Built to LAST? Australia's 50 Year Old Intercity Trains with some Strange Recycled Carriages...

Today, we take a trip on Sydney's 50-year-old trains, the Comeng-built V-set. We go through their troublesome history, including issues with the hazardous material asbestos, as well as their upcoming replacement by new trains for the network.
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Train type: NSW Trainlink V-set
Route: Sydney Central to Blackheath
Train: 7:23 Sydney Central to Mt. Victoria
Distance: 120 km
Journey time: 2h10m
Average speed: 55 km/h
Price: 9.84 aud ~ 6 euro

[@YokRzeznic]

It will be sad to see the old V sets go. They've long been my favourite train of the Sydney system. For what they lack in modern conveniences, they make up for in sheer character.

[@st3pn56]

still more comfortable than the waratahs in my opinion. cushy leather seats, the backrests are also taller for tall folks (or more privacy from the people behind for us shorter folk).

[@hyooon9504]

Agree. This train could bring me back to my past, allow to remember many memories, which would be over when this goes.

[@angieswan2040]

😢 I wish it wasn’t old

[@estelleobrien7969]

As a proud mountain resident I say that these are the most comfy seats ever put in Sydney public transport ❤

[@zubinix]

Absolutely and such a quiet and smooth ride too.

[@Rocky-2300]

I love the V-sets. They were made at a time when they actually put padding into the seats. And after decades of use, they have become very soft and comfortable. I'm not looking forward to their retirement.

[@Simon-Andersen]

I see at lot of people love these trains and have great memories , but the seats really seem to be the only good thing worth saving about them. They really lack proper accessibility, power, digital wayfinding, better lightning, audible announcements, which the new trains will finally bring.

[@Rocky-2300]

@@Simon-AndersenGood point! Let's campaign to replace the fixed plastic seats on the new trains with the ones from the old V-set. 😁

[@Simon-Andersen]

@@Rocky-2300 Best of both worlds!

[@tobys_transport_videos]

@@Simon-Andersen You show me a commuter train in Australia with all these features you think are "mandatory"? I grew up just fine without a mobile phone, without the internet, without all this interactive bullshit, and crappy - if any - announcements! I learnt my way around the system! I also stood in the open doorways of Red Single Deck Sets ("Red Sets") hundreds of times, as well as the open failed auto doors on S sets, and never fell out! Up until 15-20 years ago, the world was not totally a "cotton wool society."

[@Simon-Andersen]

@@tobys_transport_videos You show me any where else in the world that's serious about trains that keep 40 year old rolling stock around. Great! Good for you that you managed fine. Guess what the world has moved on, please give me one good argument for why we shouldn't make trains as easy and accessible as possible for everyone to use now we have the means to do so? Your comment gives me the impression that life "back then" somehow was so much harder but somehow also so much better. And I am very happy to know it's not that type of people placing train orders in NSW

[@ph89787]

My dad described these trains as ordering a Commadore and receiving a Statesman.

[@rogue265]

As a side note - The V set can actually do 145km/h in service, however they are restricted to 115km/h in regular service to reduce maintenance costs - they haven't done 145km/h in service in 30 years.

[@mattcurry9220]

Yes, I can remember in the early to mid 90's whilst travelling on the Central Coast line, the drivers loved to test out the V sets between Ourimbah and Tuggerah and between Wyong and Wyee (express service). I am sure that they were going over 150kmh.

[@Simon-Andersen]

Ah ha! Interesting, I didn't seem to stumble on that information during my research. Surely must have been an expirience doing 145 in one of them

[@ickipoo]

There was a program in the '80s to determine if they could be allowed to follow the XPT speed boards (limits), which max out at 160km/h. In testing, they got them well over that speed although the ride was rough and the pantographs did not track well, resulting in a lot of arcing.

[@tobys_transport_videos]

@@mattcurry9220 A V set was alleged to have done 160 kmh in the suburban area (presumably out towards Penrith) and passing a new XPT set full of stuffed shirt politicians! The V set driver was a well known enthusiast driver who is no longer with us. He got in the shit and was put back to the suburbans for 6 or so months! 😂😂 Another V set story I recall, is how the front vestibule door would bang in the lead car when you came out of Woy Woy tunnel heading north if your speed was over about 120 kmh or more!

[@alexd.1091]

115kph? I've never been on a train that exceeds 90-100kph, while in Europe, Asia, (S.Korea, Japan, China, etc.) the trains reach 300+ kph. Imagine a commute from Sydney to Canberra in an hour? - lol not for another 50-100 years. While the rest of the world will be teleporting, we'll have trains that can maybe do 150kph.

[@Aohalm]

The seat flipping to adjust for the direction is such a clever design!

[@yaush_]

There is the same thing on NJT trains and I was astounded when I figured the out

[@doubledee9675]

It's been a standard feature of all Sydney trains (save for the early Tangaras) for many years. The attempt to do away with them on the Tangaras drew considerable criticism from the travelling public - a hasty and unapologetic retreat was beaten.

[@samtrak1204]

Seat flipping has been around since the 1800's.@@yaush_

[@SirRamone]

And guess what the new trains they spent too much money on dont have that.

[@igorsiuda8108]

It can be found also in other NSW Trains' trainsets, as all other trains are also following their double-decker train tradition, e.g. Tangara from 1980's and 1990's, Waratah (newest, from 2010's and 2020s) and Millennium Train from 2000's.

