Driver's View Sandringham to Flinders St Station

[@demmyonline]

I lived in Sandringham and commuted to Flinders St daily during the 50's . Trains were every 30 minutes (off peak), 15 minutes (peak if I recall) and every hour on Sunday. I counted at least 5 trains heading to Sandy in this video, so that looks like a 6 or 7 minute turnaround. Wow! Great effort!

[@tressteleg1]

Yes, headways have been improved a lot on all lines, whether this is justified off-peak is another matter. Anyway it makes the video look better passing opposing trains every few minutes 😊. Melbourne used to be dead on Sundays, but that is no longer the case so better public transport frequencies on that day are especially welcome.

[@demmyonline]

@@tressteleg1 Taking this a bit further, I lived in Sandringham from 1942 to 1958. In the early 50's the station was a busy peak hour hub from Monday to Saturday. I was one of at least a dozen paper boys selling papers at the station. The paper was threepence and you hoped the purchaser would give you a zack (sixpence) and tell you to keep the change. We got ten-pence a dozen for the papers we sold. In those days the Black Rock Tram synchronised with the trains. It was a very busy tram service, which was later replaced with the Beaumaris Bus. It was also the era of six o'clock closing (the six o'clock swill) so the place was full of drunks after six, especially the ones on the Tuppeny Darks (Fortified red wine). Unlike today with staggered working hours, it was "Standing Room Only" on the Tait's at peak hour. It took thirty minutes in those days as well, so it wasn't too hard for a clerk who had been sitting on his butt all day. For the younger folk reading this, the ticketing system was complicated to say the least. I purchased a "Worker's Weekly, second class, Smoking ticket", but for casual users it was more like "Off Peak, Second Class Return (or single)". Every ticket was a different price. The Tram disappeared in the mid fifties and I was fortunate to ride the last one around midnight with around 200 others. By the time it returned to Sandringham, it was completely stripped. Literally everything was souvenired. I also travelled on the first Harris train service. Not the first train, but one later in the day. There was one allocated to the Sandringham line initially. It was pure luxury. The yard which had about four sidings was busy with timber and coal, plus other freight. Sandringham was one of the best places on earth for me to grow up. Great railway, beautiful beach, lovely bush and yes . . our own tram! If you search KZbin, there is a video of the Sandy Tram there somewhere.

[@tressteleg1]

Thanks for all that extra interesting information. You have at least a few years on me, so unfortunately all of the VR trams were gone by my first Melbourne visit in 1965. Possibly if those lines had’ve survived longer, they might be still operating and viable today. If you were anything like the Flinders Street paperboys, each would have been screaming his head off with his own particular sales pitch 😄 Coming from Sydney, I thought the Harris trains were especially modern. My video of those trains has a few scenes taken on that line. I also did the driver’s view outbound a few years ago. I would be interested in a photograph of the Griffiths Bros Teas sign. Use tressteleg(at)icloud.com Use the normal symbol instead of (at) Thanks.

[@bradgotch]

I lived my entire childhood and teenage years in Hampton was a wonderful place to grow up in the 80s and 90s caught that train into the city hundreds of times from Red rattlers to the blue Harris trains then the silver Hitachi and “super trains” has not changed much at all. Thank you I miss those days.

[@tressteleg1]

😊👍👍

[@kevinshelly6853]

Great video again These are so good Another one I'll watch a few times Thank You

[@tressteleg1]

😊👍👍

[@phantom62]

Brings back memories :)

[@tressteleg1]

😊👍

[@Jessica6J6]

Thanks for sharing. One of my favourites.

[@tressteleg1]

😊👍

[@ozgirl45]

A great video! My grandparents lived in Hampton so we took this line a lot in the old red trains. As a kid I loved those train trips and watching for the “x miles to Griffiths Brothers Teas”! It’s lovely that most of the old stations have been kept although some of them look like they could use a bit of refurbishment. I see the Elsternwick station is new. Pity.

[@tressteleg1]

Great recollections, and the X Miles to Griffiths Brothers Teas signs… Yes, some stations could do with a painting. If you would like to relive the sounds of the red trains, you might enjoy this sounds - only recording of a Tait from Flinders Street to Sandringham. Best listened to with a good Soundsystem or headphones. Tait Sounds 1 Flinders St to Sandringham. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXzIdqWAZ9akl6M

[@ozgirl45]

@@tressteleg1 Thank you! And when I was listening to that I noticed your video of those trains, with noise and without! And there are shots of the interiors also. That’s the Melbourne I remember, along with the old green and yellow trams. I think trains should be a bit noisy and I find it amusing to see videos of trains (usually European) where the reviewer is oohing and aahing about how silent they are.

[@tressteleg1]

I am pleased that you enjoyed listening to the Taits. I should have said to close your eyes watching, and if you have a youngster to jump up and down on the lounge beside you, it will give you some of the motion!There is a brief interior shot inside a Tait in one of the Tait videos, and a couple of interior shots in the Harris train video. Below you will see the link which includes those videos. I certainly agree that trains should be a bit noisy. While it’s remarkable how quiet new trains can be, especially the lack of gear noises leaves them without character. Happy viewing 😊 Victorian Trains Lineside kzbin.info/aero/PLLtOIHp49XNA_mVsCrep-VpCUqsId9Fxu

[@demmyonline]

@@tressteleg1 I have a photo of the Griffiths Brothers Tea sign I'm happy to share if anyone wants a copy. Just message me.

[@thelionking219]

I really like the Sandringham train line. I’ve been on it before but no brand new modern train stations.

[@tressteleg1]

Sandringham is a bit of step back in time.

[@javierguidounicaud6621]

Thank you for this video and for your comments concerning an itinerary for the commuter Melbourne railway. Nice cab ride in a beautiful.day. Regarding the Melbourne sky line, I prefer to see it in the.night.

