In August 2018 V/Line finally retired diesel locomotive A66, marking the end for the once 11 strong fleet of ‘streamliner’ A class locomotives used in Victoria. Here is a short look back at the life and times A66 has seen.

A66 and an N class head light engine out of Newport bound for Southern Cross Station (August 25, 2005)

A66 behind a random N class head into town at Newport

A66 awaiting departure time at Southern Cross Station with a PH power van and VN carriage set bound for Warrnambool (March 26, 2006)

A66 awaiting departure time with a PH power van and VN carriage set

A66 and carriage MTH 101 about to depart Southern Cross on an empty car move to Frankston, changing over rolling stock used on the Stony Point service (May 23, 2006)

A66 and carriage MTH 101 about to depart Southern Cross on a Stony Point transfer run

A66 departs Southern Cross Station bound for Seymour with a H type carriage set and dining car ‘Avoca’ at the rear, being returned to SRHC after being used by V/Line on a charter train for the Kelvin Club (August 14, 2006)

A66 bound for Seymour with a H set

A66 passes through Flinders Street Station running light engine to Frankston, to operate the Stony Point service (October 10, 2006)

A66 at Flinders Street Station running light engine to Frankston, to operate the Stony Point service

A66 leads an up South Geelong service towards North Geelong (July 19, 2007)

A66 bound for Melbourne at North Geelong

A66 with a repaired nose, following a level crossing collision at Bungower Road, Somerville on the Stony Point line (October 3, 2007)

A66 after rhinoplasty - involved in a level crossing collision and needed the nose rebuilt

A60 and A66 nose to nose at Southern Cross Station (February 27, 2009)

A60 and A66 nose to nose

A66 freshly repainted into the V/Line Mk3 livery arrives into Southern Cross, with a badly rusted carriage set (December 21, 2009)

A66 arrives into Southern Cross, freshly repainted loco with a badly rusted carriage set

A66 finally gets another run, leading a down Bacchus Marsh train along the suburban tracks at Tottenham (January 13, 2010)

A66 finally gets another run, on a down Bacchus Marsh train at Tottenham

A66 heads a down South Geelong service through Seddon (April 22, 2010)

A66 heads the down South Geelong at Seddon

A66 emerges from the Geelong Tunnel (July 5, 2010)

A66 emerges from the Geelong Tunnel

A66 on arrival at Southern Cross Station with a commuter train, with an N set instead of the usual H set (October 14, 2010)

A66 on arrival on a commuter run, with an N set for a change

A66 departs Deer Park on the then-bidirectional tracks with a down Bacchus Marsh service (December 22, 2010)

A66 departs Deer Park with a down Bacchus Marsh service

A66 and A62 await departure from Southern Cross Station on a double headed 1522 down Bacchus Marsh (October 14, 2011)

A66 and A62 await departure on a double headed 1522 down Bacchus Marsh

A66 joins the mainline at Sunshine with an up Bacchus Marsh service (October 8, 2012)

A66 joins the mainline at Sunshine with an up Bacchus Marsh service

N451 and A66 pass Reversing Loop Junction, on a light engine movement between Southern Cross and South Dynon (July 18, 2014)

N451 and A66 pass Reversing Loop Junction, on a light engine movement between Southern Cross and South Dynon at

A66 leads a late running down Shepparton service through Moonee Ponds on a ARTC National Train Communications System (NTCS) ICE radio test (September 17, 2014)

A66 leads a late running down Shepparton service through Moonee Ponds

A66 descends the North Melbourne flyover with a down Bacchus Marsh service (March 6, 2015)

A66 descends the North Melbourne flyover with a down Bacchus Marsh service

A66 leads N467, N474 and empty carriage set SSH28 towards Sunshine, with an empty car move from Bacchus Marsh bound for Southern Cross (March 6, 2015)

A66 leads N467, N474 and empty carriage set SSH28 towards Sunshine, bound for Southern Cross

V/Line museum pieces cross paths at Sunshine - A66 leads a down Bacchus Marsh service, while P17 waits on a failed push-pull set (April 27, 2015)

V/Line museum pieces cross paths at Sunshine

‘Next stop, relics of yesteryear’ promotion by Public Transport Victoria at Southern Cross Station - with V/Line’s oldest locomotive, A66, in the background (July 14, 2015)

'Next stop, relics of yesteryear' - featuring V/Line's current oldest locomotive, A66

A66 ready to depart Southern Cross with a 3-car N set and power van PH454 on a down Bacchus Marsh service (July 14, 2015)

A66 ready to depart Southern Cross with a 3-car N set and power van PH454 on a down Bacchus Marsh service

