Perth's Railcar Evolution

[@1978Prime]

Its a shame that rail history is not embraced in WA like it is in other states. Its like it is almost forgotten. They could have used Midland workshops as heritage center, but they refuse to do that. It is a missed opportunity. Even the Kalamunda zig zag or the John Forrest railway could have been an opportunity to create a heritage railway.

[@neilgerace355]

It only requires money. Lots of it.

[@ZL1GHZ]

Good to see the ADK and ADL DMU's in their original TransPerth condition. I remember them very well from years commuting on the Southern Line in Auckland after they replaced pre-war diesel-hauled carriages in 1993. After they arrived in Auckland, the ADK's had the radiator hoods on the roof lowered to fit the Auckland loading gauge, and became notorious for overheating and breaking down. At the time, the idea was that they'd be good for about 10 years service, but in the end they lasted another 21 years (after extensive refurbishment and reconfiguration into 4 car sets) until they were replaced by the electric AM units in 2014. As for the ADL's, these have been in service in Auckland for much longer than they were in service in Perth. They were extensively refurbished in the early 2000's (making them almost unrecognisable from how they looked in Perth) and as far as I'm aware are still in service in Auckland running services between Papakura and Pukekohe, but probably not for much longer. It's fair to say that if the ADK's and ADL's hadn't come to Auckland when they did, it's likely that the entire suburban rail network of New Zealand's largest city would have been shut down.

[@terrymercer2379]

Wow. Thanks for the insight. I didn't know the NZ loading gauge was less than ours. I am glad they went on and lived productive lives after they left us.

[@Phil-oj5nr]

That would likely have been the scenario!

[@grahamkent2868]

Great video, I remember the orange/ blue colour scheme of the rail cars from when I first moved from UK to Perth in 1982.

[@johnhilliger1132]

What can I say, yet another Terry railway masterpiece. Thanks for the great memories of a time when it was all a lot simpler.

[@terrymercer2379]

Thanks for the encouragement. Much appreciated.

[@paulfisher4765]

Hi Terry - many thanks for this video, it brings back memories. I was a northern suburbs kid, so it was always a special experience to travel on the train to Fremantle or to the Royal Show. I don't think you mentioned it, but after the introduction of the A-series EMUs, the stainless steel railcars were sold to Auckland, where they were running until quite recently.

[@DC4444]

The ADK/ADBs were used in Auckland until 2014/15. After that they were shipped to Mozambique for commuter trains in Maputo. The ADL/ADCs were running a shuttle service on the last unelectrified section of Auckland's network until 12th August 2022 when the services were suspended for electrification, and building new stations.

[@brianmuhlingBUM]

Good effort Terry! Great to see old AD rail cars. I loved the dark green ADG with black and yellow chevrons.

[@stanleyj.mitchell4851]

Excellent history. I remember the Perth network well. First as a passenger then later, just after the electrification of the network as a EMU driver.

[@davidtempleman4770]

Thanks Terry for your work with Perth train information. Took me back to my youth and younger days. Very nostalgic and enjoyable. Great that you’ve capture a record for future generations to appreciate. David Templeman

[@nunsc]

This is great. Thanks for the memories. So sad that they scrapped so e of the trains. I would love to turn a train into a home.

[@vsvnrg3263]

excellent. i moved to perth, near queens park station, just in time to hear the last of the "alarm clocks" waking me up from my slumber before the sparks were introduced. i'm referring to the diesel-electric locos hauling morning rush hour trains. i enjoyed watching them attempting to keep to schedules. have you thought about a video about the armadale to freo passenger line? there was no wiki entry about it. i had to poke some train buffs with a sharp stick to post something about it. i only knew about it because i discovered an old map showing it.

[@lonemonaro1455]

Well done for a very informative video, and commentary.

[@WazzaOz]

Thank you Terry, very well presented with a lot of happy memories stirred up.😄

[@janatanelmodickie4801]

Very interesting and enjoyable documentary. During my short time in WA from october through december 1975 i remember travelling from Kelmscott to freemantle, i think the coaches were stainless steel but i was only a six year old so my memory is blurred. Thank for the great vid

[@RhysMettam]

Thank you for the video and the detail, all before my time but good to know what Perth was once like before the electrification.

[@sandgroper4044]

Some good memories of riding in these in the 60s and 70s😊

[@MitchellFreeway]

Another great upload, Terry! I think only two railcars had the orange livery without the white pinstripe - ADG605 and ADX663. Several locos (AB1534, Y1115, RA1908 and L256) also briefly also wore this livery. Another interesting factoid, most of the steelwork for the ADB trailer cars was also manufactured by Comeng and later assembled by the WAGR Midland Workshops, somewhat reminiscent of the current C Series EMU railcar manufacturing process.

