By this time next year, maybe repair work on this famous locomotive will be nearly finished?

Recent news updates are available on the Project 3801 Homepage:
http://www.transportheritagensw.com.au/3801-project

The "About Project 3801" page also gives a brief summary of happenings since the locomotive was taken out of service in 2007 for boiler work. It is an interesting read.
http://www.transportheritagensw.com.au/3801-project-background

Public domain image courtesy Wikipedia.


3801 bi centennial [Public domain], by Commissioner Geoff (Own work), from Wikimedia Commons

Thanks for sharing. For those who don't know Engine No. 3801 is pretty famous Down Under and has her own song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNx8GQ9yDxA

Every engine needs a catchy song. Do you agree?

Wait, so the "new" boiler built in Germany is sidelined and they decided to overhaul the original boiler?

Brian

I had the very good fortune to ride in cab going in to Sydney Central in 3801 at night with the dwarf signals twinkling too many years ago. It was magical, like a time machine. I'm very happy to know she's going to be back in service soon.

Reminds me of the New Haven's sole group of Hudsons (class I-5).

I was curious too so I dug around and found this explanation of why the German boiler was unacceptable:

https://web.archive.org/web/20140302145 ... mr3801.pdf

“Among the problems we discovered with the boiler was the position of the
front tubeplate, localised out-of-roundness and peaking of some of the welded
seams in the boiler barrel, as well as issues with the welding and stays in the
firebox,” Ms Hammerton said.
“The scope of work to be carried out has been the subject of intensive but co-
operative negotiations between RailCorp and DB.
“After a visit by DB representatives, contractual negotiations and a formal
letter of non-compliance by RailCorp, DB agreed to undertake the necessary
work at no cost to RailCorp.
“This will include complete replacement of the defective boiler barrel, shipping
costs and visits by RailCorp’s technical representative at critical stages of the
work,” she said.

It's hard to fathom how this boiler replacement project went that far off the rails (ha!) but I imagine having your boiler built half way around the world has something to do with it. In hindsight, I'm sure the group would have been far ahead to have paid for a knowledgeable independent inspector to make regular visits to Meiningen's shop during the work.

Meiningen seems to be cable of building decent boilers, but the issues with 3801's boiler seem more on the order of something you'd expect from a bad carpenter, not someone building welded pressure vessels!

Was wondering with her being a mix of USA styling and British Rail Standards, how is the cab set up?

Like in the USA with a Throttle lever, Johnson bar controlling the cut-off, and the engineer on the right side...
or
Like the UK, (sorry don't know the nomenclature) screw controlled throttle and reverser, with the driver on the left side of the cab...

Being someone who grew up in Connecticut (just too late to see the New Haven Hudsons in real life), I can agree with the styling...

Thanks,
Rich C.

Left side drive, with a British style throttle you lift up rather than pull back. Screw reverser.

I am fascinated by the issue of unusable steam locomotive boilers being produced over the past few decades. I recall a few here in the US that are sitting unused, one as I recall (Nevada?) wouldn't fit in the locomotive's frame, another had boiler sheets of the wrong size (not a steam expert, someone else can correct me on the details). Is there a unifying problem? The Menningen boiler sounds like (surprisingly) shoddy workmanship as well as design problems for a boiler in railway use. Is there an issue with the organization building the new boiler not having enough knowledge of boiler making to offer adequate supervision (that may be why they went to a commercial boiler maker in the first place)? Is it difficult to find a consultant to do the supervision for the group because they are so few and may be a competitor to the commercial boiler maker? Are the plans even detailed enough that said consultant could look at them and say "that's not right" or would the problem only be detected after the boiler is finished? I am an outsider and so a bit naive about all this, but I'll bet some of you would know.

I quite like the "semi streamlined" version of the class - as shown by fellow preserved #3830.
The pair are seen at Maitland Steamfest in New South Wales back in April 2004.

Managed trips from Sydney to Maitland in 2003 (3801) and 2004 (3830) - both memorable trips, though I doubt whether I will make the journey to Australia to see either of them again.

Are there others from this class preserved besides 3801 and 3830, or are these the only two?


Les

Four appear to be preserved - 3801, 3813, 3820 & 3830, though one of them (3813) is described as a "kit of parts" (!)

3801 could easily be called Australia's "Flying Scotsman" and not because of performance comparisions.....

Dampflokwerk Meiningenhas built dozens of boilers, new main frames, total rebuilds, new locomotives - they are the go to works for the HSB and many other European heritage railroads since German reunification.

They also built the boiler for the British new build Tornado.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiningen ... tive_Works

I'd suggest we'll never know what really transpired especially after the boiler was returned to Germany for rework and then returned to Australia with no rework performed.

TH