I think this is probably your best video yet Paul. You've done so much to document the progress of this line but I love that with this video you've focused more on the excitement of the opening day and the culmination of the project, and captured lots of comments from those involved, the fans and the "real passengers", and nicely edited it together. Thank you, and well done!
Hear, hear. My personal favourites (and the reason I became a Patreon) will still be the intensely elegant slow-motion views from the upstairs windows, of construction midway. I've reached out to Paul about the new technology for improving those images even more, and I hope for one more super-summary of the project with New & Improved video. In actual fact, a whole new slow-motion engine was released on Final Cut Pro just last week, so I'm thrilled to demonstrate that to Paul yet again.
Thanks, Paul, for this wonderful presentation of he at last Metro Openeing Day all the way from Sydenham to Tallawong.. Much appreciated and will share this around. I know my young Indian friend @Avinash Pandy will enjoy this, too.
Absolutely the best video yet hence the Super thanks! Appreciate the content, couldn't find the time to get there for the first train, but with the public enthusiasm that was evident the government needs to do more! Metro's to all, Northern Beaches, Bondi/Eastern Sydney and I'm sure many other network creating lines could be concieved. Our public transport is reasonable on a World stage but requires a lot of investment to make it World Class! Kudos to the libs for locking this on in!
Hi Brett, Thank you so much for the Super Thanks! I really appreciate that! I'm sure this video gave you a great sense of what it was like on that first train! I'd love to see a metro to the North Beaches and/or Eastern Suburbs, and extending the Metro West line from Hunter Street east could be a great way to do that.
Awesome video Paul. I'm hoping you'll do the same when Melbourne metro opens next year. Just wondering which camera you're using cos I need to improve my videos? Thanks
Thanks Karl! Yes I will. Hopefully I'll be able to make it to the Metro Tunnel opening and ride the first train! If not, I'll visit very soon after. If you hear about Metro Tunnel station community open days, do let me know - my email is paul@transportvlog.com. I mainly use the iPhone 11 which is now 4 years old, and doesn't have the third telephoto camera. However, its much more about your filming skills, than the equipment, and that comes with practice. The filming in some of my early videos was a little ropey!
I feel that between your video and Sharaths, and then riding the metro myself the next day - i have a real feel for the excitement and joy for so many people :)
I will confirm that for you! My partner and I sat between Sharath and Ten News, and opposite the two girls with the hair - one of the videos that day says who they are!
Hi Paul 👋 I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this video and the celebrity interviews. I especially enjoyed Martin Place as I was on the first train of the ESR back in 1979. I was in the first group to walk the length of the Sydney Harbour tunnel (road) and one of the first to drive a bus through it. I was travelling across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on a tram on the last day of service in 1958. I was travelling by tram to La Perouse on the very last day of the tram service in 1961. I was on the Sydney Metro extension during the first week of service in 2024 courtesy of the very awesome Metro Boy. I am now a Metro convert with my favourite stations being Gadigal and Martin Place. Central was amazing, but my first ride on the escalators brought on a minor vertigo episode for me due to the amazing height and length of the (moving stairs) as we called them back in the days of the dinosaurs 😅. I look back at my first ever train ride in 1958, and the progress since then is absolutely amazing. Great presentation Paul, well done 👏 👍
Hi John, so pleased to hear that you enjoyed this video so much! Hope it bought back memories of being on the first ESR train in 1979! You've got a few other firsts there for the harbour tunnel. Sadly, we do have some "last day" memories too. Yours for the tram, and me for two little bits of the London Underground network that closed in the 1990s, and more recently, the last C set! Great to hear that you got to ride the metro with Metro Boy, and are now a convert! Yes Martin Place and Gadigal stations are wonderful, and maybe next time, you can try the lifts at Central instead! Yes, times have really changed since then, with public transport really making a comeback!
@TransportVlog you're very welcome Paul 👍 and yes, you brought back so many memories with this video. Definitely will be using the lifts at Central frm now on.
It's really nice how everybody is putting this achievement in the big context. Now that the Harbour Bridge and City Circle are at 90 years old, as well as the "sextuplication" of the Central-to-Homebush tracks from 4 to 6 tracks, it's been impossible for most to imagine what was there before. Fortunately or unfortunately, everybody can only think of it as "it's always been there", it's normal to have. But they were, like 2024's new openings, a lot of hard work. (Just occasionally I have to point out the silliness of comments like "we already have a train there", but JJ Bradfield had to push back on this kind of thinking all the time - thankfully he made Sydney by force of will)
Great video Paul! Great job documenting a lot of the progress in this project. I did see you at Martin Place on opening day but didn't get a chance to say hello unfortunately
Hi Paul, well done with this awesome video. They opened just a day after my birthday. I actually saw a glimpse of you on a recent Building Beautifully video. I don 't think I have ever seen so much excitement at Sydenham Station before. When living at Marrickville, prior to moving here to Melbourne, I was only one station away from Sydenham. Interesting seeing the 2DAY-FM personality on the Metro. Anyway, all the very best. Rob in Melbourne Australia.
Thanks Rob and happy belated birthday! Yes I'm sure that's the most exciting thing that's happened at Sydenham Station! Let me know if you ever come to Sydney for a visit.
