, check out his stuff here: hyperfollow.com/cianbennetmusic
Want to support the channel, get early access to new videos a look behind the scenes? Join me on Patreon: www.patreon.com/Taitset
Check out some spectacular rough weather Freshwater action here: ruclips.net/video/0YoEaxi-Iy8/видео.htmlsi=MSk7HIhxfn39g2tK
Cian's music is amazing in this video! ❤
@@SYDTrainsFilms Glad you like :))
TfNSW Marketing needs to watch this video and update the slogan. 'Sydney Ferries: a lot like a tram network, but the track is wet and has sharks in it!'
Absolute gold! Cian's music is a nice touch, too.
Thanks Matt!
Yarra trams really should watch as well. "Catch the 96 to St Kilda Beach. Just like the Manly Ferry, only you won't get seasick and there are no sharks!"
@muddydave01 absolutely brilliant!
"The video where I talk about Sydney ferries for 40 minutes" would be awesome, Martin. 😁👍
I second this
Absolutely!
Do it... also Lady boats
i'll take "once again a conservative government changes something that doesn't need to be changed and the new changes don't work" for $50 martin
also they buy whatever is cheapest, not by reliability.
@@c.d.c9425 It is ironic how the politicians who want the most radical changes think of themselves as conservatives
@@c.d.c9425 maybe more that they privatise things to help Thier mates. Liberals are not very conservative in lots of ways.
@srinednco I mean you can say that for both governments, the Labor party here in QLD ordered our new trains that weren't wheelchair compliant
The Sydney Manly ferry trip is an absolute must do for me when I am in Sydney. The transit Department in NSW just doesn’t get how popular these ferries are for people like me. When it’s rough it’s just a bit of fun. I just couldn’t believe it when I first heard, that the Freshwaters were going to be retired . I also found it bazaar that the newest ferry of the fleet the Collaroy which had been fitted with Stabilisers is unlikely to be seen again. Sydney just doesn’t really know what it’s got with these 3 ferries. They should be marketed as a major tourist attraction.
Thank you RUclips Algorithm for throwing this into my feed. What a gem!
Love the party boat sign 😂
Coming from the USA, we were excited about touring Sydney, especially from the ferry and the monorail. We rode both when we were there in 1989. It was such a treat, I found a model of the monorail that I put on my HO scale model train layout.
Oh gosh, l remember riding on that monorail. It was an oddity and a novelty. These days whenever I hear or read "monorail", I can't help thinking about a certain Simpsons episode.
I lived in apartments in Darling Harbour and at that time used the monorail to commute into the city. Novel and weird but very effective for those in the area
I miss the monorail... :(
Last time i was in Sydney i took the Ferry to Paramatta the weather was uneventful on the way but a big storm swelled up on the way back, everyone starts going inside to sit out the waves meanwhile I'm standing out front like a madman having the time of my life with the ferry bouncing haha
Most fun i had that entire trip
😅when my now wife and I were courting 38 years ago we got up extremely early, and bought two $5 day rover tickets, this day was planned to the Nth degree, we started at Birchgrove and travelled on EVERY single Sydney ferry service to EVERY single public wharf, we took the private Birkenhead point ferry and the govt bus back to circular quay to keep going, it took from about 6am till 10pm and was one of the best days out of our lives..
did you ride the f10 blackwattle bay?
Anither melburnian here, absolutely love Sydney's ferries, when I was visiting last year I had about 4 hours to kill before my flight home so I took a train out to Parramatta and rode the ferry all the way into circular quay, and then out to Manly and back. There was a fire out on either Dobroyd or Middle Head that day, got a good view from the ferry
Would absolutely love some more ferry related videos!
The Ferries kinda look like the old Melbourne tram colours.
Sydney used to use a similar livery across it's buses and trams until the 1970s I think. It's quite nice.
I thought the same, but in reverse when I went to Melbourne for the first time. They were indeed the same.
You are correct because they all came under the same umbrella, being the Public Transport Commission and the exception to this was the train network.
I never thought that you would make a Sydney Ferry video. I was never a boat person (partly because I have a fear of boats sinking) but I found this video quite interesting. (While still managing to see most of the trains at Circular Quay in the background.)
