The Locomotives of the South African Railways Author: Bernard Zurnamer
The Locomotives of the South African Railways (Collectible First Edition in New Plastic Jacket)
A Highly Celebrated Pictorial Reference Cataloging the Classic Steam, Diesel, and Electric Iron Kings of the SAR Network
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: The Locomotives of the South African Railways
- Author: Bernard Zurnamer
- Publisher: Printed by Dreyer Printers & Publishers for the Author, Bloemfontein
- Publication Date: 1970
- ISBN: Not Applicable (Pre-ISBN Era / Issued Privately Without ISBN)
- Edition Details: First Edition, Privately Published. Released to mark the 60th year of the South African Railways and the 110th anniversary of rail in South Africa.
- Binding: Original publisher's premium vibrant red hardcovers featuring beautifully bright and clear gold gilt lettering on the front board.
- Physical Format: Quarto (4to), 138 pages generously detailed with rare black-and-white and color locomotive photographic plates.
- Language: English.
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Used – Very Good (VG)
- Exterior / Boards: The original red covers are beautifully preserved, clean, and structurally square, with the gold gilt emblem and spine titling remaining crisp, bold, and brilliantly clear.
- Interior: Outstanding. The internal pages are very good, clean, clear, and complete. The textual signatures exhibit only minimal, light handling wear from careful reading. The overall binding remains structurally excellent and firm.
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The Dust Jacket: Used – Poor to Fair (P/F)
- Report: The original pictorial dust jacket shows advanced signs of age, including overall scuffing, edge creasing, distinct tear lines, and some minor paper loss fragments along the top and lower spine tips. It has been carefully stabilized, look after, and is now fully enclosed and protected within a brand-new clear plastic jacket.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published privately in 1970, The Locomotives of the South African Railways stands as an extraordinary historical record documenting the massive locomotive fleet operating during the absolute golden age of South African steam and rail transit. Bernard Zurnamer systematically catalogs the mechanical specifications, design changes, and deployment routes of individual engines traversing the standard Cape gauge lines. From towering industrial steam locomotives to early mid-century electric and diesel variants, each page turns into a vital piece of industrial heritage preservation, making this scarce volume a holy grail for serious regional transit curators.
Author Profile: Bernard Zurnamer
Bernard Zurnamer was a highly distinguished South African rail historian, technical photojournalist, and passionate collector whose deep, multi-decade documentation of national train networks produced several benchmark reference monographs. He spent years embedded alongside workshop engineers and yard crews to catalog the complete operational rosters of the SAR before the major industrial transitions of the late twentieth century.
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