World class Metro. I've been on a few, the last one was Singapore just before Xmas last year. One of the great features of Sydney Metro is you can use any EFTPOS card to travel. Melbourne does not have that yet!!!. With the dwell times, a funny story is in May last year we were in London on the underground and I was following my wife to board. The people in front of her stopped right in the doorway so she stopped as well & the doors closed before I could get on. I boarded the next train & she was standing on the platform at the next station looking a little lost. So a word of warning for when the dwell time moves to 30 seconds, don't hang about get on & move into the carriage. Great work interviewing Howard Graham. I hope you got his business card so you can get a few sneak peaks at the Parramatta Metro.
Hi Peter, Yes it's certainly up there with the Singapore and Hong Kong metro systems. the use of EFTPOS cards came in about 2 years ago, when the OPAL card readers were upgraded to take contactless payments. So its not just metro, you can use EFTPOS on trains, buses and ferries too! Melbourne is a little behind as I discovered when I visited last year to do the Metro Tunnel videos. Yes, I've nearly been separated from my wife when boarding trains too. Its easier these days with mobile phones, but when that happened in the 1980s, it was quite scary! Yes Howard and I are connected on Linkedin, and I know a good person in Sydney Metro that I hope can help get me behind the scenes at some of the Metro West construction sites.
Geoff was the person that inspired me to become a transport RUclipsr, so you'll see some of his influences in my videos! Hopefully one day, we will meet and do a collab!
Excellent video, sir! Was the experience everything that you hoped and long anticipated it would be? When you noted later in the video that you'd been on the Metro for many hours, It got me wondering. The Metro in Washington D.C. tracks how long people spend in the system, and if a person spends a great deal longer than expected and there is a registered delay anywhere in the system at the same time, that rider is automatically issued a partial or full refund. Does Sydney Metro do that? Do you and the other RailTubers have to register so that the system doesn't flag you for habitual refunds? Best wishes with your awesome new Metro line! May it serve smoothly and well for many decades to come. (Fun to see a JimBirb cameo in the video, too.)
Thanks! I thoroughly enjoyed the day, and will remember it for the rest of my life! No we don't have that in Sydney. If you tap on and tap off within 10 mins at the same station, it doesn't charge you which is great. If you tap on and stay on a station for an hour or so, you might get charged the default fare though, which is not so great! Well done on spotting Jim! He's often doing the filming, so it was nice to have him in the video!
A BIG thank you Paul for this video. I've been hanging out for a week for it to drop. Definitely worth the wait. I trust you are ready and well prepared for the opening of the Westmead to Carlingford line.
Hi Steve, glad it was worth the wait! I'm so pleased with how it came out. I haven't been thinking much about the opening of Parramatta Light Rail at the moment, mainly focussing on this Sydney Metro extension. I believe it's been put back to later in the year, so I've got plenty of time to get ready for it!
Direct underground pedestrian access from Gadigal Metro station under Pitt Street to the Galleries Victoria complex would have been brilliant , however the main obstacle to providing this , as I see it could be the presence of the Tank Stream which according to the maps , runs under Pitt Street , and in fact there was a swamp at the Gadigal Station site ! This must have presented a considerable engineering challenge . The presence of the Tank Stream might also explain why there is no underground connection between the Centrepoint side of Westfield and the Myer side .
Hi Murray, yes that could well have been the reason. I believe the Tank Stream might have also influenced the location and design of the future Hunter Street Station too, as I vaguely remember seeing that on the maps. Also, Central Station was designed to be the primary interchange between Train and Metro, so interchanges shouldn't really happen at Gadigal.
Although the Metro extension has been touted as being an unprecedented success and has been met with almost universal approval , does this take into account the novelty factor ? I had my first trip on this line yesterday commencing at Castle Hill , and the station was only slightly busier than it would usually have been previously. The train itself was not crowded as I would have expected it to be , and this is the reason for delaying my initial ride. The train was much more patronised on the return trip from the city as by then it was peak hour . Upon returning to Castle Hill , passengers were greeted with what sounded like an evacuation alarm and police were in attendance , however there was no obvious reason for the commotion , thankfully.
Hi Murray, I think it depends on how you define success. It's been super reliable with only one incident that I'm aware of, and that was a power failure on the existing NW metro north of Castle Hill on 24 August. Trains have been very busy, especially at peak times, and I believe the usage stats that Sydney Metro receive are above their expectations. I plan to do a video covering peak time usage soon, and I'll try and get some official stats for this video.
It looked like everyone had a great time riding on the Metro extension into the city I wished I was there but I had to drive to my work up on the Central Coast. Interesting fact Paul from transport vlog since Central Station has the longest set of escalators in the southern hemisphere Did you know that Albury Railway Station has the Longest Station Platform in the Southern Hemisphere. If anyone's interested Phil from Sydney trains Vlogs did a video of Albury Station and it's called Albury the Longest Platform in Australia
Hi Peter, yes we certainly did! Shame you couldn't be there, but hopefully this video makes up for it. There is actually some debate as to which Australian station has the longest platforms. I believe its now East Perth (for the Indian Pacific Trains). I have seen Phil's video on the Albury station platforms.
Just curious, but now they have a Metro line under Sydney Harbour, I am wondering if they could ever consider building a branch line to Fort Denison. That would certainly be something to see.
