One hundred units were delivered in 1973 and 1974, numbered in the range from E1446 to E1545. Like Series 1 to 3, Series 4 units were equipped with four AEI-283AZ axle-hung traction motors. UCW did not allocate builder's or works numbers to the locomotives it built for the SAR and used the SAR unit numbers for their record keeping.[1]
Characteristics
Orientation
These dual cab locomotives had a roof access ladder on one side only, just to the right of the cab access door. The roof access ladder end was marked as the no. 2 end. A corridor along the centre of the unit connected the cabs which were identical apart from the fact that the handbrake was located in cab 2. A pantograph hook stick was stowed in a tube mounted below the bottom edge of the locomotive body on the roof access ladder side. The units had one square and two rectangular access panels along the lower half of the body on the roof access ladder side, and only one square access panel on the opposite side.[1]
Series identifying features
The Class 6E1 was produced in eleven series over a period of nearly sixteen years. While some Class 6E1 series were visually indistinguishable from their predecessors or successors, some externally visible changes did occur over the years.[1]
The Series 3 to Series 5 locomotives are visually indistinguishable from each other. On the early Series 3 units in the number range from E1296 to E1345, an externally visible difference was a narrower stirrup below their side doors.[1][2][5][6]
During the 1970s, Dr. Herbert Scheffel of the SAR experimented with self-steering bogies which not only reduced flange wear on goods wagons, but also opened up the possibility of running at high speed in passenger service on Cape gauge.[7]
No. E1525 with nose cone for high speed testing
In 1978, one of the Series 4 units, no. E1525, was modified for experiments in high speed traction by re-gearing the traction motors, installing SAR-designed Scheffel bogies and fitting a streamlined nose cone on the no. 1 end. In this configuration, no. E1525 reached a speed of 245 kilometres per hour (152 miles per hour) hauling a specially-adapted suburban coach on a stretch of track between Westonaria and Midway on 31 October 1978, a still unbeaten narrow gauge world speed record on 3 feet6 inches (1,067 millimetres) Cape gauge.[2][3][8][9]
Nose cone used on no. E1525 during high speed testing
During November 1980, the same locomotive was used to test the British Rail-Brecknell Willis single-arm high speed pantograph, then still under development, as part of the SAR's research towards introducing a new high speed MetroBlitz service between Pretoria and Johannesburg. A number of European pantographs were being evaluated for use on the Class 6E1, with the trains running at 90 miles per hour (145 kilometres per hour) under catenary which usually saw nothing above 50 miles per hour (80 kilometres per hour). Testing took place over a 10-kilometre long (6.2-mile) stretch of straight track between Rosslyn and De Wildt on the line between Pretoria and Brits. During the trials, speeds of up to 125 miles per hour (201 kilometres per hour) were achieved with the pantograph.[8]
World speed record holder no. E1525
In the 2000s, similar single-arm type pantographs were adopted by Spoornet. These pantographs gradually replaced the older box-frame type pantographs on all electric locomotive types as and when replacement became necessary. Along with Class Experimental AC no. E1600, no. E1525 is still dedicated to testing projects since its different gear ratio and traction effort curves make it unsuitable for use in multi-unit working with other Class 6E1 locomotives in the fleet.[10]
The MetroBlitz service commenced in January 1984. This testing project eventually bore more fruit in 2011 upon the opening of the 1,435 millimetres (4 feet8½ inches) standard gaugeGautrain which connects Pretoria, Johannesburg and the O.R. Tambo International Airport (the former Jan Smuts Airport) in Kempton Park.[8]
No. E1525 is set to be preserved for the national collection by the SA Heritage Agency and Transnet Heritage Foundation.(stored Koedoespoort 03/2020)
Reclassification and rebuilding
Reclassification to Class 16E
During 1990 and 1991, Spoornet semi-permanently coupled several pairs of otherwise largely unmodified Class 6E1 units, reclassified them to Class 16E and allocated a single locomotive number to each pair, with the individual units in the pairs inscribed "A" or "B". The aim was to accomplish savings on cab maintenance by coupling the units at their no. 1 ends, abandoning the no. 1 end cabs in terms of maintenance and using only the no. 2 end cabs.[3]
One known Series 4 unit, no. E1457, was part of such a Class 16E pair and became Class 16E no. 16-305B.[3]
Rebuilding to Class 18E
Cab 1 of Class 18E no. 18-753, ex Class 6E1 no. E1537, Beaconsfield, 17 September 2015
Beginning in 2000, Spoornet began a project to rebuild Series 2 to 11 Class 6E1 units to Class 18E, Series 1 and Series 2 at the Transnet Rail Engineering workshops at Koedoespoort. In the process the cab at the no. 1 end was stripped of all controls and the driver's front and side windows were blanked off to have a toilet installed, thereby forfeiting the unit's bi-directional ability.[3][11]
Since the driving cab's noise level had to be below 85 decibels, cab 2 was selected as the Class 18E driving cab, primarily based on its lower noise level compared to cab 1 which was closer and more exposed to the compressor's noise and vibration. Another factor was the closer proximity of cab 2 to the low voltage switch panel. The fact that the handbrake was located in cab 2 was not a deciding factor, but was considered an additional benefit.[11]
The known Class 6E1, Series 4 units which were used in this project were all rebuilt to Class 18E, Series 2 locomotives. Their numbers and renumbering details are listed in the table.[11]
Class 6E1, Series 4 units rebuilt to Class 18E as on 19 January 2015
Count
6E1 no.
