In the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, Ferrocarriles Vascongados experienced a surge in passenger and freight traffic. As a result, the company ordered three locomotives to ASEA, which had manufactured four electric locomotives for Ferrocarriles Vascongados in the early 1930s. The three new locomotives were mechanically very similar to the older ones, but featured a more modern exterior design. Unlike the previous locomotives, whose mechanical parts were built by CAF in Beasain, Spain; the new ones were built entirely by ASEA in Västerås, Sweden.[3] As of 2005, they were the last narrow-gauge electric locomotives to have been imported into Spain.[4]
After the original operator was absorbed into FEVE in 1972, the locomotives were renumbered as 4201 to 4203. This period saw a decline in freight traffic which coupled with the retirement of some[which?] multiple unit types meant the 4200 series (as well as the 4000 and 4100 series) was increasingly used to haul local train services. After the establishment of Euskotren in 1982 (known at the time as ET/FV), they were transferred to the new company. After 1988 they were retired from passenger service, and were used exclusively as shunters. Between 1994 and 1995, the three locomotives were refurbished in Gernika. As part of the refurbishment, their exterior was reformed, they were fitted with Alliance couplers and their cabins were made similar to the ones used by 200 series trains.[3] They were retired from service in 2010.[citation needed]
^Salmerón i Bosch, Carles; Olaizola Elordi, Juanjo (1990). Eusko Trenbideak - Ferrocarriles Vascos: Historia eta teknika - Historia y técnica (in Spanish and Basque). Barcelona: Terminus. p. 118. ISBN84-404-8322-8.
Since 2012, FEVE has been integrated into Renfe and its rolling stock has been officially renumbered. However, the old numbering scheme remains the most commonly used.
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