Hi Paul, have you managed to visit Fort Denison? I have been past it on many occasions, but I have never got off there. Also, are there any hydrofoils still used on Sydney Harbour?
Hi Robert, glad you enjoyed it. Probably not for a few years. Many northern beaches residents are against having rail access, preferring to use their cars instead. Its very sad and hopefully this will change during the next few years. I think one of their concerns is the high density apartments that would be built close to the stations.
It's a sensation. The stations are an absolute hit in terms of beautiful airy design and function. I look forward to taking a trip when I am up there at Christmas. Excellent video full of infectious enthusiasm. 😊👍
Thanks Pauline! Yes they certainly are! I'm sure you'll love seeing them for yourself when you visit at Christmas time. Glad you like all the enthusiasm!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed this video. I hope to get to Chatswood one morning next week, to see what the interchanging is now looking like! Yes I agree, the metro was so needed!
You haven't posted anything since the Metro line extension opened. Will you be on the last Sydenham to Bankstown train before it partially shuts down from 21st Sept 24?
I've been doing lots of filming, and arranging interviews with Sydney Metro and architects for future videos. There will be a video within the next week on the Central Metro Platforms. Yes I'll be on the last Bankstown trains in both directions on Friday night 20th. I'll also be on the very last train (heritage special) which will probably be an S set - details below - thnsw.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/139003
Question about the last passenger train on the Bankstown Line at 1.40 am from Central. I can't quite figure it out on the information given on Transport Heritahe NSW it is 70 minutes long and terminates at Strathfield Station. So how on earth are you suppose to get back to Central at that time of the morning when there are no trains running until after 4 am? Car A & B was sold out when I booked now it has 2 spare seats - did they work out that there was a slight problem just like getting to the first train on the Metro at 4 am in the morning when there aren't even any night buses running .
I must admit i don't get why people are excited over a train, but the fact that it gives you and others such joy is awesome! Hope you had a great day riding it.
Some people like playing sport, some like watching it, some like race cars, Paul loves trains ❤😂❤ (lol set multiple alarms!!) the shutters coming up looks like the Boxing Day sales lmao 😂
@@JamesFFiT I love that this floats his boat and people get such joy from it. I was lucky enough to get to walk the harbour tunnel when it opened and i guess its the same kind of excitement.
I know a lot of people in the video on the train, and they dedicated years of their lives to building it (Paul is surrounded by current/past metro employees in the video) so it was a truly emotional, joyful day.
Very nicely done Paul. Thought I spotted you a couple of times on opening day. Car 1 was less rowdy than your car. Would be great if they considered pre door closing melodies like on other metros, so passengers have a cue as how much longer they have until doors close.
Thanks Nick, Yes I'm sure you would have spotted me once or twice! I think Jo Haylen, Howard Collins, Peter Regan and Hugh Lawson were in car 1? The rear cars were not that busy, but I reckon I was in the most rowdy car! I'm sure pre-door closing melodies could be added in the future. It's probably just a software update.
Great to hear you went on the first day! I did a video called "What's left of the old Carlingford line" back in early 2023 - ruclips.net/video/zHAUqbsQc24/видео.html. I think the Clyde Dive is being built on the trackbed close to the old Rosehill Station now.
Humans are very peculiar beings. They can get excited about anything. When there is so less fun in life, you need to find the reason to stay happy😂😂😂😂.
Why you are not working fulltime as an employee on Transport's social media and community engagement teams astounds me. At the very least you should get a special custom edition Employee Opal Card. Very well done sir.
I'm sure I could work on Transport's social media team, but I prefer to be independent and and have full control over my content and publishing schedule. I like the idea of a special Employee Opal Card though! Glad you enjoyed this video.
Hi @BG-ir1ii, Yes there are a lot less seats compared to Sydney Trains, and that's not ideal for some people. Personally, I don't mind standing. I have a sit-stand desk at home, and I'm standing right now, as I type this. However, I do know of people that have not switched to the Metro, because they can get a seat on Sydney Trains services, even if the journey takes a little longer.
Hi @maccomplex, Yes technically it is, but the metro station is completely new, with 2 entrances, so I've always thought of it as a new station, even though it has a connection to the existing station. I even referred to it as Martin Place Metro during the construction phase. Central Station is a major upgrade that includes the metro platforms, Central Walk, the North South Concourse, the new Northern Concourse and the new Chalmers Street entrance. Hope that makes sense.
Hi Ethan, yes that's right, and only Sundays to Thursdays. Its just for a few weeks to give some extra time to tweaks things in the light of operational experience.
The station announcement was so very disjointed, surely it could have been recorded in whole statements and not done via AI (pre-recorded individual words).
I’ve learned over the last couple of years that Paul takes longer to release videos but they are always worth waiting for. High quality, more knowledgeable, and usually with interviews with people directly involved. Thanks for what you do and keep it as it is! Don’t waste time with puerile collaborations with “Building Beautifully” - stick to what you do best! Facts and not trying to be funny - completely unnecessary!
Hi @shanearmstrong9400, I wanted this to be a video that people will watch in years to come, and that required more time. I also needed to get all the Sydney Metro Interviews approved by their comms team, and that took a couple of extra days. I've never strive to be the first, but do try to be the best!
