Electrics at Millsite

[Derek Walker]

Finally... I have pics of the electrics at Millsite.

millsiteE511.jpg (142.18 KiB) Viewed 5654 times

E511

millsite1E01.jpg (157.57 KiB) Viewed 5650 times

E1

millsiteE3E219.jpg (184.46 KiB) Viewed 5651 times

E219

[Gabor Kovacs]

Derek, nice pics of the Eletrics store within the "National Collection" compound, at Millsite!

Their future survival, and that of all the other locos (mostly steamers), lie squarely in the hands of HRASA, who, is still stalling and draging its feet . . . . . .???????????????????

[carldasnevesvieira]

Hi Derek

First my congratulations on your photos. I also have seen others that you have on Millsite and you have helped me solve a few mysteries regarding stock there.

If I may correct you on the following:

511 is a ES not a 5E.
219 is a 4E (1st unit) not a 3E.
1 is a 1E (1st unit)

I have a soft spot for these as I used to see the 1E in 1ES form and ES in JHB station ----the last one I saw an 1ES was in Durban together with a 1E and the last ES 526 not to forget the first 5Ei 591 built by UCW in the Umbilo yards.

Best Regards
Carlos

[Dylan Knott]

Another ES and 1E are still stored at Daanskraal PX Depot. They were there last week and one wonders when they will be cut up.

[carldasnevesvieira]

Hi Dylan

the 1E is number 25 and the ES is number 518.
the 1E was for some years down in Durban with the Umgeni Steam Railway until according to an official from SPOORNET this was exchanged for a steam loco---number unknown and to be brutally honest l take anything said from that organization with a pinch of salt.

518 was the last ES shunter at JHB station.
Both E1 and E25 should be preserved --this way you will have two running mates.

As to the ES both should also be saved.
But then it is all a question of money like anything in life someone will make a choice and preserving our railway heritage should not came to that.

Best Regards
Carlos

[Derek Walker]

Carlos, Thanks for your confirmations about the Electrics. I have corrected my original filenames as well as made the corrections on my webpage too.

Here are some other pics I took of E511.

classE511-06.jpg (58.83 KiB) Viewed 5495 times

classE51105.jpg (43.81 KiB) Viewed 5499 times

E511-07.jpg (46.01 KiB) Viewed 5492 times

classE511-15.jpg (47.66 KiB) Viewed 5494 times

[carldasnevesvieira]

Hi Derek

Good to hear from you.
Many thanks for the pictures,although personally I am always happy to see the vintage electrics as these mean a lot to me ,it is sad to see their state.

In my school days I used to drop in at JHB station on my way home and there was always a ES on the middle line between plt 16 and 17 very idle until she would came alive without warning and race down the line out of sight only to appear at another platform to pick up a train to take her to Braamfontein not to forget in other occasions ,she would approach the station with a train whose waiting passengers were anxiously to start their journey.

those are my memories of these electrics and the last I saw them was in Umbilo forgotten by many but not forgotten by history.

Contact me off ,I may have some info on the other photos you have in your site.
cvieira3@hotmail.com

Best Regards
Carlos

[Luca Lategan]

Another ES and 1E are still stored at Daanskraal PX Depot. They were there last week and one wonders when they will be cut up.

Are you actually saying that there is a possibility that they are going to be cut up? That would be terrible! 15F's, 25's are younger than 1E's!

[Steve Appleton]

It looks to from the pics that the ES at Millsite is beyond anything but cosmetic restoration. Seems that the entire electrical control compartment and cab have been emptied of anything copper. Hope the 1E and 4E are still complete.
Perhaps, if they are complete, the Danskraal locos should be saved instead. Anyone know?

[carldasnevesvieira]

Hello everyone

I tend to agree that the Ladysmith locos should be saved.
ES 518 was a JHB station loco and E25 the 1E is needed to run with the other 1E.(E1) There is a third better 1E which is E23 which is plinthed at UCW in Nigel.

I would very much doubt if UCW would sell or donate this loco for preservation considering that where she is and has been for all these years ,she is the only and best preserved 1E in the country.

Then there is of course the two ES in industrial service. These never saw SAR service.

Best Regards
Carlos

[Derek Walker]

My gut instincts says that between all these locos there should theoretically be enough to at least get one of each class running again. However, electrics lack the visual impact of steamers and like it or not, steamers get more publicity, electrics have been forgotten in the quest to save the few steam engines that are still capable of being restored. Personally I would love to see these vehicles running again, but I can read the writing on the wall and I fear for their future.

[carldasnevesvieira]

That is the problem with electrics,they have always lost the war against steam and that is the honest truth.

They were always the ugly ducklings of SAR or as someone told me "a box full of useless wires" and yet we saw with the 1E the introduction of electric locos in SA when steam was King and more of these locos were planned and yet the powers to be had the insight to try something new.

We can not forget the 3E with the internal heating system ,must have been a first in the world I am sure and yet only one survived.

The enormous 4E is a masterpiece on its own right.

Let us never forget ESi the battery operated shunter. A loco never remembered and one that should have been preserved as it began service in a time when anything battery operated was unbelievable.


I will never forget when I saw years ago in Umbilo the last vintage locos in such a state--a 1E,1ES and the last ES 526.
It was around the mid 80s that I saw in SA Rail that ES 500 was in line to be scrapped. The first of the series.

If they were steam they would had a different future.
They were and will always be the family no one wants.

That is life!
Unfortunately.

Best Regards
Carlos

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

We have a 4E here in Bellville. It has not been run for a couple of years, and I believe that the Vintage Electrics including the green 5E's have been vandilised.

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Well done on the pictures Derek - I see you were quite athletic!