South African Class 8E

This article is about the South African electric locomotive. For the steam locomotive, see South African Class 8E 4-8-0.

No. E8002 at Mandini Station, KwaZulu-Natal,
13 August 2007

Type and origin
Power type	Electric
Designer	BBC-Siemens
Builder	Union Carriage and Wagon
Serial number	Industrials 449143-449149
Model	BBC-Siemens 8E
Build date	1983-1985
Total produced	107

Specifications
AAR wheel arr	B-B
UIC class	Bo'Bo'
Gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge
Wheel diameter	1,220 mm (48.0 in)
Wheelbase	11,130 mm (36 ft 6.2 in)
• Bogie	3,280 mm (10 ft 9.1 in)
Pivot centres	7,850 mm (25 ft 9.1 in)
Length:
• Over couplers	16,120 mm (52 ft 10.6 in)
• Body	15,260 mm (50 ft 0.8 in)
Width	3,040 mm (9 ft 11.7 in)
Height:
• Pantograph	4,140 mm (13 ft 7.0 in)
• Body height	3,680 mm (12 ft 0.9 in)
Axle load	21,171 kg (46,674 lb) (E8001-E8018) 20,960 kg (46,210 lb) (E8019-E8100)
Adhesive weight	82,000 kg (181,000 lb) (E8001-E8018) 81,200 kg (179,000 lb) (E8019-E8100)
Loco weight	82,000 kg (181,000 lb) (E8001-E8018) 81,200 kg (179,000 lb) (E8019-E8100)
Power supply	Catenary
Current collection	Pantograph
Traction motors	Four IKB2820-OTA-02
• Rating 1 hour	200 kW (270 hp)
• Continuous	176 kW (236 hp)
Gear ratio	17:115
Loco brake	Air
Train brakes	Air & Vacuum
Couplers	AAR knuckle

Performance figures
Maximum speed	75 km/h (47 mph)
Power output:
• 1 hour	800 kW (1,100 hp)
• Continuous	704 kW (944 hp)
Tractive effort:
• Starting	287.6 kN (64,700 lbf)
• 1 hour	177.3 kN (39,900 lbf)
• Continuous	145.3 kN (32,700 lbf) @ 17 km/h (11 mph)

Career
Operators	South African Railways Spoornet Transnet Freight Rail Driefontein Gold Mine Impala Platinum
Class	Class 8E
Power class	3 kV DC
Number in class	107
Numbers	SAR E8001-E8100 Dries 5-7 Implats 11-12, 14-15
Nicknames	Cockroach
Delivered	1983-1985
First run	1983

The South African Railways Class 8E of 1983 is an electric locomotive.

Between 1983 and 1985, the South African Railways placed one hundred Class 8E centre-cab electric locomotives with a Bo-Bo wheel arrangement in shunting service. Seven more were built for the mining industry.^[1]^[2]

Manufacturer

As a result of the gradual withdrawal of steam locomotives from service, many of which had been employed as shunting engines, and in addition to the Classes 36-000 and 36-200 diesel-electric locomotives, a growing need arose for a modern electric shunting locomotive for the South African Railways (SAR), especially for use in yards in the large 3 kV DC electrified centres, where the Class ES and Class 1ES locomotives were also due to be withdrawn.^[3]

The Class 8E electric shunting locomotive was designed for the SAR by a consortium consisting of Brown Boveri of Switzerland and Siemens of Germany. It was built by Union Carriage and Wagon (UCW) in Nigel, Transvaal, who also fabricated the mechanical components.^[2]^[4]

One hundred locomotives were delivered by UCW between 1983 and 1985, numbered in the range from E8001 to E8100. Another seven locomotives were built by UCW for the mining industry. UCW did not allocate builder’s numbers to the locomotives it built for the SAR, but used the SAR unit numbers for their record keeping. The locomotives which were built by UCW for industry, on the other hand, were allocated works numbers.^[1]^[2]

Orientation and features

No. 1 end

No. 2 end

The centre cab Class 8E has large grilles on the sides of both hoods on one side, and a grille on the side of only the left hand hood, when viewed from the other side. The no. 1 end will be at the viewer's left when observing the locomotive from the side with grilles on both hoods.^[1]

The pictures alongside, of no. E8008 with both hood covers removed, illustrate the different equipment installed inside the two ends of the locomotive.