Thanks Julian, I appreciate your lovely feedback, and glad you appreciate that great videos take time to make. The interviews with people involved are very important to me, and it's great to hear their information first hand. Although Sharath's videos are very different and not everyone's cup of tea, he has become a good friend, and helped me get into the Western Sydney International Airport construction site earlier this year. Also collabs with Sharath bring new viewers to my channel, but its something we'll only do once or twice a year. I do like to add a little bit of humour and fun, like the Central Station escalator race, but never at the expense of information and quality.
It's an extension of the existing metro. The 10's of thousands of people living in the public transport wasteland of the Hills and Northwest are now for the first time ever connected to the city. Add to this the Lower North Shore and City are properly connected, integrating the CBDs of North Sydney, Chatswood and the City which causes further densification and connection.
@@BigJoe-g3o why get off a superior system onto an inferior one when the metro connects so many business and dining precincts with fast and most importantly, dedicated pasanager transport? A shuttle service will never have the same ridership or business booms (see the only train line currently to Sydney Olympic Park). As someone that did the metro to chatty a few times it was always annoying that it didn't go to the city and this is honestly a game changer for the city.
@@nighty4 just thought it's like only 2 new stops really ... crows nest and victoria cross .. all the other ones aren't really needed as you have town hall etc
I was a labourer who helped in Gadigal station, its real cathartic to see people enjoy the end result.
I had to go to Google and find out what that word meant.
I'm using it rn it's epic bro thanks
@@philipbrailey That must have felt cathartic.
You and your colleagues should be proud of what you built.
Pitt Street station
Finally, Stage 2 opens!
I think this is probably your best video yet Paul. You've done so much to document the progress of this line but I love that with this video you've focused more on the excitement of the opening day and the culmination of the project, and captured lots of comments from those involved, the fans and the "real passengers", and nicely edited it together. Thank you, and well done!
Hear, hear. My personal favourites (and the reason I became a Patreon) will still be the intensely elegant slow-motion views from the upstairs windows, of construction midway. I've reached out to Paul about the new technology for improving those images even more, and I hope for one more super-summary of the project with New & Improved video. In actual fact, a whole new slow-motion engine was released on Final Cut Pro just last week, so I'm thrilled to demonstrate that to Paul yet again.
Thanks! I'm very happy with how this one came out! It was so much fun to edit too! Thanks for your lovely feedback.
Thanks Christian, Yes haven't done much slo-motion footage recently! I'll respond to your message shortly.
Great video Paul, the metro looks amazing and I am looking forward to using it when next in Sydney.
Thanks David, glad you enjoyed it. Yes it certainly is, and I'm sure you'll enjoy using it when you next come to visit.
Thanks
Thanks again Brett!
Great work Paul. The next best thing to being there! 🙌
Thanks Adam! That's lovely feedback!
Thanks, Paul, for this wonderful presentation of he at last Metro Openeing Day all the way from Sydenham to Tallawong.. Much appreciated and will share this around. I know my young Indian friend @Avinash Pandy will enjoy this, too.
Thanks Geoff, yes please do share this video. It deserves to get a lot more views!
Thanks Paul, what a buzz! And thank you for all the construction videos leading up to this day
You're very welcome! Yes there was a real buzz, especially on the first train!
Good video mate
Thanks Joseph
Absolutely the best video yet hence the Super thanks! Appreciate the content, couldn't find the time to get there for the first train, but with the public enthusiasm that was evident the government needs to do more!
Metro's to all, Northern Beaches, Bondi/Eastern Sydney and I'm sure many other network creating lines could be concieved.
Our public transport is reasonable on a World stage but requires a lot of investment to make it World Class! Kudos to the libs for locking this on in!
Hi Brett, Thank you so much for the Super Thanks! I really appreciate that! I'm sure this video gave you a great sense of what it was like on that first train! I'd love to see a metro to the North Beaches and/or Eastern Suburbs, and extending the Metro West line from Hunter Street east could be a great way to do that.
Awesome video and such a great service to add to our transport network. Tried and tested formula. Keep going!!
Yes absolutely! Glad you enjoyed this video.
Some great interviews in this one! I wonder which escalator Ernie and Vishnu ended up ranking #1...
Thanks Chris, and great to meet you on this momentous occasion! They haven't told me yet!
Awesome video Paul. I'm hoping you'll do the same when Melbourne metro opens next year. Just wondering which camera you're using cos I need to improve my videos? Thanks
Thanks Karl! Yes I will. Hopefully I'll be able to make it to the Metro Tunnel opening and ride the first train! If not, I'll visit very soon after. If you hear about Metro Tunnel station community open days, do let me know - my email is paul@transportvlog.com. I mainly use the iPhone 11 which is now 4 years old, and doesn't have the third telephoto camera. However, its much more about your filming skills, than the equipment, and that comes with practice. The filming in some of my early videos was a little ropey!
I feel that between your video and Sharaths, and then riding the metro myself the next day - i have a real feel for the excitement and joy for so many people :)
I will confirm that for you! My partner and I sat between Sharath and Ten News, and opposite the two girls with the hair - one of the videos that day says who they are!
Yes absolutely James! It was such a fun day!
Thanks Christian, I think that must have been in Sharath's video!
Hi Paul 👋 I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this video and the celebrity interviews. I especially enjoyed Martin Place as I was on the first train of the ESR back in 1979.
