They later operated for the Public Transport Commission, State Rail Authority and FreightCorp with most remaining in service into the 1990s.

The locomotives were built at Bowesfield Works, Stockton-on-Tees, with electrical equipment supplied by Metropolitan-Vickers from its Trafford Park and Sheffield plants.

Metropolitan-Vickers drew on experience gained from its earlier British Railways class 76 and 77 electric locomotives, which were used on the Woodhead Line in England and later in the Netherlands.

The locomotives were purchased as part of the electrification of the Main Western line over the Blue Mountains from Penrith to Bowenfels.

[3][4] From January 1960 they also began to operate to Gosford following the electrification of the Main Northern line.