[@napolean34]

Great video Terry, thanks for the memories!

[@1toonhead]

What a great slid show video you put together. Such a shame we have lost so much over the years. People just don't realize how Western Australia was built on railway and how town needed them.

[@MarkHenstridge]

Well this production on WA trains is the only one I think I've ever seen, I really enjoyed it so thank you for posting it. Hope to travel to WA from my state and that is SA. Cheers....Now a Subscriber

[@terrymercer2379]

Thanks for your kind words. My channel has some more WAGR videos, as well as some of Bennett Brook Railway, our 2 foot gauge preserved line in Whiteman Park, about a 20 minute drive north east of the city. Hope you can come and visit us all here in the West.

[@nathanroberts355]

I been on these west rail trains when i grew up in subiaco perth Australia and my grandparents used take up to midland stn and down to Fremantle markets and Fremantle fisherman's wharf at mg mckailis fish and chips shop on fisherman's wharf in Fremantle Australia

[@davemail66]

A beaut clip there Terry. The QGR SX stainless steel suburban rail cars were built back in the early 1950's, having a slightly similar design and look to the NSWGR single deck, stainless steel, interurban U sets. These QGR SX stainless steel suburban rail cars were built by Commonwealth Engineering (body shells at Granville, NSW and fitted out at Rocklea, QLD) as part of the proposed 1500v electrification of Brisbane's suburban rail around the same time. However, due to a change of government / political party in Queensland, as a result of a state election back then, this grand electrification project of the Brisbane suburban rail network was scrapped. As a result from this, the SX cars only ever saw diesel locomotive hauled suburban rail service. The 1500v electric traction motors and pantographs were never installed to any SX carriages however accommodation for a headlight and destination window on the lead and rear cars were and despite being covered up but steel plates, both of these were clearly visible on these carriages, for years later.

[@terrymercer2379]

Wow. Thanks so much. I figured it would have to be something like that. Not the first time a new government messed up the plans of an outgoing regime.

[@Trainanatic]

Amazing History Video, Shame some are not preserved. Alot though way to young for when they had steam on the mainline, everytime i hear that. just makes me wish it starts happening again!

[@29brendus]

Outstanding video, account, and history.

[@phil4977]

I grew up in Kalgoorlie in the early eighties and went on the prospector many times to Perth.

[@HotForgeChaos]

Hard case seeing the original ADKs and ADLs in operation in Perth before being run on New Zealand rails. Both classes received upgrades and refurbs circa 2004-05, and I remember riding on the very last ADK set that was still wearing TransPerth (which was reused into TranzMetro for Auckland service) colours before it too was overhauled. The ADKs in NZ service were loud, uncomfortable and unreliable, but they kept on going until roughly 2013 or 14 when the AM class EMUs were brought into service. I suspect they ran the same Mercedes engines the ADH railcars used because they sounded almost identical. 8 units were then sold to the rail network operator in Maputo, Mozambique and still wear their refurbished Veolia/Transdev blue, yellow and bare stainless colours to this day, while one was sold to the #1 New Zealand SAS Regiment. The ADL class survuvied far longer, their Cummins NT855 engines were far more reliable and easier to get parts for, but they too succumbed to being displaced by electrification. The class were only just retired in August and were only running the 19 kilometres of unelectrified track between Papakura and Pukekohe. It is not known what plans are in store for the class; they may end up being towed to Taumaranui to join the fleet of SA/SD coach cars used during the Veolia/Transdev era and rot away there, or possibly used in the South Island as a railway service in Christchurch or Dunedin. But Since they are still owned by Auckland Transport, this is pure speculation, and the new mayor Wayne Brown (who I personally know) will likely want to get them sold as soon as possible (he's not one for carrying any sort of liability on his books)

[@terrymercer2379]

Thanks for the fabulous insight. Much appreciated. Terry.

[@cameronbrown7925]

Awesome video of Perth's railway history. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. I was a single digit aged kid in the 1980's and remember riding in the ADGs and ADXs, although at that stage I didn't know the difference. I didn't know that they had preselector gearboxes back in the day either. Very interesting. I remember them as being filthy on the outside and dark inside, and I don't think I ever saw a door or window in the closed position! The ticket man came around with his machine strapped to his waist between stations, and always seemed to know if you'd bought a ticket or not. The ticket machines were very fascinating to me. The trains were loud and seemed to fly along, and having another ADG set passing in the other direction was multisensorially exhilarating! The sight, the sound, the smell and the rush of wind through the windows and doors! The ADKs were fun to ride in. They had loud engines with strong vibrations and a rich bass voice. The ADLs were more polished and a bit less fun (and uglier)... And all the other ad hoc fill-in peak hour combinations I had no idea about! I wish I had been born 30 years earlier ha ha!! We went and saw the Flying Scotsman in Midland. It had just arrived from somewhere and was sitting there hissing mildly, and then the safety valve opened and frightened twelve months' growth out of me! I'll never forget that moment! Thanks again!