I was in the first group to walk the length of the Sydney Harbour tunnel (road) and one of the first to drive a bus through it. I was travelling across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on a tram on the last day of service in 1958. I was travelling by tram to La Perouse on the very last day of the tram service in 1961. I was on the Sydney Metro extension during the first week of service in 2024 courtesy of the very awesome Metro Boy. I am now a Metro convert with my favourite stations being Gadigal and Martin Place. Central was amazing, but my first ride on the escalators brought on a minor vertigo episode for me due to the amazing height and length of the (moving stairs) as we called them back in the days of the dinosaurs 😅. I look back at my first ever train ride in 1958, and the progress since then is absolutely amazing. Great presentation Paul, well done 👏 👍
Hi John, so pleased to hear that you enjoyed this video so much! Hope it bought back memories of being on the first ESR train in 1979! You've got a few other firsts there for the harbour tunnel. Sadly, we do have some "last day" memories too. Yours for the tram, and me for two little bits of the London Underground network that closed in the 1990s, and more recently, the last C set! Great to hear that you got to ride the metro with Metro Boy, and are now a convert! Yes Martin Place and Gadigal stations are wonderful, and maybe next time, you can try the lifts at Central instead! Yes, times have really changed since then, with public transport really making a comeback!
@TransportVlog you're very welcome Paul 👍 and yes, you brought back so many memories with this video. Definitely will be using the lifts at Central frm now on.
It's really nice how everybody is putting this achievement in the big context. Now that the Harbour Bridge and City Circle are at 90 years old, as well as the "sextuplication" of the Central-to-Homebush tracks from 4 to 6 tracks, it's been impossible for most to imagine what was there before. Fortunately or unfortunately, everybody can only think of it as "it's always been there", it's normal to have. But they were, like 2024's new openings, a lot of hard work.
(Just occasionally I have to point out the silliness of comments like "we already have a train there", but JJ Bradfield had to push back on this kind of thinking all the time - thankfully he made Sydney by force of will)
This Metro Boy seems to be a very effective spokesperson for Sydney Metro. Maybe they should hire him?
@AheadMatthewawsome Indeed, they should, although he is doing it all for free now, so maybe they have taken that into account 😉
Great video Paul! Great job documenting a lot of the progress in this project. I did see you at Martin Place on opening day but didn't get a chance to say hello unfortunately
Thanks! Yes lots going on at Martin Place, but do say hi if you see me in the future!
I love the new extension! It's so cool to think you can take a direct train from Rouse Hill to Central!
Imagine one day it will be a direct train from Schofields or Marsden Park all the way to Liverpool in the Metro every 4-5min
Yes absolutely!
Hi Paul, well done with this awesome video. They opened just a day after my birthday. I actually saw a glimpse of you on a recent Building Beautifully video. I don 't think I have ever seen so much excitement at Sydenham Station before. When living at Marrickville, prior to moving here to Melbourne, I was only one station away from Sydenham. Interesting seeing the 2DAY-FM personality on the Metro. Anyway, all the very best. Rob in Melbourne Australia.
Thanks Rob and happy belated birthday! Yes I'm sure that's the most exciting thing that's happened at Sydenham Station! Let me know if you ever come to Sydney for a visit.
Yes, If I ever get up there again, I will certainly let you know for sure.
World class Metro. I've been on a few, the last one was Singapore just before Xmas last year. One of the great features of Sydney Metro is you can use any EFTPOS card to travel. Melbourne does not have that yet!!!. With the dwell times, a funny story is in May last year we were in London on the underground and I was following my wife to board. The people in front of her stopped right in the doorway so she stopped as well & the doors closed before I could get on. I boarded the next train & she was standing on the platform at the next station looking a little lost. So a word of warning for when the dwell time moves to 30 seconds, don't hang about get on & move into the carriage. Great work interviewing Howard Graham. I hope you got his business card so you can get a few sneak peaks at the Parramatta Metro.
I rushed in, and the train doors really squashed me. I wasn’t prepared for that. That was London.
Good story! There are times for following social etiquette, and there are other times you have to enforce social etiquette … physically!
Hi Peter, Yes it's certainly up there with the Singapore and Hong Kong metro systems. the use of EFTPOS cards came in about 2 years ago, when the OPAL card readers were upgraded to take contactless payments. So its not just metro, you can use EFTPOS on trains, buses and ferries too! Melbourne is a little behind as I discovered when I visited last year to do the Metro Tunnel videos. Yes, I've nearly been separated from my wife when boarding trains too. Its easier these days with mobile phones, but when that happened in the 1980s, it was quite scary! Yes Howard and I are connected on Linkedin, and I know a good person in Sydney Metro that I hope can help get me behind the scenes at some of the Metro West construction sites.
Reminds me of Geoff Marshall’s videos.
Geoff was the person that inspired me to become a transport RUclipsr, so you'll see some of his influences in my videos! Hopefully one day, we will meet and do a collab!
Needs more floor-cam!
It was a great day, Paul! Thanks for the great video!
Yes it certainly was Matthew! Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for your help with the filming!
Excellent video, sir! Was the experience everything that you hoped and long anticipated it would be?
