Full 'Red Rattler' Carriage Restoration

[@JordysRailVideos]

320 built as 46BCP 6/9/1915 at Newport Workshops, renumbered/rebuilt to 320M 11/1921, modified with a communication door 30/9/1972, renumbered 478M 18/6/1981, renumbered to 1428M around 1983, placed at current location 1990

[@JordysRailVideos]

Plus your Tait Motor lasted longer than the Comeng that replaced the carriage

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Wow. Thanks. I still find it hard to believe I have this history sitting in my back yard. Feel privileged.

[@waltersnowdon1243]

What a worthwhile and fantastic job of restoring history. How I envy you. I am 84 and as a young child I always dreamed of having a railway carriage as a summerhouse. I cherished that dream all my life. I have lived in m present lovely house for 54 years with a lovely large garden but alas I would have to take a carriage to tiny pieces to get it past all the buildings! Still dreaming though!. Walter.

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks. Yes, I feel pretty lucky to have this - and I wasn’t even looking for it. There’s something about being inside something with a long history, holding so many forgotten stories.

[@ianwotherspoon4323]

Very well done Geoff. Have you been to Steamrail Victoria, at the Newport Workshops. They have a section there called Electrail, where they have, to date, restored 5 or 6 Tait carriages, to there full glory and in Heritage colours. If you haven't been there, try to get down and introduce yourself, they are fantastic volunteers and terrific workers.

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks. I have been there - the volunteers are great, as you said. I got the exterior paint colours there and lots of helpful advice that helped me understand the history of my carriage. It was good to soak up the atmosphere of the completed carriages there - inspired me that I could do it.

[@GMAH1959]

Proper restoration well done

[@Ulbre]

I reckon your neighbours who overlooked her for 30 years would be stoked that you came along a restored her. Very well done sir, I'm sure you truly do find immense pleasure every time you climb aboard.

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks so much. Yes I do have a moment every time - can’t believe I have her.

[@duncanmiller7638]

That’s a glorious shed. Love it.👍😀⭐️❤️

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks

[@peace.love.light8856]

Looks fantastic and so well done. ❤ the red rattler 👏👏👏🚉

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks!

[@MsAmazon2u]

Lucky Duck!!!! We had a workman's car on our farm in Kansas. I wanted to turn it into an art studio, too! My mom thought differently; she put chickens in it instead. I was heartbroken, and I haven't let her forget it. Amazing!! Looks like hard but fun work.

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks. Yes I feel lucky I have to say. It’s an amazing space, and it’s my space for art. I love it. Sorry about the chickens!

[@kerry2368]

Super job! Thank you for sharing!!!

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks!

[@Gunsnclapton4]

Great work. Would love to do the same some day

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks!

[@tadcobert1307]

Truly well done! I am in awe of your hard work and the end result is astonishing, thank you for doing this

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks so much. Appreciated.

[@calintravel]

Amazing work! Congratulations!

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks. Appreciated!

[@wiffyjustus]

Bravo. Thank you for documenting your restoration. Was great to watch.

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.

[@user-oi1mi8ws7m]

We did the same thing to my grandmother. She had been sitting in the yard unattended for years so we stripped her, patched her holes, sealed her dome and stuffed her with beautiful paintings. Now she's a neighborhood attraction. Every day dozens of children enjoy swinging from her limbs and eating cookies on her side-rails.

[@artmeetsgeoff]

😬

[@aussieboy1958]

Superb resto Geoff, look forward to seeing it soon :-)

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks!

[@transgenderhera]

definitely suggest putting some of your art on the end wall if you havent already, when they were in service they had photos of regional victoria on the end walls of all of the tait cars to encourage tourism

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks. I’ve put a bit up now. More to come.

[@interiordesignschool]

I can't believe it's a 1915 train. You did a great job! Best art studio ever!

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks. I sort of can't believe it myself.

