**Lots of people asking about seeing steam trains on the viaduct - the info is in this comment!** Hello! I was greatly assisted in the production of this video by several people who I'd like to thank here: -Maikha Ly from the channel @Rheilffordd provided several shots filmed during his overnight stay in the remarkable viaduct-side apartment (If you were wondering, it was an airbnb, sadly it's no longer listed), check out his excellent videos on Australian transport topics here: www.youtube.com/@Rheilffordd -My brother Cian composed the music for the credits, provided the equipment and expertise for my voice-over recording, and also acted as a second camera operator on this video - most of the hand-held motion shots underneath the viaduct were filmed by Cian. Check out his music here: hyperfollow.com/cianbennetmusic -Alexander Jamieson helped out a lot with existing knowledge of the viaduct structure, and helped wander around underneath speculating on historic features. Check out his garden railway channel here: www.youtube.com/@melbournesparks3828 If you enjoy these videos, please consider supporting the channel on Patreon - for the cost of one coffee a month you can get early access to videos, detailed updates, behind the scenes content and see your name in the credits: www.patreon.com/Taitset **Steam on the viaduct** -Watch the full video on the steam whistle shows here: th-cam.com/video/kvk2CBQQrg8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=vXvP65VwPJ5sEDeM -If you'd like to see it yourself, you can check for upcoming heritage train operations here: www.steamrail.com.au/tours -Anything going east of the city will use the viaduct. Trains from the Hurstbridge and Mernda lines will generally operate over the 'old' viaduct, so not clearly visible from across the river. All other eastern steam specials use the 'new' viaduct with the best view. All photographs and footage not otherwise credited on screen are my own. Historic images used in this video were sourced from: State Library Victoria: www.slv.vic.gov.au/ Weston Langford: www.westonlangford.com/ The historic aerial photo of Queens Wharf was sourced from this excellent site: 1945.melbourne/ Well that was a long comment. I hope you enjoyed it!
Sadly just another of so many buildings torn down at that time. Spurred on by the international spotlight from events such as the 1956 Olympics, Melbourne seemed to go through a phase where these buildings were considered "old fashioned" and they then replaced so many beautiful buildings with hideous monstrosities, which have certainly not stood the test of time. This "modernisation" of Melbourne attacked almost everything Victorian in particular, with the view that it was outdated and not fitting of a modern metropolis. It's such a tragic cultural loss. A large amount of art-deco architecture also suffered. If you're interested in this, Google "Whelan The Wrecker" - one of the most notorious demolition companies because of the common sight of the sign "Whelan the Wrecker is here" outside buildings being torn down.
So many buildings were demolished between the 50s and 80s that were architecturally beautiful, then replaced with drab office buildings or like the fish markets, car parks
@@BluePieNinjaTVIt’s sad seeing beautiful old houses being demolished just for soulless cookie cutter homes. (I know the old brick townhouses can be considered cookie cutters but at least they had character to them)
I hate to put pressure on you, and this isn't my intention, but your videos are really good. So good that I'm a bit sad when I open TH-cam and I can't see a new video of yours. I'm also pleased to announce that your videos are almost always on the top of my feed when you upload them!
@@mrdjgosling the thought of a tourist coming to Melbourne and staying in one of those apartments right next to the viaduct (particularly from somewhere steam trains are completely gone or very very rare) and trying to have an early night before being woken up by a loooooong whistle in the dark never gets old. Even though I usually have a fair idea of what's happening when, it still instills such a wow factor hearing the reverberation of the whistle through the city. And it's even cooler being inside one and looking at all the rather confused looking tourists
I’m very chuffed to see footage I shot, for an intended but never produced video, can be used for someone else’s video on the actual subject featured, nicely done! And folks….. trust me, it sounds fun staying somewhere adjacent to an active mainline…. it’s not! 🤣🤣
Ha! I used to live next to an active mainline for 3 years, and over time the whistle-every-10-minutes became part of the furniture... though the building didn't quite curve as scarily close to the viaduct like it did here, so that must've helped! It was quite funny every time I was on a call though and the person on the other end would go "is that the fucken trains again?" 🤣
Hi I am an 83 year old Melbourne born Australian, resident in Sweden. Thank you for an excellent potted history of the Flinders St Viaduct. I have walked under it many times and wondered about the construction and was pleased to hear you mention the Banana Alley which is one of my many memories.
