Melbourne’s Red Rattlers are Back! Tait Train testing on the Werribee Line

On the 15th May 2021, Melbourne’s heritage Tait electric multiple units made their return on the main line for the first time in 17 years under their own power. Restored and operated by Steamrail Victoria, carriages 381M, 208T, 341T, 230D & 317M operate five return test trips along the Werribee line; firstly between Newport and Laverton, then onto Werribee. Nicknamed the Red Rattlers; the Tait’s were built between 1910 - 1952, and were among Melbourne’s first electric multiple units when electrification of the metropolitan rail network began in 1919. Withdrawn at the end of 1984, several carriages were preserved as operational heritage trains, and ran special heritage trains around Melbourne until January 2004, when safety and accreditation issues saw the trains banned from operating on the metropolitan rail network. Steamrail then spent the next several years restoring the Tait’s to operational condition and fixing various issues. The Tait’s originally returned to the mainline in 2016 as locomotive hauled carriages, but in 2019 it was announced that Steamrail had received funding to restore the Tait’s to operational condition. After some tests in the Newport Workshops, the end result was the return to the main line under their own power. The return of the Tait’s is a testament to the great work of Steamrail Victoria and their volunteers. It’s fantastic to see a piece of transport history restored so beautifully and out on the main line once again. Subscribe to ThebusofdoomFSX: Facebook: