Hitachi (Australian Train) - Service

Service

Intended to replace the first generation of electric trains, the Swing Door and Tait trains, the stainless steel Hitachi trains were the first Melbourne suburban trains to feature heated carriages and power-closing doors (operated by the driver, opened by the passengers by hand). The M and D carriages were built by Martin & King, and the T carriages by the Victorian Railways.

The first Hitachi train to operate in revenue service was the four-carriage set #1M-#901T-#902T-#2M, on the St Kilda line (now converted to light rail), on 24 December 1972. The 237 motor carriages that have been in service have been numbered #1M through #237M, and the 117 trailer carriages, #1901T through #2017T. On 15 August 2009, the remaining Hitachi carriages were renumbered in order to make way for the second order of X'Trapolis trains, which would also start from #1. The remaining M cars were renumbered from 273M up to 300M, however the new numbering does not reflect the age of each car. The numbering reflects which T car is in each set, the lowest numbered T car receives the lowest numbered M cars, in order of which M car was already the lowest (for example, #2007T was the highest-numbered T car, so #23M was renumbered 299M as it was lower than #233M, which was renumbered #300M).

Carriages originally ran in a plain stainless silver livery, receiving green and gold side stripe with the introduction of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the side logos being altered with the re-branding as The Met. The side logos were again altered with the introduction of Hillside Trains and Bayside Trains, with the latter also applying branding to the front. When the carriages were refurbished under Connex, the green and gold livery was removed, restoring the carriages to their original 'silver' colour, with the addition of Connex blue and gold striping on the lower section of the leading cars, and two blue and gold panels behind the driver's cab. The seats in the passenger area also received new fabric, similar to that of an Alstom-refurbished Comeng. With the introduction of Metro, the Connex logos have been covered up with Metro stickers. It is uncertain if these trains will receive a new Metro livery or remain in their 'silver' form. Because these trains are not flat-sided, this makes it difficult to create an all-over sticker based livery, as shown on Comeng trains where only the flat sections have been stickered.

During the mid-1990s, over half of the Hitachi M cars received cab upgrades, with improved air-conditioning in the driver's cab and double-thickness windscreens with aluminium replacing the original rubber surrounds. After these upgrades were made, the non-upgraded M cars were no longer allowed to lead a train in revenue service, effectively making them B units. Another minor refurbishment was made to the interior, replacing the woodgrain upper panels and bone-coloured roof with off-white panels. In addition to the panel replacement, luggage racks and advertising boards were removed and seat bases were repainted to match the off-white walls. Two M cars have since been preserved in their original unmodified form, while a third M car (#187M) as modified by the PTC is on static display at the AHRS Museum in Williamstown. In 2008, the remaining seven 6-car trains were again modified, mainly with a more powerful driver's air-conditioning system replacing the twin white 'pancake' vents on the roof, however three other 'leading' cars (#9M, #89M and #225M, now #277M, #281M and #296M respectively) were left without the 2008 modifications and relegated to being in the centre of the trains indefinitely.