Taitset

A quick history of the channel

Taitset is a YouTube channel run by Melbourne railway enthusiast Martin Bennet. The channel was started in December 2006 and initially just hosted Martin's railway footage, with no commentary and minimal editing. In 2019, Martin began experimenting with more informational content, creating a series of videos explaining railway signalling systems. These videos were silent, with the information presented in on-screen text. Around the same time, Martin started making some videos about model trains with basic narration. 

In December 2021, the first scripted video appeared on the channel, 'Melbourne's Underground City Loop - Explained!'' This video was very well received, and established a precedent for more high-effort scripted content going forward. By early 2023, the channel had moved to entirely scripted & narrated videos. In June 2023, the first of the Long Line series of videos was released, which you can read about on their own page. In September 2023 Martin published 'Melbourne's Runaway Train // The 2003 Broadmeadows Runaway!'

This video was the first on the channel to really expand beyond the core railway enthusiast audience, and gain traction with viewers internationally, and at the time of writing it's still the most viewed long form video on the channel. By December 2023, Martin started receiving official invitations to make videos behind the scenes on official projects, most notably through the construction and opening of the Melbourne Metro Tunnel across 2024 and 2025.

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At the end of 2023 Martin quit his day job in the photography industry to focus on parenting, and running the channel full time. Taitset is now one of the largest and most well known railway YouTube channels in Australia.

 

The channel is primarily funded by members on Taitset's Patreon.

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What is a 'Taitset' anyway?

The Tait trains were an early type of Melbourne suburban electric train, built from 1910. They initially ran as steam-hauled cars while the electrification program was being completed, and were fitted with electrical equipment to run as EMUs from 1918/1919. They had a very long life, remaining in service until 1984, and in later years were often referred to as 'red rattlers.' When a standardised group of carriages make up a train, it is often referred to as a 'set,' ie a four car Tait set. This terminology is stylised without the space as the channel name. When referring to the actual trains, the space should be included, or they can simply be referred to as Taits.