Classic Fleet
Patten is N set are seems to been let go, as it looks more shabby and tired then usual.
- Stiff commincation doors between carraiges sometime get hard to open and crew has to isolate them.
- This allow the commication doors to be open like normal sliding door hand operated
- Temporay rectified by door setting from Auto to Manaul.
- Door engine is defective the door will not open has the pressure is against the door jam.
- a tech person[s] need look at it.
- they have the training & tools diagnose and rectify [Often means taking part off the door area]
- Curtain unfastened due to rough handling or being pulled.
- Tech guys could rehang the curtain or replace the curtains, hooks and hanger if missing and tighten screws in area.
- WC faults in the plumbing. workshop job.
- bad odour in WC due cleaning not done as regularly befoer and after each trip due some messy user dirtying the area.
- AG= Axillery Generator, sound abnormally louder and jagged
- Listening to the cycles some sound bit intermittant odd sounds.
- ie: metal on metal sticking a coarse high pitch creak.
- ie:bearing getting stuck suddenly releasing, does it need to be looked at?
- When was last time the moving parts of the AG lubicated and looked at?
- Often these indicators are cycles of various freqencies flucations are happening very rapidly.
- Unstuffed worn seat cushions or unfasten bolts underneath *safey concern*
- Often means tech has get the cushion replaced from the spare in their stores or get uphoster to reproduce the seats, if the got the blueprint carraige series and measurement in state rly achives the can remake em!
- The tech guy can get new cushion from their store, as they should plenty as the withdrew alot of classic fleeet carriages and can recycle em!
For example seat cushion had 1st hand expreince being not being secured a trip I did earlier 17/2/2026!
I had fallen asleep in BZN262 and seat no.54 little did I know it was unfasten but what a way to find out!
Felt train slowing down but me and the seat cushion kept going!!!
by instict dug my feet to the floor and grab hold of the window sil and other seats next me
On waking yelled “WAH CRAP!! This seat moves!!!
It took a social media post, and crew’s report for it to be rectifed.
Locomotives N class
- little oily black spots or splashing on the side of the carraiges
- This often happened whist locomotie was in motion along the window line of lead carraige.
- Intermittant Electical spikes indicated via fluro tube in carraiges
- A intruging rytham that seem to going higher in frequency and sudden reverting back again to more low regular frequency.
- this happening very quicky more obvious when standing at the plaform in quieter setting in Regional Vic.
- Rough Handing ie : stopping at station and departure enough to shake up the lead carriage.
- Loco felt kicking slightly whist rolling indicate by carraige jerk back and forth.
Usually it not much to see with the locomotives, BUT from one of recent my ride where some days it was absolute goose egg for the driver frontline to endure from start to finsh.
For example last Mon 8/6/2026 with N12 and Loco N460!!!
- N12 was standing at Plaform 3 B on a cold wintery Sunday all seemed normal when it shunted in from yard.
- That went to mush when they coupled N460 to other with BZN252 as when it hooked the train didn’t light up as it would do with the AG before they switched to HEP after coupling at 07:19!
- I wondered as I was waiting for them completed the couple up followed by safety checks before boarding it was having issue with Head End Power from Locomotive too?
- Shortly after at 07:26 the shunter called the what looked to me as loco maintiners from Alstom and V/Line big wigs they got to work straight away diagnosing what was the issue and attempting to rectify it
- Electical areas was open and they flat out carrying test and each time I hear the clicking inside the carriage as the electical current was present in the set from HEP.
- It was messy as each time they thought it going right.
- Shortly after at 07:26 the shunter called the what looked to me as loco maintiners from Alstom and V/Line big wigs they got to work straight away diagnosing what was the issue and attempting to rectify it
- A click was heard and the train power and lights went out several times!
- Loco techical people were in the cab and on peering in what I feel the electical/diesal Generator’s power gauges.
- One the techical guy, he seem versed on what he was looking for had grim look on his face.
A crowd of staff, consiting of Drivers, Customer , Conductor ,big wigs and train examiner had gathered around the failed Loco
A decison was made not to get power van as too was much stuffing around via advice from those techical guys looking at the Locomotive and train but replace the Locomotive!
The Loco Tech guys watch them hook it up the carraiges and the one of them did a inspection.
The man who was looking the areas where circuit breakers were and the power gauges etc was looked less grim, he had flashed little smile and nodded his head and cleared the Locomotive to pull the train N453!
Wow that was touch and go!!!
As the problem that occured intermittely was safety critical item, a cancelltion was on the cards of they could not get that loco to pass their strict safety checks!
resulting a VLocity and Bus to Swan Hill, there good crowd that day the line had reopened after weekend track work on the Bendigo Line.
A late boarding 08:15 was happy to board the train got stuck in my breakfast.
VN17 rolled to Bendigo and tech did a check at Bendigo and the trip was uneventful
N453 & VN10 on 4/6/2026 did subtle sign of electrical issues within?
Observations:
- BZN262 One small light near looks like it has blown.
- Could explain why I saw a flash this Morning from inside the train from the platform!
- On having a closer look whist tossing me trash in the bin across the carriage.
- Why does it look the light cover of light area look like something arced in there?
- The light cover looked a bit blackish and it shone dimer then other over the bin area! 🤔
- Fluro tube 2nd from WC flickered rapidly 15:03
- 16:10 felt something & turned to look up at the ceiling and caught a glimpse a faint rapid dim yellowish spark in the lightning area of the train.
