As part of the 1980s
New Deal plan to reinvigorate country passenger services, it was decided to rebuild the B class with new traction equipment as the
A class. The rebuild contract was let in January 1983 to
Clyde Engineering,
Rosewater, with the first unit entering service in May 1984. The project was abandoned in mid 1985 after rising costs due to structural fatigue, with the eleventh and final rebuild delivered in August 1985. At the same time newer high power locomotives had been delivered, including the
N class passenger units and the more numerous
G class freight locomotives. The remaining B class units were gradually decommissioned by
V/Line from 1982 with some scrapped. Six were purchased by
West Coast Railway in the early 1990s for use on their
Melbourne to Warrnambool passenger service. While running with West Coast Railway, units B61 and B76 had dual marker lights and ditch lights fitted at the No.1 end. They also received shunter's steps at each end, in late 2001 or early 2002. B65 was painted in the simplified West Coast Railway "freight" livery, and did not receive any of these upgrades. In May 2004, the
Victorian Department of Infrastructure issued an alert on stress cracks on the underframes of the B class locomotives, including the units owned by West Coast Railway. Following West Coast Railway's demise in August 2004, these were sold to
Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia and refurbished with B61 and B65 later being resold to
Southern Shorthaul Railroad. This saw some converted to standard gauge and their sphere of operation increased to include
New South Wales.
Seymour Railway Heritage Centre have B74 preserved in operating condition and is the only preserved locomotive in operation. In 2014, B75 was recommissioned for
Southern Shorthaul Railroad, with the unit having been stored at
Seymour under multiple previous owners. She wore the CRL colours of red, yellow, silver and black. SSR purchased the remaining CFCLA (now RailFirst Asset Management) units, B76 and B80, in 2022, and returned them to service. As of May 2024, SSR operates B61 and B75 on standard gauge, with B61 under major engine repairs. B76 and B80 are operational in Victoria on the broad gauge, and B65 was scrapped in mid-2025 at North Bendigo workshops after being stored for some years following a major engine failure. works train. In February 2024, B72, which is under the custody of Steamrail, moved under its own power for the first time since its withdrawal in 1986. On 7 March, it was unveiled in full VicRail teacup scheme (its No. 1 end had previously been painted in teacup, with the No. 2 end being painted in V/Line orange, for the 2020 open day). ==Fleet summary==