[@sylviaelse5086]

The seats on these are much more comfortable than those on the newer long distance trains.

[@Simon-Andersen]

And that's probably about the only thing they got on new trains

[@ReliczzTheGamer]

@@Simon-Andersen And the fact that the new trains don't have reversible seats. But other than that, yes the new trains will be significantly better.

[@zaamuro8408]

Best seats in NSW trains still...

[@bobblybob4351]

@@Simon-Andersen comes to Sydney, hates on classic trains cause no wifi

[@kevindavies189]

I used to get these kinds of trains from Kiama to Sydney frequently. They were the most comfortable. Some of the smoothest operating trains to this day, and the ledges on the window and near the ground made the ultimate foot and arm rests.

[@spandexandpolyester]

My bum will miss the V sets when they are retired! As someone who commutes on the Newcastle line which is the only other line that uses them, seat quality is about all I care about, and the newer trains are very uncomfortable, especially in summer when the carpet seating absorbs people's body sweat and is not only rough and spiky (to the point it often gives me a friction burn if I am wearing shorts or a short skirt that day) but weirdly damp too 🤮 I can understand why tourists would be more concerned about things like luggage storage and USB phone charging ports, but the vast majority of people I see riding them here whether it is during rush hour or during the day (as I often leave at different times) are workers who do little but nap or work on laptops that don't need charging bc they've just come from home/work, or elderly people who are just going for a day out, so I don't feel they're as important to the average person as ride comfort. I wish they considered this when making the new D sets, because they look truly horrible. Maybe I'm wrong, and those thin bus seats might be amazingly plush, but I rather doubt it. At least, perhaps, they will not be so noisy. 😆

[@Simon-Andersen]

I generally agree with what you're saying. The new seats likely won't be better that then current ones, and yes the current commuters might not currently care about those amenities, because we'll they don't have them! People were saying the same 10-15 years ago in Europe and now you have commuters that have based their trips around these amenities or switched to the train because of them. If anything it just helps make the train attractive even more people while you can still have a nap or be on your phone, albeit in what might be a less comfortable seat.

[@Randomsydneytrains]

9:04-9:07 “luckily they don’t have much time left in service anymore” LUCKILY?? How could you not like the v sets lol, I’m gonna miss em 🥲

[@Simon-Andersen]

I can like them from an enthusiasts perspective, the seats are good and they have character. But c'mon they lack just about every amenity any average non enthusiast traveler would expect. Proper accessiblily, wayfinding screens, power, wifi, audible announcements etc

[@Randomsydneytrains]

I know lol, of course that wether your a tourist or you grew up in Australia you will have a different perspective on v sets, and that with our changing society we need to keep our trains up to standard, but I totally understand your point from a tourist perspective, it’s just to us that have grown up with em, it’s quite sad the see em go.

[@Reaper1770]

​@@Simon-Andersenyou would be suprised how much love the public love these trains, to most people things like tray tables and chargers as a nice touch but a bonus. Most importantly is it comfortable and being able to fall asleep on the way to work. Most people who take these trains are people who travel close to an hour or more. Most just want to sleep or happy with just being on the phone.

[@Topher5035]

Properly cold air con, 2+2 seating, thickly padded seats facing the direction of travel, closing vestibule doors with a quiet ride. You dont get much of that on any new Sydney train. For a two hour journey I don’t need a charging port, or a tray table or an overhead bin or destination board. I know if my train is on time based on when I get to Springwood, Hazlebrook or Wentworth Falls and I know when to get out. As far as journey comforts go the least comfortable thing is the choppy motor controls and the lurching couplers, but that is not a huge problem. You have to ask what really matters to a regular long distance commuter and its not most of the items on an enthusiasts tick the box list.

[@Simon-Andersen]

​@@Topher5035 I don't think the seats are going to be that bad. They look like the ones we have in Europe for similar journeys, which is okay, but I agree it's a step down from the current V-sets. If anything, on the new trains, you'll have a quieter ride and still be able to browse your phone and have a nap. But adding these new features helps make the train more accessible and easy to use for everyone, including people who currently don't choose the train because it's old, outdated, and inaccessible. We didn't have these things in Europe 10-15 years ago, and people were saying the same things. Now it would be unthinkable to build a train without them, and I'm sure the sentiment will be the same in Australia as they attract new riders who get used to being able to work on their commute and cut time at the office or have a picnic with the family on the train on the way to Lithgow.

[@nathandunnn]

As I'm from Sydney, it might be worth clearing a couple things up and adding some info (most was pretty close though) - The asbestos issue mostly effected only the K and C set suburban trains from a similar era, and was quite quickly dealt with. - As for the age of the trains, the first batch from 1970 were a catastrophic failure (I'm talking frame corrosion, electrical failures (many), aircon never working, door faults and more). They have long since been scrapped after many attempts to fix them. Comeng went back to the drawing board, revised their design, and the second batch appeared from 1976. These included a small batch of motor cars and an equal amount of driving trailer cars (what you call the "cab cars" in the video). Despite these being much more successful, only 2 of the motor cars remain in service, as well as the ex- driving trailers. The other motor cars were mostly withdrawn when the H sets were built (2006-2012). The later batches were delivered from 1981, being only 43 years old at most. The last 14 cars were delivered with different shaped fluting on the side and look slightly more modern, you can see this on the last two cars of the passing train at Penrith at 7:46. The youngest of these cars entered service in 1989, making them 35 years old. - Of course, this is just opinion, but the V set seats are considered by everyone I have ever heard (including myself) to be the best in NSW despite their age. They are a blessing compared to the H sets and the incoming D sets don't have reversible seats, so half the passengers are forced to face backwards, which would be infuriating on a long journey.

