A rare treat.... buying a thick rectangular cardboard ticket (half the ticket each way) and getting on a train from Granville to go into the city during school holidays (when the drivers weren't on strike that is!), standing by an open red rattler door for the whole trip in with the roar of the wind in my hair, peeking out just a little until a train came past the other way and then ducking back in until it had passed. Unlike now, cocooned in plastic and glass being forced to listen to some millennial stooge incessantly saying "like" on their phone for the whole trip.
I well remember these red rattlers as I started work in the early 60s and had to catch trains to work. Prior to that my brother and I would get a one shilling (10 cent) return ticket which allowed us to travel anywhere on the network so long as we only left the station at one destination... as I recall. We were traveling between Tempe and Arncliffe stations on our way to Cronulla and were just crossing Cooks River while standing in the open doorway when a very loud voice from behind us yelled "Get away from that doorway". We nearly fell out of the open doorway, we had that much of a fright. On turning around there was this old lady with a sandwich board strapped to her shoulders so we meekly stood well back from the doorway. I later came to realise that it was B. Miles a famous Sydney excentric of the time. That is my most unforgettable memory of the old rattlers.
My recollection of the red rattlers was travelling through the city circle line with the lights flickering on and off. From memory some carriages had incandescent lighting as well.
Only one or two memories riding on these when I was very young. I remember once the doors being open for the breeze on a hot day but my mother very disapprovingly keeping a hold of me so as to keep me away. I remember they had a distinct smell, incredibly antiquated and dim yet ornate light fixtures, and (much like driving an older car) felt much more connected to the surrounding environment, unlike the exceedingly insulated and sterilised feel of modern rolling stock. I've not yet travelled on the new Metro but knowing how they have the barriers on the platform for safety is just the further bubble-wrapping of society and disconnecting people from, again, the reality and experience of the environment around them. The red rattlers really are a reminder of just a better, simpler time. Am also going to miss the V-sets when they go, they are amazingly comfortable trains. I doubt any of the modern stuff will last even half as long as either the Red Rattlers or the V-sets will have accomplished. Great footage, thankyou for sharing!
Thanks so much for that insight. I agree fully, the disconnect from the environment is everywhere. I like to keep that connection wherever I can in my videos. Thanks for watching
It has long been an ambition of mine to acquire a double deck carriage and turn it into a house. At 78 I have left it too late however, with this in mind and considering the housing crisis confronting a sizeable portion of our population, these red rattlers could well be modified to make some medium term accommodation. Scrapping them is sheer waste of a valuable resource given the hardship many are facing in these difficult times.
I remember 1991 in Sydney,such a special year and full of wonderfull memories,the rail network back then was really something special..all the old trains were still running,safety and security on trains and stations was really being ramped up,I vividly recall the nightsafe tangaras,and how all the stations were being repainted and rebuilt,all the station signs were all colour coded,to match the light pole colour,and the old classic indicator board and clock,full of life and history..grant Goldman RIP,for his clear and direct station announcements,trains still operated into the early hours of the morning..the Sydney system back then had a really special feeling to it,that has long since gone sadly..I haven't returned to Sydney in many years,and from what I've seen on various videos..the old Sydney has well and truly gone,so sad😢
Hi Donald, those are some great detailed memories that I had forgotten about, thank you so much for reminding me. Yes you are right Sydney is not what it used to be. Thanks for watching
@trainspottingwithbarrie your very welcome,it was a very special time and I'm so greatfull to have been able to experience the city rail system while the M&W sets were still running..it was a time and place,that sadly will never be seen again,except for your wonderfull videos,and thankyou for all the memories it brings back.
As a kid i was fascinated by these wonderful old trains, The sounds & feel of the traction motors, The smell of the brakes at the stations, Hearing the compressors recharging the air supply, The incandescent lighting, The old green seats & brass hand rails, Open doors on a summers day...Great memories! I can't believe it's been over 30 years since the red's were retired, I'm so glad a few were preserved for heritage
Just so sad to see these classic trains getting scrapped. As a kid I remember the strange VD 'it's catching' Ad's that were inside. I bet they wouldn't allow that now. Very different times.
Between 1973 and 1978 I travelled between Riverwood and Kingsgrove everyday for school. The red rattlers were a big part of my day to and from school. Open doors, the noise of the electric motors whining, glory days indeed.
Many memories regards the old Red Rattlers, HOT in summer, COLD in winter, WET when raining, hanging out the open doors going to and from school (Riverwood to Narwee), jumping off the train whilst still moving as the train came into the platform and lets not forget running from the transport Detectives and snappers as they walked through the carriages, Yes many great memories.
Growing up in the 1970s going down to sydney christmas holidays and spending with my family how lived in sydney . Going around with my first cousins in sydney spending time on the old red rattlers back in the 1970s going to the old luna Park.
I can remember lots of things like the sound of the air compressor and the jolt when starting off from a station, the rattling of the windows, the smell of the brakes, the spinning wheels on a wet track, the wooden pull down shutters etc memories.......
I started work as an apprentice draughtsman in 1980. The company was "in the city", which was actually Milsons Point. To a boy from Guildford West, anything east of Strathfield was in the city. I have many memories of the red sets. I remember everything from chucking-up while hungover in the gap between carriages to fresh air on hot sunny days with those click-clack guillotine window ratchets. One day just east of Lidcombe, heading west, there was one school girl when only seconds ago there were two. She had been leaning out of the opened, passenger controlled doors. Her friend was screaming in panic. Everything stopped. The train remained stationary for quite some time. When eventually the train moved onto Lidcombe station I witnessed the ambulance with the trolley/gurney on the platform as they took her to the waiting ambulance. By my calculation, she'd be in her mid-fifties now (circa 2024).
My earliest memories were before my family owned a car we lived in Summer Hill and my father’s sister lived at Thornleigh. The Sunday evening return trip. Waiting in the shelter shed on Thornleigh platform,watching up the line for those 2 faint headlights, the tick tick tick of the train at idle, the yellow glow of the filament globes and the high back heavy duty seats. The strange little ads mostly from government departments describing conditions like type 2 diabetes and something called VD. The made dash to change trains at Burwood for the last 3 stops to Summer Hill. My last memory was the red rattler at about 8.10am at Blacktown (Richmond line platforms) to North Sydney to go to work. Most of the time getting you to North Sydney about 9.20am and usually delayed crossing SHB. That was 1988. Cold in winter, hot in summer. Always full.
I remember (as a kid), my mum and I were on a journey to sydney terminal on a V-Set. We just so happened to look out of window, and some "dirty buggers" decided to moon us, from an old 'red rattler' - doors open huge whs these daysn :D
@@trainspottingwithbarrie My mum actually had a chuckle then was like "those dirty buggers" - she used to be a Registered Nurse lol. My mum used to say "they probably got more 'fun' doing that then my response lol.
