Matjiesfontein Station

[BruceHyde]

Thought I would add these to the collection of pictures on the forum. Unfortunately my train identifying skills need some improving, obviously these are electric, can somebody please shed light as to the model and any interesting technical information about them?

[John Ashworth]

Bruce, thanks for these photos and for your first post to this forum - welcome, and we hope to see many more posts from you.

My limited knowledge (and my copy of Paxton and Bourne) tells me that E1186 is a 6E, but there are experts out there who will tell us more.

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

E1186 - as John says a 6E.

Built by Union Carrage and Wagon, NIgel, RSA.

3000 volt DC Bo-Bo. Weight - 88,904 kg in working order. Length 15.4 metres, 4 metres high. 4 traction motors.

They have both air and regenarative braking and can therefore work both air and vacum braked trains. Regenerative braking is fitted.

They have a 1 hour rating of 2,492kw and a continuous rating of 2,252kw. Starting tractive effort is 311kN (1 hour rating 221kN) - this made them in their time, the worlds most powerful 3,000v DC 1 metre gauge electric locos.

They were designed to operate in consists of up to 6 units in MU mode.

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

To add to Kevin there were 960 6E1's produced. The most in any class.

[Derek Walker]

While talking about 6E1's, There is one of those "where were you when..." mails doing the rounds with this pic in it. Based on the newer style panto, old livery and number plate on the door, is there any way to nail down the era she is from?

electric.jpg (40.84 KiB) Viewed 4614 times

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

This loco is 6E1 1525. She was modified and this test carried out in Rosslyn in 1980. The loco was tested up to 245 km/h. It was the forerunner of the Metro Blitz that could run safely at 140km/h.The pantograph in picture was designed for High Speed

[Derek Walker]

Thanks Stefan.

Does that mean she may still be around? didnt the Metroblitz locos get converted to another class?

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

The Metro Blitz Loco's were 6E'1s converted to 12E's numbered 1 to 5. Its possible that 1525 could have been one of those. I enclose two photos I took in June 2003
on my visit to Beaconsfield Kimberely. They were used to pull the Blue train from Kimbereley to PTA. Now taken over by the 14E's which run the full distance from Cape Town to Pretoria

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

My 2nd photo

[Jez Smith]

This loco is 6E1 1525. She was modified and this test carried out in Rosslyn in 1980. The loco was tested up to 245 km/h. It was the forerunner of the Metro Blitz that could run safely at 140km/h.The pantograph in picture was designed for High Speed

Nice one Stefan, but I must point out that E1525 did not attain 245kph on this trial, but on a previous trial when fitted with Scheffel bogies. She only(!) made 200 on this trial (an extremely creditable 125mph in UK money!)

Here's a bit more info

http://www.traintesting.com/SAR.htm

[Luca Lategan]

Stefan, 12E's was built from scratch at U&W in Nigel on the basis of the 6E's but with a different gear ratio and one driving cabin.

From UCW website:
TECHNICAL DATA SUMMARY
Modified 6E1. 3kV DC; 1067mm Gauge; Bo-Bo; Wheel diameter 1220mm; Speed 150km/h max.; Total mass 83.6t (20.9t/axle); 240kN TE (starting), 149kN TE (Continuous); 2492kW (One hr power rating), 2252kW (Continuous); Gear Ratio 23/66; Single cab & Conductors room; Intercity passenger service. "Metroblitz" (Jhb - Pretoria).
YEAR OF MANUFACTURE : 1985
TOTAL PRODUCED : 6
CUSTOMER : Spoornet (South Africa)