Historical information
The Harris blue electric trains were introduced in c1955 and followed the 'Red Rattlers'. They had a long life and were named after Norman Charles Harris, Chairman of Commissioners of the Victorian Railways, between 1940 and 1950.
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.
The trains had either two or three sets of hand-operated dual sliding doors per carriage side. Later they were fitted with power doors. Initially, until late 1978, the interiors were split into smoking and no-smoking compartments. In 1978 smoking on trains was abolished. Carriages were also designated as First or Second class until 1958, when one class travel was introduced. they had florescent lights but no heating.
Most of the early carriages did not have end doors and gangways between carriages, but safety concerns led these being incorporated in the sets delivered from mid-1966.
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 in the linings for insulation of noise and temperature. Due to the presence of asbestos, they began to be withdrawn from the mid-1980s and most were disposed of in the 1990s, by being buried at Talbot Quarry in Clayton, some having been wrapped in plastic.
No original Harris trailer cars remain.
Physical description
A coloured photograph of a blue Harris electric train heading towards Surrey Hills station from Mont Albert station. The electricity sub-station and Lorne Parade are on the RHS of the photo and Beresford Street on the LHS. The grey, smoggy appearance of the sky suggests a winter's morning.
