Tait
EMU
Owner
VR: 1916-1983
  • VicRail: 1974-1983
Burwood Boys Home: 1977
Blind Institute, Mitcham: 1977-?
MTA: 1983-c1988
Mornington Railway: 1984-Current
Bass Station Restaurant: 1986-2005
Bay Park Scout Camp, Mt Martha: c1986-Current
Red Rattler Retreat, Boorhaman: c1994-Current
Red Rattler Bricks & Pavers, Hoppers Crossing: c.1999-2012
Sunshine Roofing Tiles Bricks & Pavers, Albion: ?-Current
Sandhurst Town, Bendigo: ?-?
Griffith Caravan Village, NSW: ?-Current?
Steamrail: ?-Current
Melaleuca Station, NSW: ?-c2007
State Mine Museum: 2005-Current
Yarra Valley Railway: 2007-?
VicTrack: ?-Current

Class Information
Name
Sliding Door, Reds, Red Rattlers
Name origin
Tait: Named after Sir Thomas James Tait, the chairman of commissioners of the Victorian Railways from 1903 to 1910
Sliding Door: As opposed to the Swing Door then in service
Reds/Red Rattlers: From the 1950's when the blue-painted Harris trains were introduced
Number in class
Total: 618
Number of sets
Pairs: M-D (Used as M-D+M-D blocks)
Pre 1920's Units: 2-carriage (M-T) sets
Post 1920's Units: 3-carriage (M-T-G or M-T-D) sets
Blocks: 4-carriage (M-T-T-M) sets for off-peak and weekend services
Run as 7-car (M-T-T-M+G-T-M) sets during peek hours
Boat train: M-T-M-T-T-M

Other noted sets:
M-T-T-T-T-M, M-T-M
First run
1916

Builder Information
Build date
1916 - 1972

Wheel Information
Gauge
Broad: 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)

Dimensions
Car length
ACPD, BCPD cars: 59 ft 7 in (18.16 m)
ACPM, BCPM cars: 59 ft 9 in (18.21 m)
APT cars:
  • 1 - 26, 28 - 30, 32, 37, 41, 45 - 46, 50, 57: 57 ft 4 1/2 in (17.49 m)
  • 63 - 65, 80: 59 ft 7 in (18.16 m)
BPT cars: 57 ft 4 1/2 in (17.49 m)

D cars:
  • 201 - 224, 226 - 265: 59 ft 7 in (18.16 m)
  • 225: 57 ft 4 1/2 in (17.49 m)
M cars:
  • 201 - 203, 205 - 241, 242 (1st), 242 (2nd), 242 (3rd), 243 (1st), 243 (2nd) - 244 (2nd), 246 (1st), 247 - 248, 249 (1st) - 250 (1st), 249 (2nd) - 250 (2nd), 251, 252 (1st), 252 (2nd), 253, 254 (1st), 254 (2nd), 255, 256 (1st), 256 (2nd), 257, 258 (1st) - 259 (1st), 258 (2nd) - 259 (2nd), 260 - 262, 263 (1st) - 264 (1st), 263 (2nd) - 264 (2nd), 265 - 267, 268 (1st) - 269 (1st), 268 (2nd) - 269 (2nd), 270 - 273, 274 (1st), 274 (2nd), 275 - 276, 277 (1st), 277 (2nd), 278 - 279, 280 (1st) - 281 (1st), 280 (2nd) - 281 (2nd), 282 - 284, 285 (2nd), 288 (2nd), 290 (2nd) - 291 (2nd), 293 (2nd), 294 (1st), 294 (2nd), 295, 296 (1st) - 297 (1st), 296 (2nd) - 297 (2nd), 298, 299 (1st), 299 (2nd), 300 (1st), 300 (2nd), 301 - 385, 445 (2nd), 450 (2nd), 457 (2nd), 463 - 470, 474 - 488, 490 - 499, 1364, 1367, 1380, 1383, 1445, 1469 - 1470, 1477, 1483, 1485: 59 ft 9 in (18.21 m)
  • 204, 244 (1st), 245, 246 (2nd), 472: 59 ft 7 in (18.16 m)
T cars:
  • 201 - 262, 287 - 348: 57 ft 4 1/2 in (17.49 m)
  • 263 - 286, 349 - 372: 59 ft 7 in (18.16 m)

BT car: 57 ft 4 1/2 in (17.49 m)
Total length
ACPD, BCPD cars: 61 ft 6 in (18.75 m)
ACPM, BCPM cars: 61 ft 8 in (18.80 m)
APT cars:
  • 1 - 26, 28 - 30, 32, 37, 41, 45 - 46, 50, 57: 59 ft 3 1/2 in (18.07 m)
  • 63 - 65, 80: 61 ft 6 in (18.75 m)
BPT cars: 59 ft 3 1/2 in (18.07 m)