This is such a great example of how the railway is often as much a museum as it is a modern working bit of infrastructure. They’ve been integral to the fabric of an area, its community and its visuals for two centuries now. I’d love to see the rail authority put up some public history about the viaduct around it and cover some of what you’ve talked about in video. Small things like that make such a difference in getting people to both understand the railway as well as their local area.
I work for a carpark company that had carparks on Flinders St and waving at the trains on the Viaduct while dressed as a bird is one of my favourite memories. They sometimes tooted back! Great vid.
I just love the little details like the turtle saying to subscribe, and the "Taitset's Secret Headquarters" sign. You seem to genuinely have fun making these videos, and it's contagious! :D Thanks Martin for these videos, as a Melbournian you've given me a real appreciation of our magnificent train network, which otherwise might have simply been a monotonous part of my Uni life. Even simply boarding a train is fascinating, knowing what type of train it is, manufactured/refurbished by who, and what details give it away. P.S: RIP Comeng. Still going strong, but sadly not for long.
I get my hair cut at Lacey’s under the viaduct. The noise from trains overhead is incredible. I loved learning about the history and amazing to see the changes. But I deplore the loss of the Fish Market. “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot” indeed.
ah yes another opportunity to annoy my parents with random train knowledge they didn't need to know serious tho taitset I love your vids, I get excited every time I see a new one
As a courier driver in Melbourne i drive under and around that section of the bridge many times a week. It is nice knowing the history surrounding this bridge and i will endeavor to 'smell the roses' as it were, more often. Thanks for the history lesson.
Great video, thanks for posting. Some years ago I was walking along Flinders Street and taking photos of trains on the viaduct. I was approached by a middle aged gent who, it turned out, worked for a company that owned various American short lines. He took my details and a few weeks later a collection of railroad caps arrived in the mail. So the viaduct is more than just infrastructure - it can also serve a social purpose!
My Dad worked at the carpark below for quite a few years. He's still got tonnes of stories from the area in the 80's. I used to play on the yellow peril when it was on the riverbank when he'd take me during school holidays. Many years late its where we had to collect my sister in laws car after it got towed from a clearway.
I love Melbourne's train network, and I've travelled on them all. I know the Broady line backwards as I remember travelling on that since the early 1960s. As teenagers, in the early seventies, we'd travel every line, just for something to do. Your videos are great and thankyou so much for your dedication.
crazy as a born and bred Melbournian I don't know what's under my nose. Love this stuff, especially the historical pictures. Keep up the amazing videos! My son and I love them 💜
I don’t think I’ve ever clicked on a video faster! I’m always left craving more after I watch these beautiful masterpieces of Melbourne history. Amazing video as always!
Great video! I remember in the late 90s and early 2000s always going to Metal Mayhem in those Banana Alley Vaults. That viaduct is such an iconic part of Melbourne to me.
Funny how I got recommended this video just as I hopped on the train from Parliament Station. Just enough time for me to learn everything about the viaduct, right before I see it for real.
Very well researched! Thank you. I live in Southbank, and the dust time i heard the steam train whistle. I thought I was hallucinating LOL. I love how it gently echoes around the nearby buildings.
Another great video. It's not only interesting for us railway people but a really valuable well put together piece of Melbourne infrastructure history. One day it will probably disappear and videos like this will be all future generations will have to remember it by. Excellent work. I remember as a Guard back in the early 1980's heading to Flinders street from Spencer street and as you came around the bend off the viaduct there was a wall of semaphore signals in front of you showing different aspects and trying to work out which one was for our train.
Awesome video! I've walked along underneath the viaduct many times there's always tons to see, I especially love the section around the intersection of Flinders and Spencer Street, love watching trams and trains there!
Love the sound of the whistle of the Steam trains gives me chills every time especially the Puffing Billy rambling through the Dandenong Ranges, I've seen the whistle show from Southbank a few times myself and it's brilliant
Who knew in these expensive times that watching a single video could double the cost of your gym membership. You make the most mundane topic interesting. Thanks taitset for another great video.
Two hundred and eighty one comments. Amazing, and I will belatedly add my own. Though I am local Melbournian and often stand under or travel on the viaducts, I didn't know much beyond the new one and the old one. This is simply such an informative clip, so thank you and you must have spent so much time researching.
6:30 - always wondered what it would be like to live in those buildings, especially the ones with the corner balcony at train level. Also as a Mernda commuter whenever the track curves just past the vertical tram sculpture you really do feel like you are going to clip the corner of the grand motel building, seems like there's only 1-2 metres clearance.