I’m so happy that someone who actually makes good videos has covered Sydney ferries. I couldn’t pick fault with a single part of your video and it’s a great impression on anyone who wants to travel on one of these beautiful vessels. I’d say that I’m one of Sydney’s leading ferry enthusiasts on the internet so it’s very nice to see someone cover this topic without getting their facts wrong in everything they say. It’s fantastic to see these boats returning to the run although the retirement of Collaroy really shook me up since she is my favourite ferry, and as much as I hate to admit it I don’t believe she’ll return to service. Thank you so much for this great video Taitset, and I’d certainly love to see more ferry content in the future 😊
No worries, glad to hear I didn't make any major mistakes! :)
You're mourning of the end of Collaroy matches mine of Lady Herron. These vessels have life history and familial value.
Cian's music on point again
Thankyou! :))
Thanks for adding actual captions for the Deaf.
I second this. I’m not completely deaf but subtitles are a huge help when trying to listen for detail.
Another "Well done Martin!" from me. Your commentary revealed several things I was unaware of regarding Sydney's ferries and the political storm over the catamarans. 🙂
I used to catch Lady Herron to work (in the early 90s) from Cremorne Pt to the Quay and would frequently ride in the wheelhouse with a captain who became a very good friend.
Late last year I saw her (Herron) lying at Carrington Shipyards and I am very sad to hear she was scrapped. A stunningly beautiful vessel.
I also travelled on many of the harbour cats at the time and the similarity (in build) and the difference (double/single deck) to those in Newcastle currently is just lovely.
Thanks for the memories.
Hey Martin I was in Sydney around the same time your were in march. It was amazing how Sydney transports people around the city, from the double deck suburban and intercity trains to the regional trains they use such as the XPT which I took overnight service definitely recommend if you have been on the Xpt but the ferry were the interesting as some who lives in the mallee/north west VIC. Anyway awesome video very informative, cheers Brandon
As a Sydney child of the 60's I have a fond recollection of a trip on the Manly ferry. It was not particularly bad weather but that ferry was certainly moving around. The adults may have been queasy but for a kid it was as good as a roller coaster ride at Luna Park.
I rode a hydrofoil once as well and I'm glad I can say I did.
I have other fond memories of the harbour, like standing at the open doors of a red rattler crossing the bridge and sticking my head out to peer down through the ironwork to the water far below. Heck, I even dimly recall seeing a flying boat take off or land out near Rose Bay.
Then there were the days when Navy ships at Garden Island would be open for inspection by the public. Such simple pleasures are easily taken for granted by a wee lad but are mostly unrepeatable today.
Subscribed.
P.S. thankyou for your MSTS work.
Ahhh, classic Sydney weather on show as well - all that rain 😅
More ferries please!
the music was lovely! your brother is very talented :)
Great work again, Martin!!
I would like to see a video on the Sydney ferries network.
P.S. I took some photos of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House on the back of a ferry when my girlfriend and I went to Sydney last year, if you want me to share 👍
Interesting, this seems a lot like the extensive ferry network in Seattle which is used for a similar purpose. Cool video!
loved these ferries back when I was a kid. So iconic, way better than the catamaran style imo.
I love the Freshwater class Ferries, which I can't believe that it's 42yrs old (same age as me in July).
5:30 "we couldn't afford a train!" 😂
Excellent perspective on these iconic vessels!
Manly Ferry is up there with the London Routemaster Bus, Melbourne W Class Tram and the San Francisco Cable Cars!
yep, just outstanding, many a time many years ago I watched the ferries come and go at circular quay and watch them go past Middle Head to Manly and back just wonderful times.
Yes, please to more Sydney Ferries stuff! How I didnt go on a Manly ferry when I lived on the Central Coast is a mystery to my current self. And also other less known and interesting public transport things from around Oz, but especially Melbourne is welcome!
Perhaps one on Sydney's hydrofoil ferries.
As a train enthusiast that loved S sets.. once they were gone i found myself becoming just as happy with a ferry run..
the freshwater class remind me of very large S sets in a way internally. .
the rivercat class to olympic park are apparently going to be scrapped soon and replaced with the river class fully. Itd make a great video before they go
These days i find myself prefering the awesome rawness of a ferry ride vs the soundproofed sterility of a train
Great video :)
Watching in the UK, I enjoy every video you put up.
Can't wait for your offshoot channel Taitwet
First the bustituations, now ferries? Things have really gone of the rails, Martin!
I visited Sydney in 2015 from Switzerland and clearly noticed these beautiful Freshwater ferries. Thank you for your great video doing justice to this fleet! And like many other commenters, I would love to hear more about the ferry system!
Name a more iconic duo than the W-class tram and the Freshwater-class ferry.
I Rode those ferries many times as a teen in the early 90's while travelling to Manly and/or Shelly Beach. I'm glad to hear that they still remain in service.
