V/Line A class

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.

V/Line A class
V/Line liveried A66 at Southern Cross
in September 2010
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
BuilderClyde Engineering, Rosewater
ModelEMD AAT22C-2R
Build date1984–1985
Total produced12
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • UICCo-Co
Gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Wheel diameter40 in (100 cm)
Length60 ft 10 in (18.54 m)
Width9 ft 9 in (2.98 m)
Height14 ft 0 in (4.27 m)
Loco weight120 long tons (120 t)
Fuel typeDiesel
Fuel capacity1,000 imp gal (4,540 l)
Lubricant cap.137 imp gal (625 l)
Coolant cap.154 imp gal (698 l)
Prime moverEMD 12-645E3B
AspirationTurbocharged
GeneratorEMD AR10-A4-D18
(Replaced with CA5)
Traction motorsEMD D57
(Replaced with D78)
Head end power74 VDC, 10 kW
Cylinders12
Performance figures
Maximum speed83 mph (133 km/h)
Power output2,476 hp (1,846 kW)
Tractive effortStarting 66,094 lbf (294 kN)
Continuous 47,659 lbf (212 kN)
Career
OperatorsV/Line
Number in class11
NumbersA60–A85
First runMay 1984
Preserved2
Current ownerPacific National
V/Line
Disposition2 preserved, 1 in service, 2 stored, 6 scrapped

History
Freight Australia liveried A85 with Pacific National decals in Melbourne in February 2007
V/Line liveried A70 at Flinders Street in August 2006

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.[1] 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.[1]

Four locomotives were named after Australian rules football players in September 1984,[2] 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,[3][4] but was returned to the standard 133 km/h (83 mph) gearing soon after.[2] 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.[5]

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.[6][7] V/Line subsequently returned A66 and A70 to service, with the both since withdrawn. Pacific National withdrew its last examples in May 2014.[8]

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 and later Melbourne where it resides currently in dry storage as an emergency locomotive.[9]

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.[10] 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.[9]

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 the railway employees of the Victorian Railways.

Livery

The class were delivered in the V/Line orange and tangerine scheme. In February 1988 A66 which was painted in a green and gold livery to celebrate the Australian Bicentenary,[11] later appearing in a second special livery to advertise the Melbourne bid for the 1996 Olympic Games.[2] Today the class appears in either the 1995 red and blue or 2008 red and yellow V/Line Passenger liveries, or the green and yellow Freight Australia livery with Pacific National logos.[9]

Status table
Key: In Service Preserved Stored or Withdrawn Scrapped
Locomotive Pre-conversion Named Entered service Withdrawn Scrapped Livery Owners Status Gauge Notes
A60 B60 Sir Harold Clapp 7 September 1984 1 August 2015 V/Line Mk2 V/Line (Rebuilt), V/Line Passenger (1995), VicTrack Heritage allocated to Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (2020) Stored 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge This train was reportedly used on the 1954 Royal Tour when it was a B class locomotive
A62 B62 17 July 1984 1 August 2015 V/Line Mk2 V/Line (Rebuilt), V/Line Passenger (1995), VicTrack Heritage allocated to 707 Operations (2020) Stored 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge
A66 B66 22 March 1985 V/Line Mk3 V/Line (Rebuilt), V/Line Passenger (1995) In service 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge Reactivated
A70 B70 10 May 1985 1 August 2015 V/Line Mk2 V/Line (Rebuilt), V/Line Passenger (1995) Stored South Dynon 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge
A71 B71 Dick Reynolds 20 March 1984 Unknown 1 June 2019 Freight Australia Green and Yellow with Pacific National logos V/Line (Rebuilt), V/Line Freight (1995), Pacific National (????) Scrapped 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge
A73 B73 Bob Skilton 20 March 1984 Unknown 14 January 2019 Freight Australia Green and Yellow with Pacific National logos V/Line (Rebuilt), V/Line Freight (1995), Pacific National (????) Scrapped 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge
A77 B77 Ian Stewart 17 May 1984 Unknown 17 January 2019 Freight Australia Green and Yellow with Pacific National logos V/Line (Rebuilt), V/Line Freight (1995), Pacific National (????) Scrapped 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge
A78 B78 21 December 1984 Unknown Freight Australia Green and Yellow with Pacific National logos V/Line (Rebuilt), V/Line Freight (1995), Pacific National (????) Stored - North Bendigo 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge
A79 B79 22 June 1985 Unknown 17 May 2019 Freight Australia Green and Yellow with Pacific National logos V/Line (Rebuilt), V/Line Freight (1995), Pacific National (????) Scrapped 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge
A81 B81 15 August 1985 Unknown 10 January 2019 Freight Australia Green and Yellow with Pacific National logos V/Line (Rebuilt), V/Line Freight (1995), Pacific National (????) Scrapped 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge
A85 B85 Haydn Bunton 5 June 1984 Unknown 14 January 2019 Freight Australia Green and Yellow with Pacific National logos V/Line (Rebuilt), V/Line Freight (1995), Pacific National (????) Scrapped 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge

References
  1. Scott Martin & Chris Banger (October 2006). "'New Deal' for County Passengers - 25 years on". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division): 319.
  2. Railmac Publications (1992). Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives. Kitchner Press. ISBN 0-949817-76-7.
  3. "News". Newsrail. Australian Railway Heritage Society: 24–27. September 1986.
  4. "General News". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. September 1986. p. 275.
  5. Hewison, P, Kimpton, R. (2002) Freight Australia's Rollingstock Initiatives, Conference on Railway Engineering, Wollongong, 10-13 November 2002, p.294-295
  6. Railway Digest June 2013
  7. A Class (A60-A85) Railpage
  8. "A Class Swansong" Motive Power issue 94 July 2014 pages 66, 68
  9. A Class Vicsig
  10. Pacific National Scrapping A Class Locomotives Wongm's Rail Gallery
  11. "Rollingstock". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. May 1988. p. 152.

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