I love the quality of your videos. Have you thought about making a video lookibg at flinders street station. Ive always been curious on how some parts of the station are kinda abandoned. Thanks
Fantastic as usual. The carpark that replaced the Fish Market also allowed the King Street Bridge to be built which dramatically transformed that part of the city. And prior to the late 1800s the turning basin area was a kind of swampy area with fishing huts and some pubs / hotels.
Truly great video, I find Melbourne's railways and infrastructure very fascinating and it's great to see someone documenting it and giving entertaining history lessons. I can't wait to see more videos like this!
Great history lesson, thanks Taitset! While you were there (or maybe during the many other times you traverse over the viaduct), have you happened to notice how faint some of the older signals are at the viaduct end of Flinders Street. Each time I go past, I look at them and wonder how the drivers manage to see them, especially at night with the city/station lights in their eyes. Also, the whistle clip at the end just filled my heart with joy. A nice touch to end a great video.
Glad you enjoyed it! Yes some of those older incandescent signals are quite dim. They're also quite directional though, and you'll find they're much easier to see from the driver's position than anywhere else.
So so so much amazing information!!! Those clips of the steam train with the old timey horn blowing was so incredible I had to share it with my partner and we both geeked out about it.
Thanks again for another great video, and I especially loved the whistling of the steam train. Growing up in Broadmeadows, we'd regularly see the steam trains come past, and you could hear the whistles from kilometers away!
Thank you so much for making these videos, it's really cool how you manage to take mundane everyday things and extract interesting information from them. When I think of Melbourne's network, I think of the skyrails, metro tunnel, flinders station etc but I never thought much of the viaduct apart from noticing the new and old sections.
Great video again! I have always been curious about the vidaduct, thanks for filling in so many extra details. As a side note, I dream of the day when the city loop lines never ever change direction, but just have fixed directions for each line, all day, every day. The midday direction change is maddening.
Awesome video as usual. I always was curious about the story of the viaducts and found them rather confusing. You cleared up all the gaps in my knowledge nicely and painted a great picture of how it has changed over time
I have to say, I love the sound of R761's whistle. I went to Melbourne about a month ago and heard R761 whistling. We could not figure out why. Very nice video.
That was a really good one, thanks Martin. As always, a really informative and entertaining view, you have an excellent writing style, backed up with ideal video. I howled with laughter at Maikha's comment, too! In the 80s, Banana Alley was sketchy as hell, and you'd never go past at night. They did it up as a fancy wine bar in the late 80s, but it didn't last. Nice to see it looking better these days, although I'd also have no reason to go into the businesses there!
Great video, thank you for the effort you've put in. I love the variety of history on display in our wonderful city and your videos help to highlight these. Well done.
Wow, what research you put into this. Lol, the twisty bits on the original viaduct are because of the turning basin. I never knew and I thought I knew a little about everything, but not that. The fish market building was falling to pieces pre its demolition.
thanks so much for these videos. It's been a long time since I caught trains around Melbourne. Used to get about on them a lot in the 80s and 90s. Also your footage of the steamrail stuff brings back a heap of memories catching the R class up to ararat/seymour and back! time to go watch 10 minutes of R classes going over the viaduct!
10:02 that reminds me of how if you know where to look on the platforms at flinders street, you can see old markings for where E and DDE class tank engines are supposed to stop when running suburban pass trains. very cool video martin!
The curve was not to go around the fish markets. The fish markets were fitted to the curve which was necessary to link it up with Spencer Street (Southern Cross) station.
Great Video! The steam excursion trains blowing their whistles is incredibly haunting and still makes my hair stand on end! Thanks for posting a very interesting and informative video...
Excellent presentation. How your memory plays tricks! My job between 1957 and 1962 involved walking down that part of Flinders Street to North Wharf twice a day. Oddly, I can't remember the fish markets, or even what may have been on that site. I do remember everything else including the Vaults, one of which housed the famous(?) Pieteria.
This is the perfect video to feed my curiosity. I travel the viaduct most days on my way to uni, and I’ve always wondered about the history of it and why there were 2 sections. Seeing how the areas around the track influenced its design is so interesting.
This was so insightful and I thoroughly enjoyed it 😊 also, it was humorous watching you completely avoid mentioning subway sauna when you got to the banana alley part 😂
As always, beautifully shot and well researched story. I've spent a lot of time in that area, great to find out more about it, and a checklist for my next visit to hunt out all the details I've missed. Not sure about the whistle shows, it hurts my ears, and there's no opt out if your close. Nothing beats the sound of those massive steam engines pumping steam in and out though.
