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3801 (NSW steam locomotive)
Encyclopedia
3801 is Australia's best known and most widely travelled steam locomotive
. The streamlined locomotive was designed to haul express trains such as the Newcastle Flyer
and Melbourne Limited
for the New South Wales Government Railways
(NSWGR). 3801 is the only steam locomotive to visit every mainland state and territory in Australia. During its preservation career, it was operated by the non-profit organisation 3801 Limited
until the company's 20 year lease on the locomotive expired on 26 November 2006. The locomotive then returned to the custody of the NSW Rail Transport Museum where it performed for the public on rail tours during 2007. It is currently undergoing an overhaul at Chullora Workshops.
, 3801 was the first of 30 38 class
locomotives built to haul express trains and replace the 36 class on these premium workings. 3801 - 3805 were built in Sydney by Clyde Engineering to a streamlined
design, whilst the other 25 locos in the class were built by the NSWGR and were unstreamlined. Of the other 38 class locomotives, only the unstreamlined 3830 is still operational.
The 38 class were first conceived in 1938. They suffered many delays during construction - mostly due to World War II
. 3801 was the first engine completed late 1942 and entered service in January 1943 to little fanfare. It became known at the time as the "Grey Nurse" due to its drab, all grey colour scheme - a wartime economy.
. In early 1947 3801 was given a heavy overhaul and was painted in its standard colour scheme of green with yellow lining. A Waratah
emblem was added to the top of the nose cone in later years. In 1955 3801 was overhauled again, being painted black with red lining as a cost-cutting measure. It was around this time that diesel locomotive
s started appearing on the rails of NSW. These would take the "glamour workings" away from the 38 class, who would be confined to all-stations passenger and even goods trains. In December 1956 3801 was the first in its class to reach 1000000 miles (1,609,340 km) of service. In 1960, the 38 class were transferred from Eveleigh
to Broadmeadow
sheds to reflect their decreased importance and in 1962, 3801 was slated for withdrawal. A "final run" was organised in September 1962, however 3801 continued working into December.
In early 1963 3801 was given a major overhaul, returned to green paint and to service. 3801 was often used on special services operated by railway heritage organisations, the most famous being a non-stop run from Sydney to Newcastle
on 28 June 1964. Just failing to break the two hour barrier, this remains the fastest journey from Sydney to Newcastle by rail (2 hours 1 minute 51 seconds). On the return journey 3801 again fell just short of the two hour mark. In October 1965 the locomotive was found to have serious boiler
problems, so was withdrawn and placed in the care of the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum
. The museum contributed $18,000 to return 3801 to service and the boiler from 3819 was fitted. In October 1966 3801 returned to service, however the following year boiler problems re-emerged and the loco was withdrawn. Another boiler exam gave the loco a reprieve and allowed it to return to service. During this time it operated a train celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Newcastle Flyer on 31 May 1969, as well as the Western Endeavour special across the continent to Perth
between 22 August and 12 September 1970. From the end of April 1974 all steam trains were barred from NSW rails, however during June and July of that year 3801 was allowed back to be used as the star of the award-winning film A Steam Train Passes
.
After this 3801 was deeded to the Rail Transport Museum and was called upon to help transport exhibits when the museum was forced to move to from Enfield
to Thirlmere
. 3801 hauled "dead" (not in steam) engines 5711 & 1905, three carriages and a brake van. The engine was then used on tours until December 1976, when boiler problems forced it to become a static exhibit.
In November 1980 David Hill
Chief Executive of the NSW State Rail Authority (now RailCorp
) enquired about the suitability of restoring 3801. Hill had the 1988 Bicentenary
of British settlement in Australia in mind, and saw a restored 3801 as a representative of Australia's railways. The boiler was the major item needing repair and an investigation needed to be carried out to ascertain if restoration was viable. A visit was made to the South Maitland Railways
(who at the time still used steam engines) to learn about modern boiler techniques. It was discovered that many advances had been made and it was possible to return boilers to service which previously would have been scrapped. The next step was to examine the boilers of the other preserved 38 class members - 3820 and 3830 (though 3813 had survived, it was completely stripped and in two different locations) - and compare them with 3801's boiler. It was decided to use the boiler already in 3801, however the inner firebox had suffered thermal fractures and would need extensive repairs. Restoration was deemed possible and a fund-raising appeal began.