I've been sad about the retirement of the Freshwater Class since their retirement was announced. I'm so glad to hear they weren't replaced (didn't hear the news earlier). Like you, to me they are THE Sydney ferry and try to ride to Manly and back every time I'm in Sydney. I can't wait to go back to Sydney to ride one!
Incredible video! I’m a sucker for trains, don’t get me wrong
But this was such a refreshing video with how different it was, keep up the incredible work and love all your footage you get 🥳
Another brilliant video. Love the little smiling shark on the drawing
Lord Taitset delivers once again! Great vid Martin.
Yes please love to see more ferries. Many thanks
Nice one mate. Your photos are amazing and narration is perfect. When it comes to using the upper deck ramps, back in the days before the Emeralds, both ramps were used for pretty much all trips as they were typically carrying about 500 a run. Now with just 100-200 a run, there's no need for the upper deck ramp (I've had trips where there's been 4 of us). It's unfortunate that the Collaroy and Narrabeen are still off the run and I hope we will see both vessels back soon - Narrabeen will return next year. I was aboard Collaroy's final run, up in the wheelhouse, where it was a mix of emotions.
Definitely keen to see more ferries!
Thankyou very much, glad you enjoyed it! And very interesting about the ramps.
I was just on one! I came home to see this, lol
Another superb video Martin - thanks 😊
As a Sydney boy who lived in the west around Parramatta it was always great as a kid to travel to Circular Quay by train for a ride to Manly for fish and chips on The Corso and return by ferry with the harbour lights at night.
Ferries like the South Stein and Dee Why and Curl Curl and then of course The Freshwaters - I call them real ferries.
You summed up the history beautifully and even though you are probably a proud Melbourne-ite you did a brilliant job promoting a real Sydney travel icon.
Would certainly love to hear a video on the other ferries including the new Parramatta River Cats.
Thanks again for an informative video on the Manly Ferry.
PS - as an announcer for 38years who has done radio, tv and voice over work I really like your narration style - it’s very easy to understand and listen to - well done 👍 ✅😀. TD. (Terry)
Thankyou very much!
A really well composed and informative clip. I've been on the Freshwaters, but didn't realise they did trips outside the Heads at one stage.
Decades back I went a couple of times outside the Heads on the South Steyne. It was built in Scotland and actually steamed under its own power to Sydney. You could look down into the engine room from above during the journey.
One trip was particularly rough with the bow being engulfed by water and the prop rising out of the sea on the waves. as a teenager it was such fun. A reciprocating steam ferry certainly has all the class and personality, if not more, than a classic steam locomotive.
I love these particular ferries.great to use for a day out on the harbour to manly.also for me taking photos of the passing ships.i also use the other ferries for Watson's bay.fish and chips, the darling harbour ferry to Pyrmont and back is worth the trip.great video.thanks.👍👍👍👍🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺
Martin I just love your videos so much
Thankyou :)
Does Sydney have the world's best public ferry system in terms of number of lines, ridership and frequency? I know Hong Kong and Istanbul also have strong ferry services, but in North America, the only cities with true commuter ferries are probably Seattle (Bainbridge Island), Vancouver (Seabus to North Shore) and NYC (Staten Island)
Sydney isn't ranked at the top but rather around 7th I believe in terms of passenger numbers. I may be wrong but it's an easy search to get the proper placement.
More Ferry videos please Martin, I am very much the same as you, a trip to Sydney has to include a ferry ride to Manly and back.
Fantastic video.
One of my favourite early memories is catching a Freshwater around age 4 or 5. Going to stay with my Grandparents and Aunt in Disney during the Christmas holidays often involved catching a Rivercat from Meadowbank into either Circular Quay to then catch the Manly Ferry, or to Darling Harbour.
The harbour and its activity has always been my favourite part of Sydney.
I remember when I was very young being on the Manly ferry being inside looking down into the hull seeing the big engine working. For me that was so exciting.
Great video. Looking forward to a Transperth ferry video.
Remember back in the late 70's early 80's sometimes when the weather was shitty and the swell was up we'd go down and pay for a return fare on the ferry. Would stand up on the seats in the outside deck just in a small covered area on the seaward side of the ferry and ride the swells. Hide in the loos just before we got to the Quay and re-emerge after the return trip was started - then rinse and repeat (almost literally) at the Manly end the at the Quay and so on. Good days entertainment for the price of a return token.
Great Video! definitely sparked an interest in Sydney's Ferries
Love the ship videos, would love to see more! Keep up the great work!