Always love your work mate. So many historic railway sites in and around Melbourne. Shame we can't get you into a working SER just for the relay clicking alone, fantastic sound to hear relays reacting to a train passing through
Great stuff. Very interesting detail about the three and then five pillars. The central one is right under the gap, so it looks like it is really more holding the two decks together, but you can see it must have been there from the beginning to support the northmost deck, which the other two pillars don't do by themselves. The line of bluestone on the solid bit shows the same thing.
Many years ago I worked at the cinema at Crown and had no way to get home after a late shift, so I'd stay at the backpackers on the corner of Flinders/Spencer (above the 7/11 shown in the video). The sound of trains turning that corner is seared into my mind!
A fascinating video. An interesting fact from the uk is that the body of Mr Flinders was reburied in recently due to being disturbed because of a building of a new railway station in London. Thanks Barry
I used to live in a private apartment in one of the hotels on Spencer Street pretty close to the corner of Flinders St. I have the sounds of wheel screeching permanently stuck in my head.
just to add regarding locomotives and the old Viaduct, They can operate over it provided there is approval from the Office of the Chief Engineer. Particularly the Northern Viaduct is utilised for Steam Specials heading up the Clifton Hill corridor.
steam locomotives running on the viaduct is so damn cool!! i just kind of assumed that heritage trains would be running further out along regional lines and such. i definitely need to see that next time i'm in melbourne!
I learnt something today. The fish market had a siding. Another great insight into Victoria’s engineering history (any chance of detailing the milk siding at flinders sometime?) Back in the 90s/00s you used to be able to park under the viaduct. A few owners found out the hard way about the difference in gap between the pillars!
**Lots of people asking about seeing steam trains on the viaduct - the info is in this comment!**
Hello! I was greatly assisted in the production of this video by several people who I'd like to thank here:
-Maikha Ly from the channel @Rheilffordd provided several shots filmed during his overnight stay in the remarkable viaduct-side apartment (If you were wondering, it was an airbnb, sadly it's no longer listed), check out his excellent videos on Australian transport topics here: www.youtube.com/@Rheilffordd
-My brother Cian composed the music for the credits, provided the equipment and expertise for my voice-over recording, and also acted as a second camera operator on this video - most of the hand-held motion shots underneath the viaduct were filmed by Cian. Check out his music here: hyperfollow.com/cianbennetmusic
-Alexander Jamieson helped out a lot with existing knowledge of the viaduct structure, and helped wander around underneath speculating on historic features. Check out his garden railway channel here: www.youtube.com/@melbournesparks3828
If you enjoy these videos, please consider supporting the channel on Patreon - for the cost of one coffee a month you can get early access to videos, detailed updates, behind the scenes content and see your name in the credits: www.patreon.com/Taitset
**Steam on the viaduct**
-Watch the full video on the steam whistle shows here: th-cam.com/video/kvk2CBQQrg8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=vXvP65VwPJ5sEDeM
-If you'd like to see it yourself, you can check for upcoming heritage train operations here: www.steamrail.com.au/tours
-Anything going east of the city will use the viaduct. Trains from the Hurstbridge and Mernda lines will generally operate over the 'old' viaduct, so not clearly visible from across the river. All other eastern steam specials use the 'new' viaduct with the best view.
All photographs and footage not otherwise credited on screen are my own.
Historic images used in this video were sourced from:
State Library Victoria: www.slv.vic.gov.au/
Weston Langford: www.westonlangford.com/
The historic aerial photo of Queens Wharf was sourced from this excellent site: 1945.melbourne/
Well that was a long comment. I hope you enjoyed it!
Demolishing that fish market and not replacing it with something architecturally equal was a crime
Sadly just another of so many buildings torn down at that time. Spurred on by the international spotlight from events such as the 1956 Olympics, Melbourne seemed to go through a phase where these buildings were considered "old fashioned" and they then replaced so many beautiful buildings with hideous monstrosities, which have certainly not stood the test of time. This "modernisation" of Melbourne attacked almost everything Victorian in particular, with the view that it was outdated and not fitting of a modern metropolis. It's such a tragic cultural loss. A large amount of art-deco architecture also suffered.
If you're interested in this, Google "Whelan The Wrecker" - one of the most notorious demolition companies because of the common sight of the sign "Whelan the Wrecker is here" outside buildings being torn down.