With some finance raised, 3801 was taken to Newcastle for restoration by the Hunter Valley Training Company - an apprenticeship scheme later involved in the restoration of 3830. This was due to the railway's workshops being stretched by regular work.
The firebox was to be completely replaced, however the dies and jigs used to press the boiler metal had been scrapped, so the old firebox was used as a template. The new firebox had a different shape and this reduced the boiler pressure to 215 psi. It was decided to weld the new firebox and some conservative engineers were sceptical as to whether this would work. Repairs and reconditioning of many other components were also carried out. The tender
tank was so rusted, it needed to be replaced. The new tank was welded rather than riveted and this resulted in a sleek, plain tender. On 8 November 1986 a fire was lit for the first time. By 10 November, 3801 was running around nearby sidings. More short trials followed and on 15 November, 3801 was handed over and hauled a train to Maitland. More trial runs followed and on 19 November 1986, 3801 headed from Newcastle to a grand ball on the concourse of Sydney's Central Station
.
Since restoration 3801 has crossed the continent for the second time, visited Australia's "red centre" and run with LNER 4472 Flying Scotsman
- the most famous locomotive in the world. 3801 was restored for Australia's Bicentenary so it was the natural choice to lead the Bicentennial Train. This train visited every mainland capital accessible by rail (Sydney, Canberra
, Brisbane
, Adelaide
, Perth
, Melbourne
) during 1988. During 1988-89 LNER 4472 Flying Scotsman visited Australia and 3801 joined it on many trips including a number of doubleheader
s.
On 6 May 1990, 3801 was involved in the Cowan rail disaster. 3801 was struggling to climb the Cowan bank
(on the Sydney side of the Hawkesbury River
) when returning from the Morpeth Jazz Festival when a CityRail
Interurban passenger service crashed into the back of 3801's train. Six people lost their lives, including driver of the intercity electric Gordon Hill, and a passenger in the V Set's cab. 3801 applied sand to the track to assist grip and an investigation into the crash suggested this may have caused the signals to malfunction. The signals changed from red to green several times. After the signals were green for a few moments, the interurban driver then entered the tunnel behind 3801 where the accident occurred. The handbrake in one of the carriages may also have been applied.
In 1992 3801 visited the "red centre" - Alice Springs
- for the first time, using the standard gauge track laid in 1980.
3801 is also a regular at the Hunter Valley Steamfest
where the loco travels to Newcastle, Paterson, Singleton, Branxton or Dungog.
Despite a campaign by 3801 Limited to retain custodianship of the locomotive, on 26 November 2006 the custodianship passed back to the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum (who 3801 Ltd had leased it from for 20 years). The locomotive hauled day trips and longer excursions with the NSWRTM throughout 2007. It was withdrawn from service for a major overhaul at the end of that year.
"Following delivery of the new boiler for Locomotive 3801 in late October 2010, the NSW Rail Transport Museum, as the operator, began a detailed assessment in preparation for its installation on the overhauled engine frame. During the inspection process and test fitting of the boiler into the locomotive frame a number of issues were identified.
Further mechanical assessment and communication with the manufacturer, Dampflokwerk Meiningen (DB) followed. DB agreed to send representatives to hold discussions in Sydney in late April; this visit included an on-site inspection of the boiler and the locomotive at RailCorp's Chullora workshop. The outstanding technical issues were fully considered and options for rectifying them identified. A 'Heads of Agreement' was signed which commits the parties to a process to bring the matter to an expeditious resolution. The first steps in that process are underway." Work is due to be complete in Late-2011 to early 2012.
(NSW) were former stakeholders. In 2005 RailCorp indicated that 3801 Limited's fixed term 20 year lease of locomotive 3801 would not be renewed.
, south-west of Sydney. The Museum was a foundation, management member of 3801 Limited and have indicated the locomotive will continue to provide mainline tours but at a reduced frequency.
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
. The streamlined locomotive was designed to haul express trains such as the Newcastle Flyer
Newcastle Flyer
The Newcastle Express, better known as the Newcastle Flyer, was an Australian passenger express train operated from late 1929 to 1988 connecting the cities of Newcastle and Sydney.-Early history:...
and Melbourne Limited
Spirit of Progress
The Spirit of Progress was the premier express train passenger service on the Victorian Railways in Australia, running from Melbourne to the Victorian border, and later through to Sydney.-Route:...
for the New South Wales Government Railways
New South Wales Government Railways
The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...