Great coverage thank you 👍 A couple of trips in single deck sets are well remembered, one after other on a wet quiet Sunday night in 1976 when I was 12, from Liverpool to strathfield then the other to west ryde. Both 8 cars sets with next to nobody on them. Both the power cars I travelled in were in shocking condition, quite a few lights not working and broken light covers dangling with the sway of the car, tired traction motors howling in protest. I was won over that night. Loved them and took a few photos of them which was difficult to do sometimes as all you wanted to do was travel on them!
Thank you for the footage. There seems to be a mail carriage among the scrapping stock. It used to deliver parcels to the stations. The double decker trailers were a prototype before they make it in the S set. I know someone who bought a U set carriage, put into his rural land and converted into a holiday house.
I remember the 2 Reds decommissioned and parked up just off the main road to the international section of the airport. My memory was seeing them 1977 when I came back from New Zealand when I was 7 years old.... Fast forward to 1989 as a out of work apprentice sign writers looking for work around Alexandria ( where I did get a job ) and I decided to find my way to those carriages and I took photos around and inside them. The very faded red one closest to the metal yards had spoke wheels and by then other recently decommissioned Reds were joining them all the way down to the overhead road bridge. .. I also went to the Redfern yards armed with a camera in 1992 and asked workers there if I could go in the yard to take photos of the carriages there and they were fine with that. There was no one working in the sheds at all and I remember some cars with tape on them warning of asbestos. There was also a few of those stainless steel cars they used for interstate travel. I walked inside one that had beds made up. Being parked up within the Reds I guessed they were decommissioned as well. It's 32 years on and to the workers that may of pulled out it's interior before it was scrapped, I was the person that did the unflushed number 2 in the toilet... I felt bad about doing it then but when you gotta go.. you gotta go.... Somewhere I have those photos of Redfern Reds . Love to share them... Great video and love reading others comments 👍
I'd love to see those photos too. Yeah there were a number sheeted off in plastic for asbestos, the sheets blew in the wind, not sure if they actually did anything. Thanks for watching and sharing.
I travelled from Warrawee to Milson's Point every day for school. We schoolboys spent our lives hanging out of the doors. When the train arrived at Gordon it would pull in beside the 'local' service on the adjacent platform. It was much emptier, so people would step out of one train and into the other. I remember doing it with my father.
I remember the red rattler based freight cars that travelled around the Sydney rail network to on station parcels offices. People could send parcels via this system. They were 1 or 2 car units only.
Worked in North Sydney 1985-86 and rode these trains across the harbour bridge every day. Doors wide open for ventilation! Just a pole to hold onto to stop you flying out, and becoming a mass of bloodied body bits. Loved it! Health and safety taken care of by common sense. Bet accidents were rare back then despite this.
What a trip down memory lane. I travelled to school late 80s and 90s on trains. Now with teen kids I can’t imagine the knots in my stomach if I thought my kids were on a train next to an open doorway hurtling through tunnels. Different times. We lost a kid at our school falling out the door while mucking around with mates.
Great video and well researched Barrie, good value! I have fond memories of them, especially the whine of the traction motors. An interesting follow up to the rattlers would be the history of the Tulloch double deck trailer cars that we put in the middle of the rattlers. I liked the "Shirley" era blue and white rattlers. The old days of open doors and smoking/non smoking carriages, when the driver stood whilst driving, cab door open, rather than sit on the stool provided. Like Melbourne's classic Tait sets the old red rattlers served Sydney well. I wonder if they saved and preserved a red rattler "Trackfast" parcels unit?👍
Hi Dave. That is a great idea on the Tulloch cars, I'll see what's in the archive. As far as the parcel vans I'd be interested to know as well, unfortunately I haven't seen any in my travels.
@@trainspottingwithbarrie Tulloch actually made a small number of suburban electric power cars too Barrie I was told, but not confirmed. they would be a collectors item today.
I was one of many who rebuilt the power cars at suburban car workshops in 1985-1989 then went to punchbowl maintenance centre to assist in maintaining them until they were withdrawn from service in the early 1990's
I worked for the NSWGR and traveled on these trains a lot. Loved them. Hanging out the doors, jumping on and off at the platforms. We got lectured about the stupidity of that by our bosses, as one of us ended up slipping between train and platform. One of them (it was wooden) caught fire going over the harbour bridge and was stopped at North Sydney. On one adventure as I went to step off at North Sydney the train suddenly sped up and raced up the North Shore line finally stopping at Chatswood. I have a lot of train stories. Good times.
My old man used to tell me that my maternal grandfather fell out of train on the way to work in Sydney one morning and I never knew if he was pulling my leg. Going through his stuff after dad passed 2 years ago I actually found the newspaper clipping about it, verifying that the story was true. Apparently he was having a heart attack which is why he fell out of the train. I guess one way or another he was a goner. Also, my uncle worked as a guard on the red rattlers for about 10 years as well. And me? I have worked for Queensland rail for 35 years now, the last 29 as guard and driver.
Thanks so much for sharing that family story. Coming from a railway family and being a railway man, I'm sure you have lots of great stories. Thanks for watching
1974 Commuted from Blacktown to Paramatta and back each day for high school, had a home made key to get into the guards van / drivers area at the rear of the train ( the guards were always in the middle of the train) the drivers area had a slide door that was locked with a different key but not always. Me and another student could have cigarette without getting dirty looks plus one of us would get a seat!
Hmmm so I wasn't the only one then 😂 I loved to travel in the guards compartment of the U boats and watch the Amp meter and speedo. Thanks for watching
Hi Barrie 👋 I see that my original comment is not here, which is a RUclips glitch that I have been dealing with for some time. I won't rewrite it because the comment section more than covers what I said. I really enjoyed this presentation, and I look forward to more of the same. Well done Barrie 👏 👍
Hi John, I'm so sorry I missed it, I try to get to your messages straight away but this video took off in the comments (which is great) but it just taking me a little longer to answer everyone. I'm glad you liked the video, I've got more similar to this coming. 😃
@trainspottingwithbarrie No worries Barrie 👍 the comment may not have been visible to you as I have been having this issue for some time, I recently experimented with another creator and I could see my comment but he couldn't even though I wrote it while he was on the phone to me. I am certainly looking forward to more like this, and BTW, I certainly remember the platform tickets that you mentioned in another comment 😀 I got busted many times as a kid without a valid platform ticket 🎟 😀
The Red Rattlers, And The U-Sets Are Just So Redolent Of The Gloriously Happy Days Of Sydney; Of The 60's And 70's, As The Changes In Society, Wrought Largely By The Vietnam War, Rang Out The Old World, Now Replaced With A World Where Nobody Looks Up From Their Personal Talisman, The Bloody Mobile 'Phone!! Even When Something Really Remarkable Happens, It's Incredible To Me That Literally Everyone Puts Their Bloody 'Phone Before Their Face, Blotting Out The Event, In Order To Record It For Their Imaginary Friends!! It Could Be The Second Bloody Coming, And People's 'Phones Would Come Out, With Them Missing The Entire Significance!! In The Old World, Before The Cult Of Safety For Everyone Except "Extreme Sportsmen," The Sheer Joy Of Standing At The Open Doors Of The Red Sets On A Hot Day, Or For That Matter, On The Loading Board Of The Old Green And Cream Double Decker Buses, Was Something Which Will Never Return: Freedom!! I Used To Love The Feel Of The Wind Between My Ears!! In Those Days, The Only People Who Weren't Happy Were The "Metho's;" The Derelict Ex-Servicemen Of Both World Wars, The Drug-Addicted Vietnam Vets, And Their Imitators, The Counter-Culture Hippys With Their Half-Arsed Fascination With Everything "Eastern!!" For The Rest Of Us, It Was Those Halcyon Days, When Life Was Enough To Make You Cry With Joy!!