[@tressteleg1]

Thanks. Well Friday’s release will be a very early morning run to the Racecourse but this is largely facing the wrong way to see the city lights.

[@petermolloy6142]

And nobody noticed the spelling mistake? Well, when I lived in the city, it was called Prahran!

[@RichardFelstead1949]

When I lived in Beaumaris back in the 60's , this is the line I use, in conjunction with the the VR bus, when working in CBD. Occasionally I went via Cheltenham.

[@tressteleg1]

I doubt if the line has changed much since your time, except for the removal of level crossing gatemen and replacing them with automatic barriers.

[@paulstubbs7678]

Wow, untouched by skyrail. Plus a good selection of old stations - most new stations are bland junk, just a pity maintenance often takes a back seat at older stations.

[@tressteleg1]

Most of the crossings on the line looks fairly minor, except the one at Brighton Beach. But an overpass would be unsightly, and the water table probably too high for an underpass there.

[@geoffreymoore1510]

Thanks for the great, very descriptive trip. Love all the time reduction, too. Pity about the dirty windscreen. Not too bad, I guess. Regarding the pantographs. It was not all that long ago I learned about the overheads, internationally, moving from side to side so as to not wear out the pantographs in one spot. How often would they replace the pantographs? Wish things were different, I would love to come to Melbourne and check out the suburban rail.

[@tressteleg1]

Thanks. I try to improve upon the shortcomings I see in videos produced by others. Sometimes dirt on the windscreen is not obvious until the sun hits it. And you don’t know until you watch the video later. Yes the overhead wire does intentionally zigzag to spread the wear over a greater area. I don’t know how long pantograph heads last, but sometimes they are damaged by something broken on the overhead wire.

[@scottyerkes1867]

Great video! This is a commuter line?? Judging by the length of platforms the trains must be 8 to 19 cars long. Must of New York's subways and commuter lines are 10 cars long. Thanks for sharing😀

[@tressteleg1]

Railways gave up on suburban freight operations many years ago, so this like all Australian suburban train networks which essentially cater for passengers only. As should be noted in the videos, Melbourne trains are six cars long ( just a few are 3 cars long) but a new batch, not yet seen in my videos, is seven cars long and most platforms are already long enough for these. Few platforms are any longer. Unfortunately I don’t have time to reply to all your comments but every comment from everybody does get read by me.

[@scottyerkes1867]

@@tressteleg1 Thanks for your clarification😀

[@ethansrailwayvlogs]

Nice video!

[@tressteleg1]

😊👍

[@hassansayyab1194]

Awesome video If you have a spare time can you do Preston and Bell stations because the construction is already working on the new rail bridge and building two new stations By end of 2022 two new stations is Preston and Bell station open and four level crossing gone and new open space can’t wait😊👍

[@tressteleg1]

If I get down in February I will try to take a look. But it all depends on whether my driver is rostered on that line and gets video, but even so, I normally would not post those stations until the job is completed, not until the end of 2022 it seems.

[@hassansayyab1194]

@@tressteleg1 Ok thanks for that 😊👍

[@tressteleg1]

As I said a long time ago, if you are able to take suitable video I could put it in my postings and of course with your name as the cameraman.

[@johnhome5872]

Yes Prahran but great video 😀

[@tressteleg1]

One of the hardest things you can ever do is proof read your own work. You know what it should say, and that’s how you read it, even if wrong sometimes.

[@davidcuulong9935]

Sorry to nitpick, Middle Brighton is MBN, not MBM. I lived in Sandy for 25 years and travelled that line most days, to me it is the premier suburban line.

[@tressteleg1]

😊👍

[@peregrinemccauley5010]

Thankyou . That was just the ticket .

[@tressteleg1]

😊👍

[@regionaltrainspotter]

Nice, siemens trains acceleration is very fast, but not quite like the X'trap

[@tressteleg1]

At least the Siemens has air suspension, unlike the X’trap which throws the driver all around the place on track that’s not so good. And I can pick a Siemens because it does not have the same whistle as a Comeng, nor make all the weird electronic noises which an X’trap makes. 😊

[@regionaltrainspotter]

@@tressteleg1 I've never been on a xtrapolis at high speed.

[@tressteleg1]

You don’t necessarily need high-speed for a rough ride. A line in poor condition can give you a rough ride at 60 km/h. Possibly bit by bit, the standard of Melbourne track is slowly being upgraded.

[@nwmtransport3203]

@@regionaltrainspotter you don’t need high speed if you’ve ever been on an X’Trap near Richmond 😂

[@tressteleg1]

👍🤣🤣

[@adammurphy6845]

Another great video......no notation of passing over Trams 3 & 16 once leaving Balaclava!?!

[@tressteleg1]

Gotta make a mistake sometimes.

[@adammurphy6845]

@@tressteleg1 you’re forgiven 😝. Appreciate the effort you put in! Merry Xmas!

[@tressteleg1]

🎅👍 And a Merry Christmas to you.

[@hawthornvalley]

Any chance of doing Cranbourne line next year - February - when the duplication is finished?

[@tressteleg1]

As all the crossing projects are finished except for Webster Road, I expect that my driver will have video of the completed projects for me to post. Hopefully I will get to Melbourne in February to pick up his latest videos.

[@margaretcampbell2681]

What js the top speed you can do?

[@tressteleg1]

I thing the driver told me 115 but not in many places. Werribee and Sunbury are 2 stretches I know.

[@rajivmurkejee7498]

So many level crossings for a line thru moneyed suburbs Guess they vote the wrong way

[@tressteleg1]

😊👍 At least suburbs along the line are not being confronted by the skyrail eyesores.