Pakistan Western BCU30E

The then Pakistan Western Railway had the 276 km long route between Lahore and Khanewal electrified with 25 kV alternating current until 1966. The locomotives came from a British consortium of AEI and English Electric and were designated BCU30E, which stood for “British Consortium Universal, 3000 horse power, electric”. The electrification of other routes was planned, but failed due to many tunnels that were too low and a lack of electricity.

The 29 locomotives were used on the only electrified route for several decades in passenger and freight service. In 2007, number 7027 was brought to the museum in Golra, when the locomotives were slowly showing signs of aging. From 2009 they were only used in front of freight trains and in 2011 the electric operation in Pakistan was completely discontinued. A resumption of electrical operation is still questionable today. Although the overhead wires have never been officially dismantled and the pylons remain intact today, the cables have been the victims of copper theft on a large scale.