Harris (train)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Harris trains were first the first steel-bodied trains on the Melbourne metropolitan railway system. They were introduced in 1956, and last operated in 1988, although a number of the carriages were converted for other uses and are still operating. They were named after Sir Norman Harris, Chairman of Commissioners of the Victorian Railways between 1940 and 1950.
Contents |
[edit] Description
The Harris trains were commonly referred to as blue trains due to their deep blue colour, with only a yellow band about halfway up the body. Royal blue and yellow were common colours for the Victorian Railways rolling stock.
The first 30 7-carriage trains, known as the first series, were delivered between 1956 and 1959. Another 30, the second series, were delivered between 1961 and 1967. From 1966, these were delivered with end doors and gangways between carriages, allow passengers to change carriages.
Between 1968 and 1970, ten additional motor carriages were delivered to provide for some Harris trains to be lengthened to eight carriages, and in 1970 and 1971 six new trailer carriages were built as prototypes for the next fleet (the Hitachi trains). These carriages were 75 ft long, compared to 63 ft of the earlier carriages, and were equipped with the mechanisms for power-closing doors, the first such use in Melbourne. However, it was not until the following year that a complete (4-carriage) train was used this way, after conversion of some motor carriages.
The Harris trains were originally run as 7-carriage (M-T-T-M-BT-T-M) sets, reduced to 4-carriage (M-T-T-M) sets (known as "blocks") for off-peak and weekend services. The extra motor carriages built from 1968 allowed for some BT-T-M units to be converted to M-T-T-M sets, to provide for trains to be run in M-T-T-M-M-T-T-M configurations.
Carriages were connected by semi-permanent drawbars, except for the driving ends of motor carriages and one end of BT carriages, which were provide with automatic couplers.
The M cars and early T cars were constructed in the United Kingdom by Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company while the later T cars were built by Martin and King in Melbourne.
[edit] Conversions and Disposal
With the exceptions of the last few carriages built, all Harris trains contained asbestos insulation. The first sets contained blue asbestos, and the later sets contained white asbestos. Due to the presence of asbestos, most were wrapped in plastic and disposed of in a tip in Clayton, south-east of Melbourne. Two motor carriages (pictured, one unrefurbished and one refurbished) have been preserved at the Williamstown Railway Museum and two more motor carriages have been retained for preservation.
[edit] Refurbishment
A program to refurbish the Harris trains was begun in 1982. The refurbishment included individual vinyl foam type cushions on an integrated plastic frame to replace the former more traditional vinyl sprung seats, air conditioning, and a new colour scheme.
However, industrial and other problems with the refurbished trains meant that only 16 carriages were so converted before the program was stopped. The refurbished trains were withdrawn in 1991 and subsequently cut up for scrap, except for one M carriage which has been preserved.
The four refurbished trains ran initially in an M-T-T-M configuration, but three of the trains were later remarshalled to two M-T-T-M-T-M configurations.
The trains generally ran on the Port Melbourne, St. Kilda and Sandringham lines. They never ran in the City Loop.
[edit] Locomotive-hauled services
55 carriages, including the 75 ft carriages, were converted to H series carriages for interurban service and are still in operation with V/Line.
Similarly, four carriages were converted to MTH carriages and are still used on the Stony Point line.
[edit] External links
- Harris trains on VicSig (enthusiast site).
- Suburban carriage details by Peter J. Vincent.
| Types of suburban trains in Melbourne |
|---|
|
Tait | Swing Door | Harris | Hitachi | Comeng | X'Trapolis | Siemens |
| Railways in Melbourne |
