South African Class 5E1, Series 5

Manufacturer

Series 5 of the Metropolitan-Vickers-designed 3 kV DC Class 5E1 electric locomotive was built for the South African Railways (SAR) by Union Carriage and Wagon (UCW) in Nigel, Transvaal, with the electrical equipment supplied by Associated Electrical Industries (AEI) and English Electric (EE).

The 225 Series 5 locomotives were delivered between 1966 and 1969, numbered in the range from E921 to E1145. UCW did not allocate builder’s numbers to the locomotives it built for the SAR and used the SAR unit numbers for their record keeping.

Class 5E1 series

The South African Class 5E1 was produced in five series, the Metrovick-built Series 1 and the UCW-built Series 2 to 5. Between 1959 and 1969, altogether 690 of them were built, 135 Series 1, 130 Series 2, 100 Series 3, 100 Series 4 and 225 Series 5.

With the exception of the Series 2 and 3, the series distinction between Class 5E1 locomotives was based on the different model traction motors with which each was equipped, MV 281 in Series 1, AEI 281 AZX in Series 2 and 3, AEI 281 AX in Series 4 and AEI 281 BX in Series 5. The distinction between the series 2 and 3 locomotives appears to have been based on the grounds of the design of their traction motor bearings.

Identifying features

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 no. 2 end. A corridor along the centre of the locomotive connects the cabs, which are identical, except that Cab 2 is where the handbrake is located.

The locomotive has two cut-outs on the roofline on the roof access ladder side, but an unbroken roofline on the opposite side. The Series 3, 4 and 5 locomotives can, for the most part, be visually distinguished from earlier models by their three small square panels on the lower sides, above the battery box, compared to the two larger rectangular panels in the same position on the Series 1 and 2 locomotives. Exceptions appear to be Series 5 units in the number range higher than E1127. An example is depicted alongside, showing no. E1134 with two rectangular panels above the battery box, instead of three square ones.

Series 4 and 5 locomotives can also be distinguished from all earlier models by their one small square and one larger rectangular panels, on the lower sides above the second axle from the left, compared to the single rectangular panel on all earlier models.

Brakes

The locomotive itself used air brakes, but it was only equipped to operate trains with vacuum brakes. While hauling a train, the locomotive's air brake system would be made subordinate to the train's brake system and would come into operation as the train brakes were being applied, gradually building up to its maximum of 350 kilopascals (51 pounds per square inch). While working a train downgrade, the locomotive's regenerative braking system would also work in conjunction with the train brakes.

The locomotive's air brakes would usually only be used along with the train brakes during emergencies. Under normal circumstances, the train would be controlled using the train brakes alone to slow down and stop.

While the locomotive was stopped, the air brakes on each bogie could be applied independently. The handbrake or parking brake, located in Cab no. 2, only operated on the unit's last axle, or no. 7 and 8 wheels.

Traction motor bearings

The axle-hung traction motors of earlier SAR electric locomotives, up to and including the Class 5E1, Series 1, were suspended on the axles by means of plain oil-lubricated bearings, consisting of bronze shells with white metal linings. With the introduction of the more powerful Class 5E1, Series 1, considerable trouble was experienced due to flaking of the white metal linings, as a result of the increased intensity of the pressure on these bearings. The use of roller bearings was investigated and one traction motor of a Class 1E was converted for trial purposes. Since satisfactory results were obtained, it was decided to equip the traction motors of the subsequent UCW-built Series 2 and later locomotives with roller-type suspension bearings.

On the Class 5E1, Series 2 locomotives, the arrangement consisted of a self-aligning spherical roller bearing at the pinion end and a parallel roller bearing at the commutator end of the traction motor. The roller bearings were grease-lubricated and were carried in a split cannon box, to which the traction motor was attached by means of two clamps, which engaged cylindrically-machined seatings on the outside of the housing. The roller-type suspension bearings required little attention, other than the replenishment of the grease when the wheels were removed for tyre-turning.

When orders were placed for the Class 5E1, Series 3 and later models, the specifications made provision for roller suspension bearings which incorporated a lip-type cylindrical roller bearing, to replace the self-aligning spherical roller bearing at the pinion end, and alternatively for tapered roller bearings at both ends. Since the external dimensions of the bearing-housings would remain the same, the traction motors would still be freely interchangeable.

Body shape alteration

The body design had remained unaltered, apart from some minor less obvious modifications, ever since the first Class 5E locomotive, no. E259, was built in 1955. A more visually obvious alteration occurred part-way through the Series 5 construction, when the body shape was changed from rounded corners to squared corners, somewhere between the construction of no. E941, with rounded corners, and E948, which has squared corners. The change was probably motivated by cost considerations, since the squared corners would simplify construction and since the rounded corners served no purpose other than cosmetic.

Modification

By 2007, two Series 5 locomotives, numbers E1101 and E1102, had been modified extensively. It involved a complete strip-down overhaul, to rebuild them as prototypes with the object to determine if large scale Class 5E1 rebuilding would be economically viable.

Some visual external differences from the originals, were side window screens, higher side doors with a curved rainwater gutter above it (not done on E1101), and reinforcing under the side doors and side windows. On the roof access ladder side, the cutaways on the roof edge were filled in and the locomotives were repainted in the then current Spoornet blue livery with outline numbers, the only Class 5E1s to receive this livery. They were also equipped with driver’s consoles, similar to those which were later fitted to the Class 18Es.

No further such rebuilds were done. By 2010, these two locomotives were shedded at Danskraal in Ladysmith and used to push road trainers, modified cabooses with Class 5E1 controls installed in one end, which are used to familiarise drivers with routes.

Rovos Rail

Several Series 5 locomotives were sold at auction during 2010. Most were bought by scrap dealers and cut up, but some survived to start a second career. Nine Class 5E1, Series 5 locomotives were purchased by Rovos Rail, a private operator of luxury rail tours, which is based at Capital Park in Pretoria. Rovos Rail is reviving the tradition of brass number plates on the sides of their locomotives.

Years of construction and disposal

The known years of construction, based on the observation of the UCW works plates on the end doors of locomotives, and the post-withdrawal disposition of the Class 5E1, Series 5 are shown in the table.

Illustration

The main picture shows no. E941 with rounded corners, while the first picture below shows no. E948 with squared corners, both in SAR Gulf Red and whiskers livery, at Ladysmith on 5 August 2007. The rest of the pictures illustrate some of the liveries which were applied to Series 5 locomotives.