Soooo. 2018… it been a while…
The story of the rumours of the A classes going into preservation. It’s funny really, what a story it has been.
The V/Line A classes were certainly interesting, modified from the 1950’s EMD ML2 (B Class Locomotives), they were converted in a bid to extend their life by re-engineering them from 16–567BC to 12–645E3C. This gave the A classes an upgrade to 2456hp.
In 2018… I honestly thought it was the end, where they would face retirement and wouldn’t see them out again on the mainline… the Freight Australia ones were stored since 2014 and unlikely to make a comeback, A60–62–70 were stored at E-Gate and later moved onto South Dynon Locomotive Depot and A66 was de-rostered off the timetable. oh boy, I was wrong. A66 during 1st September 2019, made her last run to Bendigo Roundhouse where it was stored until late 2020… more on that later.
During the 2019–20, it was made obvious that A60 and A62 will be going to preservation after the widespread (outcry?) of the scrapping of the Freight Australia A class locomotives (A71, 73, 77, 79, 81, 85).
In 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.
Who knew A66 would come back for the third time, lol. I kinda expected it tbh. Now back for ‘Heritage’ service use.
The A Classes are making their ComebAck!