3 HERITAGE MODES IN ONE DAY - Steam Engine (R707), Diesel Loco (S306) Walker Railcars (RM32 & RM91)

[@dieseldavetrains8988]

Great work there Brenden, I have vivid memories of the little single car rail motor, my mother and I used to go to a relatives at Maldon from Castlemaine in the late 1960's. The poor driver with sweat running down his face in summer I remember well, no aircon in those days! Seem to recall it had a radiator at the front.

[@Schony747]

And I bet you wouldn't swap the experience at all!

[@henryostman5740]

Seems like it would get good cooling with the motor car forward but how about on the return? was the fan strong enough to pull air through when it was going backwards?

[@edmundcarew7235]

One of your best ever videos. Great to see these restored. In the 1970s in teenage years I was fortunate enough to travel on Walker railcars in regular VR service to (among others) Maffra, Wonthaggi, on the main line to Woodend and then to Daylesford, Mornington, Stony Point, Healesville and Leongatha, plus Castlemaine and (separately) Ballarat to Maryborough, as well as IIRC Cobram. Geelong was another.

[@Schony747]

Thanks for the compliment. I took a recent ride in the Yarra Valley as you would have seen in a previous video. It was an enjoyable ride back into VR history.

[@thebear3178]

Really enjoyed ☺ Diverse traction there.

[@Schony747]

Thanks for having a look

[@jamesgovett2501]

Fine filming, I remember the one and only time I ever travelled on a Walker rail motor back in the late sixties when a young teenager from a relatives house in Kilmore to the city and recall how much I was totally mesmerised watching the driver at the controls changing gear ratios manually on the larger units they were powered by two eight cylinder Gardner Diesel engines coupled to fluid flywheels the forerunner of automatic transmissions, Also I would spend an hour at the Glenroy bank walking home from school between Oak Park and Glenroy with my mates watching the trains and used to love the deep throated muffled sound of those Gardners working hard heading north! a sound and sight that I will always remember, as an aside I used to manage an equipment Hire company in Mont Albert not far from Box Hill and I Filmed nearly all the construction of the new extended tram line between Union Rd then terminus and The new terminus at Box Hill from start to finish in intervals on my old super 8 camcorder and when the new trams started the C clas they reminded me of the larger Walkers by having the single bogie on each car! Just one of those things I suppose that one doesn’t forget

[@Schony747]

Back in the days when there was so much variety to go out for! Great memories and thanks for taking the time to share them.

[@sonycans]

When I once lived in St Albans in the late seventies, I would always see the walker train every weekday passing through the station from Dalesford some time between 07:30 and 07:45. Because people often cross the tracks at St Albans station, one person was struck by the Walker train and died. I remembered that clearly.

[@125sloth]

Actually quite a few crashes, (they are not accidents) have involved Walker rail cars over the years. Not many fatal, but with severe damage to vehicles that tried to cross in font of them at crossings, thinking they were not travelling that fast. If a RM had a tralier attached as well, even worse, they could simply not pull up too well in an emergency, like the diesel electric ones. The Walker R M's, even though considered "slow," could wind up to max speed fairly quickly and totally confuse idiot car and truck drivers who thought they could outrun them to crossings out in the country.

[@Schony747]

That sounds about right. Unfortunately the link from the Bendigo line is long gone but the railcars are still with us.

[@125sloth]

@@Schony747 There was an abandoned and very damaged Walker rail car behind a relatives property on rails still near Tallangatta next to Hume Weir. It has been there for decades and beyond repair. Apparently it was just left there. The rail trail that now exists does not include the section where this old unit sits, but I could be wrong. Must take a drive out there again and pay a visit.

[@transittown7891]

Awesome 😎 😊👍

[@Schony747]

Thankyou mate

[@roverdriver677]

Both railmotors were destined for South Australia to run on the Victor Harbour line, but S.A., authorities forbad them running on S.A. Metals. They were waiting in Ballarat. The then 'Central Highlands Tourist Railway' bought them from the Victor Harbour promoter. We paid $2,400 for them and a young John Madigan (later Federal Senator and now deceased), then just a schoolboy arranged for a friend who owned a transport company to shift then from Ballarat to Daylesford by road. That occurred on the same day as the State election in 1982. There is more to tell, but I will leave it there. Dane.

[@Schony747]

Awesome facts! Thanks very much to you and South Australia for the states short sightness

[@barrysheffield1721]

The 280 HP version has 2 X 140 HP engines each driving a separate axle.

[@Schony747]

It's a change to see the Walker running. Normally it's just the Derm. Thanks for having a look.

[@AndreiTupolev]

The bigger railcar, number 91, is interesting, very like the modern Stadler diesel and electric units with the power unit in the middle. Gardner engines are they, I expect?

[@Schony747]

100% 2 engines infact. All the information can be found in Wikipedia

[@AndreiTupolev]

That little railcar is adorable!! It seems to make a very dramatic noise, much like a 💥, when it moves off. Is that the brakes releasing?

[@Schony747]

I don't know to be honest about the brakes but it seems pretty logical what you are saying.

[@travelingman2664]

interesting were the motor is its right next to the driver

[@Schony747]

Yeah that's the last place I'd want to have a motor if I'm driving.

[@sonycans]

Anyone see the roos in the background at 1:52?

[@Schony747]

Only in Australia 😀😀