C3218 and T4527

These two cars are more or less considered as “one” for heritage reasons. This is due mainly to the fact that they have pretty much remained a coupled pair since their withdrawal from revenue traffic.

Unlike the other cars on F1, both of these cars stand representative of red set cars that did NOT receive any significant alterations over their working life. However importantly, they both received  overhauls at Elcar in the mid 1970’s.

 

An overhaul was essentially a complete reconstruction. Where a car was stripped to its shell and then totally rebuilt. Crucially (for 3218), this also included a complete rewire, using modern plastic cable to replace the old rubber variety. C3218 also received a new “F” type (cast) motor bogie around this time, with roller bearings.

 

The reconstruction otherwise utilised original components. C3218 retains its original “Metropolitan Vickers” switchgear underneath, it’s original style air compressor and motor generator. The  overhaul gave 3218 enough “staying power” to remain in regular traffic all the way to the year 1990.

 

In August 1990, both C3218 and T4527 were chosen randomly from available cars on the network on sector 2 (Punchbowl).  They were then sent to Mortdale to replace wooden car T4279 which was affected by a prohibition order on all wooden bodied vehicles subject to the outcome of the inquiry into the 3801 Cowan Bank accident in 1989. The two cars were then used on an RTM tour on Saturday 25th August and subsequently on a series of special services to Chullora Boshops on Thursday 4th October.

 

However upon completion of these runs, depot manager John Pett (for reasons at the time only known to him) refused to arrange to send the cars back to Punchbowl. This effectively “condemned’ the cars from regular service because Mortdale was otherwise a “double deck only” depot.

 

Shortly after this, (the late) Bruce Cook began to run several enthusiast trips using the single deck set formed along with C3102 and D4673 which became known as set “M1”. Upon its creation in 1991, SETS (the precursor to HET) then began a long winded procedure to restore the train to running status after the red sets were officially stopped in January 1992. They eventually overcame the legal problems of manual doors and insurance. The train ran its first tour of the “1990’s preserved era” on 10^th July, 1993.

On 15^th May 1994, SETS commenced a full repaint of Set M1 at Mortdale under a special access agreement with John Pett. This was the first of two repaints C3218 and T4527 have received since being withdrawn from traffic in 1989.

 

Soon afterwards in 1994 and after the closure of Punchbowl, a severe space shortage on the network saw M1 relocated to Redfern Carriageworks in the (then) asbestos removal plant. This is the same location of HET’s operations today. The train was re targetted as Set F1. Because at this time, Flemington Maintenance Centre then became responsible for it’s certification and operation during the various SETS tours which it ran up until 1997.

 

Drivers also came from Flemington, as this was where Parcel Van / Brake test Car C3653 was based. Still in intermittent use there, the presence of 3653 at Flemington meant that a number of crews remained qualified in this rolling stock type and therefore remained available to work Set F1 for the enthusiast tours.

 

When the SETS organisation split in July 1997, the rail authorities were initially hesitant about the outcome. So Set F1 found itself stored across the tracks at ACDEP for a year. It then returned to Flemington in June 1998 for an appraisal and inspection. Unfortunately C3218 and T4527 were then remained stored outside during this period. This led to significant deterioration of the roofs of both cars and in particular the window sills in T4527.

It would be a further year before the set finally returned to Redfern in 1999, with the site now under control of HET.  Cars C3218 and T4527 then received their second complete internal and external repaint by HET in 2000, along with restoration of the windows and sills in T4527. C3218 also received a switch group service around this time under HET.

C3218 and T4527 then re entered tours service on F1 in March 2001. Their last use of this period was as part of the “Wedding Tour” on 16^th March 2002. This tour was conducted for the benefit of and paid for by one of HET’s members. It included a complete 5 piece rock band squeezed into the No. 1 end of C3218 (with PA & lights) and decoration of the saloon with festoons and a large mirror ball.

Both cars then returned to what was to become the “time capsule” at Redfern, to emerge a whopping 12 years later on 13^th March, 2015 to become part of the F1 Project.

 

It’s no surprise that C3218, being the most “original” motor car in F1 and having received its last full overhaul way back in 1975, has received the lions’ share of time in the workshop at Flemington as part of the F1 Project in this modern era!

While the “F” motor bogie and motors and the compressor remain largely in original condition so far, the trailing (No. 2 end) bogie has received reconditioned wheels, axle boxes and brush gear in September 2016 courtesy of a K set. The original “Metro Vickers” pantograph was also reconstructed in May 2017 and received new “double deck style” composite insulators on the roof.

C3218 re entered HET workshops in late 2017 for urgent replacement of the saloon floor. It then returned to Set F1 briefly.

Soon after this, a number of routine dust tests were carried out on C3218 prior to use on the annual THNSW “Santas Red Electric Train” trip. C3218 failed one of these tests with a low (but still significant) reading for asbestos. At this point it was impossible to determine if this reading was either the result of a problem in the shed at FMC, or a problem in C3218 which may possibly have arisen as a result of the recent work completed.

As a precaution C3218 was taken off Set F1 at this time for further analysis.

After considerable deliberation and inspection, in early 2018 it was decided that the ceiling in C3218’s saloon area would need to be removed, inspected and cleaned out by an appropriately accredited asbestos removal contractor in order to leave no doubt that all potential risk had been entirely eliminated. C3218 was relocated to the LES (Large Erecting Shop) at Eveleigh for the work to be carried out.

Throughout the remainder of 2018 and in to 2019, the long and slow process of finding a suitable contractor ensued, followed by the even more complicated process of securing the considerable funding that was required for the task to be completed. There were many times when others suggested “couldn’t we just substitute another car?” However John Snider (F1 Project manager) would have none of it.

It would be C3218 or Bust! Too much time and effort had already been poured into this car to cast it aside now and start again! In the mean time F1 continued in service as a three car set, running many trips in this configuration albeit at a loss, since the passenger capacity of three cars wasn’t enough for most trips to break even.

After several stalled attempts, work on C3218’s ceiling finally began in June 2019. Upon removal of the ceiling panels, no asbestos insulation was found – although there was still evidence that C3218 may once have had asbestos insulation installed there. The reason for the initial low dust reading at FMC to this day remains a mystery.

As a precaution, the entire exposed ceiling space and the car  itself was then thoroughly vacuum cleaned by the accredited removal contractor. Subsequent tests came back “clean” and C3218 was then cleared for use. With the ceiling still in pieces, the car was then collected and returned to FMC with the hope that it could be made ready for the “S Set Farewell” trip in July 2019.

Thanks to a herculean effort from John Snider and the FMC staff over several nights, the ceiling was re installed in time. C3218 then triumphantly returned to Red Set F1, restoring it to a four car set.

 

Thanks Mortdale and Flemington Maintenance Centres. Your effort has paid off!

Thanks also to John Snider for “never giving up!”