The Shimmer of Steel: An All Colour Celebration of South African Steam Locomotives in the 1990's

As has occurred globally, the steam locomotive has slowly been replaced by other forms of motive power on the railways of South Africa, although the final chapter in this regard has yet to be written. By 1998 the commercial operation of rail traffic by steam locomotives remained a reality in South Africa, albeit on a limited scale. Fortunately, however, the scaling down of steam operations in everyday service in recent years has been accompanied by a realisation that the country's railways in general and its steam locomotives in particular are part of a heritage that should be recognised and developed. Thus, the remaining steam locomotives of South African Railways (Spoornet) passed into the custody of the Transnet Museum/Transnet Heritage Foundation as from April 1992. Inevitably, many of these locomotives will be scrapped, with some serving as sources of spare parts, but a substantial number will remain. These will effectively reflect a preservation role of our well national heritage on a scale that compares with other national railway administrations. This book - a sequel to and in series with the author's previous work "The Sunset of Steam" - provides an all-colour souvenir of the wonderful heritage of steam locomotives hard at work in South Africa during the 1990s.