So many buildings were demolished between the 50s and 80s that were architecturally beautiful, then replaced with drab office buildings or like the fish markets, car parks
@@BluePieNinjaTVIt’s sad seeing beautiful old houses being demolished just for soulless cookie cutter homes. (I know the old brick townhouses can be considered cookie cutters but at least they had character to them)
I hate to put pressure on you, and this isn't my intention, but your videos are really good. So good that I'm a bit sad when I open TH-cam and I can't see a new video of yours. I'm also pleased to announce that your videos are almost always on the top of my feed when you upload them!
Great to hear! 🙂
@@Taitsethello!
Same here
@@Cmoose I’ll second that
Me too, for the railway space on TH-cam his videos are so well edited and researched
"Honey, I told you. We're not watching Netflix tonight. Taitset just released a new video"
Taitset and chill.
The whistle at the end sounds surprisingly haunting, but I love to see it
@@mrdjgosling the thought of a tourist coming to Melbourne and staying in one of those apartments right next to the viaduct (particularly from somewhere steam trains are completely gone or very very rare) and trying to have an early night before being woken up by a loooooong whistle in the dark never gets old.
Even though I usually have a fair idea of what's happening when, it still instills such a wow factor hearing the reverberation of the whistle through the city. And it's even cooler being inside one and looking at all the rather confused looking tourists
I’m very chuffed to see footage I shot, for an intended but never produced video, can be used for someone else’s video on the actual subject featured, nicely done!
And folks….. trust me, it sounds fun staying somewhere adjacent to an active mainline…. it’s not! 🤣🤣
Thankyou for making the sacrifice, it was a great perspective! :)
Ha! I used to live next to an active mainline for 3 years, and over time the whistle-every-10-minutes became part of the furniture... though the building didn't quite curve as scarily close to the viaduct like it did here, so that must've helped! It was quite funny every time I was on a call though and the person on the other end would go "is that the fucken trains again?" 🤣
"How often does the train go by?"
"So often you won't even notice it."
-Jake and Elwood Blues
@@rus0004 I was almost going to reference that haha
Were you sleeping in the enclosed balcony? That did not look like an actual bedroom.
Keen to see that video if it ever sees the light of day
Hi I am an 83 year old Melbourne born Australian, resident in Sweden. Thank you for an excellent potted history of the Flinders St Viaduct. I have walked under it many times and wondered about the construction and was pleased to hear you mention the Banana Alley which is one of my many memories.
This is such a great example of how the railway is often as much a museum as it is a modern working bit of infrastructure. They’ve been integral to the fabric of an area, its community and its visuals for two centuries now. I’d love to see the rail authority put up some public history about the viaduct around it and cover some of what you’ve talked about in video. Small things like that make such a difference in getting people to both understand the railway as well as their local area.
I work for a carpark company that had carparks on Flinders St and waving at the trains on the Viaduct while dressed as a bird is one of my favourite memories. They sometimes tooted back!
Great vid.
I just love the little details like the turtle saying to subscribe, and the "Taitset's Secret Headquarters" sign. You seem to genuinely have fun making these videos, and it's contagious! :D
Thanks Martin for these videos, as a Melbournian you've given me a real appreciation of our magnificent train network, which otherwise might have simply been a monotonous part of my Uni life. Even simply boarding a train is fascinating, knowing what type of train it is, manufactured/refurbished by who, and what details give it away.
P.S: RIP Comeng. Still going strong, but sadly not for long.
Very glad you enjoyed it! And yes doing those details is the most fun part. :)
I get my hair cut at Lacey’s under the viaduct. The noise from trains overhead is incredible. I loved learning about the history and amazing to see the changes. But I deplore the loss of the Fish Market. “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot” indeed.
I love that juxtaposition of the steam train running next to the skyscrapers - very cool!
ah yes another opportunity to annoy my parents with random train knowledge they didn't need to know
serious tho taitset I love your vids, I get excited every time I see a new one
Good to hear! I hope your parents will listen carefully. :)
As a courier driver in Melbourne i drive under and around that section of the bridge many times a week.
It is nice knowing the history surrounding this bridge and i will endeavor to 'smell the roses' as it were, more often. Thanks for the history lesson.
Great video, thanks for posting. Some years ago I was walking along Flinders Street and taking photos of trains on the viaduct. I was approached by a middle aged gent who, it turned out, worked for a company that owned various American short lines. He took my details and a few weeks later a collection of railroad caps arrived in the mail. So the viaduct is more than just infrastructure - it can also serve a social purpose!