The locomotive has solid state electrical control circuitry, with a thyristor controlled chopper supplying the four traction motors. Since the conventional accelerating resistors which are used on mainline electric locomotives, could be omitted, considerable energy saving was accomplished on heavy shunting duties.^[3]

The bogies are based on those of the Class 6E, but with a rubber secondary suspension system, which provides maximum adhesive force to the locomotive when starting from rest. The locomotive was designed to be operated by a crew of one and has two driving stations in the cab.^[3]

Service

The Class 8E was initially placed in service on the Witwatersrand, but a large number of them were later allocated to Durban and to other locations in Natal. Some are also employed at Beaconsfield in Kimberley, at Postmasburg in the Northern Cape and at Nelspruit in Mpumalanga. Apart from a short period in the early 1980s, when one served as the station pilot in Cape Town, working between the mainline platforms at Cape Town station and the passenger carriage yard at Culemborg, the Class 8E is unknown in the Western Cape.^[3]

They are powerful shunters and popular with their drivers, even though problems are sometimes experienced with start-up or failures, while working at coastal centres such as at Umbilo in Durban. This is attributed to the damp climate, which causes start-up contacter failures. Beginning in 2007, they were gradually equipped with air conditioning units, similar to those installed in the Class 18E, for added crew comfort. The air conditioning unit is mounted on the running board to the right of the cab on the right side of the locomotive.^[1]

Industrial use

At the same time that the Class 8E locomotives were being built for the SAR, another seven were built for the mining industry.

Three were built for Driefontein Consolidated Gold Mine (Dries) near Carletonville, numbered in the range from 5 to 7 and with builder’s works numbers in the range from 449145 to 449147. Of these, Dries no. 5 was withdrawn and scrapped after an accident, with the remains dumped at the mine.
Four were built for the Impala Platinum mine (Implats) at Phokeng near Rustenburg, numbered 11, 12, 14 and 15, with builder’s works numbers 449143, 449144, 449148 and 449149. In addition to these, seven SAR Class 8E locomotives, numbers E8005, E8006, E8019, E8026, E8042, E8050 and E8060, were later sold to Implats.^[2]

Illustration

The main picture shows numbers E8002 and E8007 at Mandini Station on 13 August 2007. Liveries which were applied to Class 8E locomotives are illustrated below.

No. E8062 in SAR Gulf Red and whiskers livery at Beaconsfield, Kimberley, 17 September 2009
No. E8001 in Spoornet maroon livery at the Sentrarand loco depot in Gauteng, 8 October 2009
No. E8004 in Spoornet blue livery with solid numbers at the Sentrarand depot in Gauteng, 22 September 2009
No. E8013 in Spoornet blue livery with outline numbers at Capital Park, Pretoria, 1 October 2009

References

1 2 3 4 South African Railways Index and Diagrams Electric and Diesel Locomotives, 610mm and 1065mm Gauges, Ref LXD 14/1/100/20, 28 January 1975, as amended
1 2 3 4 Middleton, John N. (2002). Railways of Southern Africa Locomotive Guide - 2002 (as amended by Combined Amendment List 4, January 2009) (2nd, Dec 2002 ed.). Herts, England: Beyer-Garratt Publications. pp. 51, 59, 63.
1 2 3 4 Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. p. 131. ISBN 0869772112.
↑ "UCW - Electric locomotives" (PDF). The UCW Partnership. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 30 September 2010.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to South African Class 8E.

Locomotives of South Africa

Steam

7' ¼" gauge	East London Harbour 0-4-0 Table Bay Harbour 0-4-0ST Table Bay Harbour 0-4-0T Table Bay Harbour 0-4-0WT

4' 8½" gauge	Cape 0-4-0T Blackie Cape 0-4-2 Cape 2-4-0T CGR 0-4-0ST Aid Natal 0-4-0ST Durban Natal 0-4-0WT Natal Natal 4-4-0T Perseverance

3' 6" gauge Tank engines	CGR 0-4-0ST 1873 CGR 0-4-0ST 1874 CGR 0-4-0ST 1881 Coffee Pot CGR 0-6-0ST 1902 CGR 0-6-0T 1876 Back-to-Back CGR 2-6-0ST 1900 CGR 2-6-0ST 1902 CGR 1st Class 0-4-0ST 1875 CGR 1st Class 0-4-0ST 1876 CGR 1st Class 2-6-0ST 1876 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0T 1875 CGR 2nd Class 4-4-0T 1882 CGR 3rd Class 2-6-0T CGR Railmotor CSAR Class C CSAR Class E CSAR Rack CSAR Railmotor DSWA Eight-Coupled Tank 2-8-0T Durban's Congella Durban's Edward Innes Durban's John Milne Durban's Sir Albert Port Elizabeth Harbour 0-4-0ST Kowie Railway 0-6-0T Kowie Railway 4-4-0T Metropolitan & Suburban 4-6-2T NGR 2-6-0T Durban & Pietermaritzburg NGR Class I 2-6-2T NGR Class K 0-4-0ST NGR Class K 0-6-0ST NGR Class K 2-6-0T NZASM 10 Tonner NZASM 13 Tonner NZASM 14 Tonner NZASM 18 Tonner NZASM 19 Tonner NZASM 32 Tonner NZASM 40 Tonner PPR 26 Tonner PPR 35 Tonner Portuguese SAR 0-4-0ST 1903 SAR 0-4-0T no. 69 SAR Class A SAR Class B SAR Class C SAR Class C1 SAR Class C2 SAR Class D SAR Class E SAR Class F SAR Class G SAR Class H SAR Class H1 SAR Class H2 SAR Class J SAR Class K SAR Clayton Railmotor