[@doubledee9675]

There will be another hasty retreat to replace the seating. The failure to provide reversible seating from the start is inexplicable and shows a complete lack of consultation with those pesky people called passengers

[@jagobbin2]

Yep can't agree with you more. The V sets are a lot more comfortable than the OSCARs. Don't care that they are missing the mod-cons like power outlets, tray tables, etc.

[@SirRamone]

The mans right , The first ones are gone, the ones we have now are amazing. Shows with building them here and fixing the problems here you can make one great unit. To quote the great Gladys "Australia is no good at making trains"

[@staryoshi06]

The aircon didn't just not work, there wasn't an aircon to begin with.

[@jm56585]

I agree so much, Comeng is such a legendary train manufacturer. I've ridden the Comeng train, the V set, and the A,Z,B class trams in melbourne (which are all made by Comeng) and they're seriously still the some of the best rollingstock in service. They're old and have high floors and old aircons but they have really nice seats and nice suspension. It's really sad to see them be phased out because they're so comfortable to ride and so charming in their appearance.

[@thekrunkymonkey]

I love these trains. I used to get up an hour early to catch these to work from Newcastle to Sydney rather than ride in the newer (and far less comfortable) mid distance commuter trains.

[@xptguy3241]

Our V sets are a much beloved train and widely regarded as the best electric commuter train we’ve ever had. Yes, they are old and haven’t many upgrades over the years but they are comfortable and reliable. Set V21 contains the oldest electric motor car in the NSW fleet at 47 years old (DCM8032) and is slated for preservation upon retirement. There are also two types of motor cars in the V set fleet, the older Camshaft type and the “newer” chopper type. Thanks for doing a video on them.

[@jamesfrench7299]

I always liked the whine on the camshaft sets, especially when the pitch rose at speed. It added to the experience of these and was very subtle from inside.

[@BrettMcS]

I started work as an engineer at Comeng, Granville and was honoured to work with the great engineers there - at the tail end of their careers - who designed these trains.

[@MA77SP]

The V-sets are the most comfortable train for the everyday local commuter. It really absorbs the bumps so well and its a quiet train. The V-sets will be missed.

[@jamesfrench7299]

Should have ridden them in the 80s when they still had double glazed windows. They were eerily quiet and you had to swallow sometimes to be sure you hadn't lost your hearing.

[@MA77SP]

@@jamesfrench7299 Wow. In that time I was born when the Tangara was built.

[@DanVal4]

I used to manufacture the seats/armrests here in Sydeny. They're not wood but rather moulded plastic and foam. Was more cost-effective to re-engineer and manufacture in Sydney than get them done overseas. Especially now ComEng is defunct. I just remember it was a pain to get the dye quantity right in the chemical mixture to get the colour matching and consistent haha

[@Topher5035]

May be the most comfortable and least expensive train journey per km ….. in the world!

[@Simon-Andersen]

I think it's neither, but the seat is good and it's pretty cheap indeed

[@FromtheWindowSeat]

Great to see you Down Under. The V sets are widely (at least among rail enthusiasts) regarded as great trains. Cheers!

[@Simon-Andersen]

They definitely work, but they for sure lack many of the modern amenities that new trains bring, new trains will likely be a downgrade in actual seat comfort unfortunately.

[@doubledee9675]

@@Simon-Andersen And I suspect that most passengers would prefer a comfortable seat above most other features.

[@CaptainsChannel58]

Exactly, seat comfort on a two+ hour journey is paramount!

[@afs5609]

These V SETS were designed for passenger comfort, these days that is the last consideration, the currently delayed D sets come with from my observation a fixed non reversing seat, which will probably be as comfortable as sitting on rock, maybe ok for those who travel less than 40 minutes on a suburban train, but not for 2 plus hours, I find traveling backwards causes me to feel sick, but these days no one cares. Over the last thirty years we have gone from standard reversible seats to fixed seating then back to reversible seats on various suburban & country trains, & now back once again to fixed seats.

[@Simon-Andersen]

The only thing comfortable about the v-set is the seat cushioning. They lack every other modern amenity, reversible seating would be nice, but I don't actually know for how big a percentage of travelers riding backwards is an issue

[@CaptainsChannel58]

Australians don't like traveling backwards, we've almost always had the choice of sitting the correct way except for some of the newer awful trains

[@afs5609]

@@CaptainsChannel58 I completely agree, I am one of them, but I also know from experience, working in the rail rolling stock maintenance area, a test run on an updated mainline carriage back in the 1980's which had been converted from compartment to open saloon was greeted with many passengers passing comment of being able to sit in the direction of travel, something that the designers of train interiors have no knowledge of, we seem to wind up with the British/European concept of fixed seats facing the wrong direction of travel, maybe okay for a time period of ten to fifteen minutes but not two to three hours. it was the same when the Tangara's first entered service, the complaints about that type of seating wasn't well received by those who had approved it, the later G set configuration was the result of the complaints, even today when passengers find these reversible seats on the converted G to T sets think the whole fleet is being converted, of course these days most passengers are just happy to find a seat.