My Dad worked at the carpark below for quite a few years. He's still got tonnes of stories from the area in the 80's. I used to play on the yellow peril when it was on the riverbank when he'd take me during school holidays. Many years late its where we had to collect my sister in laws car after it got towed from a clearway.
16:09 quite an enchanting view!
Another gem. Thank you! Now that I'm living in Germany, these videos mean more to me than ever before. Much appreciated. 🙂
I remember the legionnaires outbreak at the aquarium, going over it at the time was breathtaking (boom boom)
I love Melbourne's train network, and I've travelled on them all. I know the Broady line backwards as I remember travelling on that since the early 1960s. As teenagers, in the early seventies, we'd travel every line, just for something to do. Your videos are great and thankyou so much for your dedication.
crazy as a born and bred Melbournian I don't know what's under my nose. Love this stuff, especially the historical pictures. Keep up the amazing videos! My son and I love them 💜
A wonderful watch as usual! loved seeing Evie make a cameo appearance. hope i see her in person one day!
Glad you enjoyed it! Was certainly a nice surprise having Evie show up.
I don’t think I’ve ever clicked on a video faster! I’m always left craving more after I watch these beautiful masterpieces of Melbourne history. Amazing video as always!
Awesome thing to eatch before bed, great work as always mate XD
I'll definitely have to catch a whistle show from South Bank one day
Great video! I remember in the late 90s and early 2000s always going to Metal Mayhem in those Banana Alley Vaults. That viaduct is such an iconic part of Melbourne to me.
Funny how I got recommended this video just as I hopped on the train from Parliament Station.
Just enough time for me to learn everything about the viaduct, right before I see it for real.
Very well researched! Thank you.
I live in Southbank, and the dust time i heard the steam train whistle. I thought I was hallucinating LOL. I love how it gently echoes around the nearby buildings.
Another great video. It's not only interesting for us railway people but a really valuable well put together piece of Melbourne infrastructure history. One day it will probably disappear and videos like this will be all future generations will have to remember it by. Excellent work.
I remember as a Guard back in the early 1980's heading to Flinders street from Spencer street and as you came around the bend off the viaduct there was a wall of semaphore signals in front of you showing different aspects and trying to work out which one was for our train.
Ridden the viaducts many times. Great exploration. Very enjoyable vid. Thx for sharing!! - Steven
one of my fave old landmarks.. cheers.
Another fantastic upload. This taitset productions quality is on another level! Keep up the fantastic work mate!
Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed it!
Awesome video! I've walked along underneath the viaduct many times there's always tons to see, I especially love the section around the intersection of Flinders and Spencer Street, love watching trams and trains there!
Love the sound of the whistle of the Steam trains gives me chills every time especially the Puffing Billy rambling through the Dandenong Ranges, I've seen the whistle show from Southbank a few times myself and it's brilliant
Gives you a glimpse of how Melbourne may have sounded back in the early 20th century... always warms the cockles of the heart ❤
Fantastic video as always mate. A fascinating look into the history of the most important section of track in Victoria!
The flinders street viaduct is perfect for taking photos and videos, I have some great pictures from heritage trips.
Who knew in these expensive times that watching a single video could double the cost of your gym membership.
You make the most mundane topic interesting. Thanks taitset for another great video.
I am very pleased somebody noticed that detail. :)
Two hundred and eighty one comments. Amazing, and I will belatedly add my own. Though I am local Melbournian and often stand under or travel on the viaducts, I didn't know much beyond the new one and the old one. This is simply such an informative clip, so thank you and you must have spent so much time researching.
6:30 - always wondered what it would be like to live in those buildings, especially the ones with the corner balcony at train level. Also as a Mernda commuter whenever the track curves just past the vertical tram sculpture you really do feel like you are going to clip the corner of the grand motel building, seems like there's only 1-2 metres clearance.
I love the quality of your videos. Have you thought about making a video lookibg at flinders street station. Ive always been curious on how some parts of the station are kinda abandoned. Thanks
Indeed. There is a ballroom up there. I played a gig there in the early 1970. Closed for decades.
@@EJP286CRSKW and like the abandoned goods siding.
Fantastic as usual. The carpark that replaced the Fish Market also allowed the King Street Bridge to be built which dramatically transformed that part of the city. And prior to the late 1800s the turning basin area was a kind of swampy area with fishing huts and some pubs / hotels.
