Brisbane Rail Electrification 1979 Opening day. Silent Movie

8 Minutes

[@H3avyHaul3r]

remember as a kid going over to the school oval at landsborough to see the emu’s being hauled down from m’boro behind a diesel....they were like seeing a spaceship in their shiny stainless steel panels....who’d a thought some 40yrs later i’d be driving the last of them...

[@marcconyard5024]

Could you imagine an event like this nowadays? There'd be a sea of bright safety garb and hard-hatted officials littering the scene from one end t'other. My first ride on the early sets wasn't until 1981 to Shorncliffe. What impressed me was the smooth acceleration and equally smooth ride. It's a real shame that NSWGR didn't embark on a program of converting their electrified system to 25Kv as it has many more advantages than 1500DC.

[@125sloth]

At least NSW has standard gauge tracks, not narrow gauge "model railway" tracks like Queensland

[@timosha21]

I'm a tram and I approve this video! Ding ding!

[@normnotnoe2162]

Another great movie of amazing historic footage. The EMU was a great train, shame they'll be gone soon. The triangle loop looks like Thorneside

[@tressteleg1]

😊👍

[@SonicTransit]

We will never forget the EMUs. Long Live EMUs

[@tressteleg1]

Yes, trains with character! Have you also seen this one? QR Electric Train Sets 01 & 04. First Day in Service, & Last kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4SWk5WdfpmDma8

[@TheOzbob]

Marvellous! Thank you.

[@tressteleg1]

My pleasure, Robert. And hasn’t it grown wonderfully from that tiny beginning!

[@BronsonTheCat]

The fork / angle shot at the end is located at Thorneside on the Cleveland line.

[@tressteleg1]

Many Thanks for that. Unfortunately KZbin removed the ability to add text to uploaded movies a while back so hopefully viewers will see your comment.

[@paash698]

thorneside was the terminus of the line after it was re-opened (closed from lota to cleveland in the 1960's) from lota, then terminus became wellington point then finally back to cleveland in the early 1990's i think

[@christiangarnett4806]

tressteleg1 trains ended at Kingston on the Beenleigh line

[@tressteleg1]

Not quite. During electrification, for a while ELECTRIC trains ended at Kingston and other trains continued to Beenleigh. I think the wires were rushed that far in time for the Commonwealth Games in ?1982.

[@bretth4988]

This is a PRICELSS memory. For all those Brisbaneites. QLD the best place on Earth!

[@tressteleg1]

I’m pleased you enjoyed it. And especially with the current virus problems, I can’t think of anywhere better 😊

[@trainluvr]

cool film

[@tressteleg1]

Thanks Jon 😊

[@robertgunner624]

Pretty sure the turning wye at the end is at Thorneside on the Cleveland line. Only a few in the southeast left. Shorncliffe, Bethania (part of the defunct Beaudesert Branch) and Yandina. Landsborough has one too but not sure if it's serviceable?

[@tressteleg1]

@@robertgunner624 Thanks for your suggestions. I can’t now remember all the places I went to, or did not visit. There was one at Kuraby and with family at nearby Runcorn, the chances of it being there are greater, but you could well be right about Thorneside. Especially with the end of steam, and also loco hauled suburban trains, the need for these has essentially gone but one that does get used regularly is at Charleville where the entire passenger train is turned on the ‘fork’.

[@JBofBrisbane]

The BB18 1/4 would have been 1079. At the time, 1089 was on static display at Redbank.

[@davidhanifin2692]

What's an EMU? We still have some of those first electric trains still in use here in Brisbane today.

[@tressteleg1]

I have never tried to stay up with the various codings of the Brisbane electric trains, but EMU stands for electric multiple unit which is a train made up of self-propelled carriages, usually with trailer cars amongst them. I think this was the coding for the first generation trains which began running in 1979, some remaining in service for the moment, as you say.

[@stevenpeaketrainsandstuff3682]

Poor old line to Lota got left to near last. 1984 from memory.

[@tressteleg1]

At least it came back.

[@aydoyt]

Didn't Joh Bjelke-Petersen drive EMU01 through the ribbon?

[@tressteleg1]

I don’t know, but I believe electrification in general was his idea. Wikipedia may answer your question.

[@normnotnoe2162]

I have seen a pic of him driving the first train over the Merivale Bridge

[@avgfree21]

2 questions come to mind 1. were electric services started prematurely considering that only 2 tracks partially on one line were complete and only 4 emu sets available? in perth services were launched only after all lines had been fully built out. 2, I am assuming that roma street was central back then?

[@tressteleg1]

1. I did not live in Queensland until very much later but can’t say that I ever heard the prematurely description before. Rail use was rather light in those days so they possibly stretched the Electrics further by using 3 car sets as much as practicable. A lot of services were still operated by diesel locos and ancient wooden carriages so I suppose there was a desire to reduce their use to a minimum. After the opening, expanding the electrification continued as fast as practical. 2. Central and Roma St have always been two quite separate stations. Central is much closer to the CBD shopping area but was in an awkward location. It may have even been built over by then. Roma St was a much better place for the parade with plenty of viewing points.

[@qlandr]

3 car running was all that was needed back in the day. Although rushed as much as possible, the introduction was staggered,and the EMU fleet were ordered and delivered in 4 separate batches.

