The Spirit of Progress 1937

[@vandenbricks]

A moment of silence for all of the S class steamers 😔

[@buzzygaming7667]

a moment of luck for some of their tenders

[@Mr_Tea_Rexx]

did none of them survive ???

[@Falkirion]

@@Mr_Tea_Rexx no S class survived to preservation. I just had a look hoping somehow one had. Unfortunately all were scrapped before the preservation movement has gained enough traction. There's some tenders from the class still surviving to this day though, plus various name plates etc.

[@Mr_Tea_Rexx]

@@Falkirion yea I found out as well when I researched it only 1 tender survived but even that's questionable

[@darylcheshire1618]

I thought all tenders survived in various locations, the suddeness of the scrapping prompted preservationists to ensure that H220 Heavy Harry wasn’t also scrapped amid the fervour of officialdom to embrace diesels.

[@flamingfrancis]

From a golden time in Australian manufacturing when nothing was a problem and we were right up there amongst the very best. These locos looked picture perfect in their day. I believe four of them were built. Note a young Robert Gordon Menzies in the background at the opening ceremony.

[@darylatkinson8802]

Ironic considering the rebuilt S class were a failure hence why all 4 were scrapped.

[@dutchmansmine9053]

@@darylatkinson8802 It seems it wasn't so much they were a failure as they were very limited in the lines they could run, and the newer diesel locomotives were more effecient on those lines. The S class didn't do a bad job, the diesels just did a better one.

[@darylcheshire1618]

When I travelled on the Southern Aurora in 1978, the dining car staff wore the white uniforms with the VR wings. There were not too many photos or movies of the streamlined S class. One gem was a photo of the front doors open revealing the smokebox door of the S class. The streamlined shell was a sign of the times, the S class was a handsome looking loco in it’s own right. I wonder at how much weight the shell added.

[@geoffmorris189]

It's a shame we didn't keep these treasures

[@johnhumphreys3246]

Most of these cars Can be found at the Seymour.

[@JacobGrimaR761]

They kept a lot of things but stupidly didn't keep an S class

[@letsseeif]

When I was a kid, Mum and I did a return journey to Sydney. Fantastic for a child. Still impressive in 2023. the Albury gauge change to 'standard gauge' was accepted as a 'must do' in that era.

[@raymondwelsh6028]

I agree that that it was a travesty that these 4 magnificent locomotives were scrapped before any preservation society’s had as opportunity to preserve them. Even without there cladding they were a fine looking locomotive.🇦🇺

[@TazzieTransport]

Wow, nice video!! nice to see history being played back!

[@TrainsDirectVictoria]

yeah youtube is our time machine

[@NicholassTrainChannel]

Nice video mate i love watching these old videos.

[@donbon4204]

one of the best looking locos

[@beagle7622]

Poor firemen, hand shovelling coal for well over 4 hours. I lived at Spotswood for my first 7 years . I loved going down to watch the wrecking area.

[@johnd8892]

Getting coal of sufficient quality for them was part of the reason they were converted to oil firing in the post war era.

[@railtrolley]

The R class solved this with an automatic stoker. S class fireman had to hand shovel about 7 tons of coal, to feed the hungry fire between Spencer Street and Albury.

[@ilaser4064]

Great clip, although it's an absolute disgrace not a single S class loco, let alone a streamlined version was preserved.

[@johnd8892]

Yes a disgrace. All four S class Locomotives were streamlined around 1937. All were scrapped in streamlined condition over the 1953 to 54 period after the B class diesels were placed in service.

[@ilaser4064]

@@johnd8892 thanks for the info, didn't realise they were all streamlined before scrapping. That's even worse, they were such a beautiful looking loco!

[@johnd8892]

@@ilaser4064 some more detail on the S class in the Power Parade vid on KZbin. About 35 minutes in the S class has some brief coverage. Unfortunately bot problems on this channel stop me posting a link, but a search should find it. A few seconds of rare colour film of the train also scattered around KZbin.

[@iangodfrey4518]

@@ilaser4064 I'm sure the blueprints exist somewhere if you want to track them down and build a replica.

[@plainswell]

Fix the aspect ratio - no excuse...

[@williamstrains3434]

i love old train videos!

[@Eleina1951]

This train never gets old! She turns 86 this November! She hasn't aged one single bit!!!!

[@Joe-jd4pn]

Back when VIC had something to be proud of.

[@hypercomms2001]

One day, when we have a 300kph+ High speed rail service between Melbourne and Sydney, it should be called the "Spirit of progress".

[@vaclavmacgregor2464]

How about a newbuilt from the fraagments?

[@buzzygaming7667]

0:57 is that a VR E class moving slowly next to that building?

[@TrainsDirectVictoria]

Yeah possibly, looks like its pulling some wagons too.

[@johnd8892]

Buzzy Gaming. I have provided four video links, mostly in colour, of the E class in use around Newport until the late sixties. I put quite a bit of effort finding them and lining up the E class segment. However all my efforts seem wasted ad the channel either supressed them or have not approved them. A shame.