Cant wait I’ll be back in 85 mins
In early 1999 I was on Narrabeen when it bounced off one of the points of Middle Head whilst avoiding a flotilla of those little tiny two person sailing racers. The ferry headed straight for the nearest beach across the harbour but then headed to Circular Quay and docked at the cruise ship wharf. It was on the news that night that it lost a rudder and propellor, had a deccent hole in the hull and was sitting around 5' lower in the "bow". Two weeks later I shipped out to recruit school in the Royal Australian Navy!!
I don’t know why but this video is my favorite. It’s just different from the rest and has a much more calming feel to it.
Thankyou!
I remember the Tasmanian built crafts doing trial runs on the Derwent River, watching them do 360's out in the bay off shore from Bellerieve.
Well done 😊😊😊😊😊🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Sydney Ferries is my favorite public transport in the world, nothing beats being at the front of the boat on a sunny day. I recently took a trip to Manly on an emerald class it's quite fast only a couple minutes slower then the Manly fast ferry I would say.
great video as always, Martin
Great video.
I travelled the manly ferry as a child on a stormy day and I still remember how terrifying it was. You can always catch the bus as an alternative.
Great video - thanks for all your work!
Could you do a video about the Suburban rail loop. I think that would be a sick video and you could keep us updated throughout the development.
Pith they didn't keep one of the old Scottish built ferries operable as a tourist attraction, North Steyne, South Steyne etc. They were the classics. great video and well researched.
Please do Brisbane's trains or ferries when you get up here. The ferries in particular are awesome along the river
Definitely iconic.
Sometimes older is better. I was fortunate enough to be in Sydney when the Freshwater class were reintroduced into service. Sadly I didn’t get to ride them but it was definitely an impressive sight to see in the harbour. Great to hear they’ll be in service for many years to come. Bye.
I had the good fortune about 4 years ago to go sailing with Don Laverick (Laverick's were Carrington Slipways). His sons still sail out of RMYC Toronto. Don was discussing design and he told me they didn't have computed aided design back then - he had 30 men with paper, pencils, graphs, set squares and compasses and every boat was hand drawn. I currently sail with one of his old project managers. At the time of writing this Don is 93.
I've been on those ferries. The last one I remember steeping on board was the MV Narrabeen, not sure if it was from Manly to Circular Quay or Circular Quay to Manly!
i didnt know the collaroy would be taken out of service a few months after i went to sydney in september 2023, luckily i took as many photos as i could of it
Hi Taitset, I sail on the racing yacht shown from 8:52. I was very Suprised to see it in this video! Is there any chance you have the full unedited clip that you shot?
The blue yacht “Firstlight” with the white spinnaker
Yes no worries, I've uploaded the clip to a temporary folder here: [link now removed]
You absolute legend!
@@skylord2422 No problem!
Lmk next time you’re in Sydney if you’d like a sail
Nice video, very educational, how well does the ferry network integrate with the train and bus network across the public Sydney transport system? As a Victorian it is interesting to see others states transport systems.
We have something similar, only smaller in Halifax, Nova Scotia
I’ve never been on a freshwater, and in fact I’ve only ever been on one ferry, in the 1980’s I went to the zoo on Fishburn. It’s strange but I have this odd attachment to it, and when I’m in Sydney I’ll always look out for it, and see if there’s any new RUclips videos taken on it or featuring it. I should go and ride it again, it’s only been 40 years or so..
what happen to your HO scale trains?
Anyway Great video!
i loved this one
Hey Taitset, i'm doing a Melbourne train station battle royale where i spin the wheel and that station then gets removed. I then keep on doing this until one remains so do you wanna particapate? (Also do you know any apps that when you zoom in on an image it doesn't get pixelated?)
What specific song do you use in this video? also brilliant video! I live in Seattle & we have a massive ferry fleet to, only ours are entirely designed as "auto" ferries, w e use them as high capacity transport vehicles, but also to carry a signifigant number of cars, ours even feature full cafe's with a full kitchen, and usually have 3-4 levels, pretty much all our ferries, have the same iconic design, just very signifigantly in size from the tiny kwa-de-tabil class with "only" 750 pax and cars, to the Evergreen & olympic class, both can carry over 140 cars, and 1500 passengers, mainly used on the bremerton-seattle run. interestingly most of the sound is pretty calm even in high winds, however the routs from anacortis to the San Juan islands can face pretty heavy seas going out toward the pacific ocean, although for the most part its still fairly sheltered. We have recently added back up propellers to all of our ferries, so 2 forward & 2 rear (although each ferry is almost exactly the same on each side, and all are bi-directional.) this is because we have had multiple "hard landing" incidents where the ferries either hit a wave, and slammed into the dock, or just didnt slow down in time, so the back up propellers now automatically engage if an alarm isnt triggered in time (like AWS for trains but for boats) this has prevented a hard lnding incident, and for the most part, the ferries, are very reliable, almost every route operates every hour or better, most run half hourly, and the bremerton route at sunset is just spectacular. WE LOVE OUR FERRIES! we also have the largest ferry fleet in the united states.