3' 6" gauge Tender engines	CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 Beyer, Peacock CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 Kitson CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1879 CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1891 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0 1879 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0TT 1881 CGR 2nd Class 2-6-2TT 1875 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1883 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1884 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1889 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1898 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1901 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1903 CGR 4th Class 4-4-2 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1880 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1882 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1884 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1890 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1891 DSWA Eight-Coupled Tender 2-8-0 NGR Havelock NGR Class I SAR Class Exp 1 SAR Class Exp 2 SAR Class Exp 3 SAR Class Exp 4 SAR Class Exp 5 SAR Class Exp 6 SAR Class S SAR Class S1 SAR Class S2 SAR Class 1 SAR Class 1A SAR Class 1B SAR Class 2 SAR Class 2C SAR Class 3 SAR Class 3A SAR Class 3B SAR Class 4 SAR Class 4A SAR Class 5 SAR Class 5A SAR Class 5B SAR Class 6 SAR Class 6A SAR Class 6B SAR Class 6C SAR Class 6D SAR Class 6E SAR Class 6F SAR Class 6G SAR Class 6H SAR Class 6J SAR Class 6K SAR Class 6L SAR Class 6Y SAR Class 6Z SAR Class 7 SAR Class 7A SAR Class 7B SAR Class 7C SAR Class 7D SAR Class 7E SAR Class 7F SAR Class 8 SAR Class 8A SAR Class 8B SAR Class 8C SAR Class 8D SAR Class 8E SAR Class 8F SAR Class 8R SAR Class 8X SAR Class 8Y SAR Class 8Z SAR Class 9 SAR Class 10 SAR Class 10A SAR Class 10B SAR Class 10C SAR Class 10D SAR Class 11 SAR Class 12 SAR Class 12A SAR Class 12B SAR Class 13 SAR Class 14 SAR Class 14A SAR Class 14B SAR Class 14C SAR Class 15 SAR Class 15A SAR Class 15B SAR Class 15C SAR Class 15CA SAR Class 15E SAR Class 15F SAR Class 16 SAR Class 16A SAR Class 16B SAR Class 16C SAR Class 16D SAR Class 16DA SAR Class 16E SAR Class 17 SAR Class 18 SAR Class 19 SAR Class 19A SAR Class 19B SAR Class 19C SAR Class 19D SAR Class 20 SAR Class 21 SAR Class 23 SAR Class 24 SAR Class 25 SAR Class 25NC SAR Class 26 Red Devil

3' 6" gauge Articulated engines	CGR Fairlie CGR Kitson-Meyer SAR Class FC SAR Class FD SAR Class GA SAR Class GB SAR Class GC SAR Class GCA SAR Class GD SAR Class GDA SAR Class GE SAR Class GEA SAR Class GF SAR Class GG SAR Class GH SAR Class GK SAR Class GL SAR Class GM SAR Class GMA SAR Class GO SAR Class HF SAR Class KM SAR Class MA SAR Class MB SAR Class MC SAR Class MC1 SAR Class MD SAR Class ME SAR Class MF SAR Class MG SAR Class MH SAR Class MJ SAR Class MJ1 SAR Class U

2' 6" gauge	Cape Copper 0-6-0T 1871 Cape Copper Britannia Cape Copper Caledonia Cape Copper Clara Class Cape Copper Condenser Cape Copper Scotia Class Namaqua Copper Pioneer

2' & 600mm gauges	ACR Class NG-G16A CGR NG 0-6-0T CGR NG 4-6-2T CGR Type A 2-6-4T CGR Type C 0-4-0T DSWA Class Ha DSWA Class Hb DSWA Class Hc DSWA Class Hd DSWA Jung DSWA Zwillinge NGR Class N 4-6-2T SAR NG 0-4-0T 1899 SAR Class NG1 SAR Class NG2 SAR Class NG3 SAR Class NG4 SAR Class NG5 SAR Class NG6 SAR Class NG7 SAR Class NG8 SAR Class NG9 SAR Class NG10 SAR Class NG-G11 SAR Class NG-G12 SAR Class NG-G13 SAR Class NG-G14 SAR Class NG15 SAR Class NG-G16

Electric

Amcoal Class E38

Diesel

3' 6" gauge Diesel-electric	PRASA Class Afro 4000 SAR Class DS SAR Class DS1 SAR Class 31-000 SAR Class 32-000 SAR Class 32-200 SAR Class 33-000 SAR Class 33-200 SAR Class 33-400 SAR Class 34-000 SAR Class 34-200 SAR Class 34-400 SAR Class 34-500 SAR Class 34-600 SAR Class 34-800 SAR Class 34-900 SAR Class 35-000 SAR Class 35-200 SAR Class 35-400 SAR Class 35-600 SAR Class 36-000 SAR Class 36-200 SAR Class 37-000 Spoornet Class 39-000 TFR Class 35-800 TFR Class 39-200 TFR Class 43-000 TFR Class 44-000

2' gauge Diesel-electric	SAR Class 91-000

3' 6" gauge Diesel-hydraulic	SAR Class 61-000

3' 6" gauge Electro-diesel	Spoornet Class 38-000

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