When you noted later in the video that you'd been on the Metro for many hours, It got me wondering. The Metro in Washington D.C. tracks how long people spend in the system, and if a person spends a great deal longer than expected and there is a registered delay anywhere in the system at the same time, that rider is automatically issued a partial or full refund. Does Sydney Metro do that? Do you and the other RailTubers have to register so that the system doesn't flag you for habitual refunds?
Best wishes with your awesome new Metro line! May it serve smoothly and well for many decades to come.
(Fun to see a JimBirb cameo in the video, too.)
Thanks! I thoroughly enjoyed the day, and will remember it for the rest of my life! No we don't have that in Sydney. If you tap on and tap off within 10 mins at the same station, it doesn't charge you which is great. If you tap on and stay on a station for an hour or so, you might get charged the default fare though, which is not so great! Well done on spotting Jim! He's often doing the filming, so it was nice to have him in the video!
A BIG thank you Paul for this video. I've been hanging out for a week for it to drop. Definitely worth the wait. I trust you are ready and well prepared for the opening of the Westmead to Carlingford line.
Hi Steve, glad it was worth the wait! I'm so pleased with how it came out. I haven't been thinking much about the opening of Parramatta Light Rail at the moment, mainly focussing on this Sydney Metro extension. I believe it's been put back to later in the year, so I've got plenty of time to get ready for it!
Australia is 20 years ahead of Asia 🌏
Depends which part of Asia! Singapore and Hong Kong have great metro systems!
Thankyou Paul. Well worth the wait, as your railway videos are the very best.
You're very welcome! Glad it was worth the wait!
Direct underground pedestrian access from Gadigal Metro station under Pitt Street to the Galleries Victoria complex would have been brilliant , however the main obstacle to providing this , as I see it could be the presence of the Tank Stream which according to the maps , runs under Pitt Street , and in fact there was a swamp at the Gadigal Station site ! This must have presented a considerable engineering challenge . The presence of the Tank Stream might also explain why there is no underground connection between the Centrepoint side of Westfield and the Myer side .
Hi Murray, yes that could well have been the reason. I believe the Tank Stream might have also influenced the location and design of the future Hunter Street Station too, as I vaguely remember seeing that on the maps. Also, Central Station was designed to be the primary interchange between Train and Metro, so interchanges shouldn't really happen at Gadigal.
@@TransportVlog 👍
Awesome video Paul, I went on the Sydney Metro from Sydenham to Chatswood last Sunday and loved it! Very convenient and fast.
Hi Eric, Thanks! Great to hear that you've been on it too!
Although the Metro extension has been touted as being an unprecedented success and has been met with almost universal approval , does this take into account the novelty factor ? I had my first trip on this line yesterday commencing at Castle Hill , and the station was only slightly busier than it would usually have been previously. The train itself was not crowded as I would have expected it to be , and this is the reason for delaying my initial ride. The train was much more patronised on the return trip from the city as by then it was peak hour . Upon returning to Castle Hill , passengers were greeted with what sounded like an evacuation alarm and police were in attendance , however there was no obvious reason for the commotion , thankfully.
Hi Murray, I think it depends on how you define success. It's been super reliable with only one incident that I'm aware of, and that was a power failure on the existing NW metro north of Castle Hill on 24 August. Trains have been very busy, especially at peak times, and I believe the usage stats that Sydney Metro receive are above their expectations. I plan to do a video covering peak time usage soon, and I'll try and get some official stats for this video.
👍
Magnificent. Thank you
Thanks Mike. You're very welcome.
It looked like everyone had a great time riding on the Metro extension into the city I wished I was there but I had to drive to my work up on the Central Coast. Interesting fact Paul from transport vlog since Central Station has the longest set of escalators in the southern hemisphere Did you know that Albury Railway Station has the Longest Station Platform in the Southern Hemisphere. If anyone's interested Phil from Sydney trains Vlogs did a video of Albury Station and it's called Albury the Longest Platform in Australia
Hi Peter, yes we certainly did! Shame you couldn't be there, but hopefully this video makes up for it. There is actually some debate as to which Australian station has the longest platforms. I believe its now East Perth (for the Indian Pacific Trains). I have seen Phil's video on the Albury station platforms.
I didn't make the first train - but it was so amazing to see all of you milling around during the day. Nice video as always Paul!
Glad you enjoyed the first day, and I'm sure this video was a great substitute for not being on the first train!
Just curious, but now they have a Metro line under Sydney Harbour, I am wondering if they could ever consider building a branch line to Fort Denison. That would certainly be something to see.
Hi Rob, interesting idea, but probably not. It would be too expensive, and its much more fun to arrive their by boat!
Hi Paul, have you managed to visit Fort Denison? I have been past it on many occasions, but I have never got off there. Also, are there any hydrofoils still used on Sydney Harbour?
Another interesting thought would be to build an underwater Metro station in the centre of Sydney Harbour, with a submarine connection!!! LOL.
Thanks Paul for another wonderful vid, Do you think we will ever get a rail service to the northern beaches?.💯👍👍👍👍🍺
Hi Robert, glad you enjoyed it. Probably not for a few years. Many northern beaches residents are against having rail access, preferring to use their cars instead. Its very sad and hopefully this will change during the next few years. I think one of their concerns is the high density apartments that would be built close to the stations.