Ah, very interesting!
Boy do I love the sounds the bridges make when trains as passing over them!
Amazing video! When we go to Melbourne we have a great view of the viaduct from our hotel room, so it’s epic to learn more of its history.
Another great video, I'm in the UK and you're videos are always so interesting and informative 👍
Been waiting for this for a while. Great video!
Truly great video, I find Melbourne's railways and infrastructure very fascinating and it's great to see someone documenting it and giving entertaining history lessons. I can't wait to see more videos like this!
Great history lesson, thanks Taitset!
While you were there (or maybe during the many other times you traverse over the viaduct), have you happened to notice how faint some of the older signals are at the viaduct end of Flinders Street. Each time I go past, I look at them and wonder how the drivers manage to see them, especially at night with the city/station lights in their eyes.
Also, the whistle clip at the end just filled my heart with joy. A nice touch to end a great video.
Glad you enjoyed it! Yes some of those older incandescent signals are quite dim. They're also quite directional though, and you'll find they're much easier to see from the driver's position than anywhere else.
So so so much amazing information!!! Those clips of the steam train with the old timey horn blowing was so incredible I had to share it with my partner and we both geeked out about it.
Thanks again for another great video, and I especially loved the whistling of the steam train. Growing up in Broadmeadows, we'd regularly see the steam trains come past, and you could hear the whistles from kilometers away!
Amazing video as always Martin!
Thank you so much for making these videos, it's really cool how you manage to take mundane everyday things and extract interesting information from them. When I think of Melbourne's network, I think of the skyrails, metro tunnel, flinders station etc but I never thought much of the viaduct apart from noticing the new and old sections.
Thankyou, glad you enjoyed it!
Great video again! I have always been curious about the vidaduct, thanks for filling in so many extra details. As a side note, I dream of the day when the city loop lines never ever change direction, but just have fixed directions for each line, all day, every day. The midday direction change is maddening.
Awesome video as usual. I always was curious about the story of the viaducts and found them rather confusing. You cleared up all the gaps in my knowledge nicely and painted a great picture of how it has changed over time
I have to say, I love the sound of R761's whistle. I went to Melbourne about a month ago and heard R761 whistling. We could not figure out why. Very nice video.
I live nearby.
You answered every question I would have about it.
Another great video
Have been to Melbourne a few and love wandering around the city it is cool to walk underneath the trains there
Another excellent video from you, well done. Keep up the great videos.
Great history and compilation. That was fascinating to watch and listen to.
That was a really good one, thanks Martin. As always, a really informative and entertaining view, you have an excellent writing style, backed up with ideal video. I howled with laughter at Maikha's comment, too!
In the 80s, Banana Alley was sketchy as hell, and you'd never go past at night. They did it up as a fancy wine bar in the late 80s, but it didn't last. Nice to see it looking better these days, although I'd also have no reason to go into the businesses there!
Thanks Matt, yes I did hear it was a very sketchy area for a while!
Great video, thank you for the effort you've put in. I love the variety of history on display in our wonderful city and your videos help to highlight these. Well done.
Wow, what research you put into this. Lol, the twisty bits on the original viaduct are because of the turning basin. I never knew and I thought I knew a little about everything, but not that. The fish market building was falling to pieces pre its demolition.
I've always found the viaducts amazing structures.
This is brilliant and very educational! The structure is amazing and reminds me of Berlin's Stadtbahn very much.
thanks so much for these videos. It's been a long time since I caught trains around Melbourne. Used to get about on them a lot in the 80s and 90s. Also your footage of the steamrail stuff brings back a heap of memories catching the R class up to ararat/seymour and back! time to go watch 10 minutes of R classes going over the viaduct!
10:02 that reminds me of how if you know where to look on the platforms at flinders street, you can see old markings for where E and DDE class tank engines are supposed to stop when running suburban pass trains. very cool video martin!
Oh interesting I didn't know about that, where abouts are the markings?
@@Taitset I'd like to know that too, but I suspect that whatever markings he's referring to would be for something else.
Great video! What a fascinating history of the viaducts. Such great architecture on the old viaduct.
Great video. I never knew about the former fish markets but the curve in the line around the former site makes total sense now.
The curve was not to go around the fish markets. The fish markets were fitted to the curve which was necessary to link it up with Spencer Street (Southern Cross) station.
Another outstanding video! Really well done again! Found out so much about a viaduct most days of the week! Keep up the great work!
