V/Line A class

V/Line A class

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V/Line liveried A66 at Southern Cross
in September 2010
Type and origin
Power type Diesel-electric
Builder Clyde Engineering, Rosewater
Build date 1984/85
Total produced 11
Specifications
UIC class Co-Co
Gauge 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Length 18.54 m (60 ft 10 in)
Fuel type Diesel
Prime mover Electro-Motive Diesel 12-645E3B
Generator Electro-Motive Diesel AR10-A4-D18, Replaced with CA5
Traction motors Electro-Motive Diesel D57/D78
Performance figures
Maximum speed 133 km/h (83 mph)
Power output 1,846 kW (2,476 hp)
Career
Operators V/Line
Number in class 11
Numbers A60-A85
First run May 1984
Current owner Pacific National
V/Line
Disposition 1 in service, 10 stored

The A class are a class of diesel locomotives rebuilt from B class locomotives by Clyde Engineering, Rosewater for V/Line in 1984/85.

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.

V/Line withdrew their fleet with A60 operating the final service, the 16:15 Southern Cross to Bacchus Marsh on 24 April 2013.[5][6] V/Line subsequently returned A66 and A70 to service, with the latter since withdrawn. Pacific National withdrew its last examples in May 2014.[7]

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,[8] 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

Locomotive Pre-conversion Named Entered service Owner Status
A60 B60 Sir Harold Clapp 7 September 1984 V/Line Stored
A62 B62 17 July 1984 V/Line Stored
A66 B66 22 March 1985 V/Line In service
A70 B70 10 May 1985 V/Line Stored
A71 B71 Dick Reynolds 20 March 1984 Pacific National Stored
A73 B73 Bob Skilton 20 March 1984 Pacific National Stored
A77 B77 Ian Stewart 17 May 1984 Pacific National Stored
A78 B78 21 December 1984 Pacific National Stored
A79 B79 22 June 1985 Pacific National Stored
A81 B81 15 August 1985 Pacific National Stored (Accident Damaged)
A85 B85 Haydn Bunton 5 June 1984 Pacific National Stored

References

  1. 1 2 Scott Martin & Chris Banger (October 2006). "'New Deal' for County Passengers - 25 years on". Newsrail (Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division)): 319.
  2. 1 2 3 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. Railway Digest June 2013
  6. A Class (A60-A85) Railpage
  7. "A Class Swansong" Motive Power issue 94 July 2014 pages 66, 68
  8. "Rollingstock". Newsrail (Australian Railway Historical Society). May 1988. p. 152.
  9. A Class Vicsig

External links

Media related to V/Line A class at Wikimedia Commons

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