page_title: V/Line A class
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: V/Line A class / History
caption_attribution_description: V/Line A class locomotive A70
context_page_description: The A class are a class of diesel locomotives rebuilt from Victorian Railways B class locomotives by Clyde Engineering, Rosewater in South Australia for V/Line in 1984-1985.
context_section_description: The class were rebuilt from B class locomotives originally constructed in the 1950s, as part of the New Deal reforms of passenger rail operations in Victoria. The rebuild contract was let in January 1983 to Clyde Engineering, Rosewater with the first locomotive entering service in May 1984, but the project was abandoned in mid 1985 after rising costs due to structural fatigue, with the 11th rebuild delivered in August 1985. It was decided to instead built more of the N class locomotives, mechanically similar to the A class. The major difference was the addition of head end power generators, as it was believed this was a more efficient way of supplying power for air-conditioning and lighting than power vans or individual generator sets under carriages.
  Four locomotives were named after Australian rules football players in September 1984, while A60 was named after former railway commissioner Harold Clapp. In July 1986, A85 was regeared for 160 km/h (99 mph) operation, and tested between Glenorchy and Lubeck, to test an H type carriage set fitted with high speed bogies, but was returned to the standard 133 km/h (83 mph) gearing soon after. In preparation for the privatisation of V/Line, four were allocated to passenger services and seven to freight services.
  When the engines were initially converted from B class units they were intended for light, high speed passenger traffic, but in Freight Australia service this had limited value. The engine frames could not be easily reinforced, but by 2002 the D57 traction motors were swapped for D77, which raised the current axle from 825A to 1050A. To better make use of the increased power the gear ratios in each unit were changed from 59:18 to 61:16, improving adhesion and overall providing an increase in tractive effort of 35%. The lower-power traction motors were cascaded to the Y Class fleet.
  The V/Line units were not upgraded in this way, and continued to operate in regular service supplementing the N Class locomotives on mainline services. Another fixed roster was to Stony Point, as the MTH carriages allocated to that service were fitted with on-board head-end-power generators. V/Line withdrew their fleet with A60 operating the final service, the 16:15 Southern Cross to Bacchus Marsh on 24 April 2013. V/Line subsequently returned A66 and A70 to service, with the both since withdrawn. Pacific National withdrew its last examples in May 2014.
  V/Line continued to operate A66 in revenue service until August 2018, where it used to operate on the interurban service to Bacchus Marsh on a regular basis operating in peak times. In August 2018, timetable alterations had seen the loco no longer required on the Bacchus Marsh services and A66 was subsequently sent to Bendigo Roundhouse where it resides currently in dry storage as an emergency locomotive. 
  During the time period of 7 and 18 January 2019, Pacific National units A73, A77, A81 and A85 were scrapped at South Dynon broad gauge turntable. In May 2019, Pacific National has further scrapped A71 and A79 at Melbourne Freight Terminal to further clear out redundant assets at Dynon Workshops. Currently, A78 is the last remaining ex-Freight Australia / Pacific National A class locomotive remaining which has been stored in North Bendigo Workshops with an unknown future.
  As of June 2020, two V/Line A class locomotives are at South Dynon Locomotive Depot has been allocated to heritage preservation, this is to be locomotives A60 and A62 due to its significance and contributions to the Victorian Railways which marked many historical milestones. A60 has been allocated to Seymour Railway Heritage Centre while A62 has been allocated to 707 Operations.The transfer of the two locomotives took place on June 6th 2020.
  ·A60 (formerly B60) being the first the Victorian Railways mainline diesel-electric locomotive, which also has been named after the Victorian Railway commissioner Sir Harold Clapp.
  ·A62 (formerly B62) being the first diesel-electric locomotive to hit a million miles within the Victorian Railway system. It too has been named in honour of 
caption: V/Line liveried A70 at Flinders Street in August 2006
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