[@tamrakean2883]

AHHH Maaazing. What an awesome job you have done. It is truly fabulous.

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks! It was kind of fun, turns out.

[@ComengProductions]

You have done a spectacular job, she looks stunning!

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thank you!

[@Kevin-go2dw]

What a job and well done in preserving a bit of history.

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks

[@PaulLewis-n9w]

Excellent work. The carriage was in remarkable condition, but you have given it a new life. I'd love to know the back story about who put it there. The design of the tunnel at the front really looks good too. I remember riding them to Middle Park in the late 70s.

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks. We bought the house two years ago and it was there. Previous owners put it there 30 years ago before there were other houses, and did the tunnel. It has quite the backstory, having been built in 1915 and converted to electricity in the 1930s. I love having it, and the fact I have been able to retain its original features.

[@noelhenderson8095]

I remember riding on these ones in the blue ones growing up they were awesome

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Yes, it brings back memories for many of my visitors.

[@Q6all-2]

Looks great!

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks

[@amesmerc]

This is awesome! 👏👏👏

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks!

[@petersabolewsky4983]

You should be proud of yourself. You have done a fantastic job. Well done!

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thank you so much! It was a bit of a slog, but worth it in the end.

[@G516R700]

Great restoration work, looks great and certainly looks alot better than the before. Good to see it fixed up.

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks 👍

[@Bulkmeister123]

Amazing job, congratulations

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks. I enjoyed it.

[@maureenshaw737]

Wow, what work 🎉looks great

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks. It was fun really.

[@andreefaniel4500]

AMAZING JOB ‼️ Congratulations ‼️

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks!

[@dawnmaclellan7831]

Really cool😊

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks.

[@trainsimulatordriver]

Nice work. When you tackle the driver's cab don't open any of the boxes. They may still contain asbestos.

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks very much.

[@RyanZ225_PC]

i thought its just the harris trains that had asbestos

[@trainsimulatordriver]

@@RyanZ225_PC Harris trains were made of asbestos lol. Most old electrical switch gear has asbestos in it.

[@Aaron-uf3sl]

@@RyanZ225_PC anything from before the 2000s would be rife with asbestos.

[@VictorianRailway]

You should turn part of the carriage into a train room

[@artmeetsgeoff]

I’ve still got the driver’s section left…

[@wiffyjustus]

Was there anything to be done to the original flooring before overlaying the new?

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Not really. We swept it out, removed things that were big bumps and then went over the top. Each sheet goes the entire width, meaning there enough support points on average for each sheet. The old floor is now entombed which, given its state, is kind of fitting.

[@snufflestan6302]

As a former master roofer of carriages we did it old fashioned way I have being taught….. strip the canvas and relay it again!!! They used paint the roof timber with bituminous paint to keep the water out of the timbers! But if the canvas seal is not broken or leaking in anyway or rotten painted over with ember clad will do!

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Well that is expertise we certainly did not have. Plenty of feeling our way, trying to see what was reasonable and a bit of luck. One drip so far, in heavy rain, but not sure where it began - possibly in sideways rain coming in the whirly roof vents. Thanks.

[@snufflestan6302]

@@artmeetsgeoff if it was heavy wind blown that day it’s possible that it came through the air vent…. If you can see the water marks near the opening where the air vent is situated on ceiling it has being blown into…. My suggestion is try checking around the edges of the air vent this requires the air vent to remove to check any broken canvas is around that area causing the leak around that area! But if the water mark is isolated to inside the vent opening in ceiling it’s harmless water that was blown in…. But if leaks around the edges of vent open fixture on ceiling the their a possibility a splits or broken seal on the canvas underneath the vent itself…..

[@artmeetsgeoff]

Thanks. The one I’m suspicious about was one we couldn’t get off. This makes it more likely as we couldn’t get in close enough to check it like we could for the others. I think I need to get up and have a good look, and see if I can seal it better between the roof and underside of vent. Many thanks!