What an amazing way with words, I couldn't agree more. Ironically I'm responding to you on my phone, but I too am amazed that we as a society have lost touch with our environment that we live in and would rather see life virtually from our homes. I guess that works for me as a RUclipsr though. Thanks so much for watching and sharing.
I moved to Aus from the UK in 1972, I was 18 and felt like I had stepped back in time,in ,any ways I thought they were backward and horrible also so hot in summer and cold in winter.. They had characterx and the whine of dc traction motors, I loved the old Diamond pantographs. The fact is I remember the remaining wooden body Bradfield. cars. Where has the last 52 years gone?
Hi Steven. It's amazing how time flies and how quickly things change. That's why I feel it's so important to document on video even the most mundane as it will one-day be a treasured memory. Thanks for watching
@@trainspottingwithbarrie Hello Barrie, when I came to Aus I lived in Auburn and worked in North Sydney, I remember North Sydney when it ws in the open and not built over. Often I could get in the rear carriage with the driver and brake and I loved travelling alone in the dark tunnels from the bridge to central and being able to see the rails behind. Sometimes I travelled in old Bradfield cars.
Ah memories. When I could get from Sefton to the office in Circular Quay in less than half an hour, way less than half what it takes now. Fun trivia. Because the roofs of the red rattlers were made from gigantic single piece steam shaped plywood, Australia had a world beating industry in plywood forming. That was then used by Jørn Utzon for the furniture and ceilings in the Sydney Opera House.
I remember them well 55 to60s travelling Bankstown to city as a youngster & later to tech college crowded & packed stand all the way ,hot in summer & cold in winter & the smell of dc motors & burning brakes hmm coff ,coff ...😂😊
I remember back in 1985 at around 3:25pm catching a 8 carriage red rattler from Westmead to Ropes Creek. As the train snaked its way from the suburban down at St Mary’s across the down main before crossing a the up main and suburban to the Ropes Creek line. It hummed along to Dunheved with its unique sway and bounce. Pure grace to say the least as it marched passed the security gates near Forrester road into the old ammunition’s factory. Stopping at Cochrane, no one on no one off and then gracing it’s way to Ropes Creek-station, where a handful of workers made the way onboard for the trip back to St Mary’s.
Yea I was there being born in the early 60’s rode lots and lots of these old beauty’s red rattles and the silver inter city sets. Remember when I was dating my wife she live in Penrith and I in Granville I use to catch the last train from Penrith it normally was a silver set .
Travelling home to Gordon mid 70’s with my Dad while I was on school holidays, I fell out of the front carriage onto the platform midway along. Needless to say I am still here to tell the story, however I had many injuries and spent time in hospital
I caught the train to school from Revesby to St James from 1981 to 1985. So many stories to tell. Sometimes during heavy rains, Wolli Creek would flood from Bardwell Park to Turrella. The water level was way above the wheels and the red rattlers went through without a problem. The waves created was like being on a ferry.
Oh you just HAD to get that vid of F1 just after the flat wheel incident a little while back eh...🤣😂. Of course nowadays I'm at the centre of the restoration movement as elec foreman on these trains for HET. However my passion for them was sparked by two events. The entree' was an accident at St Marys in 1982 where a red set ran away and ended up sprawled halfway across Camira St, not far from my high school. Naturally after school we all went to take a look. i remember seeing the drivers cab and fittings and couldn't believe how old they were and still running. i even souvenired a few LV fuses.. which I still have in a box somewhere. The main course however came in 1985, when my usual double deck express to uni was replaced by an 8 car single deck set one particular morning. This set had a drunk driver at the front. To say the ride was rough was an understatement. Parramatta at the time was being quadruplicated - and there was a set of temporary points at the city end of Westmead with a speed limit of 25kph. We hit it at 90kph. In an instant almost every passenger on the right of the train was on the left, many on top of others and some injured. BUT THE TRAIN STAYED ON THE TRACK. Passengers alighting at Parramatta alerted staff to the situation. By the time the set reached Central, police were waiting and escorted the driver off the train. What happened with the driver was a side story. For me, the main story was with the train. I JUST HAD TO FIND OUT MORE about these amazing trains. Before long I wouldn't travel on anything else and spent days and days in the state library reading every book I could find on them. The rest .. and the dessert.... is history. schoolpa.com.au/PDF/HistoryOfElectricTrainPreservationInNSW2019-300dpi.pdf
I started regular train travel in 1964, using both the red rattlers and their blue and white derivatives 5 days a week or more. This may hurt some people, but regular commuters welcomed their departure. Hot to exceedingly hot in summer; cold to exceedingly cold in winter; a pretty rough ride all year round
@@trainspottingwithbarrie What's the character they had? The rough ride, the draughts? I can remember the ancient wooden carriages which had limited connection with the chassis and incredibly dangerous doorways. I'm very much in favour of trains and have spent a bit of time this afternoon in several. I'll do much the same tomorrow and Sunday, being very glad for the safety and rigidity of the carriages.
Please don't call them "Red Rattlers". That is a MELBOURNE expression that seems to have crept into Sydney after the event. They were never called that in Sydney when they were active. I'm old enough (76) to remember.
Hi John, thanks for your opinion, I too am old enough to remember, and as a "Sydneyite" that caught these trains everyday, they very much WERE called Red Rattlers. Just as Melbourne has the Red Rattlers so does Sydney and there is no exclusivity with that name as I understand the US also uses that alliteration. So I will continue to use this term in relation to Sydney's single decker electric stock as I always have done, and as my father and his generation also called them. Thanks for watching though.
