Flinders Street Station, Melbourne Australia. 1990.

[@ImmaVegetto]

I remember this like it was yesterday. So much nostalgia.

[@shaundgb7367]

I do not think Flinders Street looks that different to this day so other than looks of the trains themselves, it looks like yesterday to me. In contrast, Spencer Street Station had such a massive overhaul it been renamed and replaced by more modern Southern Cross Station. Outside in interesting at start of this video that cars used to be able to drive down Swanston Street.

[@johnclifford1537]

I started working in 1990 so spent a LOT of time waiting on these platforms. Those little yellow kiosks sold the best potato cakes 😁

[@calmblueocean7243]

It is so hard to get a good potato cake these days! ✌😀

[@raspanda8123]

They still do till this day although probably not as good as they use to taste.

[@io4439]

@@raspanda8123 finding a potato cake with potato inside is a challenge... all batter these days

[@cameronwhyte7223]

@@io4439 I'd like that.

[@thunderlips350]

When I started at Flinders St in 1987 the kiosks on all the platforms were, oddly enough, actually run by V/Line. As was the big cafeteria on the main concourse. Yes, the potato cakes were a main attraction. It was a very sad day when Metro decided to remove the kiosks to make room for more passengers. There is still a kiosk on platform 1, which I believe is now a private venture, but it has been closed since Covid and I'm not sure if it will reopen.

[@htram373]

This is really good footage just as Melbourne and Flinders Street Station was. Thanks for posting this.

[@Magpie_Mark92]

I wish the city still looked like that

[@emircosic7860]

Love the video, please upload more. I miss the good old times

[@calmblueocean7243]

This is before I lived in or even visited Melbourne - really interesting old footage. The Hitachis - wow! 👍

[@paulorocky]

Hitachis - great workhorses, though not much fun on a 40 degree day

[@calmblueocean7243]

@@paulorocky oh yeah, I'll bet! ✌😓

[@inkdreams5113]

Good all pie warmers.

[@AnonyDave]

Melbourne pre- about 2005 always just looks so dystopian. Also couldn't help but notice that station staff member with the mullet...have to go a lot further north to find those these days luckily

[@planetX15]

Are you a Tigers supporter or related to Graeme? I like your photo by the way.

[@ceeejay9112]

I remember that guy....

[@WilDBeestMF]

It is FAR more dystopian in 2024. It's some uncanny valley BS in 2024.

[@mebeme007]

It's simply late at night on a Wednesday. Bring on Thurs, Fri and Sat nights (like nowadays) and the place was buzzin'. I've never got any dystopian sense to the city, at all. It's my home. 😊❤

[@WilDBeestMF]

@@mebeme007 Aka you choose to ignore it.

[@turbogav8674]

This was shot 10 days after i landed in Melbourne from the UK to live when i was 8.

[@harleybartolo3994]

A year before I was born. Makes me feel old at already near 30!

[@mebeme007]

Old at almost 30. 🤣 Gawd, 30 seems like just a few years ago for me. Even though I'm pushing 50 now. 😜

[@drhandle4498]

The three note horn. The sound track of my secondary school childhood, and young adulthood.

[@markjmaxwell9819]

They just finished the renovation of flinders street station and it looks better than ever.

[@calmblueocean7243]

Re - watching this priceless footage! At 3:18 there's kind of a partially built roof or scaffolding arrangement - it's not there now, do you know the story behind that? Thanks 👍

[@AridersLifeYT]

That is what people use to climb on, got taken down not long after

[@DerhamPaul-vo8fr]

I was 18 in 1990 I'm 52 now

[@planetX15]

I would love to see more of these videos. Could it be possible if you were able to post the 3 hour video in one shot?

[@thunderlips350]

A lot of it is kind of personal stuff with the staff but I'll certainly go through it and add some clips.

[@planetX15]

Please do, Thankyou!

[@justsmallstuff4994]

Yeah bro earned a sub

[@andyrob3259]

I world have been working in the city these years and getting the trains home to Berwick at night.

[@cameronwhyte7223]

My dad would have been too. To Narre Warren then a bus to Cranbourne.