Year built
18E no.
18E series
Year rebuilt
Notes
1
E1446
1973
18-785
2
2014
circa 2014
2
E1447
1973
18-708
2
2012
3
E1451
1973-74
18-855
2
2015
4
E1452
1973
18-421
2
2012
PRASA
5
E1453
1973
18-742
2
2013
6
E1458
1973
18-657
2
2011
7
E1459
1973
18-429
2
2013
PRASA
8
E1460
1973
18-425
2
2012
PRASA
9
E1461
1973
18-829
2
2015
10
E1463
1973
18-658
2
2011
11
E1467
1973
18-433
2
2013
PRASA
12
E1469
1973-74
18-857
2
2015
13
E1470
1973-74
18-671
2
2011
14
E1471
1973-74
18-804
2
2014
circa 2014
15
E1473
1973-74
18-802
2
2014
circa 2014
16
E1476
1973-74
18-797
2
2014
circa 2014
17
E1477
1973-74
18-846
2
2015
18
E1478
1973-74
18-848
2
2015
19
E1479
1973-74
18-666
2
2011
20
E1480
1973-74
18-660
2
2011
21
E1481
1973-74
18-428
2
2012
PRASA
22
E1483
1973-74
18-856
2
2015
23
E1484
1973-74
18-852
2
2015
24
E1486
1973-74
18-854
2
2015
25
E1487
1973-74
18-659
2
2011
26
E1488
1973-74
18-765
2
2013
27
E1490
1973-74
18-424
2
2012
PRASA
28
E1492
1973-74
18-719
2
2012
29
E1493
1973-74
18-640
2
2011
30
E1494
1974
18-665
2
2011
31
E1495
1974
18-763
2
2013
32
E1498
1974
18-787
2
2014
circa 2014
33
E1501
1974
18-696
2
2012
34
E1502
1974
18-675
2
2011
35
E1503
1974
18-669
2
2011
36
E1504
1974
18-847
2
2015
37
E1505
1974
18-840
2
2015
38
E1506
1974
18-831
2
2015
39
E1507
1974
18-838
2
2015
40
E1508
1974
18-638
2
2010
41
E1509
1974
18-841
2
2015
42
E1510
1974
18-845
2
2015
43
E1511
1974
18-784
2
2014
circa 2014
44
E1512
1974
18-688
2
2011
45
E1513
1974
18-843
2
2015
46
E1514
1974
18-836
2
2015
47
E1516
1974
18-714
2
2012
48
E1517
1974
18-774
2
2013
circa 2013
49
E1518
1974
18-738
2
2013
50
E1519
1974
18-650
2
2010
51
E1520
1974
18-853
2
2015
52
E1521
1974
18-643
2
2010
53
E1522
1974
18-839
2
2015
54
E1524
1974
18-674
2
2011
55
E1526
1974
18-740
2
2013
56
E1527
1974
18-758
2
2013
57
E1529
1974
18-833
2
2015
58
E1530
1974
18-656
2
2011
59
E1531
1974
18-718
2
2012
60
E1532
1974
18-739
2
2013
61
E1533
1974
18-767
2
2013
62
E1534
1974
18-834
2
2015
63
E1535
1974
18-636
2
2010
64
E1536
1974
18-717
2
2012
65
E1537
1974
18-753
2
2013
66
E1538
1974
18-694
2
2012
67
E1540
1974
18-746
2
2013
68
E1542
1974
18-780
2
2013
circa 2013
69
E1544
1974
18-749
2
2013
70
E1545
1974
18-781
2
2014
circa 2014
Liveries
The whole series was delivered in the SAR Gulf Red livery with signal red cowcatchers, yellow whiskers and with the number plates on the sides mounted on three-stripe yellow wings. In the 1990s many of the Series 4 units began to be repainted in the Spoornet orange livery with a yellow and blue chevron pattern on the cowcatchers. Several later received the Spoornet maroon livery. In the late 1990s at least two were repainted in the Spoornet blue livery with solid numbers. After 2008 in the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) era, at least one was repainted in the PRASA purple livery.[12]
Illustration
No. E1446 in Spoornet orange livery at Sentrarand Yard, Gauteng, 8 October 2009
No. E1461 in Spoornet maroon livery at Capital Park, Pretoria, 9 May 2006
No. E1464 in Spoornet blue livery with solid numbers at Bellville Depot, 26 April 2009
^ abcdeSouth African Railways Index and Diagrams Electric and Diesel Locomotives, 610mm and 1065mm Gauges, Ref LXD 14/1/100/20, 28 January 1975, as amended
^ abcPaxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 128–129. ISBN0869772112.
^ abcdefMiddleton, John N. (2002). Railways of Southern Africa Locomotive Guide - 2002 (as amended by Combined Amendment List 4, January 2009) (2nd, Dec 2002 ed.). Herts, England: Beyer-Garratt Publications. pp. 56–57.
^ abcInformation gathered from the rebuild files of individual locomotives at Transnet Rail Engineering's Koedoespoort shops, or obtained from John Middleton as well as several Transnet employees
High Speed on SA Transport Services & World Record on test A short video of the world record test run of 245 km/h on Cape gauge and the first high speed daily train service between Pretoria and Johannesburg, the MetroBlitz, which operated during 1984 (15 minutes 19 seconds)