I remember having the doors open whilst travelling 100km/h and sticking my head into the breeze. Also peggi g fruit out of the train and onto the steel centenary support structures and watching them explode on impact. Also of pressing the pressure relief valve when we had pneumatic door closing versions. The sound of the motors revving up with a sharp “ping” when the acceleration atopped and coasted was fun as was the shunting between powered and non powered carriages. The smell of the brakes too was unique. My favourite were the really old rattlers built in the 1920s with triple leaf springs which bounced all over the place and were very loud. I loved the lights which were incandescent and glowed a warm yellow light that was relaxing as a child. Loved the red rattlers and glad to experience the joy of riding them many times. A bygone era where things were made to last.
I love hearing the memories, it's amazing how we have changed as a culture, with being "safe" and protected. Kids today will never know these joys you have mentioned. Thanks for sharing
As a SETS member, Millfren the wreckers allowed some of us to souvenir some interesting parts. Some preserved. A lot of cars, without asbestos were sold.
I remember at one stage, probably in the 70's, some of the carriages had coloured vinyl or something applied. I haven't been able to find any photos or videos of them.
Question for you Barrie, whats happening with the Red Rattlers sitting out in the open out the back of Chullora? They've been sitting there for years on a side spur track getting vandalized all the time. Cant some enthusiast group save and restore that so we've got a 2nd red set preserved?
I used to drive these sets when I was stationed at Punchbowl depot (now gone). My last trip on the red rattlers was to St Marys then back to the city. The S sets replaced the bulk of them but those too were never air conditioned.
@@trainspottingwithbarrie Back in those days, Punchbowl depot was the only ETR depot with a train washing plant. They were great days when heading off to work was always an adventure that I loved. Every day was different and never boring.
1970,as a 4yo,traveling to the city with my family for the Bi-Centenary,Dad nursing me at the open doorway.The most comfortable seats ever.I am disgusted at scumbags Governments every time I pass the disused Everleigh Railway Workshops.Why can’t we build own stuff,instead of importing overseas garbage,at the cost of our own jobs? ( I never worked at Everleigh.I served my apprenticeship at Cockatoo Island Dockyard.Another sad story).
Hi Wayne. I feel the same way, it's a real shame. Keep on my channel I've got some garden island and area footage kicking around in the archive. Thanks for watching and sharing your story.
First First trip was 1991 on a visit to Sydney, took a train to Newtown. Red set turned up and thought what's with the interior, that two tone green was awful, but the train was great!!
I don't remember these being classed as red rattlers, I always thought they were brown, what I know as the red rattlers were the diesels on the hunter line
The rattlers had the best air-conditioning of any of Sydney's trains all the doors and windows open catching a breeze through the whole train and yes as a kid I did hang out of the open doors, it's amazing how we look back on these dinosaurs with nostalgia and love 😢😊
Anyone that has stood or sat on crowded evening peak trains on a +35°C day will know that relying on the aircon on most of the newer Sydney double deckers is total crap, and it was always better on a K set, C set or before them one of the older SD models with the door open between the carriages. Can't wait for the new Metro to open and people across the entire city will finally see what a modern fast, frequent, fully air-conned (at least the stations Waterloo-Central-Gadigal-Martin Place-Broo-VicX-Crows Nest) single-deck Metro train can really do, compared to the hot cramped legacy stations and double deckers. Double-deckers make sense on the longer lines that need more seating (from Macarthur, Cronulla/Waterfall, Emu Plains, Berowra) but it was totally stupid to move the whole network entirely to double-deckers with lines like Inner West, Northern, Revesby/Airport, Bankstown, Hurstville, Bondi Junction, Carlingford+Olympic Park shuttles.
I remember hanging onto the railing with the door open - it's just how it was back then when it was hot
I worked out a way to stand next to the door and it will open and close by itself from inertia.
It sure was, and what a relief it was to finally get in the underground where the air was cooler. Thanks for sharing
A rare treat.... buying a thick rectangular cardboard ticket (half the ticket each way) and getting on a train from Granville to go into the city during school holidays (when the drivers weren't on strike that is!), standing by an open red rattler door for the whole trip in with the roar of the wind in my hair, peeking out just a little until a train came past the other way and then ducking back in until it had passed. Unlike now, cocooned in plastic and glass being forced to listen to some millennial stooge incessantly saying "like" on their phone for the whole trip.
Hahaha. I love the millennial stooge. Do you remember the paper platform tickets? Thanks for sharing the memories.
dont you mean Gen Z not millennial
I well remember these red rattlers as I started work in the early 60s and had to catch trains to work. Prior to that my brother and I would get a one shilling (10 cent) return ticket which allowed us to travel anywhere on the network so long as we only left the station at one destination... as I recall.
We were traveling between Tempe and Arncliffe stations on our way to Cronulla and were just crossing Cooks River while standing in the open doorway when a very loud voice from behind us yelled "Get away from that doorway". We nearly fell out of the open doorway, we had that much of a fright.
On turning around there was this old lady with a sandwich board strapped to her shoulders so we meekly stood well back from the doorway. I later came to realise that it was B. Miles a famous Sydney excentric of the time. That is my most unforgettable memory of the old rattlers.
What a great memory, Bea Miles was a Sydney icon like the rattlers themselves. Two icons in the one story. Thanks so much for sharing.
when my family first come to Australia in 1981 in Wollongong it was a shock riding on them but loved it at 13yo
My recollection of the red rattlers was travelling through the city circle line with the lights flickering on and off. From memory some carriages had incandescent lighting as well.
Hi Cameron, I had forgotten that, thank you so much for bringing that memory back and for watching
Only one or two memories riding on these when I was very young. I remember once the doors being open for the breeze on a hot day but my mother very disapprovingly keeping a hold of me so as to keep me away. I remember they had a distinct smell, incredibly antiquated and dim yet ornate light fixtures, and (much like driving an older car) felt much more connected to the surrounding environment, unlike the exceedingly insulated and sterilised feel of modern rolling stock. I've not yet travelled on the new Metro but knowing how they have the barriers on the platform for safety is just the further bubble-wrapping of society and disconnecting people from, again, the reality and experience of the environment around them. The red rattlers really are a reminder of just a better, simpler time. Am also going to miss the V-sets when they go, they are amazingly comfortable trains. I doubt any of the modern stuff will last even half as long as either the Red Rattlers or the V-sets will have accomplished. Great footage, thankyou for sharing!
Thanks so much for that insight. I agree fully, the disconnect from the environment is everywhere. I like to keep that connection wherever I can in my videos. Thanks for watching
It has long been an ambition of mine to acquire a double deck carriage and turn it into a house. At 78 I have left it too late however, with this in mind and considering the housing crisis confronting a sizeable portion of our population, these red rattlers could well be modified to make some medium term accommodation. Scrapping them is sheer waste of a valuable resource given the hardship many are facing in these difficult times.
