[4] These had a boxcab design on a longer frame with end platforms for crew access to the cabs, and two pantographs.

During the 1960s the ten box-cabs were painted in a variation of the blue and gold livery applied to the VR diesel fleet starting with E1111 on 13 November 1965.

However with the opening of the new South Dynon Locomotive Depot in 1964, the entire E class fleet was relocated there in June 1968.

[10] When the boxcab engines were fitted with automatic couplers the frames were raised by about two inches to gain clearance over the traction motors for the drawgear and associated equipment, and the buffers lowered by the same amount.

The damage would have been repairable, but the engines could not be fitted with automatic couplers (possibly due to the shorter frame) and so they were scrapped in July 1955.

However, during the 1970s, Victorian Railways conducted detailed studies of goods traffic and found that handling costs made the transport of high rated, small freight items unprofitable.

These operational changes rendered the ageing E class suburban electric locomotives surplus, and by 1981 scrappings had commenced.