History
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. From 1966, these were delivered with end doors and gangways between carriages, allowing passengers to change carriages.
The first series of 'T' and 'BT' trailers were built by Comeng (the first 10 in Sydney, the rest in Melbourne) and finished by Martin & King, with the remainder built at the Newport Workshops. Between 1968 and 1970, ten additional motor carriages built by the Victorian Railways Newport Workshops were delivered to provide for some Harris trains to be lengthened to eight carriages.
In 1970 and 1971 six new trailer carriages were built as prototypes for the next fleet (the Hitachi trains). These carriages were 75 feet (23 m) long, compared to 63 feet (19 m) of the earlier carriages, and were equipped with the mechanisms for power-closing doors, the first such use in Melbourne. However, it was not until the following year that a complete (4-carriage) train was used this way, after conversion of some motor carriages.
Read more about this topic: Harris (train)
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