I agree Bruce. Hopefully a similar thing can happen when the V and K sets are disposed of. Thanks for watching
I remember 1991 in Sydney,such a special year and full of wonderfull memories,the rail network back then was really something special..all the old trains were still running,safety and security on trains and stations was really being ramped up,I vividly recall the nightsafe tangaras,and how all the stations were being repainted and rebuilt,all the station signs were all colour coded,to match the light pole colour,and the old classic indicator board and clock,full of life and history..grant Goldman RIP,for his clear and direct station announcements,trains still operated into the early hours of the morning..the Sydney system back then had a really special feeling to it,that has long since gone sadly..I haven't returned to Sydney in many years,and from what I've seen on various videos..the old Sydney has well and truly gone,so sad😢
Hi Donald, those are some great detailed memories that I had forgotten about, thank you so much for reminding me. Yes you are right Sydney is not what it used to be. Thanks for watching
@trainspottingwithbarrie your very welcome,it was a very special time and I'm so greatfull to have been able to experience the city rail system while the M&W sets were still running..it was a time and place,that sadly will never be seen again,except for your wonderfull videos,and thankyou for all the memories it brings back.
As a kid i was fascinated by these wonderful old trains, The sounds & feel of the traction motors, The smell of the brakes at the stations, Hearing the compressors recharging the air supply, The incandescent lighting, The old green seats & brass hand rails, Open doors on a summers day...Great memories!
I can't believe it's been over 30 years since the red's were retired, I'm so glad a few were preserved for heritage
They certainly had a character all their own didn't they. Everything that you have mentioned is still mostly a memory now though. Thanks for sharing
Just so sad to see these classic trains getting scrapped. As a kid I remember the strange VD 'it's catching' Ad's that were inside. I bet they wouldn't allow that now. Very different times.
Between 1973 and 1978 I travelled between Riverwood and Kingsgrove everyday for school. The red rattlers were a big part of my day to and from school. Open doors, the noise of the electric motors whining, glory days indeed.
And the East Hills line back then was a great run as they would get up to good speeds on the straights. Thanks for sharing
Same time I travelled between Riverwood and Narwee, Great times
De La Salle boy?
Many memories regards the old Red Rattlers, HOT in summer, COLD in winter, WET when raining, hanging out the open doors going to and from school (Riverwood to Narwee), jumping off the train whilst still moving as the train came into the platform and lets not forget running from the transport Detectives and snappers as they walked through the carriages, Yes many great memories.
Hi Dropbear, yeah those are .y memories too, and the flashing lights in the underground. Thanks so much for sharing
Brilliant, thank you.
Hi John. I'm glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching.
Growing up in the 1970s going down to sydney christmas holidays and spending with my family how lived in sydney . Going around with my first cousins in sydney spending time on the old red rattlers back in the 1970s going to the old luna Park.
Times have sure changed, thanks for sharing.
I can remember lots of things like the sound of the air compressor and the jolt when starting off from a station, the rattling of the windows, the smell of the brakes, the spinning wheels on a wet track, the wooden pull down shutters etc
memories.......
Hi Clayton, they are some great memories and thanks for your way with words.
Awesome video as always, I’ve always wanted to travel back in time to this era at Elstons, would’ve bern so cool looking around at everything there.
Hi Grif, I often wish that too. A time machine and modern camera equipment. Thanks for watching
I started work as an apprentice draughtsman in 1980. The company was "in the city", which was actually Milsons Point. To a boy from Guildford West, anything east of Strathfield was in the city. I have many memories of the red sets. I remember everything from chucking-up while hungover in the gap between carriages to fresh air on hot sunny days with those click-clack guillotine window ratchets. One day just east of Lidcombe, heading west, there was one school girl when only seconds ago there were two. She had been leaning out of the opened, passenger controlled doors. Her friend was screaming in panic. Everything stopped. The train remained stationary for quite some time. When eventually the train moved onto Lidcombe station I witnessed the ambulance with the trolley/gurney on the platform as they took her to the waiting ambulance. By my calculation, she'd be in her mid-fifties now (circa 2024).
Lots of stories there, I can relate to the "chuck up" one. I hope that girl survived. Thanks so much for sharing.
Used to go to high school between Lidcombe and Granville on them in the early 60s then to TAFE when I went work
My earliest memories were before my family owned a car we lived in Summer Hill and my father’s sister lived at Thornleigh. The Sunday evening return trip. Waiting in the shelter shed on Thornleigh platform,watching up the line for those 2 faint headlights, the tick tick tick of the train at idle, the yellow glow of the filament globes and the high back heavy duty seats. The strange little ads mostly from government departments describing conditions like type 2 diabetes and something called VD. The made dash to change trains at Burwood for the last 3 stops to Summer Hill. My last memory was the red rattler at about 8.10am at Blacktown (Richmond line platforms) to North Sydney to go to work. Most of the time getting you to North Sydney about 9.20am and usually delayed crossing SHB. That was 1988. Cold in winter, hot in summer. Always full.
Thanks for that great story. I love hearing these. Thanks again.
I remember (as a kid), my mum and I were on a journey to sydney terminal on a V-Set. We just so happened to look out of window, and some "dirty buggers" decided to moon us, from an old 'red rattler' - doors open huge whs these daysn :D
I love the old red rattlers, and the old U sets, they were my 'child hood - growing up days'
I love the Full moon story, hopefully your mother wasn't offended. Thanks for sharing 🙏
@@trainspottingwithbarrie My mum actually had a chuckle then was like "those dirty buggers" - she used to be a Registered Nurse lol. My mum used to say "they probably got more 'fun' doing that then my response lol.
Great coverage thank you 👍
A couple of trips in single deck sets are well remembered, one after other on a wet quiet Sunday night in 1976 when I was 12, from Liverpool to strathfield then the other to west ryde. Both 8 cars sets with next to nobody on them.
Both the power cars I travelled in were in shocking condition, quite a few lights not working and broken light covers dangling with the sway of the car, tired traction motors howling in protest.
I was won over that night. Loved them and took a few photos of them which was difficult to do sometimes as all you wanted to do was travel on them!
What a great memory, I few others have mentioned the lights which I had completely forgotten about. Thanks so much for sharing.
I was working as a guard on the red rattlers 1986 to 1988. Some interesting times for sure. The good old days, I miss them.
It really was a great time. Did you by any chance know Leo Woods? Thanks for watching.
@@trainspottingwithbarrie sorry name doesn’t ring a bell. Was he at Guard Foreman’s Office at Central?
Smell of cooking brake pads is what I remember.
That's one of my strongest memories as well, and feeling the heat coming off the brakes through the open doors.
Thank you for the footage. There seems to be a mail carriage among the scrapping stock. It used to deliver parcels to the stations. The double decker trailers were a prototype before they make it in the S set. I know someone who bought a U set carriage, put into his rural land and converted into a holiday house.