[@ktipuss]

@@afs5609 I took a group of overseas students to and from Newcastle on a weekend H service recently, and they were HUGE fans of the reversible seats.

[@wence25games89]

​@@Simon-Andersenerhaps upgrades to disabled accessibility, charging ports and announcements would be enough

[@daveacbickford]

So great to have you in Australia mate, us Sydneysiders are all fons of the old V Sets, very iconic! The Purple seats 💜 they used to be this pastel green years ago 😂 Great route to take too, I took that same route recently even further to Lithgow, and ironically you can see the currently stranded D Set replacements for these V Sets which aren't in service yet. To those worrying about the toilets, you're right to worry haha that's a good one, I've spent 2+ hours in one of those toilets when unwell 🤢 Thanks again for another Australian video!

[@Simon-Andersen]

I think I might become too lenient with my toilet standards after being in the Balkans and central Asia 😅 I get there is a lot of love for the v-set in the enthusiast circle especially for the seats, but it's gonna be great getting just about every other modern amenity on the long trips out to places like Lithgow :D

[@camboi6103]

9:11 just a heads up, the D-sets have been highly controversial from railfans just not wanting the V-sets to be gone, to large union disputes about the design intended to phase out guards (a rather important safety feature that's been standard on every train since the single deck days) along with defective equipment such as brakes, AC and doors

[@Simon-Andersen]

I can tell there are lots of fans of the V-sets in the comments 😅 I think just about the seats are the only thing the v-set does better than the new trains. I can't see why driver only operation can't work in Sydney when it can elsewhere in the world, but that's a whole other issue that has very little to do with the train itself

[@ktipuss]

@@Simon-Andersen Does "elsewhere in the world" have the large number of unattended stations that NSW's Intercity lines do? If they did away with train guards, who helps disabled passengers on and off trains at these stations? The driver leaves the train cab? I think not.

[@Simon-Andersen]

@@ktipuss You sound sceptical but that's exactly what happens in my home city Copenhagen. The far majority of s-tog stations are unattended. When a passenger requires assitence the driver just deploys the ramp at the door next to the cab, passenger boards and the train gets on its way. Definitely possible

[@staryoshi06]

The V sets were built in 4 car sets, the "recycled carriages" you saw were because it was two 4-car sets combined to create an 8-car for greater capacity.

[@Elizabeth2445A]

I believe the carriage is of the two-unit Citydecker/The River refurbishment, with the cab repurposed as a luggage compartment. A four car set will have the driving trailer ends yellow, and in eight car sets will have four yellow ends, two at the ends and two in the middle. The grey fibreglass end is done if the intermediate cars are also driving trailers, in order to make their presence (whether coupled cab to cab or cab to end) slightly less intrusive

[@ktipuss]

A few services also ran as 2 car sets; there was an early morning Wyong (or Morisset?) to St Mary's 2 car V set until about 2005 or so.

[@user-ot7ec4uc3g]

The only comfortable seat on the new urbans are the driver's seat, stuff the passengers.

[@Simon-Andersen]

I don't think the seats on the new trains look bad, but I guess we'll see :D

[@siwi666]

Thank you!. Some of these need to be retained with gentle upgrades. They are really lovely trains.

[@Simon-Andersen]

They for sure have character and have served very well. Let's hope a museum or heritage railway can preserve one

[@varno]

You said that there was no overhead storage, but actually, in the area with the luggage rack there, there is some limited overhead storage too.

[@Simon-Andersen]

Ah I must have missed that! Thanks for clarifying. There's only limited overhead storage then 😅

[@tobys_transport_videos]

The seating in the area over the bogies had luggage racks, and there was limited (unsafe, IMO) storage in the end vestibule areas. I think the reason for no luggage space in the upper or lower decks may have been due the NSW loading gauge not really being suited to Double Deck trains, so the designer at Tulloch, Roy Leembruggen, designed the 48xx series Tulloch trailers to fit through the City Circle tunnels, so naturally when Comeng went into the business of building what became the V sets, they too were restricted by tunnel clearances, these being on the Blue Mountains and on the Central Coast line to Gosford, remembering that electrification to Newcastle didn't happen until June 1984, with Wyong having been a stepping stone for a while just beforehand. South Coast electrification didn't happen until the mid 80s, with Dapto by the early 90s, and Kiama some time later.

[@lachlanmcgowan5712]

I personally find the seats on the V Sets to be extremely comfortable, because they are extremely heavily padded and you can really sink into them. However, the ride overall can be pretty bad, because some of the carriages have pretty bad suspension and you can get a lot of jostling on your way on rougher sections of track.

[@Simon-Andersen]

Yeah exactly, the seats are good and comfortable, but that's about the only redeeming quality about them. The new trains will bring a lot of improvements in every other aspect.

[@Reaper1770]

​@@Simon-Andersenthe new trains which are D sets aren't very liked due to a lack of reversable seating and less padding due to seats.

[@CaptainsChannel58]

D sets have those awful ironing board seats, they will be horrible

[@dieseldavetrains8988]

At 3.33 narration you should replace "Sydney & Brisbane" with "Melbourne & Brisbane" as you are already in Sydney! Nice simple video, very enjoyable.