Oh yes I just had a look, the Seattle ferries look very cool!
The song used in this one was made specifically for the video, so it doesn't appear anywhere else at this stage.
The names of the Emerald class ferries are reminiscent of the former hydrofoils on the Manly run in the 1960s . Possibly the best known was the Fairlight , and like the Emerald class , these vessels were also plagued with mechanical problems , so the reuse of the names would seem to be appropriate !
great!
I watch and subscribe to your RUclips channel from the U.S. Do you happen to know why Sydney Trains Cabview took down all his rail videos, and now it appears the channel itself no longer exists? I didn't know whether you two might have been acquainted. We suffered a loss when that channel went away.
I'm not sure of the exact situation, but rumour has it Sydney Trains management became aware of the channel and issued a warning to all staff not to use recording devices in the cab. It's a big shame, it was a great channel!
Best urban ferries I’ve ever travelled in, and should be retained not only as a beautiful historical fleet (much like the Hong Kong Star Ferry (2nd best)) but should be restored to having a bar, food, and cafe on board.
I’d also love a hydrofoils to be returned to the harbour, even as only a tourist vessel. Damn I miss them.
Do another video like the upfield line video that one was so good
My grandmother was one who tried to catch thelast ferry before rough swells coming trough the Heads cancelled them.
What is your opinion on the effectiveness of the routes at the moment. For example should f9 and f7 be combined to provide more connections along the route, or is the main focus on getting people to and from circular quay. Also do you know if they will open new routes?
Good question, it does look like it would make sense for both to connect somewhere. Although there are probably buses that would do the job for trips like that. I'm not sure if there are any plans for new routes!
F7 and F4 would probably be a better idea
The Emerald Class replacements were a mistake as was obviously publicly shown.
The Freshwater ferries being as old as I am are tough, tested seafaring ferries that have stood the test of time.
I wish I knew about the timetable quirk when I visited Sydney last month. I was stuck with an Emerald Gen 2 on my trip. Of course the NSW LNP are idiots when it came to the new trains etc. I feel there was no reason we couldn't have hit up our southern neighbours, in Vic, to build the new trains and trams.
The Freshwater’s interior reminds me of the CityCat, but more green. The exterior though is way cooler; especially with the double-ended operation like a multiple unit train
Manly ferries. It is the journey not the destination. The bigger the waves the better. ☮🏳🌈
I don't feel the need to replace them? Star Ferry in Hong Kong still runs with iconic old ferries and they are much reliable then Gen2s. The freshwaters just need an engine and interior refit with a hull strengthen, then that's it.
And Australia do have great shipbuilders, don't understand why they chose a Chinese one. I'm not saying Chinese ships are bad, but there isn't a good reason to do so.
Australian Crawl., 'Reckless', 1983.
Heres one for you. Why does the Parramatta ferry rarely go to Parramatta? I was there a few months ago and thought, 'you know what would be fun? Taking the Ferry into the city'. Nope, its like it only runs 3 times a day, its like the Dungong train service.
If the Parramatta River is in flood, the Rivercat won't run to Parramatta (the wharf at Parramatta will probably have the river running over it). And if the tide is low. The upper reaches of the river are quite shallow and narrow. The ferries run more often to Olympic Park and Rydalmere, from where you get a bus the rest of the way into Parramatta. The Parramatta River Rivercat service is quite popular on weekends. They often have to leave passengers on various wharves because they are full. If you are planning a trip, it's best to check the timetable/transport app. Currently there are no ferries running to Parramatta due to work being undertaken on the Gasworks Bridge.
yes more syd ferries= Botany and Newcastle please
There is another RUclipsr in Melbourne who runs a channel called Oceanliner Deaigns mostly about ships, ocean liners, and sometimes ferries. If you ever do another ferry video, I think it would be cool if you did a collab together.
More ferries please
You also forgot the big grey boats that inhabit garden Island.