Yeah there were a few there at that time. I would have loved to have picked up a u boat back then. Thanks for watching
Nice video. Always good to see the history behind these types of systems, especially since we have changed so much over the years.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching
I remember the 2 Reds decommissioned and parked up just off the main road to the international section of the airport. My memory was seeing them 1977 when I came back from New Zealand when I was 7 years old.... Fast forward to 1989 as a out of work apprentice sign writers looking for work around Alexandria ( where I did get a job ) and I decided to find my way to those carriages and I took photos around and inside them. The very faded red one closest to the metal yards had spoke wheels and by then other recently decommissioned Reds were joining them all the way down to the overhead road bridge. .. I also went to the Redfern yards armed with a camera in 1992 and asked workers there if I could go in the yard to take photos of the carriages there and they were fine with that. There was no one working in the sheds at all and I remember some cars with tape on them warning of asbestos.
There was also a few of those stainless steel cars they used for interstate travel. I walked inside one that had beds made up. Being parked up within the Reds I guessed they were decommissioned as well. It's 32 years on and to the workers that may of pulled out it's interior before it was scrapped, I was the person that did the unflushed number 2 in the toilet... I felt bad about doing it then but when you gotta go.. you gotta go.... Somewhere I have those photos of Redfern Reds . Love to share them... Great video and love reading others comments 👍
I'd love to see those photos too. Yeah there were a number sheeted off in plastic for asbestos, the sheets blew in the wind, not sure if they actually did anything. Thanks for watching and sharing.
Excellent video Barrie
Thank you kindly
And now that they are in a museum, the doors actually function.
Hahaha yeah with a person standing guard to stop you falling out. 👍💪🏻
I travelled from Warrawee to Milson's Point every day for school. We schoolboys spent our lives hanging out of the doors. When the train arrived at Gordon it would pull in beside the 'local' service on the adjacent platform. It was much emptier, so people would step out of one train and into the other. I remember doing it with my father.
Thanks for sharing that great story. 👍
Thanks for a great video, that takes a lot of us back to those old days. As the saying goes ---> they don't make them like they used to.
Absolutely. 😃 Thanks for watching
I remember the red rattler based freight cars that travelled around the Sydney rail network to on station parcels offices. People could send parcels via this system. They were 1 or 2 car units only.
There are a few of those in the background of this video. I'm not sure if any were saved. It would be a potty if they weren't. Thanks for watching
Worked in North Sydney 1985-86 and rode these trains across the harbour bridge every day. Doors wide open for ventilation! Just a pole to hold onto to stop you flying out, and becoming a mass of bloodied body bits. Loved it! Health and safety taken care of by common sense. Bet accidents were rare back then despite this.
What a great memory. Thanks so much for sharing.
What a trip down memory lane. I travelled to school late 80s and 90s on trains. Now with teen kids I can’t imagine the knots in my stomach if I thought my kids were on a train next to an open doorway hurtling through tunnels. Different times. We lost a kid at our school falling out the door while mucking around with mates.
Yeah, I agree totally, I also have kids and would never let them be close to an open door like back then. Thanks for sharing
Great video and well researched Barrie, good value! I have fond memories of them, especially the whine of the traction motors. An interesting follow up to the rattlers would be the history of the Tulloch double deck trailer cars that we put in the middle of the rattlers. I liked the "Shirley" era blue and white rattlers. The old days of open doors and smoking/non smoking carriages, when the driver stood whilst driving, cab door open, rather than sit on the stool provided. Like Melbourne's classic Tait sets the old red rattlers served Sydney well. I wonder if they saved and preserved a red rattler "Trackfast" parcels unit?👍
Hi Dave. That is a great idea on the Tulloch cars, I'll see what's in the archive. As far as the parcel vans I'd be interested to know as well, unfortunately I haven't seen any in my travels.
@@trainspottingwithbarrie Tulloch actually made a small number of suburban electric power cars too Barrie I was told, but not confirmed. they would be a collectors item today.
I was one of many who rebuilt the power cars at suburban car workshops in 1985-1989 then went to punchbowl maintenance centre to assist in maintaining them until they were withdrawn from service in the early 1990's
I bet you have some great stories to tell. Thanks for watching and commenting
@@trainspottingwithbarrie sure do.
Travelled on them plenty of times in 22 years.
I worked for the NSWGR and traveled on these trains a lot. Loved them. Hanging out the doors, jumping on and off at the platforms. We got lectured about the stupidity of that by our bosses, as one of us ended up slipping between train and platform. One of them (it was wooden) caught fire going over the harbour bridge and was stopped at North Sydney. On one adventure as I went to step off at North Sydney the train suddenly sped up and raced up the North Shore line finally stopping at Chatswood. I have a lot of train stories. Good times.
Thanks for sharing that one. I wonder if those sorts of stories can be made today with today's youth.
My old man used to tell me that my maternal grandfather fell out of train on the way to work in Sydney one morning and I never knew if he was pulling my leg. Going through his stuff after dad passed 2 years ago I actually found the newspaper clipping about it, verifying that the story was true. Apparently he was having a heart attack which is why he fell out of the train. I guess one way or another he was a goner.
Also, my uncle worked as a guard on the red rattlers for about 10 years as well. And me? I have worked for Queensland rail for 35 years now, the last 29 as guard and driver.
Thanks so much for sharing that family story. Coming from a railway family and being a railway man, I'm sure you have lots of great stories. Thanks for watching
I remember travelling on these trains as a kid.
1974 Commuted from Blacktown to Paramatta and back each day for high school, had a home made key to get into the guards van / drivers area at the rear of the train ( the guards were always in the middle of the train) the drivers area had a slide door that was locked with a different key but not always. Me and another student could have cigarette without getting dirty looks plus one of us would get a seat!
Hmmm so I wasn't the only one then 😂 I loved to travel in the guards compartment of the U boats and watch the Amp meter and speedo. Thanks for watching
East Hills line memories, but the best was brake dust and smell thru the city circle, boy the drivers push them.
They sure did. I can still smell that smell.
My primary school has one of these in the front yard
Really. That's so interesting, which primary school, it might be worth a video. Thanks for commenting
92 is when I left State Rail was at Prince Alfred sidings
It was a great era for the Railways in my opinion. Thanks for watching.