[@Simon-Andersen]

Ah you're right! Happens when youre somewhere you're not familiar with. Thanks for watching :-)

[@dieseldavetrains8988]

@@Simon-Andersen Good quality video Simon, are you using GoPro9 or GoPro10?

[@darylcheshire1618]

In the ‘70s there was this huge departure board which was replaced with video screens. This edifice can be seen at the Powerhouse Museum.

[@YishaiBarr]

Did they move the Powerhouse Museum yet?

[@darylcheshire1618]

@@YishaiBarr I’m from Melbourne, I don’t know.

[@ThePolaroid669]

None of the original 1970 built sets still exist. Therefore, none of them currently in service are over 50 years old.

[@Simon-Andersen]

I should probably have made bigger point of mentioning that in the video! Thanks for clarifying

[@jamesfrench7299]

The interiors were very different apart from the seats. The window sills were huge. People today with their devices would have liked them.

[@tamworthtrainnut285]

The Xplorer runs from Central to Armidale, Moree, Broken Hill, Griffith and Canberra, the XPT runs from Central to Melbourne, Dubbo, Grafton, Casino and Brisbane, V sets run on the CCN line to Newcastle Interchange and the BMT line to Lithgow, the Endeavours run on the SCO line between Kiama and Bomaderry, SHL line between Campbelltown and Goulburn, BMT line between Lithgow and Bathurst and also the HUN line between Scone, Dungog, Muswellbrook, Telarah and Newcastle Interchange

[@lachlanmcgowan5712]

Technically the Hunter Line is serviced in part by its own unique sets called the Hunter Railcars, which are based on the Endeavors but mechanically simpler and slower, with only one engine per car.

[@tobys_transport_videos]

@@lachlanmcgowan5712 These are shown in official circles as "J sets." I can't remember what an Endanger is called, apart from what I've called them for over 30 years, but neither is fantastic. The Endangers used to have fixed bucket seats, but at at some stage got G set style seats, making the journey from Sydney to Lithgow much better!

[@JRBRailstuff]

@@tobys_transport_videosEndeavours are N sets

[@tobys_transport_videos]

@@JRBRailstuff Thanks! I remember this now, and laughing at the absurd comparison I made a the time. I'd rather a V/Line N set than a current day NSW N set!

[@alexmccutcheon7381]

Loving the script! "everything from power banks to Powerade"

[@justinsimmonds5674]

These old beasts were most definitely built to last. They’re ol’ reliable. Very good Australian-made quality that are actually fit for purpose.

[@Djr67]

These trains are the best, so quiet and great to ride in.

[@igorsiuda8108]

G on Comeng's name is pronounce like e.g. Georgia, George, etc, as it's name stands for "Community Engineering" or "Commonwealth Engineering".

[@Aaron-uf3sl]

The name is Commonwealth Engineering. Not sure where you got community engineering from.

[@lindalane1166]

Those new trains have been sitting idle for at least 3years. They didn't fit the tunnels in the mountains

[@atholmullen]

V-sets have a design in-service top speed of 160km/h. It is only a policy decision that limits the speed to 120km/h.

[@jamesfrench7299]

Two words I loathe are that and contract.

[@krillbo948]

So much better than the uncomfortable, painfully bright and poorly thought out Oscar’s

[@Class38s]

DTC/DTD cars are my favourite cars to travel in whenever I get the chance to ride a v-set.

[@ascendant1218]

I love V sets. It will be sad to see them go. They are dated, but like many others have said, I think they are more comfortable than the newer trains.

[@danieleyre8913]

Misleading title. None of the Series 1 of the V sets that were built at the beginning of the 1970s are in service anymore, they were scrapped almost 20 years ago. All the sets still in frequent service are series 3 to series 8 that were built during the 1980s. More like 35-40 years old, so approaching the end of their lives but not older than the 45 years of frequent service which rolling stock are expected to have.

[@johngreen9830]

Dude this is a complete 4th wall break for me. Seeing a mainstream channel cover the train route that all blue mountains goers travel to Sydney and around each town, a romantic yet seemingly isolated hidden train ride for me atleast is shown to the world. Insane

[@nadnerb2k]

I drove them for 10 years before transferring back to Sydney Trains. Long in the tooth but can be a joy to drive. Had an empty one from Newcastle to Sydney, managed the trip in 2 hours 5 minutes, would've been sub 2 hours if it wasn't for signals at epping and strathfield.

[@neil5214]

As someone who has a long term back injury, travelling between Newcastle & Sydney is much more tolerable on this train than the newer ones which make me almost a cripple by journeys end

[@patrgl]

the scenery in the mountains was awesome!

[@iankemp1131]

Nice to see these again. I remember travelling on one to Katoomba on my first visit to Australia in 1982. Great views from the upper deck, and nice and comfortable. Classic designs don't grow old or lose their inherent functionality. Good also to see an XPT still in service now that the HSTs have almost disappeared from the UK network.

[@dragonoftheeast695]

Great video… keep up the great work 🫵👍

[@PineappleSkip]

Thanks for the ride. I’ve lived in Blackheath and know the ride well. Always thrilling when you get down to Penrith and can go faster with fewer stops. Come back again some time and have a look at the heritage listed Mount Victoria station, and ride through the fascinating ten tunnels on the descent to Lithgow!

[@1234mallard]

I’ve travelled many times on these trains many times over the years, mainly out to Lithgow or up to Newcastle. Despite being old they are very comfortable to ride on, just without modern amenities. There have been many problems with the replacement D sets. I’ve heard stories ranging from union disputes, to the trains being too wide for some stations.