[@1978Prime]

I used to rude those things when i was pre school age school age. I loved those things. I used to categorize the Trains as orange trains and silver trains. But i hated the ADLs because you couldn't open the windows

[@nathanroberts355]

I been on westrail trains from Mt lawley stn and out to midland and down on Fremantle station and its was 1981 to 1989

[@l1a146]

Excellent video. Thankyou

[@Trainaddiction512]

You got some good knowledge! Nice video man!

[@kiwitrains]

Enjoyed the vid very much 👍

[@nicholasbyrne6485]

Loved the old SX cars.

[@ivanolsen8596]

I seem to recall there were also Wildflower class railcars that had it's engine mounted midships in it's own compartment, I think it ran country services. My memory is no longer doing its job either, so I may be a bit off here. I think the AD's had 2 AEC truck engines laid on their side under the floor. I once "fired" on a railcar from East Perth to the Midland Workshops when an engine died, my job was to place warning signals on the line in case we broke down in a section, it didnt happen so I got a paid trip and a tour of the workshops The UT was a fast oilburner that was resurrected during a coal strike and was used on the suburban passenger run. I once fired on it's big brother the infamous U class, fondly known as U Boats. Ever so often sand had to be fed through a peephole in the firedoor to scour off soot buildup in the firetubes or you lost steam pressure, the big bonus was no bogging tons of coal into the firebox on a trip, they were returned to the scrapyard at the end of the coal strike. Thanks for your post, Terry, most interesting.

[@terrymercer2379]

Wow. Thanks for the insight. I can barely remember the Governors, and saw the Wildflowers running the Shopper on occasion. They were good days.

[@brianmuhlingBUM]

The ADF WILDFLOWERS had two English Electric 275 HP diesel engines either end driving the generators. The freight and luggage went in the middle.They were fantastic.

[@terrymercer2379]

Thank you so much. I have seen Hovea and Grevillea, but never rode with them. It is so interesting that the power cars outlasted their carriages.

[@petersampson4635]

In 1966 I hitch hiked to WA and was waiting for a train, when I heard a truck coming around the corner and what should show up was a rail car. It sounded like a GM V671 with a crash gearbox. Now that is from memory mind. It was probably not a GM maybe a Gardiner or Leyland someone out there will know. 👋

[@davidfrost481]

Is there anyone who remembers the name of the company that had a lot of sheds round cannington station till the late 60's

[@Tonybob718]

Those stainless steel sets were supposed to be narrow gauge versions of the NSWGR U class trains but they never got the chance to run under their own power.

[@terrymercer2379]

Thanks, I love comments like that. They add so much to the story. Well done.

[@Tonybob718]

​@terrymercer2379 some ended up in Thailand. Others ended up in South America.

[@Tonybob718]

@terrymercer2379 I think some also found their way to new Zealand too.

[@Wally_Wombat689]

my cousins actually own one of the old prospectors. its just a dead unit no engine but shes still cool

[@locohombreau]

I remember most of these from the orange carriages onwards. I liked the first WA silver carriages and despised the Queensland ones - too much like cattlecars to me.

[@paulwilliams5208]

I find more comically there is a "The Ghan" carriage on the Indian pacific (carriage wanted to go east/west not just north/south)

[@terrymercer2379]

Yes, we had some wonderful "visitors" come our way at that time. I also loved the ex-SA Bluebird diesel railcars (minus engines) which also turned up in the IP consists occasionally.

[@paulwilliams5208]

@@terrymercer2379 your blabbering about history(ex) - I am talking about current stock - like Melbourne tried Sydney's trains

[@terrymercer2379]

Your views of the current scene is invaluable, for it will soon be gone. Record it while it is still available, for the enjoyment and information for those who love the entire railway system from its inception until the current day.

[@andrewsmart2949]

the orange cars were never supercharged,the 760 AEC motors had extremely large TURBOCHARGERS fitted,they were parked near midland when the midland railway workshop was taken over by the police communications centre,i personally saw them,as well as an incedent with allan brinkworth and his idiot mates who left a live engine on the line in the carpark and lost their minds when i had a look over it,going so far as to lie to police and have me charged but they had to be dropped LOL,the museam has been very arrogant about it,not even giving me an apology

[@georgen9755]

16°N 20'20"W

[@dennycrane3192]

WHERE WAS THE SCRAP METAL YARD LOCATED

[@terrymercer2379]

Sorry, I missed your comment. It was on Collier Rd at the corner of Jackson St, Bayswater.