Wikipedia

Sydney Electric Train Society

The Sydney Electric Train Society is a railway preservation society in Sydney, Australia. It specialises in NSW electric traction and particularly NSW electric locomotives.

Sydney Electric Train Society
LocaleSydney
Website
www.sets.org.au

History edit

The Sydney Electric Train Society (SETS) was established in July 1991 with the aim of preserving Sydney's vintage electric fleet colloquially known as Red Rattler's. In January 1992, it operated its first tour with single deck stock across the CityRail suburban network, the last of which were about to be withdrawn.[1]

By 1993, the executive of SETS had significantly changed to include more “mature” members. This went a long way to regaining some credibility with senior key players in the SRA. Through the hard work of these mature members, the manual doors impasse was settled. Tours then resumed, using trains hired from the SRA, with significant success through 1995 and 1996. A four car heritage set known as "M1" would commonly be used on such tours formed of carriages C3102, T4527, D4052, and C3218. In 1995, this set would be moved to Flemington where it would be known as "F1".[2]

In 1997, a number of SETS members voluntarily resigned with a new board taking on the job of electric preservation. This was due to a disagreement in operations with volunteers split on a private or public ownership. The remaining members of SETS would follow the private operation of owning rolling stock whilst the members that resigned would start a new organisation Historic Electric Traction (HET) with its primary objective of SRA owning the rolling stock whilst HET would be the care takers of it; a partnership of sorts.[2]

On 20 April 1998, SETS purchased 46 class electric locomotive 4615.[3] Later in 1998, it purchased four Tulloch power cars from the State Rail Authority along with some U set stock.[4] It has since expanded its collection with 85 and 86 class locomotives, one Bradfield and two Suburban power cars acquired from RailCorp and the only complete Sydney Monorail set.[5][6][7]

SETS rolling stock has at various times been on static display at various public railway museums; Lithgow State Mine Heritage Park & Railway, the Goulburn Rail Heritage Centre and Junee Roundhouse Railway Museum. From 2003 to 2009, SETS operational electric locos and interurban cars were housed at Hornsby Maintenance Depot. In 2009, locomotives 8606 and 4615 along with CF5003 and CF5021 would be forcefully removed from Hornsby after a disagreement in storage. They would be moved by rail with a 44 class locomotive to Junee where they would be stored on display at the Junee Roundhouse.

In June 2018, 4615, 8606, CF5003 and CF5021 would be then removed from Junee due to a disagreement in storage there and would be transferred to Lithgow with 8606 returned to service to haul infrastructure trains on the Sydney Trains underground network.[8]

Currently as of 2023, SETS has a number of its assets scattered across NSW with many items in various stages of restoration. A line up of eight red set carriages have been left at Chullora awaiting collection and moved to a secure location for future restoration. 46 class locomotives 4615 and 4627 are at Lithgow alongside U Boat carriages CF5003 and CF5021. 4615 is awaiting an ICE radio to be installed,[9] 4627 is awaiting funding for a static repaint,[10] whilst the U Boat carriages sit in the yard awaiting restoration. 8501 is presently at Werris Creek awaiting reactivation. 8606 is at Port Kembla awaiting traction motors to be refitted. 8649 is currently the only operating asset SETS has presently running rail robel runs in the city underground late at night.

SETS has also been allocated a four car S Set and four car C Set; both of which have not been signed officially over to SETS ownership and are currently sitting out the back of Auburn Maintrain. When the carriages are officially signed over to SETS, they will have 30 days to remove them from Sydney Trains land.[11][12]

Collection edit

Electric locomotives edit

Number Image Year Manufacturer Notes
4615   1956 Metropolitan-Vickers Purchased April 1998,[6] at Lithgow Locomotive Maintenance Centre for re-activation as at May 2019. Still awaiting ICE radio installation as of October 2023.[13]
4627   1957 Metropolitan-Vickers Purchased April 2013,[14] at Lithgow in the yard at Lithgow State Mine Railway as of October 2023. Is awaiting further donations for it to be restored to static display.
8501 1979 Commonwealth Engineering Stored at Werris Creek,[5][6] one compressor temporarily swapped with 8649. Planned to be restored to operational condition.
8606   1983 Commonwealth Engineering Purchased February 2003,[5][6] based at Enfield Yard, restored to operational condition in 2018 as a heritage loco and for Pacific National to use on Robel infrastructure trains on the Sydney Trains underground network. Currently stabled at Progress Rail Port Kembla awaiting traction motors to be refitted.[15]
8649   1985 Commonwealth Engineering Purchased July 2018, based at Enfield Yard, restored to operational condition in 2020-21 as a heritage loco and as a second loco for Pacific National to use on Robel infrastructure trains on the Sydney Trains underground network.[15]On 9 May 2022, 8649 returned repainted in the SRA Candy livery.