(NSWGR). 3801 is the only steam locomotive to visit every mainland state and territory in Australia. During its preservation career, it was operated by the non-profit organisation 3801 Limited
3801 Limited
3801 Limited is a not for profit company limited by guarantee. It was incorporated on 5 June 1985; A.C.N. 002 951 671. The registered office of the company is at Australian Technology Park.- Establishment :...
until the company's 20 year lease on the locomotive expired on 26 November 2006. The locomotive then returned to the custody of the NSW Rail Transport Museum where it performed for the public on rail tours during 2007. It is currently undergoing an overhaul at Chullora Workshops.
Construction
Built in 1943 by Clyde EngineeringClyde Engineering
Clyde Engineering was the name of part of the business now known as Downer EDI Rail. Clyde Engineering were involved in the construction of railway locomotives and rolling stock, as well as larger scale engineering projects on behalf of the governments of Australia...
, 3801 was the first of 30 38 class
New South Wales Government Railways 38 class
The C38 class was a class of steam locomotive built and operated by the New South Wales Government Railways in Australia. Built from 1943, the 30 locomotives in the class were designed to haul express trains and replace the C36 class on these premium workings...
locomotives built to haul express trains and replace the 36 class on these premium workings. 3801 - 3805 were built in Sydney by Clyde Engineering to a streamlined
Streamliner
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fully faired recumbent bicycles...
design, whilst the other 25 locos in the class were built by the NSWGR and were unstreamlined. Of the other 38 class locomotives, only the unstreamlined 3830 is still operational.
The 38 class were first conceived in 1938. They suffered many delays during construction - mostly due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. 3801 was the first engine completed late 1942 and entered service in January 1943 to little fanfare. It became known at the time as the "Grey Nurse" due to its drab, all grey colour scheme - a wartime economy.
In service
When joined by 3802 in April, these engines were allotted to working the Melbourne and Melbourne Limited expresses between Sydney and GoulburnGoulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people...
. In early 1947 3801 was given a heavy overhaul and was painted in its standard colour scheme of green with yellow lining. A Waratah
Waratah
Waratah is a genus of five species of large shrubs or small trees in the Proteaceae, native to the southeastern parts of Australia...
emblem was added to the top of the nose cone in later years. In 1955 3801 was overhauled again, being painted black with red lining as a cost-cutting measure. It was around this time that diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s started appearing on the rails of NSW. These would take the "glamour workings" away from the 38 class, who would be confined to all-stations passenger and even goods trains. In December 1956 3801 was the first in its class to reach 1000000 miles (1,609,340 km) of service. In 1960, the 38 class were transferred from Eveleigh
Eveleigh, New South Wales
Eveleigh is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Eveleigh is located about 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney.- History :...
to Broadmeadow
Broadmeadow, New South Wales
Broadmeadow is the geographic centre of Newcastle city. Its main commercial hub is located at the “Nineways”.-Origins:Broadmeadow was originally part of the Newcastle Pasturage Reserve of 648 hectares...
sheds to reflect their decreased importance and in 1962, 3801 was slated for withdrawal. A "final run" was organised in September 1962, however 3801 continued working into December.
In early 1963 3801 was given a major overhaul, returned to green paint and to service. 3801 was often used on special services operated by railway heritage organisations, the most famous being a non-stop run from Sydney to Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
on 28 June 1964. Just failing to break the two hour barrier, this remains the fastest journey from Sydney to Newcastle by rail (2 hours 1 minute 51 seconds). On the return journey 3801 again fell just short of the two hour mark. In October 1965 the locomotive was found to have serious boiler
Boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
problems, so was withdrawn and placed in the care of the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum
New South Wales Rail Transport Museum
The New South Wales Rail Transport Museum located in Thirlmere, New South Wales south-west of Sydney, is a museum dedicated to displaying former locomotives, carriages and goods wagons from the New South Wales Government Railways as well as private operations in NSW. The collection features steam,...
. The museum contributed $18,000 to return 3801 to service and the boiler from 3819 was fitted. In October 1966 3801 returned to service, however the following year boiler problems re-emerged and the loco was withdrawn. Another boiler exam gave the loco a reprieve and allowed it to return to service. During this time it operated a train celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Newcastle Flyer on 31 May 1969, as well as the Western Endeavour special across the continent to Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
between 22 August and 12 September 1970. From the end of April 1974 all steam trains were barred from NSW rails, however during June and July of that year 3801 was allowed back to be used as the star of the award-winning film A Steam Train Passes
A Steam Train Passes
A Steam Train Passes is an award winning Australian 1974 short film set in the 1940s, featuring the construction and operation of locomotive 3801.- Plot :...