[@Alzaar_The_Gunzel]

@@TrainsDirectVictoriait could be an E 2-4-2, and the only E class with that wheel configuration with the VR in 1937 was E236, who’s preserved. If true, this could serve as the only footage of the locomotive before its preservation.

[@michaelbrown5071]

very nice!

[@GunzelingGarbo102]

An interesting watch!

[@VictorianTransportHistory]

May I use your footage fron an up comming video, I like most likely will use the entire video however alot of it will be blured in the background of photos?

[@kelvinh8327]

The theme music from "Things to come" is apt.

[@justanaturalcarguy4031]

Love the s class steam locos

[@michaelnaisbitt7926]

Notice the overall weight of these passengers and compare them with the huge lumps of Australian humanity today Its no wonder high powered diesels are nedded to pull the train

[@julianbizdoaca1546]

We don't know how to do this anymore

[@jackelofnar]

It's a crying shame that all S classes were scrapped

[@justinebarker3706]

How much money would is cost to build another one?

[@tyronedoyle]

If only their was streamlined S class Locos preserved, they were such gorgeous and forward thinking trains. VR (Victorian Railways) was the golden age of the Victorian Railway network.

[@TrainsDirectVictoria]

yeah its very unfortunate, they were a legendary fleet of locomotives

[@Eleina1951]

They were the victims of the idiotic theory that the world was running out of coal! Why couldn't they understand that coal is a product of nature and that like everything else in nature it replenishes itself! If that's not so how come steadies are back in force all over the world lead by none other than the legendary Flying Scotsman!!!!

[@ianomeara3963]

We can’t say that now 🚂

[@ratcat7668]

I have videos from Tom Binns of th eonly private steam engine running on V-line. Just waiting for permission to upload.

[@andrewcongdon]

What a shame the aspect ratio is broken.

[@andrewkruspe-su8gg]

Where did it all go wrong now we dilapidated locomotives and trains

[@sirbarongaming2138]

I would've added an auxiliary tender to go with the engine, just so it would last longer in the outback But that's just my opinion

[@johnd8892]

This locomotive, and almost all of the Victorian Railways full size locomotives, were to a broad gauge of 1600 mm. So it could not possible travel on the standard gauge and narrow gauge lines of all outback lines.

[@PaxtonsTrainshow]

Rip Spirit of progress 😢

[@johnhumphreys3246]

Most of the Spirit cars canbe found at the Seymour Heritsge Center, in an operational order.

[@aspiewithattitude3213]

The SPIRITS will never die

[@PaxtonsTrainshow]

@@johnhumphreys3246 i have been there have you?

[@johnhumphreys3246]

If you are referring to the Seymour Heritage Center depot, I am a member of that group, and have been volunteer for a period of about 6 years

[@JacobGrimaR761]

was it the southern cross that the spirt of progress would start at?

[@TrainsDirectVictoria]

Yup!

[@johnd8892]

But called Spencer St station from 1859 until circa 2005. So with historical searching Spencer St station will find you more.

[@donbon4204]

can somebody explain how the carriages were airconditioned

[@daylightman8459]

Depends really, certain cars back in the day used ice boxes to circulate chilled air, while others were cooled by having small mechanical fans, which would circulate air by bringing cold air in, and pushing hot air out.

[@daylightman8459]

Lighting was provided by gas or electric lamps, with tanks or batteries on the undercarriage of the cars. Water was also kept in large tanks also on the bottom.

[@rsinclair6560]

Most likely ammonia compressors drive off the axle. Maybe clutch arrangement.

[@robynecclestone7900]

Lov the loco but it could be better with an auto stoker and a water scoop to maybe take water at avenal. Yes the single line was from south of the goulbourn then. Makes todays timing look pretty poor.

[@Eleina1951]

I wonder what Sir Harold Klapp and everyone else involved in the existence of this beautiful train would say if they knew that she now spends the bulk of her time locked away in sheds! What an insult to them and to her! Get her back out on the track!!!!

[@Eleina1951]

Ps: I remind sceptics that this train is built of rust proof corrosion free corten steel! She is built to last! She is meant to have a very long life on the rails! Now, in 2023 she would be ideal for taking people on scenic excursions tours all over Victoria! She deserves to be seen!!!!

[@johnhumphreys3246]

Note my above comments

[@jimcrawford5039]

Wrong aspect ratio!

[@necjerseyrailfan7500]

Ive never seen this steam engine before

[@darylatkinson8802]

You never will, the S classes were unfortunately all scrapped.

[@necjerseyrailfan7500]

@@darylatkinson8802 ive never seen any Australian steam before

[@johnd8892]

A KZbin vid called Power Parade might be of interest to you if has photos and or videos of all the steam types in the Australian state of Victoria if you want to know more New South Wales Australia railways had some impressive AD60 4-8-4+4-8-4 locos I could provide a link to if you want to see more. That is if links were not suppressed on this channel.

[@TrainsDirectVictoria]

Sorry about that, Links are suppressed only because I get bots asking to click on inappropriate websites. It gets very annoying.

[@Trainman-fw3lh]

wow

[@hazptmedia2895]

Did you create this?

[@johnd8892]

No . The film company who made it is at the end.

[@psychic_beth]

This is what they took from you