[@robertgunner624]

1 The south side of the Brisbane River was always considered the Cinderella side of the Brisbane and was also so for railways. The north and south were almost like 2 different networks until the end of steam in 69 meant the Gabba depot closed and finally the Merivale Bridge was completed in 78. The line to Ipswich and north to Petrie (which was the main line north) had been quadruplicated after WW2 from Corinda to Northgate (except the 2 inner city tunnels + Mayne (now Bowen Hills) and the use of locomotive hauled stainless steel (SX) sets were common by the mid 1960's. They were to be converted to an EMU style but was later scrapped. Using the SX sets meant use on Ipswich, Shorncliffe, Petrie and Ferny Grove lines had platforms to accommodate the new rolling stock. The older Evans Cars (Red Rattlers) sets were scrapped or relegated to the south side [Triumph of Narrow Gauge; (Kerr J)] Long story short, it was decided to go with a staggered roll out. Eventually platforms on the southern lines Beenleigh and Lota/Cleveland and Pinkenba were upgraded and electrified by 1988. 2. Roma Street Railway station and goods yards were co-located with the Brisbane Markets till they moved to Rocklea in the 1960's and as most of Brisbane commodities was shipped by rail in the early days it made sense. Roma Street Railway station was also a terminus for long distance trains. Central was added much later (as a dead end) until the line and tunnels were extended to Mayne (again much later). Although trains used to terminate at Central it's not as common as it was and now it's more likely to be Roma St or Bowen Hills as that's where it's easier to get into the yard for stabling etc. either through Normanby or the hole in the wall. Hope this help.

[@tressteleg1]

Very interesting reading. I hope others find and read it too.

[@JBofBrisbane]

Central was always Central, like Perth Central. Roma Street has handled long distance and mail trains (like East Perth Terminal) since just after WW2.

[@darrenrodneysales5973]

and also since electrification the train lines from Doomben to Pinkenba and the Yeerongpilly - Tennyson - Corinda have been closed, although the line to Pinkenba was not electrified...........and from December 22nd 2017 to Sunday December 31st 2017 is the time they look at passanger numbers to see what line will close next...............they are talking about closing the Springfield and Deadcliffe lines as they are not profitable.........but that will happen only when the LNP is in power

[@tressteleg1]

In fact little if any public transport in Australia is profitable, but I know what you mean. Casual observations are that the Gold Coast line is the only to carry respectable loads at any time of day. It’s only early days and it takes a while for people to change travel patterns but the Gold Coast tram extension to Helensvale is only lightly loaded but that could change when workers and Uni resumes in the new year. Let’s hope so. I share your fears re the LNP. Roads and buses is all they love, as per their 1950s thinking.

[@BronsonTheCat]

Rod Sales Why would they close Railway lines they’ve only just built ?

[@tazzer9]

The corinda-yeerongpilly doesn't see any regular passenger services anymore. EXCEPT for today. It was a reeal surprise and a great treat to ride along it. No one is closing the Kippa ring or springfield lines. The majority of all electrified railway lines in the nation don't make any money. Unless it has regular freight on it, then it loses money.

[@derkamema]

The idea for public transport is to reduce costs on building more HWY lanes and reducing traffic congestion. When factoring that in, all public transport is profitable in the way it saves money for the tax payer :)

[@tressteleg1]

If you mean Highway when you write HWY, then you are arse about. The more lanes you build, the more people will drive and the bottleneck will be moved further down the highway or into local streets and the journey will take just as long as ever. Good public transport with priority over road traffic attracts passengers which can increase the service. Trams in Los Angeles are a prime example of how good rail transport will get people out of their cars. At least lines which go somewhere useful to you.

[@sultanabran1]

area any of these trains running today? Some of the older trains today look like these

[@fury1998]

Brisbane trains are inhumane if you're going inbound in the morning and outbound in the afternoon with everyone packed in like sardines. If you got that close to strangers in any other situation you'd risk being charged with harassment. How about Stacia gets some Aussie built double deckers. But at least the lucky folk up there have trains. I now live in New England and Mr Greiner took our trains away at the end of the 80s and now the stupid greens want to rip up the old line and turn it into a rail trail that nobody will use expect maybe a few young and fit backpackers.

[@tressteleg1]

At a guess I suspect you have never travelled Sydney or Melbourne suburban trains in the peak hour. 😄 As for your local line, my first trip to Brisbane in 1966 was via Glen Innes and Wallangarra. Unfortunately there is no heart to reopen your line but the line from Brisbane is still navigable by train. I did it a few years ago.

[@fury1998]

@@tressteleg1 No I haven't been on a Sydney train since the 80s. The closure of NSW rural lines is a tragedy and I mostly blame the National Party who never stand up to the Liberals who don't care about the bush. As someone who suffers from travel sickness I can say that a long distance train trip is 1000 times better than a long distance bus trip but LNP politicians don't care as they either fly or get chauffered.

[@tressteleg1]

I think you will find that many Sydney and Melbourne trains in the peak hour are a lot more crowded than Brisbane these days. The major reason for cutting country branches is because they claim there is no freight traffic. Passenger services run at big losses. The Murwillumbah line always had well loaded XPTs but it closed for the same reason. That line is in such poor condition now that it would cost hundreds of millions to fix it up.

[@fury1998]

@@tressteleg1 Sure but not everything can make a profit. Governments however have a duty to provide their citizens with necessary services including those outside the capital cities. Unfortunately NSW=Newcastle, Sydney, Wollongong and the rest get nothing. This state is a similar size to France or Germany and we deserve a rail network at least as good as those nations. Closing down rail lines is not progress and is an insult to the 19th century workers who virtually froze to death building the New England line. Don't forget the role the NE line played in Australia's federation with an intoxicated Henry Parkes travelling on the line to make his federation speech.

[@H3avyHaul3r]

miketheimbecile trouble is everyone wants to catch the same train to get to/from work or the same express train...passengers are dumb sheeple