.
After this 3801 was deeded to the Rail Transport Museum and was called upon to help transport exhibits when the museum was forced to move to from Enfield
Enfield, New South Wales
Enfield is a suburb, in the Inner-West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Enfield is located 13 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Burwood Council.-History:...
to Thirlmere
Thirlmere, New South Wales
Thirlmere is a small semi-rural town in the Macarthur Region of New South Wales, Australia, in Wollondilly Shire. Popularly known for its railway origins, the town is located 89 km south west of Sydney , one third of the distance from Sydney to Canberra...
. 3801 hauled "dead" (not in steam) engines 5711 & 1905, three carriages and a brake van. The engine was then used on tours until December 1976, when boiler problems forced it to become a static exhibit.
Restoration
David Hill (businessman)
David Hill is a British-born Australian businessman who has held a number of high profile senior positions with public authorities in Australia. He is also a writer....
Chief Executive of the NSW State Rail Authority (now RailCorp
Rail Corporation New South Wales
Rail Corporation New South Wales is a statutory authority of the New South Wales government. RailCorp owns, operates and maintains the Sydney suburban and interurban rail network which is marketed under the CityRail brand; in addition to operating rural passenger services under the CountryLink...
) enquired about the suitability of restoring 3801. Hill had the 1988 Bicentenary
Australian Bicentenary
The bicentenary of Australia was celebrated in 1970 on the 200th anniversary of Captain James Cook landing and claiming the land, and again in 1988 to celebrate 200 years of permanent European settlement.-1970:...
of British settlement in Australia in mind, and saw a restored 3801 as a representative of Australia's railways. The boiler was the major item needing repair and an investigation needed to be carried out to ascertain if restoration was viable. A visit was made to the South Maitland Railways
South Maitland Railway, New South Wales
The South Maitland Railway was once an extensive network of privately owned colliery and passenger railway lines which served the South Maitland coalfields in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and were the second last system in Australia to use steam haulage, having used steam...
(who at the time still used steam engines) to learn about modern boiler techniques. It was discovered that many advances had been made and it was possible to return boilers to service which previously would have been scrapped. The next step was to examine the boilers of the other preserved 38 class members - 3820 and 3830 (though 3813 had survived, it was completely stripped and in two different locations) - and compare them with 3801's boiler. It was decided to use the boiler already in 3801, however the inner firebox had suffered thermal fractures and would need extensive repairs. Restoration was deemed possible and a fund-raising appeal began.
With some finance raised, 3801 was taken to Newcastle for restoration by the Hunter Valley Training Company - an apprenticeship scheme later involved in the restoration of 3830. This was due to the railway's workshops being stretched by regular work.
The firebox was to be completely replaced, however the dies and jigs used to press the boiler metal had been scrapped, so the old firebox was used as a template. The new firebox had a different shape and this reduced the boiler pressure to 215 psi. It was decided to weld the new firebox and some conservative engineers were sceptical as to whether this would work. Repairs and reconditioning of many other components were also carried out. The tender
Tender locomotive
A tender or coal-car is a special rail vehicle hauled by a steam locomotive containing the locomotive's fuel and water. Steam locomotives consume large quantities of water compared to the quantity of fuel, so tenders are necessary to keep the locomotive running over long distances. A locomotive...
tank was so rusted, it needed to be replaced. The new tank was welded rather than riveted and this resulted in a sleek, plain tender. On 8 November 1986 a fire was lit for the first time. By 10 November, 3801 was running around nearby sidings. More short trials followed and on 15 November, 3801 was handed over and hauled a train to Maitland. More trial runs followed and on 19 November 1986, 3801 headed from Newcastle to a grand ball on the concourse of Sydney's Central Station
Central railway station, Sydney
Central Railway Station, the largest railway station in Australia, is at the southern end of the Sydney CBD. It services almost all the lines on the CityRail network, and is the major terminus for interurban and interstate rail services...
.
Preservation
LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman
The LNER Class A3 Pacific locomotive No. 4472 Flying Scotsman was built in 1923 for the London and North Eastern Railway at Doncaster Works to a design of H.N. Gresley...
