South African auction house, WH Auctioneers, holds regular auctions of assets for the construction, mining, transport, agricultural and engineering industries.
WH launched an online auction for 13 Afro 4000 Diesel Electric Locomotives which were initially purchased for long-distance services provided by Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). Auction’s closing date is set for 12 September 2019, at 14h00 (South African Time).
WH Auctions has been appointed as lead facilitators and auctioneers on the Swifambo Rail Leasing Pty (in liquidation) which offers for sale the 13 locomotives manufactured by Spanish company Vossloh España who has subsequently been bought by Stadler Rail.
For the locomotives, PRASA and Swifambo Rail Leasing entered an agreement in 2013 for the purchase of 70 locomotives under the rail services’ modernisation programme in South Africa. The locomotives were purchased at EUR 3 million each and it is estimated to now be worth EUR 4.1 million (ZAR 64 million).
In 2014, in South Africa, the new Afro 4000 diesel locomotives were unveiled for entering long-distance passenger services. These assets are situated in Braamfontein, Bloemfontein, Beaufort West, East London and Port Elizabeth with mileages ranging from 509 km to 12,000 km. Proof that these locomotives are able to run on the SA railways, the Afro 4000 has been verified as technologically viable to operate on the South African network by the Rail Safety Regulator with no objections.
All the locomotives on auction are therefore capable of operating under any conditions that allow for safe height conditions with Cape Gauge (Narrow Gauge – 3Ft 6inches or 1067mm) rail tracks. The 23-meter-long locomotives are powered by an extremely reliable and maintenance-friendly 16-cylinder EMD 16-710-G3B turbocharged diesel engine which supplies the main generator with the power mechanically necessary for generating electric currents for traction. The traction power is distributed by the transmission system to each traction motor fitted on the bogies. Each traction motor is directly geared to a couple of driven wheels. The 4000 HP locomotive can reach a top speed of 120 km/h and can run at up to 2000 km non-stop.
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