A66 leads N469, power van PH454, and carriage sets SH30, SH25, SH35 & LH33 through Deer Park West on an empty cars move to Bacchus Marsh. The rolling stock in question was supposed to stable in Bacchus Marsh over the weekend, then run two city bound services on Monday morning, but didn’t make it there on Friday night due to the line being closed (August 23, 2015)

A66 leads N469, power van PH454, and carriage sets SH30, SH25, SH35 & LH33 through Deer Park West on an empty cars move to Bacchus Marsh

N462 and A66 depart Southern Cross on a test run to Seymour (February 18, 2016)

N462 and A66 depart Southern Cross on a test run to Seymour

A66 push-pull with an N class and VLocity railcars VL13 and 3VL30 at Southern Cross Station. Due to issues with VLocity trains activating level crossings Metro Trains Melbourne would not permit VLocity trains on the network under their own power, resulting in these unusual movements in order to transfer rolling stock to the Bombardier plant in Dandenong. (March 7, 2016)

A66 tails VL13 and 3VL30 as they shunt over to the platforms to change ends

A66 leads the up Steamrail Easter special from Bendigo through Sunshine (March 27, 2016)

A66 leads the up Steamrail special through Sunshine

A66 leads the 6:08 up Bacchus Marsh service through Deer Park Junction (December 1, 2016)

A66 leads the 6:08 up Bacchus Marsh service through Deer Park Junction

A66 being prepared for a morning commuter service out of Bacchus Marsh (December 5, 2016)

A66 being prepared for a morning commuter service out of Bacchus Marsh

Commuter trains led by N462 and N472 still in the yard, as A66 moves into the platform at Bacchus Marsh (December 5, 2016)

Commuter trains led by N462 and N472 still in the yard, as A66 moves into the platform at Bacchus Marsh

A66 leads an up Bacchus Marsh commuter service through the curves at Parwan (December 5, 2016)

A66 leads an up Bacchus Marsh commuter service through the curves at Parwan

A66 leads a down Seymour service into North Melbourne (January 12, 2017)

A66 leads a down Seymour service into North Melbourne

A66 leads an up Bacchus Marsh service past Tottenham station (February 7, 2017)

A66 leads an up Bacchus Marsh service past Tottenham station

A66 leads N456 on a double headed up Bacchus Marsh service over the North Melbourne flyover (February 27, 2017)

A66 leads N456 on an up Bacchus Marsh service over the North Melbourne flyover

A66 crosses the Melton Weir on an up Bacchus Marsh service (July 27, 2017)

A66 crosses the Melton Weir on an up Bacchus Marsh service

A66 leads an up Bacchus Marsh service into the newly opened Caroline Springs station (August 1, 2017)

A66 leads an up Bacchus Marsh service into Caroline Springs station

A66 pauses at Rockbank with an up Bacchus Marsh service (August 10, 2017)

A66 pauses at Rockbank with an up Bacchus Marsh service

N458 and A66 depart South Dynon bound for Southern Cross (June 21, 2017)

N458 and A66 depart South Dynon bound for Southern Cross

A66 arrives at North Melbourne, headed to Arden Street to collect a stabled carriage set (August 22, 2017)

A66 arrives at North Melbourne, headed to Arden Street to collect a stabled carriage set

A66 approaches North Melbourne with a empty cars move from Arden Street (August 22, 2017)

A66 approaches North Melbourne with a empty cars move from Arden Street

A66 leads the down Bacchus Marsh service along the single line west of Caroline Springs (August 24, 2017)

A66 leads the down Bacchus Marsh service along the single line west of Caroline Springs

A66 leads the down Bacchus Marsh service out of Ardeer (August 17, 2018)

A66 leads the down Bacchus Marsh service out of Ardeer

VLocity VL32 and classmate pause at Bacchus Marsh with an up Ballarat service, with A66 and N460 stabled in the yard (August 19, 2018)

VLocity VL32 and classmate pause at Bacchus Marsh with an up Ballarat service, with A66 and N460 stabled in the yard

A66 runs around the carriage set in the yard at Bacchus Marsh (August 22, 2018)

A66 runs around the carriage set in the yard at Bacchus Marsh

‘The last time’ chalked onto the nose of A66 to mark it’s last day of V/Line service (August 23, 2018)

'The last time' chalked onto the nose of A66

A66 on the 707 Operations ‘Steam and Streamliner’ tour at Flinders Street Station, ready to lead us towards Stony Point (August 26, 2018)

A66 at the east end of the train at Flinders Street Station, ready to lead us towards Stony Point

A66 on arrival at Stony Point on the 707 Operations ‘Steam and Streamliner’ tour (August 26, 2018)

A66 on arrival at Stony Point

A66 passes through Sunshine on a light engine move to Bendigo, where it will be stored at the SSR Workshops (September 1, 2018)

A66 departs Sunshine on a light engine move to Bendigo