[@yenyehski_698]

The V sets are the best trains in Sydney. I catch them frequently on trips up to the Blue Mountains. Much more comfortable and a much more pleasant ride then any of the newer intercity trains. While the newer trains are more accessible (which I fully support) they have no where near the comfort or class of the V sets. A lot of the newer intercity trains don't have flipable seats, feel very rigid, and the trains feel very corprate and city like. Half the journey intercity is the view, I'd rather be able to actually watch it in comfort then just watch my phone charge. The Blue Mountains is known for it's older quaint style so older quaint trains fit it better. If I'm taking a two hour trip up to Lithgow I would rather be able to flip my seat around and actually enjoy the view in a pleasant looking train. I hear so many people who frequently catch trains in Sydney like me specifically aim to catch the V sets over any other intercity train, heck, a lot even catch them in between stops in Sydney because they're more comfortable. I'd support the V sets being replaced with more accessible trains if they actually still built comfortable classy ones. But until then, I'd rather catch a V set then any OSCAR or newer one.

[@CaptainsChannel58]

"very basic seats"?!? These are the best train seats we have!! A hundred fimes better than any of the newer trains on the network!

[@perhapsme988]

Central Station should bring back Fast food outlets, Hungary Jack's for convenience for passengers. V set trains are great. I love them.. The seats were refurbished a while ago..

[@RaYMannSuperFLY]

Making the mundane look marvelous! Good work dude! :)

[@Simon-Andersen]

Thanks a ton!

[@OldAussieAds]

V sets are my favourite train. And fun fact, I'm writing this post while sitting on one. But I'm biased. I grew up with these trains. But here's some non biased feedback. My brother-in law was recently visiting from Canada. We caught a V set in to Sydney and caught an H set back. When we got on the train for the return journey, he said "Oh, how come we don't get one of those luxurious trains going home?". I found this an odd thing for him to say, because I assumed overseas visitors would consider the V sets to be old and crusty without the rose coloured glasses. Seems I was wrong.

[@Simon-Andersen]

I think the main issue here is that the H sets really are inner suburban trains being used on a wrong kind of service, where the V-sets actually had a bit of comfort in mind. Seems like with the new D-sets there is being made an attempt at getting something similar to whats offered on similar lenght services in many european countries

[@IESpotter]

Great video! Really enjoyed it.

[@Josh-xe6pq]

Loved this video - subscribed!

[@Nihilore]

50 years old and still comfy af, caught one to school every day for 6 years in the early 2000's. also you got the purple seated treains, the green seated trains have comfier seats and are more common. or were back then

[@aniburns329]

I used to love the beautiful colour seats and flooring. The seats were fairly comfortable and the windows large and picturesque! Last time I was on one was when I was living in Australia in '94 or so before I moved to the UK then the US.

[@user-ko8xd4hg5u]

Tack va trevlig å se

[@SpotterCrazyperson]

It looks great!

[@PendolinoMarco]

Cool video and an awesome train Simon, They look similair to American Trains with all that ribbed metal sheet metal, Australia is really an amazing and beautiful Country, Mind also that brandnew Sydney Tram under the canopy at 0:53, What a beast! (Yes I'm also a Tram Geek from The Netherlands) :D

[@Simon-Andersen]

Thanks Marco!

[@wendypilley1505]

You should come visit some time to Down Under Australia 🇦🇺

[@JRBRailstuff]

Can’t wait to go one one when I’m down that way next month. Also on the non electrified sections, NSW also has the Hunter DMUs, used on the hunter valley commuter line between Newcastle and Maitland/Scone/Muswellbrook/Dungog

[@realjohnboxall]

The V-sets are peak electric train in Australia. I rode them on their first day to Newcastle. I rode them on their last day to Newcastle. And hundreds of times in between Sydney, Newcastle, Broadmeadow, the 'gong and a couple of times to Kiama and Katoomba. They will be sorely missed.

[@Simon-Andersen]

I see a lot of people have great love for them and their great character. Its also gonna be great to see Sydney/NSW move forward and get some new trains that are more adequate for the times.

[@BG-ir1ii]

Need to replace these useless trains these modern days. They are just waste of time for commuters - driving via M1 is more enjoyable and efficient.

[@peterkirgan2921]

I used to work on these @ ugl doing refreshes ( referb) also travelled on these Newcastle line ! Will be sadly missed 😢when eventually retired! Great video thank you ! 😊

[@Cropmy5]

Note that the Sydney Metro isn't a competitor to Sydney Trains. They're both under Transport for NSW, a government agency.

[@clivedinosaur8407]

One point of interest is that there are several stations outside of the suburban network have platforms that can't accommodate an 8 car train (and one station on Central Coast route is so short you can only enter\exit from the last carriage). 8 car trains are actually 2 x 4 car trains joined together so you can't walk the full length of the train. If you're in the front 4 cars of an 8 car train and you want to exit at the next stop, you're not getting off if the platform is short and only takes 4 cars.

[@jaydensydes3478]

i can't believe they want to replace the most comfortable trains in NSW with some F-tier concrete slab china rubbish, i am absolutely devastated, i can't drive to work so I rely on public transport and they're about to make me very miserable.