- the most famous locomotive in the world. 3801 was restored for Australia's Bicentenary so it was the natural choice to lead the Bicentennial Train. This train visited every mainland capital accessible by rail (Sydney, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
) during 1988. During 1988-89 LNER 4472 Flying Scotsman visited Australia and 3801 joined it on many trips including a number of doubleheader
Doubleheader
Doubleheader may refer to:*Doubleheader - Two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day.*Doubleheader - An all-inclusive sports broadcast of two games back-to-back....
s.
On 6 May 1990, 3801 was involved in the Cowan rail disaster. 3801 was struggling to climb the Cowan bank
Cowan Bank
-Overview:The Cowan Bank is a 8.6 km double-track section of standard gauge railway line between Cowan railway station 48.8 km north of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and Hawkesbury River railway station 57.4 km north of Sydney...
(on the Sydney side of the Hawkesbury River
Hawkesbury River
The Hawkesbury River, also known as Deerubbun, is one of the major rivers of the coastal region of New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its tributaries virtually encircle the metropolitan region of Sydney.-Geography:-Course:...
) when returning from the Morpeth Jazz Festival when a CityRail
CityRail
CityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
Interurban passenger service crashed into the back of 3801's train. Six people lost their lives, including driver of the intercity electric Gordon Hill, and a passenger in the V Set's cab. 3801 applied sand to the track to assist grip and an investigation into the crash suggested this may have caused the signals to malfunction. The signals changed from red to green several times. After the signals were green for a few moments, the interurban driver then entered the tunnel behind 3801 where the accident occurred. The handbrake in one of the carriages may also have been applied.
In 1992 3801 visited the "red centre" - Alice Springs
Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Alice Springs is the second largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Popularly known as "the Alice" or simply "Alice", Alice Springs is situated in the geographic centre of Australia near the southern border of the Northern Territory...
- for the first time, using the standard gauge track laid in 1980.
3801 is also a regular at the Hunter Valley Steamfest
Hunter Valley Steamfest
The Hunter Valley Steamfest is one of the major events in the New South Wales steam locomotive season and also one of the major events held in Maitland, in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia...
where the loco travels to Newcastle, Paterson, Singleton, Branxton or Dungog.
Despite a campaign by 3801 Limited to retain custodianship of the locomotive, on 26 November 2006 the custodianship passed back to the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum (who 3801 Ltd had leased it from for 20 years). The locomotive hauled day trips and longer excursions with the NSWRTM throughout 2007. It was withdrawn from service for a major overhaul at the end of that year.
The 2008-2012 Overhaul
The overhaul comprises a new all-welded boiler & firebox and various mechanical repairs. This has been timetabled to be complete by the end of 2010. A new boiler and firebox has been ordered from Germany. The tender tank has been removed from its bogies and has been transferred to the Hunter Valley Training Company at Maitland for repair. On 19 August 2009, the old riveted boiler of 3801 was removed from the frame of the loco by a 30-tonne overhead travelling crane at Chullora Workshops. 28 of September 2009, the frame of 3801 was lifted off the wheels by two mobile cranes to completely rebuild the 3801. On the 20 of April, the new all-welded boiler & firebox of 3801 is now taking shape on the floor of Dampflokwerk Meiningen, Germany. On the 5th of September, 3801s new boiler was completed and was put on display during The 16th Meiningen Steam Loco Open Day. The boiler has passed its hydrostatic test and has been certified by TÜV Thüringen for a working pressure of 16.89 bar (245 lbs/in²). The Boiler left the workshops on the 8th of September, being transported to Bremerhaven to be loaded onboard a ship. The overhaul of 3801's tender was complete on the 20th of October and left Hunter Valley Training Company at Maitland. It has been refitted to the framework of the tender. On the 27 of October 2010, a mile stone was reached with the arrival of 3801's new new all-welded boiler & firebox arriving on Australian shores at Port Kembla at 2pm. The boiler was moved to Chullora Workshops where it was test fitted with the rest of 3801. In May 2011 a statement updating on the locomotives progress was issued by the NSW Office of Rail Heritage:"Following delivery of the new boiler for Locomotive 3801 in late October 2010, the NSW Rail Transport Museum, as the operator, began a detailed assessment in preparation for its installation on the overhauled engine frame. During the inspection process and test fitting of the boiler into the locomotive frame a number of issues were identified.