D cars:
  • 201 - 224, 226 - 265: 61 ft 6 in (18.75 m)
  • 225: 59 ft 3 1/2 in (18.07 m)
M cars:
  • 201 - 203, 205 - 241, 242 (1st), 242 (2nd), 242 (3rd), 243 (1st), 243 (2nd) - 244 (2nd), 246 (1st), 247 - 248, 249 (1st) - 250 (1st), 249 (2nd) - 250 (2nd), 251, 252 (1st), 252 (2nd), 253, 254 (1st), 254 (2nd), 255, 256 (1st), 256 (2nd), 257, 258 (1st) - 259 (1st), 258 (2nd) - 259 (2nd), 260 - 262, 263 (1st) - 264 (1st), 263 (2nd) - 264 (2nd), 265 - 267, 268 (1st) - 269 (1st), 268 (2nd) - 269 (2nd), 270 - 273, 274 (1st), 274 (2nd), 275 - 276, 277 (1st), 277 (2nd), 278 - 279, 280 (1st) - 281 (1st), 280 (2nd) - 281 (2nd), 282 - 284, 285 (2nd), 288 (2nd), 290 (2nd) - 291 (2nd), 293 (2nd), 294 (1st), 294 (2nd), 295, 296 (1st) - 297 (1st), 296 (2nd) - 297 (2nd), 298, 299 (1st), 299 (2nd), 300 (1st), 300 (2nd), 301 - 385, 445 (2nd), 450 (2nd), 457 (2nd), 463 - 470, 474 - 488, 490 - 499, 1364, 1367, 1380, 1383, 1445, 1469 - 1470, 1477, 1483, 1485: 61 ft 8 in (18.80 m)
  • 204, 244 (1st), 245, 246 (2nd), 472: 61 ft 6 in (18.75 m)
T cars:
  • 201 - 262, 287 - 348: 59 ft 3 1/2 in (18.07 m)
  • 263 - 286, 349 - 372: 61 ft 6 in (18.75 m)

BT car: 59 ft 3 1/2 in (18.07 m)

Capacity Information
Capacity
ACPD, BCPD cars: 82 Passengers
ACPM, BCPM cars: 84 Passengers
APT, BPT cars: 92 Passengers

D cars: 82 Passengers
M cars:
  • 201 - 203, 205 - 241, 242 (1st), 242 (2nd), 242 (3rd), 243 (1st), 243 (2nd) - 244 (2nd), 246 (1st), 247 - 248, 249 (1st) - 250 (1st), 249 (2nd) - 250 (2nd), 251, 252 (1st), 252 (2nd), 253, 254 (1st), 254 (2nd), 255, 256 (1st), 256 (2nd), 257, 258 (1st) - 259 (1st), 258 (2nd) - 259 (2nd), 260 - 262, 263 (1st) - 264 (1st), 263 (2nd) - 264 (2nd), 265 - 267, 268 (1st) - 269 (1st), 268 (2nd) - 269 (2nd), 270 - 273, 274 (1st), 274 (2nd), 275 - 276, 277 (1st), 277 (2nd), 278 - 279, 280 (1st) - 281 (1st), 280 (2nd) - 281 (2nd), 282 - 284, 285 (2nd), 288 (2nd), 290 (2nd) - 291 (2nd), 293 (2nd), 294 (1st), 294 (2nd), 295, 296 (1st) - 297 (1st), 296 (2nd) - 297 (2nd), 298, 299 (1st), 299 (2nd), 300 (1st), 300 (2nd), 301 - 385, 445 (2nd), 450 (2nd), 457 (2nd), 463 - 470, 474 - 488, 490 - 499, 1364, 1367, 1380, 1383, 1445, 1469 - 1470, 1477, 1483, 1485: 84 Passengers
  • 204, 244 (1st), 245, 246 (2nd), 472: 82 Passengers
T cars:
  • 201 - 265, 280, 287 - 348: 92 Passengers
  • 266 - 279, 281 - 286, 349 - 372: 82 Passengers

Electric (Overhead Lines) Information
Electric System(s)
1.5 kV DC
Current collection method
Pantograph
Traction motors
4 x 105 kW (141 hp) GE239
Top speed
50 mph (80 km/h)
Photos
Tait 381 M at Steamrail's open day
12 March 2016
Taken by: Andrew Henderson
Inside Tait 317 M at Steamrail's open day
11 March 2018
Taken by: Andrew Henderson
Tait 257 D at Steamrail's open day
7 March 2020
Taken by: Andrew Henderson
Tait 327 M at Steamrail's open day
7 March 2020
Taken by: Andrew Henderson
Tait 470 M at Steamrail's open day
7 March 2020
Taken by: Andrew Henderson
Tait 317 M at Steamrail's open day
9 March 2020
Taken by: Andrew Henderson
Class Types
See also P Carriages
and Parcels motors 1 - 5.

Year Type Description Max No. of class
1916 ACPM class 1st class motor cars 43
1916 BCPM class 2nd class motor cars 58
1919 APT class 1st class trailer cars 40
1919 BPT class 2nd class trailer cars 28
1920 ACPD class 1st class driving trailers 6
1921 BCPD class 2nd class driving trailers 5
1921 D class Driving trailers 65
1921 M class Motor / Double ended motor cars 261
1921 T class Trailer cars 235
1923 G class Dual lighting (Gas/Elec) trailers 103
1950 BT class Trailer / Test cars 1
Trains of Victoria