There are very few constants in life: death, taxes, and the New South Wales V sets quietly and reliably hauling people around the network in comfort for far longer than anyone ever expected.
Sadly, one of those constants is about to bow out. With the upcoming retirement of the V set fleet, we’re farewelling a class of trains that first entered service in the early 1970s and somehow managed to outlive just about everything else around them — governments, liveries, timetables, and common sense.
Built for long-distance electric services at a time when NSW railways actually cared about passenger comfort, the V sets were a genuine step above the rest of the electric stock of the era. Designed for speed, long journeys, and people with legs, they became synonymous with travel to the Central Coast, the South Coast, and of course the Blue Mountains. No gimmicks, no flashy nonsense — just solid engineering, a smooth ride, and seats you could actually sit in for more than ten minutes without a raging cramp in one's butt cheeks.
I’ve ridden them for decades. School holidays meant V sets to the Central Coast for stays at Umina and Point Clare with my late grandparents, or trips up to the Blue Mountains with Mum, where the journey itself was part of the adventure.
I’ve always had a thing for the type in general, but the candy livery was peak V set as far as I’m concerned. Absolute perfection. I still don’t quite understand the obsession with the Blue Goose scheme — it’s fine, it exists, people get emotional about it — but candy will always be king (IMHO).
So thank you, V sets, for more than fifty years of comfortable and reliable service to this state. Thank you for the legroom, the ride quality, and for never pretending to be something we now class as “modern”. I’m genuinely glad one of you will be preserved, because you deserve it — but to the rest of you, you valiant warriors, you will be missed.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be over here in a dark corner pretending I’m not getting sentimental about a train.
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Semi-Retired Foamer!
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Forthcoming for your viewing pleasure (and possible emotional instability), I present a thoroughly uncurated and entirely biased selection of V set photographs, spanning from the 1980s right through to their final, slightly bittersweet days. Expect changing fashions, evolving liveries, questionable film quality in the early years, and the slow realisation that these trains somehow aged better than most of us gunzelly types.
V66 in quite possibly the most horrid livery they ever wore.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Now that's far better on the eyes, with V7 seen approaching the Coal Cliff Tunnel in the beautiful candy livery.
Please have a preserved car wear this :-)
Photo: Brad Peadon
Blue Goose liveried V16 passing through Kembla Grange with a service from Dapto (Illawarra).
Photo: Brad Peadon
Another Blue Goose set, this time unidentified, passing the beautifully scenery of Clifton.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Trackwork diversions saw numerous sparks passing through the unfamiliar location of Chullora Junction.
Photo: Brad Peadon
The result of DIM-8037 taking on a rock cutting at Katoomba back in January 1990.
Derailment courtesy of human vermin placing objects on the tracks.
Photo: Brad Peadon
DJM-8101 (V7) was unique in carrying this livery. Not bad really, I mean, it ain't no candy is it, but still looked pretty cool.
Photo: Brad Peadon
A different view, with V22 about to pass us on 4477.
Photo: Brad Peadon
A livery that somehow came to be known as 'Cheeseburger.
On a personal note, I felt this would have to be my second favourite livery to be worn by these workhorses.
Photo: Brad Peadon
V19 in her delicious candy livery.
Photo: Carl Millington
Brad Peadon Collection
V10 V7 northbound through Adamstown.
Photo: Brad Peadon
V6 V51 southbound through same.
Photo: Brad Peadon
V61 Sydney bound along Brisbane Waters having just left Gosford.
Photo: Brad Peadon
V61 again, passing through Cowan.
At the time, Cowan was the northern limit of Sydney suburban services. They were later cut back to Berowra.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Blue Goose V68 on the south side of the Hawksbury River bridge in a location that would like raise the blood pressure of many a nosey railfan nowadays.
Photo: Brad Peadon
U8 passing the beautiful Eskbank station at Lithgow, a common view for many a decade.
Photo: Brad Peadon
V62 Dapto bound at Unanderra.
Photo: Brad Peadon
V19 approaches Tascott station on the Central Coast.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below
V73 and V62, have just departed Dapto for points north.
They are seen about to pass over Wongawilli Junction which was a private line out to the Elouera Colliery. BHP coalies of differing types can be seen waiting access to the mainline for their run to the steelworks.
Photo: Brad Peadon
V66.
Photo: Brad Peadon
V39 (DJM-8106) lands at Broadmeadow station one lovely summer afternoon.
Photo: Brad Peadon
V1 climbing through Glenbrook in the Blue Mountains.
Photo: Brad Peadon
So much candy goodness at Port Kembla station.
V4 prepares to depart northward, while V5 and 8627 have a bludge nearby.
Aint going to see this ever again.
Photo: Brad Peadon
V27 passing Eskbank on approach to Lithgow station.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below
V Sets seen passing the Zig Zag Railway Museum at Lithgow.
Photos: Brad Peadon
DKT-9189 of set V45.
Photo: Kevin Medley
DKM-8143 of set V45.
Photo: Kevin Medley
Unidentified V set passing through the beautiful Otford.
Photo: Carl Millington
Brad Peadon Collection
For years, a surprisingly believable myth has floated (snigger snigger given the topic) around that the V sets were named after their vacuum toilets. Given they were the first NSW trains to offer the radical concept of not depositing passenger contributions along the Blue Mountains line, the idea stuck. To many travellers in the 1970s, vacuum toilets felt less like plumbing and more like a declaration of intercity luxury, so naturally the legend wrote itself.
The reality, of course, is far less glamorous. The “V” actually refers to voltage, being an early NSW passenger train built for 25 kV AC overhead power. It was an engineer’s label designed to prevent expensive electrical mishaps, not a tribute to bathroom innovation. Somehow, that dull technical decision went on to become one of the most iconic and fondly remembered train class names in the state — toilets entirely optional.
