In 1969 and 1970 the South African Railways placed twenty Class 6E1, Series 1 electric locomotives in mainline service, numbered in the range from E1226 to E1245. It was designed and built by Union Carriage and Wagon in Nigel, Transvaal, with the electrical equipment supplied by Associated Electrical Industries and English Electric. They are identical to the Class 6E in most respects including traction motors, power, tractive force and body dimensions, but had new design bogies with traction struts and linkages. They actually entered service before the Class 6E and their limited number seem to indicate that they were built as demonstrators to introduce and evaluate the new Class 6E1.
See also the Wikipedia article on the South African Class 6E1, Series 1. |