#2007
South African Class 1E
🇿🇦 South Africa ·built by Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works· from 1923· class of 172 South African Bo′Bo′ electric locomotives
5 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. SAR Class 1ES E145: User:John Middleton· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2. Class 1E: Linton Brothers, photographer (c. 1920-c. 1930)· Public domain
- 3. Class 1E E23: Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 4. SAR Class 1E E23 ID: Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 5. Class 1E Series 2 BP: Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0
what is it?
The South African Railways Class 1E of 1925 was an electric locomotive. Between 1925 and 1945, the South African Railways purchased 172 Class 1E electric locomotives, spread over seven orders. They were the first mainline electric locomotives to be introduced in South Africa.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 103 years ago, in 1923.
- Weighs about as much as 11 African elephants (~6 t each).
- Served for 65 years (1925–1990).
electric locomotive: Draws power from overhead wires or a third rail and pulls separate carriages.
spec sheet
- built
- 1923–1944
- in service from
- 1925
- retired
- 1990
- status
- retired
- number built
- 172
- kind
- Electric
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- builders
- Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works, Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns, Werkspoor, Metropolitan-Vickers
- designer
- Metropolitan-Vickers
- operators
- Transnet Freight Rail, South African Railways and Harbours Administration
- top speed
- 72 km/h
- power
- —
- gauge
- 1,067 mm Cape gauge
- electric system
- 3 kV DC catenary
- wheel arrangement
- Bo+Bo
- weight
- 68.1 t
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q7565495, Wikipedia: South African Class 1E (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.