SJ E

The E class 0-8-0 locomotives were part of the development of modern superheated locomotives that had begun with the A class in 1906.[1]^: 16 130 were built between 1907 and 1920.[1]^: 64 Relatively strong, but with an axle load of only 12.5 tonnes (12.3 long tons; 13.8 short tons),[2]^: 86 they were intended for mixed traffic in Norrland and heavy freight trains in southern Sweden.[1]^: 64 The class had bar frames and inside cylinders,[1]^: 64 and all were delivered with fully enclosed cabs.[2]^: 86 They were given six-wheeled L class tenders, but some had larger A class tenders in the last years of use, increasing the operation radius.[2]^: 87

The boiler designed for the E class was also used for the Sb class tank engines, as SJ wanted to use standard parts for that class.[1]^: 181 For this reason the boiler was sometimes referred to as the ESb type.[1]^: 27 The G8 class locomotives were also rebuilt with E type boilers in 1950–1951.[2]^: 108 One E class locomotive was equipped for burning peat-based fuel for a short time.[2]^: 86

The class was very successful, but the low maximum speed (only 65 kilometres per hour (40 mph)) was problematic.[2]^: 86 90 locomotives were rebuilt between 1935 and 1951 with two leading wheels, enabling a modest increase to 70 km/h (43 mph).[2]^: 89 The rebuilt locomotives became one metre (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) longer and 7.5 tonnes (7.4 long tons; 8.3 short tons) heavier.[1]^: 65 The boiler was also moved a bit forward, making even more room in the large cab.[2]^: 89

The E class was ill-suited for hauling express trains, due to the speed, but they were otherwise used for all types of traffic and in all parts of Sweden.[2]^: 86 The light axle load meant that they could be used on minor lines and industrial railways, extending their use after mainline steam operations had been reduced.[2]^: 86 E class locomotives sometimes appeared in Norway, both in cross-border traffic and leased to the Norwegian State Railways.[3] At least one locomotive was in Norway during the German occupation.[2]^: 86

Both E and E2 class locomotives remained in daily service until 31 March 1972, the last day of regular steam operations on SJ.[2]^: 89 The very last train was hauled by E2 1194.[1]^: 65

Most of the locomotives were preserved in the strategic reserve when no longer needed in regular traffic, kept in usable condition to replace diesel-powered vehicles if the import of oil was interrupted or electric vehicles if the power supply was destroyed.[2]^: 16 The use of the reserve locomotives was mostly limited to a few trial runs, but harsh weather in the winter of 1965–1966 meant that an unusually large number of electric locomotives were out of service, and B, E and E2 class locomotives in the reserve were reactivated to haul trains on the electrified lines from Alvesta to Kalmar and Karlskrona.[2]^: 16

The E and E2 classes, together with the B and E10 classes, remained in the strategic reserve after most other types had been scrapped in the 1970s.[2]^: 18 Most of the locomotives were placed in sealed plastic bags with dehumidifiers to reduce the need of maintenance.[2]^: 18 A large number of E and E2 class locomotives were preserved in that manner until all steam locomotives were removed from the strategic reserve in 1990.[2]^: 86–89

Private operators

KJ E 16 before nationalization.

Two E class locomotives were delivered to private railway company Kalmar Järnväg (KJ) in 1917.[4]^: 172 They differed from the SJ locomotives in details[4]^: 172 and were slightly heavier, with a higher axle load.[1]^: 68 They also had a different type of tender.[2]^: 86 Neighboring railway Sävsjöström–Nässjö Järnväg (SäNJ) bought an identical locomotive, but with a larger tender,[1]^: 68 in 1919.[5]^: 164 They were registered as SJ E class locomotives following nationalization, but were given their own designation, E5, in 1942.[1]^: 68 The former SäNJ locomotive was scrapped in 1967[5]^: 164 and the KJ ones in the early 1970s[4]^: 172 after having been in reserve since the 1950s.[2]^: 86

The railway between Gävle and Härnösand was built by the private company Ostkustbanan (OKB), the first section opening in 1923.[6]^: 13 The company was troubled financially from the beginning, and depended on loans from the state;[6]^: 11 it was controlled by the Swedish government from 1924.[6]^: 13 As part of the state aid, five A class and twelve E class locomotives were transferred from SJ to OKB before the start of large-scale traffic in 1927, retaining their class designations.[6]^: 20 They returned when OKB was nationalized in 1933, regaining their old numbers, and some were later rebuilt to the E2 class.[5]^: 87–91

One locomotive was sold to Uddevalla–Vänersborg–Herrljunga Järnväg (UVHJ) in 1936,[5]^: 201 another to Skåne–Smålands Järnväg (SSJ) in 1937.[5]^: 120 Both returned to SJ in 1940 following nationalization.[2]^: 86

11 E[7]^: 95 and 26 E2[7]^: 143 have been preserved in Sweden. These include three that have belonged to OKB[5]^: 89–91 and both locomotives formerly owned by SSJ[5]^: 120 and UVHJ.[5]^: 201 The first of the locomotives, number 900, was de facto transferred to the Swedish Railway Museum already in 1972, although formally included in the strategic reserve; others were sold to the museum or to heritage railways after being removed from the reserve.[2]^: 86

E 1090 was sold in 1994 to the Zuid-Limburgse Stoomtrein Maatschappij (ZLSM) in the Netherlands.[8] In 1998 ZLSM also bought E2 1040.[9] E2 909 was initially sold to a Swedish preservation society, but came to Hull–Chelsea–Wakefield Railway in 1992, while the Swedish owner was compensated with another locomotive from the strategic reserve.[2]^: 20 The purpose of this arrangement was to give the Hull–Chelsea–Wakefield Railway a locomotive that was ready for immediate use, not one that would need to be overhauled after its time in the reserve.[2]^: 20 E2 1122 is also abroad since 2015, leased to the Krøderen Line.[3] In October 2018 E2 1122 was hauled back to JÅÅJ in Sweden because the leasing contract ran out.[3]

Some locomotives that had been in storage along the Inland Line were taken over by Inlandsbanan AB (IBAB), the operator on that line, for use in tourist trains.[2]^: 18 E2 905 and a B class locomotive also owned by IBAB are the only usable steam locomotives owned by a commercial railway operator in Sweden.[2]^: 89