i saw one on a truck going out of newcastle
That would have been an interesting sight. Thanks for sharing
Hi Barrie 👋 I see that my original comment is not here, which is a RUclips glitch that I have been dealing with for some time. I won't rewrite it because the comment section more than covers what I said. I really enjoyed this presentation, and I look forward to more of the same. Well done Barrie 👏 👍
Hi John, I'm so sorry I missed it, I try to get to your messages straight away but this video took off in the comments (which is great) but it just taking me a little longer to answer everyone. I'm glad you liked the video, I've got more similar to this coming. 😃
@trainspottingwithbarrie No worries Barrie 👍 the comment may not have been visible to you as I have been having this issue for some time, I recently experimented with another creator and I could see my comment but he couldn't even though I wrote it while he was on the phone to me. I am certainly looking forward to more like this, and BTW, I certainly remember the platform tickets that you mentioned in another comment 😀 I got busted many times as a kid without a valid platform ticket 🎟 😀
The Red Rattlers, And The U-Sets Are Just So Redolent Of The Gloriously Happy Days Of Sydney; Of The 60's And 70's, As The Changes In Society, Wrought Largely By The Vietnam War, Rang Out The Old World, Now Replaced With A World Where Nobody Looks Up From Their Personal Talisman, The Bloody Mobile 'Phone!! Even When Something Really Remarkable Happens, It's Incredible To Me That Literally Everyone Puts Their Bloody 'Phone Before Their Face, Blotting Out The Event, In Order To Record It For Their Imaginary Friends!! It Could Be The Second Bloody Coming, And People's 'Phones Would Come Out, With Them Missing The Entire Significance!! In The Old World, Before The Cult Of Safety For Everyone Except "Extreme Sportsmen," The Sheer Joy Of Standing At The Open Doors Of The Red Sets On A Hot Day, Or For That Matter, On The Loading Board Of The Old Green And Cream Double Decker Buses, Was Something Which Will Never Return: Freedom!! I Used To Love The Feel Of The Wind Between My Ears!! In Those Days, The Only People Who Weren't Happy Were The "Metho's;" The Derelict Ex-Servicemen Of Both World Wars, The Drug-Addicted Vietnam Vets, And Their Imitators, The Counter-Culture Hippys With Their Half-Arsed Fascination With Everything "Eastern!!" For The Rest Of Us, It Was Those Halcyon Days, When Life Was Enough To Make You Cry With Joy!!
What an amazing way with words, I couldn't agree more. Ironically I'm responding to you on my phone, but I too am amazed that we as a society have lost touch with our environment that we live in and would rather see life virtually from our homes. I guess that works for me as a RUclipsr though. Thanks so much for watching and sharing.
Always enjoyed the smell from the I think the brakes?
Hi Larry, I agree. That's my strongest memory as well. Thanks for watching
I moved to Aus from the UK in 1972, I was 18 and felt like I had stepped back in time,in ,any ways I thought they were backward and horrible also so hot in summer and cold in winter..
They had characterx and the whine of dc traction motors, I loved the old Diamond pantographs. The fact is I remember the remaining wooden body Bradfield. cars.
Where has the last 52 years gone?
Hi Steven. It's amazing how time flies and how quickly things change. That's why I feel it's so important to document on video even the most mundane as it will one-day be a treasured memory. Thanks for watching
@@trainspottingwithbarrie Hello Barrie, when I came to Aus I lived in Auburn and worked in North Sydney, I remember North Sydney when it ws in the open and not built over.
Often I could get in the rear carriage with the driver and brake and I loved travelling alone in the dark tunnels from the bridge to central and being able to see the rails behind.
Sometimes I travelled in old Bradfield cars.
Ah memories. When I could get from Sefton to the office in Circular Quay in less than half an hour, way less than half what it takes now.
Fun trivia. Because the roofs of the red rattlers were made from gigantic single piece steam shaped plywood, Australia had a world beating industry in plywood forming. That was then used by Jørn Utzon for the furniture and ceilings in the Sydney Opera House.
Hi Peter thanks so much for the extra information about the plywood, very interesting. Thanks for watching
I remember them well 55 to60s travelling Bankstown to city as a youngster & later to tech college crowded & packed stand all the way ,hot in summer & cold in winter & the smell of dc motors & burning brakes hmm coff ,coff ...😂😊
Yeah that smell. Bankstown soon enough will be serviced by the Metro, oh how times have changed.
My friend almost fell out an open door
Remember that smell of burning metal and the roaring sound
I hope they were ok. Yeah the smell certainly is one nor easy to forget. Thanks for watching
I remember back in 1985 at around 3:25pm catching a 8 carriage red rattler from Westmead to Ropes Creek. As the train snaked its way from the suburban down at St Mary’s across the down main before crossing a the up main and suburban to the Ropes Creek line. It hummed along to Dunheved with its unique sway and bounce. Pure grace to say the least as it marched passed the security gates near Forrester road into the old ammunition’s factory. Stopping at Cochrane, no one on no one off and then gracing it’s way to Ropes Creek-station, where a handful of workers made the way onboard for the trip back to St Mary’s.
Hi Mark, what a great and unique memory. It's a pity those times (and routes) are long gone. Thanks so much for sharing and watching.
Yea I was there being born in the early 60’s rode lots and lots of these old beauty’s red rattles and the silver inter city sets. Remember when I was dating my wife she live in Penrith and I in Granville I use to catch the last train from Penrith it normally was a silver set .
Hi Mark, thanks so much for sharing such a wonderful story.
I remember them being noisy as hell especially when in the tunnels.
Yeah that sounds of the reaction motors winding up sure is iconic. Thanks for commenting
Travelling home to Gordon mid 70’s with my Dad while I was on school holidays, I fell out of the front carriage onto the platform midway along. Needless to say I am still here to tell the story, however I had many injuries and spent time in hospital
I caught the train to school from Revesby to St James from 1981 to 1985. So many stories to tell. Sometimes during heavy rains, Wolli Creek would flood from Bardwell Park to Turrella. The water level was way above the wheels and the red rattlers went through without a problem. The waves created was like being on a ferry.
Hi Steve, do you remember the horses in the horse paddock there at Bardwell Park? That area has changed so much. Thanks for watching
@@trainspottingwithbarrie Yes, I do remember the horses.. Very much so.
Ice box in winter and an oven in the hottest summers.
They sure were. Thanks for watching
Oh you just HAD to get that vid of F1 just after the flat wheel incident a little while back eh...🤣😂. Of course nowadays I'm at the centre of the restoration movement as elec foreman on these trains for HET. However my passion for them was sparked by two events. The entree' was an accident at St Marys in 1982 where a red set ran away and ended up sprawled halfway across Camira St, not far from my high school. Naturally after school we all went to take a look. i remember seeing the drivers cab and fittings and couldn't believe how old they were and still running. i even souvenired a few LV fuses.. which I still have in a box somewhere. The main course however came in 1985, when my usual double deck express to uni was replaced by an 8 car single deck set one particular morning. This set had a drunk driver at the front. To say the ride was rough was an understatement. Parramatta at the time was being quadruplicated - and there was a set of temporary points at the city end of Westmead with a speed limit of 25kph. We hit it at 90kph. In an instant almost every passenger on the right of the train was on the left, many on top of others and some injured. BUT THE TRAIN STAYED ON THE TRACK. Passengers alighting at Parramatta alerted staff to the situation. By the time the set reached Central, police were waiting and escorted the driver off the train. What happened with the driver was a side story. For me, the main story was with the train. I JUST HAD TO FIND OUT MORE about these amazing trains. Before long I wouldn't travel on anything else and spent days and days in the state library reading every book I could find on them. The rest .. and the dessert.... is history. schoolpa.com.au/PDF/HistoryOfElectricTrainPreservationInNSW2019-300dpi.pdf
Hahaha. Hey Paul, Yeah. It's a good characteristic though. Couldn't resist it. 🤣👍
thanks for linking the pdf document , a very interesting and detailed read.