I accept no responsibility for the accuracy of this as both stories keep going around.
Dunny is set V45.
Photo: Kevin Medley
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In service photos thanks to Luke Cossins.
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Australia Day was probably quite an appropriate time to see my very last V Set in regular service.
Join me for a final walk around special, well for me anyway, final set.
Brad 'N' Virls catch up with the legendary Scott Mitchell while awaiting he V Set.
Sydney Terminal.
Photo: Brad Peadon
V9: DIM-8069 DIT-9158 DIT-9121 DIM-8076
V45: DJM-8124 DIT-9116 DKT-9189 DKM-8143
The train we waited over an hour for finally rolls into the station somewhat behind time.
Photo: Brad Peadon
DIM-8069.
Photo: Brad Peadon
DIT-9158.
Photo: Brad Peadon
DIT-9121.
Photo: Brad Peadon
DJM-8124.
Photo: Brad Peadon
DJM-8076.
Photo: Brad Peadon
DIT-9116.
Photo: Brad Peadon
DKT-9189.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Many of my fellow humans would tell me it is only a train.
But these things are only two years younger than this derelict old individual, and I've done more kilometres on them over my lifespan than I care to try and remember.
Photo: Brad Peadon
DKM-8143.
Photo: Brad Peadon
DIT-9158 has been closed of to passengers with many windows kicked out by more smellier feral type members of the community.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Virls takes in the exciting atmosphere of seeing DIM-8069.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and two below.
DIM-8069.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and two below
The kicked out windows of DIT-9158, courtesy of some human vermin.
Photo: Brad Peadon
DIM-8076 drivers cab.
Photo: Brad Peadon
DKT-8143 drivers cab.
Photo: Brad Peadon
DKT-8143 with one of the hideous replacement things in the background.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below.
Virls is beside herself with grief as V45 and V9 rack off out of the platform for another run to Mount Victoria.
Photo: Brad Peadon
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Last run - 30th January 2026
Today was the day the New South Wales V set made its final scheduled run, and what a glorious, bittersweet farewell it was. After more than 55 years on the rails, the familiar stainless-steel carriages made their last journey from Lithgow to Sydney’s Central Station. The train departed at about 5:47 am, chugging through the Blue Mountains in that slow, unhurried way that made it both beloved and endlessly predictable, before finally pulling into Sydney Terminal (Central if you feel it necessary) around 8:32 am. There was cheering. There were cameras. There may have even been a single person in a t-shirt that said “I rode every set, including the V69 on a wet Tuesday in ’92.”
And yes, when that final V set screeched (in a nostalgic sort of way) into Central, NSW Premier Chris Minns was there on the platform to greet it — suit slightly creased from standing in the cold, phone out, smiling like he’d just had a secret espresso with history. Enthusiasts lined the platform, proudly documenting every rivet, wheel spoke, and that one mysterious patch of upholstery no one can quite explain.
Now, about my experience: or, rather, the fact that I totally did not ride it. You might ask, “Why would you miss the final run of a legendary train?” And the answer is simple. A toxic combination of fading motivation, encroaching old age, and the rational concern that being co-oped up with a concentration of railway enthusiasts so dedicated they treat timetable changes like national holidays … well, let’s just say I prioritized personal space and general sanity. I watched from afar, perhaps with a mug of tea, possibly in my pajamas, serenaded by the thought that dodging crowds is also a valid form of homage.
But I watched the coverage, and that counts, right? I mean, surely clapping at the TV is a recognized transport enthusiast gesture these days. So while thousands rode that final service through the misty Blue Mountains air, I saluted it from my lounge — fully hydrated, comfortably seated, and relieved that I didn’t have to explain to anyone why I brought a fold-out chair, two lenses, and an anorak that hasn’t seen daylight since 2003.
Farewell, V set. You were reliable, iconic, and you taught us all something about punctuality, nostalgia, and how to behave like a slightly obsessive commuter without actually losing our minds.
Thankfully a good chunk of more dedicated friends partook in all the excitement and have granted me, quite generously, permission to add this to the visual torture you must already be going through with this post.
The official last train, looking resplendent in the old 'Blue Goose' livery is admired by the one or two onlookers brave enough to be there.
Photo: Richard Kiejda
Photo: Richard Kiejda
Approaching Blackheath station.
Photo: Dominik Giemza
Photo: Dominik Giemza
No surprise who took this stunning photo at Glenbrook Gorge.
Photo: Wayne Eade
Photo: Phil van Gerwen
Blue Mountains railfan icon, and spark locomotive obsessive, Stephen Miller is enjoying the run.
Photo: Kevin Medley
Photo: Kevin Medley
Above and below
Following arrival at Sydney Terminal (Central for those who care) .
Photo: Paul Hogan
Photo: Paul Hogan
Train driving icon David 'Gonzo' Kirkland.
Photo: Kevin Medley
Photo: Kevin Medley
Holding a farewell sign.
Photo: Kevin Medley
Photo: Kevin Medley
Railway band at Sydney Terminal.
Photo: Kevin Medley
Photo: Kevin Medley
Above and below.
The official last train posing at Sydney Terminal before heading to Flemington car sheds..
Photo: Kevin Medley
Photo: Kevin Medley
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Bradly Coulter, Wayne Eade, Phil van Gerwen, Dominic Giemza, Paul Hogan, Richard Kiejda, Chris Lithgow, Mick McGinty, Kevin 'K-Med' Medley, and Scott Mitchell.
NOTE: A video version of this tribute appears on the 'Semi-Retired Foamer' YouTube Channel .
Check our new Linktree site above for piles of dreary transport entertainment.
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