- I felt this not a usual thing to see whist in motion!
No rest for N453 she going on the set for 18:08 Swan Hill!
Quoted: from V/Line
The 18:08 Southern Cross-Swan Hill is delayed 60 mins
reason: train fault
On arrival saw from carriage in Melb Yard a Loco that looked it had failed it’s safety check.
I felt the train examiners or shunters had found a intermittent fault with the Locomotive had being taken away
- As the set of carriages VN17 stood in front of where we rolled in!
- I saw next to VN17 a large crowd of people waiting beside the empty carriages.
N453 uncoupled on to VN17
No rest for this old locomotive it appear to me could they retired and gave away too many N Loco?
VN17 left Southern Cross over hr late after the completed their safety checks!
As the former V/Line loco some leased with SSR are now working harder the after it’s retirement with V/Line…
These old N class Loco are now pulling heavy freight trains. It could be seen as proof they can recondition & overhaul the old loco IF the people making decisions on the rail users behalf were willing!
Is this because the road centric management in both levels DOT and V/Line doesn’t want to spend on the big ticket jobs of these older classic fleet for example?
- Couldn’t help noticing the dates on the carriage’s when it was worked at some had not being looked at since 2020!
- When I say looked at I mean ABCD exams which are major jobs where the carriage is take out of use.
- A set period it is certified until the components of the carrages the running gears etc. are stripped and and reconditioned and replaced if faulty!
- ie ACN51 dated:4 20 at NPT
- A set period it is certified until the components of the carrages the running gears etc. are stripped and and reconditioned and replaced if faulty!
- Interior refurbish and reconditioning
- Lifting for under gears, brake rigging etc.
- Bogies inspections etc
- Electrical etc.
State is broke and the newer trains VLocity is too not coping with one size fit all policy.
Does it look the classic fleet being deliberately run down to justify it is unreliable as justify the reason to retire it?
- why can’t Older trains be regularly maintained could be used until V/Line can get fit for purpose designated fleet for Swan Hill etc?
The 123 yr old Overland is proof it can be refurbished and reconditioned despite a older rolling stock technology.
Does it look like that the lack of will from a road centric management at the top as they are thinking of doing VLocity all the way to Swan Hill?
But why currently the VLocity are breaking down more?
Could be because they being misused and pushed beyond it design and mechanical limitations!
I understand DOT & Spring St desk jockeys wants more services, but it pointless with a lack of rollingstock to cater for this!
Buses? Not everyone can ride buses long distances!
It looks like that not only the older trains are being run into the ground but the newer VLocity rail cars too are being subjected excessive wear to misuse due their inflexible one size fits all train design policies!!!
At the moment only classic fleet 4 set remain but one is off for repairs due some electrical issue.
It got so bad, came to a point they only operating the Swan Hill Service with only 2 sets and handful of locomotives!!!
Did I see the CEO of V/Line riding the train 17th June 26?
I felt it was out the norm as why would they knock out a service just less half hr. before departure?
- Strolled down 5A along VN14 all lit up ready for prepping for the 07:38 Swan Hill Service.
- I notice two young conductors inside the train doing their normal checks
- A crowd of staff around the ACN one them stood out with his business shirt, uniform jacket and black case of some sort by his side flanked by off siders with the same sort of black jackets
- I notice two young conductors inside the train doing their normal checks
- This stood out compared to uniform the navy blue jackets the white logos purplish/bluish shirt for conductor, custom staff & purple hi vis coats and navy blue white logos for drivers.
Abrupt change of rolling stock take place at 07:17 instead of VN14 the VLocity & Coach was going take it’s place.
The 07:38 Southern-Swan Hill Service will end early at Bendigo and no longer run to Swan Hill.
Reason given: Train Fault.
The new advice was distributed staff & finally the travellers
“The service will be VLocity and coaches to Swan Hill and Mildura”
- The catering truck turn up to stock the buffet was updated via conductors looking surprised with made aware of the new rolling stock alterations.
- The two shunters turn up after the VLoctiy IMU rail car shunted in 6A.
- The group sat in lead car of VLocity
- From my window I saw the Y class and VN14 all lit up shunted back from 5A
- I went settled down and whist pulling out I sighted two N set in the yard on VN10 and VN14 and near the workshop
- I saw a few N class near the workshop in Melb Yard as I wondered why does one of them looked lit up ready to go?
” Does seem to look abnormal for rail operators to suddenly change rolling stock and very short notice less then half hour whist their frontline are in middle of prepping it?”
It looks coincidental as I wonder if some people think there was shenanigans involved?
“Usually service cancellation or rolling stock changes are done hrs ahead, but this one look out of the norm.“
I found very odd they were able to source a VLocity and driver at very short notice I wonder why it isn’t the same on usual service when a train is taken out due to train faults?
Some might wonder this done as stealth method to using the reason “train fault” to justify the retirement of the last loco haul service & Classic fleet line in Vic?
“Does the patten of events listed before big wigs presence looks striking and could be indicator from mths, weeks to days?”
Strangely that evening 18:02 had VN 14 on it toward Swan Hill was video & spotted by some person post on FB online to rail fans.
Don’t understand, it seem odd thing to do when there people are pressed for time and rely on the service & expecting a clean,direct trip before tending to personal commitments.
Why was it done on a time where some people wanted to relax while riding the train before heading to work in Regional areas beyond Bendigo that was compounded by these abrupt on the fly changes?
Is there something going be done that being kept quite for now?
You decide…..
