xmasdreams:
Thanks everyone for your replies. Unfortunately, it still doesn't answer my question !
I understand the limited current capacity on the outputs of the shift register, which is why I asked whether a transistor, or Darlington pair, could be used to pump up the current.
Yes, of course. A BJT transistor only needs a few milliamps to saturate.
Darlingtons are pretty obsolete these days. Normal transistors have high enough gains.