[@PTFSFanB0y]

Very good video about the Sydney trains

[@tdb7992]

The new metro extension through the central city area of Sydney opens soon. Hopefully one day you will come back to ride on it. The new stations look really amazing, and the driverless technology reminds me a lot of Copenhagen's metro. I'm glad you came to experience our country ☺

[@Simon-Andersen]

One day I'll be back :D I had a ride on the extension open in the north, seems like a great mode of transit for Sydney!

[@kolejnakolej.1437]

Interesting video. Good work. Greetings from Poland. 👍

[@DarkabyssTheFounder]

These trains have surprised me to no end. The manual doors might be a bit of a confusion for people who haven’t gone on The Blue Mountain Line (aka me) but other than that, these trains are amazing (we’re never talking about the new ones)

[@pcorf]

Gutted cab cars were unpowered (trailers), they were used on 2 and 6 car trains in the past. DCT9042 is from the second batch, built in 1977.

[@ThomasNing]

The v-sets have dedicated space for bikes :) and they work with bikes with front mudguards, unlike the new ones.

[@jaydanjm9589]

I did this exact same trip a couple of months back. I don't think i could find the same joy in it without the V Sets :(

[@jouebien]

they Sydney to Brisbane service actually terminates at Casino if you catch the day service. You get bussed into Roma Street Station via Lismore, Bryon Bay, Surface, Logan and finally Brisbane. The night service runs directly into Roma Street as QR has slots for it to run over all the bridges during off peak commuter time.

[@lachlanmcgowan5712]

Wonder if Queensland Rail will be able to let daytime trains from Sydney come all the way to Roma St after they finish the Cross River Tunnel?

[@Croissinate]

7:24 very brave touching the seat with your hands lol. Those bathrooms are a nightmare in terms of cleanliness. Nonetheless, great video!

[@Stanmanme]

That's the cleanest toilet on those trains I've ever seen

[@samtrak1204]

Thank you. I never new parts of Austrailia were so green and lush.

[@lachlanmcgowan5712]

This was filmed during a pretty wet summer, our trees get much greener when there's a lot of rain

[@cyclops92]

Wait until you find out we have snow

[@quarkcypher]

I live in the upper Blue Mountains, sometimes it snows here in Winter. Snowfalls in Australia do surprise some foreigners. Cheers.

[@jamesfrench7299]

What happens when you rely on the entertainment industry to learn stuff.

[@AURON2401]

Well, we don't go so far inland where there is no green, and it was probably filmed where everywhere isn't burning 10x more than what you would get from a battle scene in a movie/tv show. Oh and the mountains are pretty cool too.

[@weaselman24]

I remember riding the whole way to the mountains in the door area crammed with mountain bikes every weekend

[@ChrisAltman-yw4fe]

I still love riding in them.

[@Mediawatcher2023]

The V - Set train you see is Series 3 entered service 1982

[@RKMa64]

Yore narrator voice is perfect for trains Calm and cool. I wish mine could be like that 😎

[@jamesfrench7299]

My dad used to call them the blue tongue train due to the decorative blue on grey livery of the fronts the earlier batches carried. They originally had the two way gold mirrored windows like the XPT still has and double glazing which made them super quiet in the saloon. They felt like a luxury car in rails. More sound comes through due to them phasing in the single layer windows. They were fantastic in their day.

[@OldAussieAds]

I didn't realise the windows were changed to single layer. I only knew they weren't gold anymore.

[@jamesfrench7299]

@@OldAussieAds some would trap condensation, some so severe inches of water would pool in them.

[@OldAussieAds]

@@jamesfrench7299 I vaguely remember the water. I also remember that while they gave you privacy at day (they looked like gold aviator glasses from the outside), at night time it was reversed.

[@jamesfrench7299]

@@OldAussieAds yes!! It was great for people watching in the day but you were a zoo exhibit by night!

[@motorsportarmchairexperts3642]

Great video, they are work horse trains the V’s and will be missed. They were great as an express to the city from Hornsby as you always had A/C compared to the red rattlers on the north shore line.

[@hartleymartin]

Hard to believe that the first V-sets were in service when we were still using steam locomotives to shunt darling harbour.

[@Redozer3]

Hopefully I can go on a V set before they are retired, they now mostly run Blue Mountains, so I am expecting to go somewhere and back on the V sets. Just a few weeks ago, I went on a Hunter Railcar, not an explorer or endeavour (as they require booked seats only which I will probably not get. I am expecting that I can just go on a V set one last time before they go and retire. I do not think they are going to preserve it, but most trains gets preserved, used as a emergency or used in a heritage expo.

[@scoobsm6994]

I spent many years commuting on these, on that line. These are great, comfortable trains, that have served well. Better than the newer rubbish. The modern colour scheme leaves a bit to be desired though. Luckily they will be replaced soon???? Your video gets a thumbs down for that comment alone

[@Simon-Andersen]

I will never understand the sentiment for old trains. Sure the seats have plenty of padding and they work, they probably were great for their time and have served well as you point out. But it's 2024 the accessibility leaves lots to be desired, lacks modern amenities like screens, proper toilets, wifi, lightning, announcements etc. I'd much rather railways actually evolve into the future than keeping stuff like this around forever

[@varno]

