| The Class DE5 Represented by number 1531 |
| Built: David Poole. Built: 1975 Withdrawn: Jan 1994 To Museum: 2000 |
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Thirty five Class DE5 locomotives entered service between 1971 and 1976.
The first locomotive (#1500) was built by Jung in late 1971. It entered service in 1973
and was scrapped following an accident in 1976.
The rest of the class were assembled by David Poole. The David Poole factory was
previously a Mercedes Benz workshop, located at Norton a short distance from
Salisbury (Harare). The power unit was provided by MTU from their factory in
Friedrichshafen and Siemens supplied the electrical equipment.
The locomotives were the first on the RR with dynamic braking, but they were prone to
failure, a result of complicated electrionics.
By 1993 the only remaining DE5 was 1531, in use as the works shunter in Bulawayo.
In 1994 she was withdrawn and six years later was preservrd.
The first locomotive (#1500) was built by Jung in late 1971. It entered service in 1973
and was scrapped following an accident in 1976.
The rest of the class were assembled by David Poole. The David Poole factory was
previously a Mercedes Benz workshop, located at Norton a short distance from
Salisbury (Harare). The power unit was provided by MTU from their factory in
Friedrichshafen and Siemens supplied the electrical equipment.
The locomotives were the first on the RR with dynamic braking, but they were prone to
failure, a result of complicated electrionics.
By 1993 the only remaining DE5 was 1531, in use as the works shunter in Bulawayo.
In 1994 she was withdrawn and six years later was preservrd.
| 1531 in the Museum. April 2005 Photo. Geoff Cooke |
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| Sister locomotive # 1504 near Somabula in 1973 Photo. Geoff Cooke |
| 1525, taken some time in 1975, is located within the PDC compound and was on display for a visit by Ian & Janet Smith and others. To the far right is the shed used to shot blast the mainframes and bogies after being built 100% in the fabrication shop that was located in a stand alone building on the other end of the shed (out of sight). |
