South African Class 5E, Series 1
Encyclopedia
In 1955 and 1956 the South African Railways placed sixty Class 5E, Series 1 electric locomotives with a Bo-Bo wheel arrangement in main line service.
main line electric locomotive with English Electric
(EE) in 1952. Sixty Class 5E, Series 1 locomotives were delivered and placed in service in 1955 and 1956, numbered E259 to E318.
The first forty-eight locomotives, numbers E259 to E306, were built at the Dick Kerr
works of EE in Preston in 1954 and 1955, while the building of the last twelve, numbers E307 to E318, was subcontracted to Vulcan Foundry
(VF). These twelve, with EE works numbers 2211 to 2222, were therefore also allocated VF works numbers E137 to E148.
They were delivered in a bottle green livery, initially without the yellow lines which were added later to improve their visibility. Since the long Class 4E
was already nicknamed Groen Mamba (Green Mamba), the shorter Class 5E promptly became the Klein Mamba (Little Mamba), while the Class 4E was "promoted" to Groot Mamba (Large Mamba). Beginning in 1960, a Gulf Red and yellow livery gradually replaced the green and yellow.
and Series 3
. Between 1955 and 1959 altogether one hundred and sixty of them were placed in service, sixty Series 1, forty-five Series 2 and fifty-five Series 3.
The traditional brass number plates on the sides of SAR locomotives are usually in a perfect oval shape. On the Class 5E, Series 1, however, the plates are in an oval shape with blunted ends and cast in aluminium instead of the usual brass.
Manufacturers
In order to increase the traffic capacity of the 3 kV DC electrified lines, the South African Railways (SAR) placed an order for the design and production of a more powerful Bo-BoBo-Bo
A Bo-Bo or Bo′Bo′ is a locomotive with two independent four-wheeled bogies with all axles powered by individual traction motors...
main line electric locomotive with English Electric
English Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
(EE) in 1952. Sixty Class 5E, Series 1 locomotives were delivered and placed in service in 1955 and 1956, numbered E259 to E318.
The first forty-eight locomotives, numbers E259 to E306, were built at the Dick Kerr
Dick, Kerr & Co.
Dick, Kerr and Company was a locomotive and tramcar manufacturer based in Kilmarnock, Scotland and Preston, England.-Early history:Having previously been known as W.B.Dick and Company the company had built all kinds of tramway equipment and rolling stock. From 1883 the company joined with John Kerr...
works of EE in Preston in 1954 and 1955, while the building of the last twelve, numbers E307 to E318, was subcontracted to Vulcan Foundry
Vulcan Foundry
Vulcan Foundry was a British locomotive builder sited at Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire .-History:It was originally opened in 1832 as Charles Tayleur and Company to produce girders for bridges, switches and crossings, and other ironwork following the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway...
(VF). These twelve, with EE works numbers 2211 to 2222, were therefore also allocated VF works numbers E137 to E148.
They were delivered in a bottle green livery, initially without the yellow lines which were added later to improve their visibility. Since the long Class 4E
South African Class 4E
Between 1952 and 1954 the South African Railways placed forty Class 4E electric locomotives with a 1Co+Co1 wheel arrangement in service.-Manufacturer:...
was already nicknamed Groen Mamba (Green Mamba), the shorter Class 5E promptly became the Klein Mamba (Little Mamba), while the Class 4E was "promoted" to Groot Mamba (Large Mamba). Beginning in 1960, a Gulf Red and yellow livery gradually replaced the green and yellow.
Orientation
These dual cab locomotives have a roof access ladder on one side only, just to the right of the cab access door. The roof access ladder end is marked as the number 2 end. A passage along the centre of the locomotive connects the cabs.Class 5E series
The South African Class 5E was produced in three series, the EE and VF built Series 1 and the VF built Series 2South African Class 5E, Series 2
In 1957 and 1958 the South African Railways placed forty-five Class 5E, Series 2 electric locomotives with a Bo-Bo wheel arrangement in main line service.- Manufacturer :...
and Series 3
South African Class 5E, Series 3
In 1958 and 1959 the South African Railways placed fifty-five Class 5E, Series 3 electric locomotives with a Bo-Bo wheel arrangement in service.- Manufacturer :...
