#3320

South African Class 5E, Series 2

🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by Vulcan Foundry· from 1956· class of 45 South African Bo′Bo′ electric locomotives

8 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. SAR Class 5E E326: Sue Lawrence· CC BY-SA 3.0
2. SAR Class 5E E345: Sue Lawrence· CC BY-SA 3.0
3. SAR Class 5E Series 2 E343 (Dries 8) ID: User:Les Smith· CC BY-SA 3.0
4. SAR Class 5E Series 2 E348 a: Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0
5. SAR Class 5E Series 2 E356 (Dries 3): User:Les Smith· CC BY-SA 3.0
6. SAR Class 5E Series 2 E343 (Dries 8): User:Les Smith· CC BY-SA 3.0
7. SAR Class 5E Series 2 E348 b: Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0
8. SAR Class 5E Series 2 E356 (Dries 3) ID: User:Les Smith· CC BY-SA 3.0

what is it?

The South African Railways Class 5E, Series 2 of 1957 was an electric locomotive. In 1957 and 1958, the South African Railways placed forty-five Class 5E, Series 2 electric locomotives with a Bo-Bo wheel arrangement in mainline service.

who runs it

Transnet Freight Rail Impala Platinum South African Railways and Harbours Administration

base stats

speed 97 km/htop speed
weight 86.4 tin working order
built 45made in total

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 70 years ago, in 1956.
Weighs about as much as 14 African elephants (~6 t each).

electric locomotive: Draws power from overhead wires or a third rail and pulls separate carriages.

spec sheet

built: 1956–1957
in service from: 1957
number built: 45
kind: Electric
traction: electric
origin: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
builders: Vulcan Foundry, English Electric
designer: English Electric
operators: Transnet Freight Rail, Impala Platinum, South African Railways and Harbours Administration
top speed: 97 km/h
power: —
gauge: 1,067 mm Cape gauge
electric system: 3 kV DC catenary
wheel arrangement: Bo'Bo'
weight: 86.4 t
nicknames: af, Balstamper

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q7565538, Wikipedia: South African Class 5E, Series 2 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.