Awesome Video Paul of the Sydney Metro Opening of the new part keen to check it out myself in a few weeks.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. Have fun checking it out when you're in Sydney!
@@TransportVlog Thanks Paul hope you've enjoyed looking at the new Metro stations yourself :)
It's a sensation. The stations are an absolute hit in terms of beautiful airy design and function. I look forward to taking a trip when I am up there at Christmas. Excellent video full of infectious enthusiasm. 😊👍
Thanks Pauline! Yes they certainly are! I'm sure you'll love seeing them for yourself when you visit at Christmas time. Glad you like all the enthusiasm!
Awesome work, Paul.
I have been swapping to the Metro at Chatswood since Tuesday last week. Sydney definitely needed this.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed this video. I hope to get to Chatswood one morning next week, to see what the interchanging is now looking like! Yes I agree, the metro was so needed!
Visiting Sydney for the first time next month, chose a great time to go, will be checking out all the stations!
Nice! Hope you enjoy seeing all the new stations for real!
Hello Paul, I think I just spotted you here at Central. Please say hello.
Was that yesterday (Sunday?) - I've been there quite a lot recently!
@@TransportVlog yes it was I saw you board the metro
Transport Vlog, cool video I really liked it
Glad you enjoyed it!
Well done Paul, enjoyed the video very much.
Thanks Jan, Glad you enjoyed it so much.
You haven't posted anything since the Metro line extension opened. Will you be on the last Sydenham to Bankstown train before it partially shuts down from 21st Sept 24?
I've been doing lots of filming, and arranging interviews with Sydney Metro and architects for future videos. There will be a video within the next week on the Central Metro Platforms. Yes I'll be on the last Bankstown trains in both directions on Friday night 20th. I'll also be on the very last train (heritage special) which will probably be an S set - details below - thnsw.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/139003
@@TransportVlog I saw that heritage train ride but unsure whether to go on it. I'll stay tuned for more of your videos.👍
Question about the last passenger train on the Bankstown Line at 1.40 am from Central. I can't quite figure it out on the information given on Transport Heritahe NSW it is 70 minutes long and terminates at Strathfield Station. So how on earth are you suppose to get back to Central at that time of the morning when there are no trains running until after 4 am? Car A & B was sold out when I booked now it has 2 spare seats - did they work out that there was a slight problem just like getting to the first train on the Metro at 4 am in the morning when there aren't even any night buses running .
And yes it did! And Yes was!
Simply stunningly Paul!
Thanks for your lovely feedback Jim!
Sydney Metro first extension opening day that carried swifties, rail enthusiasts, tradies, government MPs, Vlogers, and school students.
Well put! Such a thorough mixture.
Yes absolutely! A real mix of people!
Exiting times for Sydney Metro!!!Gr8t vid!
Yes absolutely - glad you enjoyed this video!
Beaming from ear to ear
Thank you so much for the super thanks! Great to hear that you enjoyed this video so much!
I must admit i don't get why people are excited over a train, but the fact that it gives you and others such joy is awesome! Hope you had a great day riding it.
Some people like playing sport, some like watching it, some like race cars, Paul loves trains ❤😂❤ (lol set multiple alarms!!) the shutters coming up looks like the Boxing Day sales lmao 😂
@@JamesFFiT I love that this floats his boat and people get such joy from it. I was lucky enough to get to walk the harbour tunnel when it opened and i guess its the same kind of excitement.
I know a lot of people in the video on the train, and they dedicated years of their lives to building it (Paul is surrounded by current/past metro employees in the video) so it was a truly emotional, joyful day.
That's right @JamesFFiT! I've never been into sports, or fast cars, but I've always loved trains!
That must have been fun @charlescraig8994
Very nicely done Paul. Thought I spotted you a couple of times on opening day. Car 1 was less rowdy than your car. Would be great if they considered pre door closing melodies like on other metros, so passengers have a cue as how much longer they have until doors close.
Thanks Nick, Yes I'm sure you would have spotted me once or twice! I think Jo Haylen, Howard Collins, Peter Regan and Hugh Lawson were in car 1? The rear cars were not that busy, but I reckon I was in the most rowdy car! I'm sure pre-door closing melodies could be added in the future. It's probably just a software update.
The Aussie accent is banned by the Metro apparently.
He he! There are a lot of brits on the project!
0:26 3 actually including Martin Place!
I think of Martin Place Metro as a new station, even though it integrates nicely with the existing ESR station.
I went after school. Also. You should check the old carlingford line what remains now. It’s been 4 years already
Great to hear you went on the first day! I did a video called "What's left of the old Carlingford line" back in early 2023 - ruclips.net/video/zHAUqbsQc24/видео.html. I think the Clyde Dive is being built on the trackbed close to the old Rosehill Station now.
Metro Interchanges with T4 at Martin Place
Humans are very peculiar beings. They can get excited about anything. When there is so less fun in life, you need to find the reason to stay happy😂😂😂😂.
That's right. Lots of different things make people happy, and for quite a few of us, its trains!
Why you are not working fulltime as an employee on Transport's social media and community engagement teams astounds me. At the very least you should get a special custom edition Employee Opal Card. Very well done sir.
I'm sure I could work on Transport's social media team, but I prefer to be independent and and have full control over my content and publishing schedule. I like the idea of a special Employee Opal Card though! Glad you enjoyed this video.