@@Simon-Andersen i think the issue is that these have been often replaced with trains designed for suburban running in some cases, and these are nowhere near as comfortable when taking a 2-3h train trip as the older V set. It is definitely true that a modern replacement is needed, also, the upcoming replacements are korean imports and lack many features that sydneysiders expect, including but not limited to seats that reverse. They also had modify platforms and tunnels to fit the new sets. Also none of the trains in the NSW fleet, except perhaps the state rail fleet (which are managed completely separately) have wifi. Yes the additional ammenities are nicez but if you cant get yhe basics right, what do the extras like screens mean, especially when we have phone apps that have realtime data from the rail opperations system, and basically obsolete those on train screens anyway in most cases. That isnt to say i dont want a good replacement for the intercity sets, but what was acquired to replace them have had real compromises made

[@Simon-Andersen]

​@@varno That sounds about right. I think i had a breif trip on a OSCAR that also does longer runs? They are definitely just a "glorified" surburban train and i likely wouldn't find them adequete either. I guess time will tell when the D-sets enter service, but from the renders they seem to have just about every feature that id expect from something running these 2-3 hour inter-urban style services, albiet the seats looks to be on the harder end (but thats also seems to be a general trend everywhere else :/ )

[@commodorenut]

I don’t think people who never used a V-set regularly will ever understand that those “amenities” like fancy screens and the like were never needed on lines like the blue mountains. Every station has character, and you know when yours is coming up from the scenery changes. Oh, and all the guards I ever came across doing regular Lithgow runs announced stations clearly. I’m not liking the hospital waiting room purple theme, nor the cheap-out single glazing. The olive green and golden gaytime interiors were high fashion in the day 😂. I wonder how many of the classic old fittings like the vestibule doors, cold water fountains with cups, and ashtrays under the windows survived the refits?

[@CaptainsChannel58]

​@@Simon-Andersenyou'll never understand because you are under the false impression that 'newer is better', a sad impression that many younger people have these days. I hope you enjoy your ironing board seats on the new D sets for a 2+ hour trip

[@mrdodgex]

Your pronunciation on penrith was absolutely perfect, just like a local. Hope you had some sanitising wipes after using the v set toilets. Only use them in emergencies haha. Great video

[@Simon-Andersen]

Hahah i tried to the best of my ability to wash my hands aftewards :P

[@stephenwarhurst6615]

The V sets I remember them as far back as the late 1970's when the V Sets use to be very over crowded because more people use to catch the train then drive. Plus there was Smoking and Non Smoking carriages and at the door areas was drinking water dispensers with paper cups. With the V-sets if it's ain't broken it doesn't need replacing but you can only do so many up-grades before it's fully Obsolete. Best train every built by Comeng you would of gone pass the old factory site where they built them next to Clyde Station that was knocked down in the 1990's

[@clivedinosaur8407]

I travel regularly between Central and Newcastle Interchange (approx 2hr 40min) and will adjust my plans just to get one of these Intercity trains. The only downside is the very small toilet, including the door....virtually impossible to enter while wearing any type of backpack.

[@zedrena88]

Liked the video. That's exactly what I did before. Newcastle to the north, Kiama to the south and Katoomba to the west 😊 BTW, pls do one for an example of Cityfail 😂

[@davewilson5370]

They've already purchased the V set replacements...they are exactly the same sort of train just much more modern. They have had some sort of teething problems which are being sorted out as we speak. To see them one merely needs to go to the yards in Chullora/Enfield and they are there.....very flashy..

[@johncitizen5377]

Using a public power outlet to charge your device? Perfect way to compromise it. Great video by the way. You missed Glenbrook Gorge though.

[@deano305]

Designed 50 years ago, but the majority of cars are 35-40 years old.

[@TrainsForNSWVlogs]

Designed in 1968!

[@aidenteszke9000]

The body was

[@bluegamer308]

Love the XPT

[@Dobuan75]

Welcome! I’m from Sydney but lived in Stockholm for 3 years and worked on Vasagatan just across the road from T-Centralen. Thanks for the kind comparison, but in my opinion, the Stockholm station is much, much superior.

[@darrenswan600]

I went on one from Cardiff to Sydney with my class from gths to go to the sea life aquarium in darling harbour

[@geoffgoodworth]

I commuted from the NSW Central Coast to Sydney for 8 years. Give me the seats in the V Sets any day. In fact, with the seats in any of the replacement trains, 2 hours stuck on them is cruel and unusual punishment. The geniuses that signed off on the new designs should be made to use the single seats as office chairs for a while to see what they are inflicting on the people who pay their wages.

[@YishaiBarr]

Most of the V sets in use today are variants made in the 1980s that use a chopper system similar to those used in Tangaras and the scrapped C sets. For some reason, the OSCARs were never capable of travelling to the Blue Mountains. But now that the D sets are coming in, they'll transfer them to Sydney Trains.

[@aidenteszke9000]

The Oscars were too wide for the blue mountains line until the clearance upgrades were done for the D sets. They do rarely head up the mountains now to cover a V set

[@staryoshi06]

@@aidenteszke9000Yeah it's funny that people make fun of the D set for being too wide, when really it's just any modern sydney train design being slightly wider than the comeng design.

[@michaelmcdonald3275]

We should keep them, their replacements are sterile uncomfortable crap. They were able to breathe new life into these Vsets when they were re-upholstered in Purple. These trains are magnificent and comfortable.

[@1toneboy]

Ugh what a bugman take: ‘these loyal Australian made trains don’t have power outlets, lucky they’re being replaced’.