What an interesting story, I vaguely remember that incident. Thanks for sharing it.
In summer they were very stifiling inside.
I started regular train travel in 1964, using both the red rattlers and their blue and white derivatives 5 days a week or more. This may hurt some people, but regular commuters welcomed their departure. Hot to exceedingly hot in summer; cold to exceedingly cold in winter; a pretty rough ride all year round
They were the cattle class for sure, but all that now in retrospect had more character than today's trains in my opinion. Thanks so much for sharing.
@@trainspottingwithbarrie What's the character they had? The rough ride, the draughts? I can remember the ancient wooden carriages which had limited connection with the chassis and incredibly dangerous doorways. I'm very much in favour of trains and have spent a bit of time this afternoon in several. I'll do much the same tomorrow and Sunday, being very glad for the safety and rigidity of the carriages.
Please don't call them "Red Rattlers". That is a MELBOURNE expression that seems to have crept into Sydney after the event. They were never called that in Sydney when they were active. I'm old enough (76) to remember.
Hi John, thanks for your opinion, I too am old enough to remember, and as a "Sydneyite" that caught these trains everyday, they very much WERE called Red Rattlers. Just as Melbourne has the Red Rattlers so does Sydney and there is no exclusivity with that name as I understand the US also uses that alliteration. So I will continue to use this term in relation to Sydney's single decker electric stock as I always have done, and as my father and his generation also called them. Thanks for watching though.
I remember having the doors open whilst travelling 100km/h and sticking my head into the breeze.
Also peggi g fruit out of the train and onto the steel centenary support structures and watching them explode on impact.
Also of pressing the pressure relief valve when we had pneumatic door closing versions.
The sound of the motors revving up with a sharp “ping” when the acceleration atopped and coasted was fun as was the shunting between powered and non powered carriages.
The smell of the brakes too was unique.
My favourite were the really old rattlers built in the 1920s with triple leaf springs which bounced all over the place and were very loud. I loved the lights which were incandescent and glowed a warm yellow light that was relaxing as a child.
Loved the red rattlers and glad to experience the joy of riding them many times. A bygone era where things were made to last.
I love hearing the memories, it's amazing how we have changed as a culture, with being "safe" and protected. Kids today will never know these joys you have mentioned. Thanks for sharing
As a SETS member, Millfren the wreckers allowed some of us to souvenir some interesting parts. Some preserved. A lot of cars, without asbestos were sold.
I'm sure those parts are on the rate side now. I have a few miscellaneous bits and pieces too. Thanks for watching and commenting
I remember at one stage, probably in the 70's, some of the carriages had coloured vinyl or something applied. I haven't been able to find any photos or videos of them.
Hi Kerry. I didn't know that wow, time for me to do some research. Thanks so much for sharing.
Question for you Barrie, whats happening with the Red Rattlers sitting out in the open out the back of Chullora? They've been sitting there for years on a side spur track getting vandalized all the time. Cant some enthusiast group save and restore that so we've got a 2nd red set preserved?
Hi I'm not sure but I think that may be the set that SETS owns, apparently waiting to be restored.
I used to drive these sets when I was stationed at Punchbowl depot (now gone). My last trip on the red rattlers was to St Marys then back to the city. The S sets replaced the bulk of them but those too were never air conditioned.
Hi Phillip, you must have a story or two from Punchbowl. The S sets have a character all their own didn't they? Thanks for watching
@@trainspottingwithbarrie Back in those days, Punchbowl depot was the only ETR depot with a train washing plant. They were great days when heading off to work was always an adventure that I loved. Every day was different and never boring.
1970,as a 4yo,traveling to the city with my family for the Bi-Centenary,Dad nursing me at the open doorway.The most comfortable seats ever.I am disgusted at scumbags Governments every time I pass the disused Everleigh Railway Workshops.Why can’t we build own stuff,instead of importing overseas garbage,at the cost of our own jobs? ( I never worked at Everleigh.I served my apprenticeship at Cockatoo Island Dockyard.Another sad story).
Hi Wayne. I feel the same way, it's a real shame. Keep on my channel I've got some garden island and area footage kicking around in the archive. Thanks for watching and sharing your story.
First First trip was 1991 on a visit to Sydney, took a train to Newtown. Red set turned up and thought what's with the interior, that two tone green was awful, but the train was great!!
Hi Harry. Thanks for sharing!
Remember locking down carriages with one only door open.We would use the end of our combs, as we had to look good hair plied with brillintine. Lmfao.
Hahaha. Good one. I'm sure that was a laugh, and such a good memory thanks for sharing.
I think I used to be able to even open the windows on the really old ones or was that my imagination?
Yeah that's right. Nearly all the way up. Thanks for watching
I don't remember these being classed as red rattlers, I always thought they were brown, what I know as the red rattlers were the diesels on the hunter line
The colour they were painted was/is called Tuscan Red.
Ok cool
Red Rattlers were profoundly uncomfortable. I don't miss them.
The rattlers had the best air-conditioning of any of Sydney's trains all the doors and windows open catching a breeze through the whole train and yes as a kid I did hang out of the open doors, it's amazing how we look back on these dinosaurs with nostalgia and love 😢😊
Absolutely, I agree. You get a different blast of cold air when you go underground. Thanks for watching
@@trainspottingwithbarrie it sure was, I can still remember the smell and warmth of it, cheers mate.
So sad
Yeah. Thanks for watching
We're the u - boats part of the red set family?? The video showed a few of them. They were used on the Illawarra line until the Oscars replaced them
No not really, very similar in design though. The uboat in this video is the one in storage for HET. Thanks for commenting
Anyone that has stood or sat on crowded evening peak trains on a +35°C day will know that relying on the aircon on most of the newer Sydney double deckers is total crap, and it was always better on a K set, C set or before them one of the older SD models with the door open between the carriages. Can't wait for the new Metro to open and people across the entire city will finally see what a modern fast, frequent, fully air-conned (at least the stations Waterloo-Central-Gadigal-Martin Place-Broo-VicX-Crows Nest) single-deck Metro train can really do, compared to the hot cramped legacy stations and double deckers. Double-deckers make sense on the longer lines that need more seating (from Macarthur, Cronulla/Waterfall, Emu Plains, Berowra) but it was totally stupid to move the whole network entirely to double-deckers with lines like Inner West, Northern, Revesby/Airport, Bankstown, Hurstville, Bondi Junction, Carlingford+Olympic Park shuttles.
I've never thought about it like that. Thanks for sharing. 👍