GRMRC

06/04/2025

06/04/2025

Today's historic photo of the day: Exactly 40 years ago today, a VLine broad gauge passenger train, double headed by A class locomotives A78 and A62, arrives at Spencer Street station, Melbourne, April 5 1985.

The A class locomotives were early 1980s re-builds of Victorian Railways' first mainline diesels, the classic 1952/53 B class EMD-engined locos. When this shot was taken, the two locos would have been 33 years old, but they had been in service just a few months after their rebuilds.

The A classes served VLine in both passenger and freight service for many years afterwards. All were withdrawn from regular service over the past decade or so, but five of the eleven units (including both seen here) have survived to the current day. Some are operational and available for use on heritage trains and one unit, A70, has recently been returned to active grain haulage service.

The background visible in this photo has changed significantly in the subsequent 40 years. The once extensive rail yards, from about the hopper wagons and beyond, have been removed as part of the Docklands redevelopment and this is now the site of the Docklands sports stadium.

https://railmaps.com.au/photos.htm?DatePublished=2025-04-05

16/10/2024

Pic credits: Phil GREEN for Australian National Botanic Gardens

08/10/2024

THE WONDERING KOALA

16/08/2024

https://www.vibewire.com.au/?p=108727&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=cafe-booted-from-bairnsdale-line

News of the Bairnsdale passenger service losing its catering facilities is yet another blow for rail commuters in the Wellington Shire, who are already undermined by a lack of trains to Rosedale, Sale and Stratford.

14/08/2024