Test runs were made with coal trains between Melbourne and Nyora in South Gippsland, where the locomotive quickly demonstrated its worth.

It also made a test run to Upper Ferntree Gully, where damage was caused to the cleaning and lagging of the low-pressure cylinder, due to it striking the platform, which in those days had an inside curve.

The locomotives were also employed on excursion trains to the hills east of Melbourne during the holiday periods, and Upper Ferntree Gully would always have a fair number of the class running there.

The locomotives were of American design and construction methods, with bar frames, overhead equalised springing and very spacious steel cabs.

[6] During the early 20th century they were painted in Canadian Pacific Red, and then, in the 1920s, the entire class received the standard livery adopted at that time – all-over black.

The driving position was on the right-hand side, with the valve gear controlled by a ‘Johnson Bar’ lever and ratchet system.

Although it was intended by its designers as a starting device only, the direct steam valve was consistently misused by drivers to help them over heavy grades, at the expense of operating efficiency and of their fireman.

According to the Vauclian notes, the locomotives were to be driven on the reversing lever in such conditions, but that was clearly not a practice used by VR staff at the time.

Improved front-end performance, bar frames, flexible suspensions and leading wheels to "steer" locomotives around curves, were only embraced many years after the introduction of the V-class American import.