[@PieOfEpicness]

It's weird seeing cars on Swanston St!

[@ArachKing]

Wasn’t made a traffic-free zone till ‘96-‘97 if I recall correctly

[@justsmallstuff4994]

Great footage

[@nickrobinson9189]

The platforms really haven't changed.

[@TheSproutarian]

What model train is that at 6:00? Why were they taken off the grid? They were great trains with such comfy seats. The trains are much worse today.

[@calcutt4]

That is a Comeng, they're still around although probably not for much longer

[@planetX15]

​@@calcutt4That looks like an Hitachi train to me

[@calcutt4]

@@planetX15 nah its def a comeng

[@justanaturalcarguyaviation2630]

Comeng

[@jaigurwantsingh6445]

In 1990 I was in India, want to be here in Melbourne back 90

[@AridersLifeYT]

Thankyou for posting.

[@andrewsa3195]

This was before Kennett wrecked public transport in Victoria.

[@TrickyMario7654]

And what's left of it is being ruined by Daniel Andrews.

[@andrewsa3195]

@@robertlanz3124 Cockhead, did that give Jeff the right to wreck it more? Jeff sold it, not Cain or Kirner and Jeff would have sold it in 88 had he got elected too.

[@JamesStaaks8182]

We were flat broke and a basket case, Jeff sold off a lot of state owned/run assets to to kickstart Victoria. Rightly or wrongly but it worked. Look at us now, we’re a shadow of what we were. Great video,great times.

[@andrewsa3195]

@@JamesStaaks8182 So, if you're flat broke, do you sell off your money making assets? that's fairly short sighted. What do the Libs sell next time to pay Dan's 155 billion debt?

[@calcutt4]

@@TrickyMario7654 you reckon Dan Andrews improving public transport by cancelling a major tollway and doing the level crossing removal project and Metro Tunnel and planning the suburban rail loop is bad for public transport?

[@nostalgiaof98]

How many people were living in Melbourne in 1990 50 people?

[@mebeme007]

Nah, that was late on a Wednesday night. Back then, just like today, it would be busy as anything come Thurs, Fri and Sat nights.

[@DerhamPaul-vo8fr]

The city hasn't changed all this time 2024

[@43scout74]

Its strange to see it without bollards now

[@angelaturra74]

I Remember go to Shop And Football to Essendon in 1990

[@AridersLifeYT]

Can you please edit and convert the other 3hrs? Thanks

[@Alice-z7s5z]

A v/line just keeps going

[@mickfalvey6045]

No tags on the trains or platforms

[@mendocinobeano]

I was a guard from 1980 to 1990. Trust me there were tags everywhere a lot of trains were covered in graffiti.

[@mickfalvey6045]

Thanks for the reply. I admit I was only going by the footage. 😊

[@mebeme007]

@@mendocinobeano Being a frequent traveller to the city as a kid/teen, I can agree to that, too. That was pretty much the decade when the idiots and their graffiti, particularly with spray cans, really began to take off. It was the odd texta pieces of graffiti before that. Also before then (and still a bit throughout the 80's and 90's), I recall always seeing lots of posters for protests and theatre shows and all sorts of things, too, glued all around parts of the CBD and inner suburbs.

[@LxAU]

The derpy face of that train at 7:00!! 😂

[@WilDBeestMF]

LOL. Now that you point it out, the Hitachis were a bit derpy.

[@mebeme007]

😜 🤣🤣🤣

[@jamesfrench7299]

Have you got footage of the buses. I really want to see the Leyland Nationals with their ZF transmissions roaring off.

[@thunderlips350]

Sorry, just train stuff.

[@granthogden4732]

I keep hearing about princess Bridge station? Platform? I keep wandering if anyone has any footage of it before it closed

[@thunderlips350]

I should have some footage of platform 15 and 16. I'll see if I can find it when I have some time off work.

[@thunderlips350]

Found some pretty good footage on the hard drive from 1990 of platform 15 and 16. Will try and get that done soon.

[@fourtwentyhellions7185]

Did they remove that electronic sign? I can't remember seeing it recently

[@planetx1595]

That T.V. screen at the beginning?