Thanks Will!
What a fascinating history. Thanks so much for putting this together … can tell a huge amount of research went into it. 👌
Great Video! The steam excursion trains blowing their whistles is incredibly haunting and still makes my hair stand on end! Thanks for posting a very interesting and informative video...
Excellent presentation. How your memory plays tricks! My job between 1957 and 1962 involved walking down that part of Flinders Street to North Wharf twice a day. Oddly, I can't remember the fish markets, or even what may have been on that site. I do remember everything else including the Vaults, one of which housed the famous(?) Pieteria.
This is the perfect video to feed my curiosity. I travel the viaduct most days on my way to uni, and I’ve always wondered about the history of it and why there were 2 sections. Seeing how the areas around the track influenced its design is so interesting.
8:44 Anyone know what those large circular things on the carriages are? Been wondering for a long time now.
Steel coils, heading for the steel mill at Hastings.
Thank you so much for yet another informative, well-produced video.
Amazing video as always! Off to Trip Advisor now to book the rail closet 😆.
Btw who is that last name on the screen, such a good name tbh.
I know right, I'm surprised the patreon character limit is even that long!
You never disappoint mate. I knew a fair few bits and pieces but not everything.
This was so insightful and I thoroughly enjoyed it 😊 also, it was humorous watching you completely avoid mentioning subway sauna when you got to the banana alley part 😂
Fantastic! Great video 👌
As always, beautifully shot and well researched story. I've spent a lot of time in that area, great to find out more about it, and a checklist for my next visit to hunt out all the details I've missed. Not sure about the whistle shows, it hurts my ears, and there's no opt out if your close. Nothing beats the sound of those massive steam engines pumping steam in and out though.
Great video. Thank you for making it. When does the steam train travel along the viaduct?
Glad you enjoyed it! There's a link to the upcoming tours page in the pinned comment.
Wow! Subway Sauna getting completely snubbed and here I was thinking that the Banana Alley Vaults is a hilarious place for gay sauna to be
@@mrgnarchr I worked in a nearby adult store and always found that to be rather amusing.
i too was wondering if Subway was going to be in any shots 😂
Always love your work mate. So many historic railway sites in and around Melbourne. Shame we can't get you into a working SER just for the relay clicking alone, fantastic sound to hear relays reacting to a train passing through
Fascinating history, thanks for sharing all these details.
Great stuff. Very interesting detail about the three and then five pillars. The central one is right under the gap, so it looks like it is really more holding the two decks together, but you can see it must have been there from the beginning to support the northmost deck, which the other two pillars don't do by themselves. The line of bluestone on the solid bit shows the same thing.
I kinda love how the new viaduct is backlit at night. I wish we could do that with our elevated trains here in Philadelphia.
Amazingly passionate videos!
Many years ago I worked at the cinema at Crown and had no way to get home after a late shift, so I'd stay at the backpackers on the corner of Flinders/Spencer (above the 7/11 shown in the video). The sound of trains turning that corner is seared into my mind!
Excellent. Thanks Martin!
Evie always loves to make a special guest appearance
A fascinating video. An interesting fact from the uk is that the body of Mr Flinders was reburied in recently due to being disturbed because of a building of a new railway station in London.
Thanks Barry
I used to live in a private apartment in one of the hotels on Spencer Street pretty close to the corner of Flinders St. I have the sounds of wheel screeching permanently stuck in my head.
That was fascinating! Thanks for making this.
Awesome video. very well researched and documented.
just to add regarding locomotives and the old Viaduct, They can operate over it provided there is approval from the Office of the Chief Engineer. Particularly the Northern Viaduct is utilised for Steam Specials heading up the Clifton Hill corridor.
Taitset with yet another banger 🔒
I was just thinking about the viaduct and how interesting it is as I was walking down to the aquarium yesterday.
Great video!
Thank you, Mr Tait
steam locomotives running on the viaduct is so damn cool!! i just kind of assumed that heritage trains would be running further out along regional lines and such. i definitely need to see that next time i'm in melbourne!
I learnt something today. The fish market had a siding. Another great insight into Victoria’s engineering history (any chance of detailing the milk siding at flinders sometime?)
Back in the 90s/00s you used to be able to park under the viaduct. A few owners found out the hard way about the difference in gap between the pillars!
I saw a freight train on platform 1 at flinders street heading towards jolimont in august 2023
Would have been a works train rather than a freight train.