. Between 1955 and 1959 altogether one hundred and sixty of them were placed in service, sixty Series 1, forty-five Series 2 and fifty-five Series 3.
The traditional brass number plates on the sides of SAR locomotives are usually in a perfect oval shape. On the Class 5E, Series 1, however, the plates are in an oval shape with blunted ends and cast in aluminium instead of the usual brass.
Legacy
The Class 5E was the prototype of what eventually became the most prolific locomotive type to ever run on South African rails, serving on all the 3 kV DC lines country wide. The type was continued with the Class 5E1 in 1959, the Class 6E and the Class 6E1 from 1969 to 1985, and still later with the rebuilding of Class 6E1 locomotives to Class 18E, a project that started in 2000.Industrial service
Six Class 5E, Series 1 locomotives were sold into industrial service.- E269, E274, E284, E289 and E318 were sold to the Impala platinum mine in Rustenburg.
- E290 was sold to the Driefontein gold mine in Carletonville.
| Loco no. |
EE works no. |
VF works no. |
Sold to |
|---|---|---|---|
| E259 | 2163 | ||
| E260 | 2164 | ||
| E261 | 2165 | ||
| E262 | 2166 | ||
| E263 | 2167 | ||
| E264 | 2168 | ||
| E265 | 2169 | ||
| E266 | 2170 | ||
| E267 | 2171 | ||
| E268 | 2172 | ||
| E269 | 2173 | Impala | |
| E270 | 2174 | ||
| E271 | 2175 | ||
| E272 | 2176 | ||
| E273 | 2177 | ||
| E274 | 2178 | Impala | |
| E275 | 2179 | ||
| E276 | 2180 | ||
| E277 | 2181 | ||
| E278 | 2182 | ||
| E279 | 2183 | ||
| E280 | 2184 | ||
| E281 | 2185 | ||
| E282 | 2186 | ||
| E283 | 2187 | ||
| E284 | 2188 | Impala | |
| E285 | 2189 | ||
| E286 | 2190 | ||
| E287 | 2191 | ||
| E288 | 2192 | ||
| E289 | 2193 | Impala | |
| E290 | 2194 | Dries | |
| E291 | 2195 | ||
| E292 | 2196 | ||
| E293 | 2197 | ||
| E294 | 2198 | ||
| E295 | 2199 | ||
| E296 | 2200 | ||
| E297 | 2201 | ||
| E298 | 2202 | ||
| E299 | 2203 | ||
| E300 | 2204 | ||
| E301 | 2205 | ||
| E302 | 2206 | ||
| E303 | 2207 | ||
| E304 | 2208 | ||
| E305 | 2209 | ||
| E306 | 2210 | ||
| E307 | 2211 | E137 | |
| E308 | 2212 | E138 | |
| E309 | 2213 | E139 | |
| E310 | 2214 | E140 | |
| E311 | 2215 | E141 | |
| E312 | 2216 | E142 | |
| E313 | 2217 | E143 | |
| E314 | 2218 | E144 | |
| E315 | 2219 | E145 | |
| E316 | 2220 | E146 | |
| E317 | 2221 | E147 | |
| E318 | 2222 | E148 | Impala |
See also
- South African Class 5E, Series 2South African Class 5E, Series 2In 1957 and 1958 the South African Railways placed forty-five Class 5E, Series 2 electric locomotives with a Bo-Bo wheel arrangement in main line service.- Manufacturer :...
- South African Class 5E, Series 3South African Class 5E, Series 3In 1958 and 1959 the South African Railways placed fifty-five Class 5E, Series 3 electric locomotives with a Bo-Bo wheel arrangement in service.- Manufacturer :...
- Electric locomotive numbering and classification
- List of South African locomotive classes