@@TransportVlog I hope my big boss sees this and makes it happen 😁
It's becoming over-crowded during peak hours. Standing for a very long time is not fun. Lack of commute comfort is becoming an issue.
The Metro can handle up to 30tph. They will be able to run more trains.
Hi @BG-ir1ii, Yes there are a lot less seats compared to Sydney Trains, and that's not ideal for some people. Personally, I don't mind standing. I have a sit-stand desk at home, and I'm standing right now, as I type this. However, I do know of people that have not switched to the Metro, because they can get a seat on Sydney Trains services, even if the journey takes a little longer.
That's right @mjcats2011. However, they would need to buy more trains, and that would take some time.
@@TransportVlog It will.
im boutta go on this in 2 weeks time
4:20 AM? a man of culture
Had to be done!
i caught it later in the same day it jammed with lot of people
Yes its very busy in the peak, especially heading north.
Great to see a glass lift
Yes, there are quite a few glass lifts on the new stations
Yay made it in first fifty to see the video 😊
Well done David!
Martin Place is an existing station!!!!
The Metro extension is new. The Sydney Trains station is the existing section.
@@vijgai3 same as central. But central was mentioned as an existing station.
Hi @maccomplex, Yes technically it is, but the metro station is completely new, with 2 entrances, so I've always thought of it as a new station, even though it has a connection to the existing station. I even referred to it as Martin Place Metro during the construction phase. Central Station is a major upgrade that includes the metro platforms, Central Walk, the North South Concourse, the new Northern Concourse and the new Chalmers Street entrance. Hope that makes sense.
This is a video thesis!
Metro Trains Terminate at Chatswood Between 10PM and Midnight.
Hi Ethan, yes that's right, and only Sundays to Thursdays. Its just for a few weeks to give some extra time to tweaks things in the light of operational experience.
Can you tell us how much was your Opal fare for the whole day?
This is a REALLY good question. I want to know which RUclipsr paid the most, too!
Great question! - It was the daily cap of $18.70. Worth every cent!
The station announcement was so very disjointed, surely it could have been recorded in whole statements and not done via AI (pre-recorded individual words).
Yes I agree! They don't sound that good. An easy thing to change in the future, especially if they get lots of feedback from passengers.
Paul what took you so long to get this up everyone got in before you I’ve been waiting for yours you were beaten to the punch on this one
I’ve learned over the last couple of years that Paul takes longer to release videos but they are always worth waiting for. High quality, more knowledgeable, and usually with interviews with people directly involved.
Thanks for what you do and keep it as it is!
Don’t waste time with puerile collaborations with “Building Beautifully” - stick to what you do best! Facts and not trying to be funny - completely unnecessary!
Hi @shanearmstrong9400, I wanted this to be a video that people will watch in years to come, and that required more time. I also needed to get all the Sydney Metro Interviews approved by their comms team, and that took a couple of extra days. I've never strive to be the first, but do try to be the best!
Thanks Julian, I appreciate your lovely feedback, and glad you appreciate that great videos take time to make. The interviews with people involved are very important to me, and it's great to hear their information first hand. Although Sharath's videos are very different and not everyone's cup of tea, he has become a good friend, and helped me get into the Western Sydney International Airport construction site earlier this year. Also collabs with Sharath bring new viewers to my channel, but its something we'll only do once or twice a year. I do like to add a little bit of humour and fun, like the Central Station escalator race, but never at the expense of information and quality.
First step in reducing the rbtu mafia stranglehold on our city. A step in the right direction
Is that correct. They got stuck in the tunnel for 2 hours then again for half an hour, passengers been helped out by the fire brigade?
I dont think it was that long
Hi Philip, which incident are you referring to? Was it the one on 13 July?
@@TransportVlog Paul I think he's referring to one on saturday just gone (24th August) with one train evacuated at Hills Showground.
First!
Awesome! So were you the first person to watch my video on the first metro train leaving Sydenham station?
@@TransportVlog I was the first to see that the vid was posted 10 seconds ago and see the first few clips
bit of a waste of money if it's just so city workers can go to crows nest for a coffee lol
It's an extension of the existing metro. The 10's of thousands of people living in the public transport wasteland of the Hills and Northwest are now for the first time ever connected to the city. Add to this the Lower North Shore and City are properly connected, integrating the CBDs of North Sydney, Chatswood and the City which causes further densification and connection.
@@nighty4 but they could have done the same by switching at chatswood
@@BigJoe-g3o why get off a superior system onto an inferior one when the metro connects so many business and dining precincts with fast and most importantly, dedicated pasanager transport? A shuttle service will never have the same ridership or business booms (see the only train line currently to Sydney Olympic Park). As someone that did the metro to chatty a few times it was always annoying that it didn't go to the city and this is honestly a game changer for the city.
why do people keep saying this, it moves people from the South and North West, it moves tourists, and it relieves congestion on existing rail lines.
@@nighty4 just thought it's like only 2 new stops really ... crows nest and victoria cross .. all the other ones aren't really needed as you have town hall etc
2:34 i see the Fiberal losers trying to make themselves relevant. Kinda sad, lads!
They seemed to be enjoying themselves!
Awesome video Paul if you ever need some filming help just let me know!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it! Yes I'll let you know if I need some filming help in the future.