Later batches of the V set from 1977 had the same grey with blue highlights front as well. Only from about 1983, all new V sets recieved the later State Rail Authority white "candy" painted fronts with orange and red stripe. I, personally liked the even sized windows (no square windows) and slightly more aerodynamic front "forehead" of the original 1970 batch.Linto63 wrote:Agree, the blue and grey goose fronts were the best coupled with the clean lines not punctuated by DDA painted doors. The replacement of double glazing would explain why they don't seem as quiet as they used to, although I guess when they did enter service they were just so much quieter than anything else that it was probably just relative to everything else.Swift wrote:PS: the original 1970 sets were the best looking on the outside at least.
All those other features mentioned were added subsequently later in their life. Gradual "bastardising'' of V sets included less attractive metal windscreen surrounds in place of original rubber mounted glass installed as part of the windscreen strengthening programme in the early 1990s. This altered their appearance detrimentally. Looked less "clean".
Then came the phasing out of the gold mirror double glazed side windows with cheaper single glaze dark tinted glass. This started as a trickle when only windows in need of replacement got so treated, and then they replaced all remaining gold glass around the late 1990s. The impressive internal quietness was certainly compromised by this. I hated it. It ruined the purity of the quiet ride experience they were so good at.
Then, of course the DDA yellow doors mentioned above. Later batches of the V set received the boring sounding chopper control instead of the lovely cam noise they had been known for. Funny enough, the candy fronted ones with cams were some of the loudest!
Then we had the last batch with Goninan S set style side fluting (instead of the traditional Comeng type) and air powered vestibule doors that didn't function for very long and ended up staying open all the time, letting more noise in.
Then the attractive cloth insert orange seats in candy front series V sets were standardised to the green ones (obviously) to simplify inventory.
Another sign that Railcorp was only concerned with keeping costs down and all sense of pride was gone.
I can recall seeing the converted 1970 motor cars in V set consists and noticing the slightly more swept back tops of the old fronts compared to the later ones. Some were all over grey with a few still sporting the blue highlights.