Electric multiple units edit

Number Image Year Manufacturer Notes
C3082 1921 Ritchie Brothers Acquired 2008. Stored indoors at Bilpin
C3104 1925 Leeds Forge Company Acquired 2008.[16] Stored indoors at Bilpin
C3444 1937 Clyde Engineering Acquired 2008. Stored indoors at Bilpin
C7489 1950 Tulloch Acquired 1998[17] left abandoned at Chullora Industrial siding as of October 2023
C7510 1950 Tulloch Acquired 1998[17] sitting in a field on private property in Castlereagh as of October 2023
C7512 1950 Tulloch Acquired 1998[17] left abandoned at Chullora Industrial siding as of October 2023
C7513 1950 Tulloch Acquired 1998 left abandoned at Chullora Industrial siding as of October 2023
CF5001 1958 Commonwealth Engineering Acquired 2013 moved from Rothbury to unknown location in mid 2023
CF5003   1958 Commonwealth Engineering Acquired 1998[4] currently at Lithgow as of October 2023
CF5021 1958 Commonwealth Engineering Acquired 1998[4] currently at Lithgow as of October 2023
CF5022 1958 Commonwealth Engineering Acquired 1998[4]
TF6010 1958 Commonwealth Engineering Acquired 1998[4]
ETB6037 1958 Commonwealth Engineering Acquired 1998[4]
C3861 1972 Commonwealth Engineering Under ownership of Sydney Trains at present. Stored at Auburn
T4983 1975 Commonwealth Engineering Under ownership of Sydney Trains at present. Stored at Auburn
T4003 1978 Commonwealth Engineering Under ownership of Sydney Trains at present. Stored at Auburn
C3057 1977 Commonwealth Engineering Under ownership of Sydney Trains at present. Stored at Auburn
C3584   1986 Goninan Under ownership of Sydney Trains at present. Stored at Auburn
T4266   1986 Goninan Under ownership of Sydney Trains at present. Stored at Auburn
T4274 1986 Goninan Under ownership of Sydney Trains at present. Stored at Auburn
C3608   1986 Goninan Under ownership of Sydney Trains at present. Stored at Auburn

Monorail edit

Number Image Year Manufacturer Notes
Von Roll Mk3 Set 4 1988 Von Roll Holding Acquired 2013[7]

Publication edit

The society formerly published Under the Wires, a bi-monthly magazine.[18]

References edit

  1. ^ "The Farewell Single Deck tour" Railway Digest March 1992 page 117
  2. ^ a b Matthews, Paul (2019). The History of ELECTRIC TRAIN PRESERVATION in NSW. Australia.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ^ SETS Obtain 46-Class Locomotive Motive Power issue 3 December 1998 page 25
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Eligible Preservation Groups Car Allocations" Railway Digest December 1998 page 39
  5. ^ a b c Sargent, John (2008). Under the Wires - New South Wales 85 & 86 Class Electrics. Pinewood: Train Hobby Publications Australia. ISBN 9781921122170.
  6. ^ a b c d Oberg, Leon (2010). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-2010. Dural: Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 303, 387, 393. ISBN 9781921719011.
  7. ^ a b Remember Sydney Monorail Archived 8 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine Harbourlink
  8. ^ 86 Class Electric Reactivated Motive Power issue 120 November 2018 page 7
  9. ^ "SETS Fleet - Electric Locomotive 4615". sets.org.au. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  10. ^ "SETS Fleet - Electric Locomotive 4615". sets.org.au. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  11. ^ "SETS Fleet - Double-Deck Suburban S-set Cars". sets.org.au. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  12. ^ "SETS Fleet - Double-Deck Suburban C-set Cars". sets.org.au. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  13. ^ NSW 46 Class Electric Locomotive 4615 Archived 28 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine Sydney Electric Train Society
  14. ^ "SETS Fleet - Electric Locomotive 4615". sets.org.au. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  15. ^ a b NSW 86 Class Electric Locomotive 8606 Archived 17 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine Sydney Electric Train Society
  16. ^ Howarth, Ryan (2010). Sydney Suburban Standards - the Leeds Forge Cars C3101 to C3150: A First in Australian Railway Carriage Design. Bow River Publishing. ISBN 978 0646530116.
  17. ^ a b c Rolling Stock Railway Digest February 1999 page 29
  18. ^ Under the Wires Archived 10 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine Sydney Electric Train Society
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