Harris (train)

Infobox EMU
background =
name = Harris


imagesize = 300px
caption = Harris train in 1959, soon after entry to service
interior

interiorcaption =
InService =

Manufacturer = Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (early M cars)
Martin & King (later M and T cars)
Victorian Railways Newport Workshops (later M and T cars)S.E. Dornan and R.G. Henderson: (1979) "The Electric Railways of Victoria']
factory =
Family =
Built =
Refurbishment =
replaced = 'Swing Door'
yearconstruction = 1956-1971
yearservice = From 1956
yearscrapped = 1988, some converted to other uses
numberconstruction =
numberbuilt = 60 seven car sets (30 first series, 30 second series)
numberservice = 2 stored 'M' cars, formerly used on the 'Greaser' train.
numberscrapped =
Formation = M-T-T-M BT-T-M
designation = 501M-590M (1st series motors),
701M-800M (2nd series motors),
501-560BT (backing trailers),
601-690T and 801-890T (trailers),
890-896T (long trailers)
Operator = Victorian Railways
Depots =
LinesServed = All Melbourne Suburban

CarBody = Painted steel
CarLength = convert|63|ft|m, some convert|75|ft|m trailers
CarWidth =
CarHeight =
floorheight =
platformheight =
entrylevelorstep =
art-sections = Open gangway (added later)

MaxSpeed = 70mph / 115kmh
Weight =
Capacity =
Acceleration =
Deceleration =
Traction = 4 x 151 kW EE528A (first series),
4 x 113 kW EE539 (second series)
Power =
Gauge = 5' 3" Broad Gauge
Voltage = 1500V DC overhead
Brakes =
SafetySystem =

The Harris trains were the first steel bodied Electric Multiple Unit train to operate on the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They were introduced in 1956 by the Victorian Railways, and last operated in 1988, although a number of the carriages were converted for other uses and are still operating. They were named after Sir Norman Harris, Chairman of Commissioners of the Victorian Railways between 1940 and 1950.

Description

The Harris trains were commonly referred to as "Blue Trains" due to their deep blue colour, with only a yellow band about halfway up the body. Royal blue and yellow were common colours for the Victorian Railways rolling stock.

The trains had a saloon seating layout, divided into smaller sections by full height partitions. They were provided with either two or three sets of hand operated dual sliding doors per carriage side. Later sets were fitted with power doors. Interiors were split into smoking and no-smoking compartments until late 1978 with the abolition of smoking on trains, [http://www.pjv101.net/cd/pages/c020m.htm Peter J. Vincent: T - Sliding Door Suburban Trailer] ] and carriages were designated as First or Second class until 1958 when one class travel was introduced. The trains were initially delivered without end gangways between carriages, this being a later addition.

The Harris trains were originally run as 7-carriage (M-T-T-M-BT-T-M) sets, reduced to 4-carriage (M-T-T-M) sets (known as "blocks") for off-peak and weekend services. The extra motor carriages built from 1968 allowed for some BT-T-M units to be converted to M-T-T-M sets, to provide for trains to be run in M-T-T-M-M-T-T-M configurations.

Carriages were connected by semi-permanent drawbars, except for the driving ends of motor carriages and one end of BT carriages, which were provided with automatic couplers.

History

The first 30 7-carriage trains, known as the first series, were constructed in the United Kingdom by Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company and delivered between 1956 and 1959. Another 30, the second series, were built by Martin & King in Melbourne and delivered between 1961 and 1967. From 1966, these were delivered with end doors and gangways between carriages, allow passengers to change carriages.

The first series of 'T' and 'BT' trailers were built by Comeng (the first 10 in Sydney, the rest in Melbourne) and finished by Martin & King, with the remainder built at the Newport Workshops. Between 1968 and 1970, ten additional motor carriages built by the Victorian Railways Newport Workshops were delivered to provide for some Harris trains to be lengthened to eight carriages.

In 1970 and 1971 six new trailer carriages were built as prototypes for the next fleet (the Hitachi trains). These carriages were ft to m|75 long, compared to ft to m|63 of the earlier carriages, and were equipped with the mechanisms for power-closing doors, the first such use in Melbourne. However, it was not until the following year that a complete (4-carriage) train was used this way, after conversion of some motor carriages.

Conversions and Disposal

With the exceptions of the last few carriages built, all Harris trains contained asbestos insulation. The first sets contained blue asbestos, and the later sets contained white asbestos. Due to the presence of asbestos, most were wrapped in plastic and disposed of in a tip in Clayton, south-east of Melbourne.Two motor carriages (pictured, one unrefurbished and one refurbished) have been preserved at the Williamstown Railway Museum and two more motor carriages have been retained for preservation.

Refurbishment

A program to refurbish the Harris trains was begun in 1982. The refurbishment, which was made to look similar to a Comeng interior, included individual vinyl foam type cushions on an integrated plastic frame to replace the former more traditional vinyl sprung seats, air conditioning, and a new colour scheme.

However, industrial and other problems with the refurbished trains meant that only 16 carriages were so converted before the program was stopped.The refurbished trains were withdrawn in 1991 and subsequently cut up for scrap, except for one M carriage which has been preserved and is now held at the Williamstown Railway Museum, Melbourne.

The four refurbished trains ran initially in an M-T-T-M configuration, but three of the trains were later remarshalled to M-T-M-M-T-M configuration.

The refurbished trains generally ran on the Port Melbourne, St Kilda and Sandringham lines. They never ran in the City Loop, except for a farewell tour in 1991.

Locomotive-hauled services

55 carriages, including the ft to m|75|abbr=yes carriages, were converted to H type carriages for interurban service and are still in operation with V/Line.

Similarly, four carriages were converted to MTH carriages and remained in use on the Stony Point line behind A class diesel locomotives until 26 April 2008, when Sprinter trains were introduced on the route. [cite web
url=http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/news/service_alterations/metropolitan_trains/train_timetable_changes_from_sunday_27_april_2008
title=Train timetable changes: from Sunday, 27 April 2008 - Metlink - Your guide to public transport in Melbourne and Victoria
publisher=www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au
accessdate=2008-04-27]

References

External links

* [http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=suburban&traintype=Harris Harris trains] on VicSig (enthusiast site).
* [http://www.pjv101.net/cd/data/vr_emu.txt Suburban carriage details] by Peter J. Vincent.
* [http://vlinecars.com/mthcars.htm V/LineCars.com - MTH Carriages]