Transnet Heritage Library Profile

The Transnet Heritage Library, located in Johannesburg was established in 1906, then called the South African Rail and Harbours (SAR&H) Reference Library. It holds the largest collection of significant railway information in Southern Africa. Its vast repository of records and diverse collections represent the establishment and expansion of Southern Africa’s railway networks, Transnet SOC Ltd, and its predecessors. It chronicles the evolution of technological advancement, economic growth, and transportation with records dating back to 1853, with the establishment of the Cape Government Railway, Natal Government Railways (est. in the mid-1870s), and the Central South African Railways (est. in 1902).

As early as the 1920s, the SAR&H Library was considered one of the most important libraries in South Africa. Between 1982 and 1983, the library was split into two entities: the Business Library (presently known as the Knowledge Centre within Transnet Freight Rail), and the Heritage Library for historical records.

The Transnet Heritage Library is dedicated to preserving and providing access to Southern Africa’s railway heritage, supporting research, and displaying the region’s rich transportation history. It houses an extensive collection of railway-related journals, technical drawings, documents, approximately 250,000 photographs, videos and films, posters, and thousands of valuable books, annual reports (1850s – 1980s), and other in-house publications.