[@gmr588]

Where are the beggars?

[@mebeme007]

They've always been around. Even in the decades long before the 90's. But they're clearly not gonna hang around late on a Wednesday night, when there's hardly anyone even around to get anything from. And most of the bottle shops, etc, were probably already closed. So there's nothing to spend it on, as well.

[@tomw7861]

This footage is great - I'm interested in using some of this for a project. Would it be possible to chat copyright etc?

[@thunderlips350]

It's ok mate....I'm glad to see it get out there.

[@BusterWyzenbeek]

Hey I would love to use a little bit of this footage in a music video I am editing at the moment. Was wondering if you'd be cool with that. Of course you will be fully credited for it in the description. Just love the old VHS look in old school Melbourne, would look awesome in a montage. Let me know

[@thunderlips350]

Sure, no worries. It was actually filmed by Campbell Blight. I just converted the VHS tapes from his video recorder to the computer. He's long retired, did 40 plus years. I'm sure he'd appreciate it being out there.

[@SkyFire07]

The hitachi train

[@woodypeckerspec4265]

missed the kiosk at flinders street!!

[@planetX15]

They were on EVERY platform too afaicr, now it's just on Platform 1:-/

[@omaha-b9s]

Good old hitachis

[@anthonyhazen4446]

Is Campbell blight there

[@thunderlips350]

Campbell was the one behind the camera. It was a huge VHS thing.

[@DerhamPaul-vo8fr]

it's just got new things in place

[@Alexander_Dunn]

Was this before or after privatisation?

[@jamesfrench7299]

B4

[@Alexander_Dunn]

@@jamesfrench7299 they look better before privatisation tbh wish they didn’t privatise it but in other ways since privatisation there’s been a LOT I MEAN A LOT of investment into rail for more xtraps, hcmt’s, e class trams, and more vlocity’s, regional rail revival, just to name a few

[@jamesfrench7299]

I liked the MET era, even though I've never set foot in Victoria. I envy my mum for spending two weeks in Melbourne in 1982 for a conference. She probably saw and heard the Leyland Nationals with ZF transmissions. Our local bus route at the time in bcc Sydney had a couple of Leyland Nationals at the time. Shame she wasn't a transport nut like me.

[@MrZakatista]

"Where'd you go to school?" "Where'd you go to Uni?" "Which team d'ya barrack for?".

[@thunderlips350]

When people used to talk to each other on the train.

[@shaundgb7367]

@@thunderlips350 I remember people having the Herald or The Age extended out to read and other people listening to music with their walkman. So not everyone talked back then, but certainly there was a bit more talk and more general awareness of other people around them. Now nearly everyone have nearly all their attention on their phone in their hand.

[@TheAxelay]

A train spotters delight (maybe more in the 80's) back...Nowadays via the Southern Cross station there's nothing to under it's dust cloud roofing alignment, hell if you spot a Y, B or even a S class these days, you'd be lucky?!!...

[@TheAxelay]

@metro_ man , you may have a point there...Guess I'm just jaded here myself I guess. If it floats your boat to the vote then great.

[@JordysRailVideos]

@@TheAxelay there's 4 Y classes still around, 3 are at Spencer and 1 is at Geelong

[@TheAxelay]

@@JordysRailVideos , actually that's true I have seen Y classes shunting here and there sporadically.

[@TheAxelay]

@@connextro496 all good...I'd take the late 70's to 80's because of the sheer variety off rolling stock here. I wish I could've seen the Harris and L Class sigh...

[@scottbrandts610]

Jeez... Look at all those Caucasian people! That's a distant Aussie memory now!!

[@CasperV1982]

Man, I was only 8.

[@thomasmatthewharris1980]

One day after my tenth birthday

[@venturabus01]

And the same vline carriage run today

[@Alexander_Dunn]

Wdym

[@ltisenotem]

Nobody around 😂

[@garynewton1263]

Grouse place. Its the Railway hub of Australia and the home of railways in Australia.

[@harleyguy7]

Oh wow back when you actually felt like you were in oz

[@planetX15]

@Bob Ross 80s?

