The shimmer of steel

Book in brand new condition.

As has occurred globally, the steam locomotive has slowly been replaced by other forms of motive power on the railways of South Africa, although the final chapter in this regard has yet to be written.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 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 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 national heritage on a scale that compares well 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 1990's