Further mechanical assessment and communication with the manufacturer, Dampflokwerk Meiningen (DB) followed. DB agreed to send representatives to hold discussions in Sydney in late April; this visit included an on-site inspection of the boiler and the locomotive at RailCorp's Chullora workshop. The outstanding technical issues were fully considered and options for rectifying them identified. A 'Heads of Agreement' was signed which commits the parties to a process to bring the matter to an expeditious resolution. The first steps in that process are underway." Work is due to be complete in Late-2011 to early 2012.
3801 Limited
It was decided during restoration that a separate organisation needed to be formed to manage 3801 when it returned to service. In 1984 3801 Limited was established to oversee the operation of the locomotive. The State Rail Authority, the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum and the Australian Railway Historical SocietyAustralian Railway Historical Society
The Australian Railway Historical Society was founded in Sydney in 1933 as The Australasian Railway and Locomotive Historical Society. It aims to foster an interest in the railways, and record and preserve many facets of railway operations. Membership now exceeds 2,500, with Divisions in every...
(NSW) were former stakeholders. In 2005 RailCorp indicated that 3801 Limited's fixed term 20 year lease of locomotive 3801 would not be renewed.
NSW Rail Transport Museum
The locomotives original and now current custodian, the NSW Rail Transport Museum, is an independent, not for profit company, established in 1962. The museum is located in ThirlmereThirlmere, New South Wales
Thirlmere is a small semi-rural town in the Macarthur Region of New South Wales, Australia, in Wollondilly Shire. Popularly known for its railway origins, the town is located 89 km south west of Sydney , one third of the distance from Sydney to Canberra...
, south-west of Sydney. The Museum was a foundation, management member of 3801 Limited and have indicated the locomotive will continue to provide mainline tours but at a reduced frequency.
Major accomplishments and events
- First streamlined locomotive in NSW
- First 4-6-2 locomotive in NSW
- Fastest journey by rail from Sydney to Newcastle (2:01:51) (28 June 1964)
- Operated train celebrating 25th anniversary of Newcastle Flyer (31 May 1969)
- First steam locomotive to cross the Australian continent - "Western Endeavour" (22 August 1970 - 12 September 1970)
- Starred in film A Steam Train PassesA Steam Train PassesA Steam Train Passes is an award winning Australian 1974 short film set in the 1940s, featuring the construction and operation of locomotive 3801.- Plot :...
(1974) - A three year restoration at the Hunter ValleyHunter ValleyThe Hunter Region, more commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney with an approximate population of 645,395 people. Most of the population of the Hunter Region lives within of the coast, with 55% of the entire...
training company announced in (1983), back in steam in (1986) - Two songs were written about 3801, Jolly Green Giant by Johnny Ashcroft (1976) and 3801 by Ray King and Ron Russell (1987).
- Main locomotive of the "Bicentennial Train" (1988)
- Visited Perth, Western Australia again (April / May)
- First standard gauge steam train to visit Adelaide, South Australia (20 May 1988)
- First standard gauge steam train to use Roma St stationRoma Street railway station, BrisbaneRoma Street railway station is a major railway station in the Brisbane central business district, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. It was Brisbane's first railway station, opening in 1876...
, Brisbane - Paralleled by 2 Victorian steam trains towards AlburyAlbury, New South WalesAlbury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
at Aus Steam '88Aus Steam '88Aus Steam '88 was an Australian Bicentenary activity in Melbourne, Victoria featuring many steam locomotives from NSW, Victoria and also the United Kingdom. The event took place at Spencer Street railway station, Melbourne from 15 October - 29 October...
(22 October 1988)
- Involved in many trips with LNER 4472 Flying Scotsman - the world's best known steam locomotive (1988–1989)
- Involved in Cowan rail crash claiming 6 lives (6 May 1990)
- Visited Alice Springs, Northern Territory (1992)
- Annual race against a Tiger MothDe Havilland Tiger MothThe de Havilland DH 82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and was operated by the Royal Air Force and others as a primary trainer. The Tiger Moth remained in service with the RAF until replaced by the de Havilland Chipmunk in 1952, when many of the surplus aircraft...
aircraft at Maitland Steamfest - 3801 is recognised by the Heritage Council and Institution of Engineering as a heritage icon
- 3801 has carried over 500,000 passengers since restoration
- 3801 is now getting its long awaited major overhaul including a new all-welded Boiler and firebox