[@shyky75]

Yes about 30 years ago you could walk past 200 Aussies b4 you came across a different nationality..Now it's walking past 200-300 different nationalities till you come across an Aussie. Don't care if i sound racist either cause it's the truth..

[@uriituw]

What’s that supposed to mean?

[@mickanvonfootscraymarket5520]

@@shyky75 fuck off ya joker

[@mickanvonfootscraymarket5520]

@@shyky75 you sum money wasup, you finna get yo as to Pub in Langwarrin for a chat, me and my mixed homies wouldn't mind having a word wirh ya.

[@8u88letea]

oh god I remember those confusing asf displays. Actually was still terrible until just a handful of years ago. I don't know why it was so poorly designed for the user. I remember it was a melbourian pride / thing when you knew how to catch a train. haha.

[@terrenceweetra6041]

Don't really see much foreigners in this video

[@terrenceweetra6041]

@John Peric if only

[@uriituw]

Oh, look. Nazis.

[@Skatted]

You're a fucking foreigner

[@mebeme007]

Oh please. People were always constantly bleating back then, against those who were coming here and taking away all the jobs, etc. It's been the same sad old rhetoric since they all started coming after WW2. And, ironically, the whinging old fuddy duddy's still exist, as well.

[@Scotty-P]

None too long ago, and SO MUCH better than the crowded, busy, loud, ugly, "diverse" nightmare which they've turned Melbourne into!

[@thunderlips350]

When I started in the 80's there was still no Sunday trading. On Sunday they were 3 car sets and ran every 40 minutes. The place was deserted.

[@mendocinobeano]

Nice video but gee there's a lot of bigotry and racism in the comments section.

[@thunderlips350]

I haven't read them all but some that I've seen only seem to mention the difference over the years. Like was mentioned that you can travel from Dandenong to Flinders St and only see Indian staff at the stations all the way along. I don't think that's racist, it's just stating a fact.

[@mebeme007]

I'm actually finding most of the comments on here truly refreshing. Makes a very pleasant change from the many other videos I find on YT of Melbourne from back in the 60's, 70's and 80's, where the comments are overwhelming loaded with old fuddy duddy's whinging about "the good old days" and how oh so bad it is nowadays in the city, the racism and bigotry that they churn out, bleating non-stop against political correctness and all the rest. I much rather see comments where people share their positive stories of their childhood or young adult days, and all the other wonderful memories they have from those times. Reading such entertaining and cheery comments, just makes my nostalgic trips down my own memory lane so much more enjoyable. Edit: I take that back. I unfortunately encountered them in the several comments I read after I had read this one and scrolled down to see them. They truly are sad, pathetic things.

[@abhisekroy6430]

sad to see how relentless immigration from 3rd world countries have ruined the city its lifestyleand way of life Australian should vote for a party which will completely ban immigration and focus on Australian made products that imports.

[@calcutt4]

Not sure how fascism would solve all our problems but ok...

[@mebeme007]

People were always constantly bleating back then, too, against those who were coming here in too greater numbers, supposedly taking away all the jobs, our way of life, etc. It's been the same sad old rhetoric since they all started coming after WW2. And, ironically, the whinging old fuddy duddy's will always be around, as well. Bleating and moaning about the so-called "good old days". Meanwhile, carry on hypocritically using all the lovely things you have in your house, driving the nice car you have and using the phone or computer that you use to have a big old whinge on the internet, that were all made by those exact same people from those exact same countries, who work up to 20 hours a day for peanuts, just so you can hypocritically enjoy all those nice, cheap things, whilst trying to impress people that truly don't even matter.

[@thespamdance311]

How about we just reduce immigration and introduce a few tariffs? No need to become North Korea!

[@fotisboys]

My,God man i miss this. Australia has sold ita soul for 💰 . Pauline Hanson warned everyone..

[@mebeme007]

Yeah, she warned everyone, while she's been making her own wealth off the back of immigrants, in several ways. What a joke.

[@thespamdance311]

Pauline Hanson has always voted with the party that ruined this country.

[@markrogers8652]

Station still looks the same tday a bloody dump.

[@derhampaul1117]

That's 33years ago gee