A Class… its A-Tastic history in the making!
The iconic A class locomotives are back, with 2020 being a huge year for preservation and mainline operations for the fleet as A60, 62 respectively goes to their new homes at Seymour/Newport respectively and A66, is now back?
Background context, for those who don’t know. The V/Line A classes are iconic streamliner locomotives that were rebuilt during the short-lived rebuild programme that was going on at the time. The B classes which were reaching 33 years old at the time were progressively retired and rebuilt into A classes with the intention all 26 ‘B’ Classes would be done up, this was being done under the ‘New Deal for Country Passengers’ which was in a bid to improve passenger services and moral.
Only 11 was done due to the rebuilds being cut off as rising cost mounted, with government reports citing ‘fatigue cracking in the frame and the unanticipated complexity and the high cost of conversion’.
These locomotives would serve the government-owned operator, V/Line well and even Freight Australia later Pacific National (7 would be allocated to FA).
The remainder of the parts that was supposed to be used for the AAT22C-2R (V/Line A Class) turned into un-streamlined but yet powerful EMD JT22HC-2 (V/Line N classes N461–475).
Known internally as the EMD AAT22C-2R, they were considered to be the turbocharged variant of the EMD ML2 with modernised engine specs (EMD 12–645E3C engines), modern computer modules (EMD Dash 2) and fitted out with a striking Leslie R5ST horn on both noses, on both ends.
The sound that the Leslies R5ST horn produces, really makes it clear who’s the kings of the rails.
The A classes have been known as the odd ones of the fleet within V/Line as the four locomotive passenger variants were roaming across Victoria. All A classes due to space constraints within the 1950’s B class body, weren’t fitted with HEP (Head End Power).
Editor Note: I find it quite impressive to enhance the B class with this project, upgrading them to an A class despite the situation where other locomotives had proven their worth. They could’ve been easily traded in for other modern locomotive traction that was being offered including X, C and N class locomotives (referencing US Fallen Flag, Clinchfield Railroad, F3-F7 being sold off for modern SD40/-2 and SD45 during the late 1970-to 1980s)
A85, had been the only A class locomotive to reach speeds of 160kph during a trial in 1987. This was short-lived though.
In the V/Line Passenger Era.
A60, 62, 66 and 70 were made to run alongside PH vans to supply auxiliary power to supply the lights and buffets (later power operated doors too). In the V/Line era that was privatization to National Express, the locomotives and associated rolling stock was painted into V/Line’s “Blood and Bone” livery.
They visited many ‘commuter places’ within Victoria, with all four of them being used extensively. Destination used to include, Bacchus Marsh, Geelong, Seymour, Stony Point and Sunbury.
But the highlight would be the V/Line A classes frequented Stony Point Line often, on a rotating roster with four ‘MTH’ carriages until the introduction of Sprinter Diesel Rail-Cars to the Stony Point in 2010 which continues on to today.
In 2014, A60, 62 and 70 were put into warm storage and ultimately into long term storage as there was an influx on new Bombardier (now Alstom) VLocity units able to replace the locos fully. These A supplied parts to the lone loco, A66 which continued onwards until September 2018, where it fell silent at Bendigo Roundhouse until 2020.
Freight Australia (later Pacific National)
Freight Australia assumed a fair amount of ex-V/Line locomotives which included 7x of the A class locomotives. These would play a key role in supporting their services.
One of the interesting changes done of the ‘Freight’ variant of the A class locomotives was re-gearing, which saw D57 traction motors swapped out for the D77, making better use of gear ratios. 59:18 to 61:16 which gave the locomotives an increase of tractive effort.
The FA A classes were one of the go-to locomotive for the FA, do anything, achieve anything.
All seven locomotives were retired in 2014, stored at South Dynon Locomotive Depot.
Throughout 2019, the freight allocated A classes were progressively scrapped (A71, 73, 77, 79, 81, 85) as they were deemed surplus as the mounting cost of reactivation would outweigh any benefit to the return of any of those locos.
As of today, one freight A class (A78 stored at North Bendigo Workshops) still remains, with an unknown future.
History: A66, a coat of many colours.
A66 has been unofficially known as John Farnham as its been attempted many times to send A66 into retirement but had always made its way back into service and in 2021, it made a comeback for heritage uses.
But it also holds the record for being the locomotive with a colourful history. In total since its rebuild, A66 has worn a total of 5 liveries, of which 3 of them were V/Line.
In 1988, locomotive A66 was selected to represent the Australian bicentenary and painted into green and gold livery which was specially designed for the event (as depicted top left).
A year later in 1989, A66 was once again selected to represent Melbourne’s 1996 Olympics bid (depicted top middle) before being repainted back into Tangerine.
In 2012, A66 was repainted into V/Line Mk3, known as the yellow, red and grey scheme which is currently what A66 is wearing to this present day.
Preservation Movement.
A60 and A62 are currently the two examples of the A classes which are in preservation under the care of Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (Seymour) & 707 Operations (Melbourne).
On the 6th of June 2020, this movement of preserving the two most historically significant locomotives was underway. Bringing A60 and A62 home to their respective groups. A60 ‘Sir Harold Clapp’ was going to the historical railway town of Seymour, to be preserved at the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre and A62 was going to 707 Operations, based out of Newport Workshops.
- A60 has been stored for now with restoration works being planned out.
- A62 since its delivery to Newport Workshop has made considerable progress with Dash 2 modules being fitted back on.
Both locos are in need of extensive work and will take time to restore them to full working order.
It’s been recently made aware, A60 is currently being discussed and considered as a State Heritage Asset to Victoria. This is currently being evaluated at the time of writing of this article.
So, A66 is back? It is coming to revenue service?
Revenue… who knows honestly, but currently confirmed that it back to being used on special occasions. During the months of June-September 2020, V/Line and Bendigo Roundhouse (Bendigo Workshops) started the reactivation of locomotive A66.
In the morning of18 October 2020, it made its presence known that the trusty A is back in service, making its way to Bendigo Workshops… awaiting its chariot back to Melbourne which N467 did the honors of.
During the months leading up to now, a number of test runs lead to the eventual result of allowing A66 to lead and accompany heritage tours across Victoria, with it being used by each heritage group at least once in 2021.
It’s currently holding the title of the only A class in operational condition and fully fitted out to operate at mainline speeds even to the point where it was the ‘last revenue regular running streamliner in the world’ until August 2018.
A66 has been a proud ambassador to V/Line since it’s the first day of operations and has lots more up its sleeve.
