In 1982, Australian National placed an order for with Clyde Engineering for 15 Electro-Motive Diesel JT26C-2SS locomotives (an evolution of the New South Wales 81 class locomotive), to be classed BL and numbered 26 through 40.

In December 1996, they began to operate on services to Sydney and Newcastle.

[1] In September 1998, after being repainted into SteelLink livery by Rail Services Australia, Chullora, four were transferred back to the broad gauge to haul steel trains for BHP from Long Island to Dynon.

[2][3] For a period in the late 1990s, they were rostered to haul The Overland between Melbourne and Adelaide.

[5] BL35 suffered a fire which damaged the roof, and is now stored at Werris Creek, awaiting scrapping.