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 For you gunzels out there....
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 Return to top of page · Post #: 1 · Written at 9:09:11 PM on 23 August 2020.
Ian Robertson's Gravatar
 Location: Belrose, NSW
 Member since 31 December 2015
 Member #: 1844
 Postcount: 2363

This, and the videos that follow it, I'm sure you will enjoy.

Especially the trip through the Sydney underground in a vintage electric train, with the Covid19 lockdown in evidence...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzvdzqGotXs&feature=youtu.be


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 2 · Written at 1:59:44 PM on 25 August 2020.
Simplex's Gravatar
 Location: Bathurst, NSW
 Member since 7 August 2008
 Member #: 336
 Postcount: 391

Remember well the 38's going over to Perth which is an event never to be repeated I would say. Nowadays the pool of experienced steam engine men has dried up and the other logistics would be impossible.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 3 · Written at 2:23:31 PM on 25 August 2020.
BurntOutElectronics's Gravatar
 Location: Melbourne, VIC
 Member since 2 October 2019
 Member #: 2392
 Postcount: 268

Bit of a shame really! it would be a marvel to see a steam engine cross Australia again.
Ive always loved steam engines because after all I live next to a locomotive engine museum so I hear them go past every second weekend from my bedroom. awesome sounds.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 4 · Written at 3:20:10 PM on 25 August 2020.
STC830's Gravatar
 Location: NSW
 Member since 10 June 2010
 Member #: 681
 Postcount: 1253

"the pool of experienced steam engine men has dried up"

A couple of years ago the newly restored Beyer-Garratt 6029 City of Canberra did a few runs up and down the Illawarra line.
I saw one of these at Thirlmere museum many years ago and thought at the time would never see one of them steam, being such a complex machine. But it did happen so there must be a few steam men around still.

Unfortunately the Canberra museum went bust I think.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 5 · Written at 3:43:51 PM on 25 August 2020.
Robbbert's avatar
 Location: Hill Top, NSW
 Member since 18 September 2015
 Member #: 1801
 Postcount: 2011

I saw 6029 at Thirlmere when I drove by a couple of weeks ago.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 6 · Written at 4:04:19 PM on 25 August 2020.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

3801 is undergoing steam tests after finally having its boiler rebuilt -- a drawn out process that's taken something like 10 years.

Back in the 80's went on 3801 for a few picnic trips to Thirlmere and back.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 7 · Written at 7:31:03 PM on 25 August 2020.
Brad's avatar
 Administrator
 Location: Naremburn, NSW
 Member since 15 November 2005
 Member #: 1
 Postcount: 7290

There's a few of the 38XX engines left, some with the same nose as the 3801 and others with the more traditional-looking exposed boiler. A common complaint on the main north line is that the 3801's speed record between Central and Newcastle can't be broken by modern electric trains. The chances are, it could, however it would be fraught with danger given that a double-deck V-Set is more top-heavy than single deck dummy coaches towed by steam locomotives and they were also lighter overall. We've seen, with the Waterfall rail disaster, what can happen when a speeding train takes a tight corner so I doubt whether the railways will ever attempt to break the record.

The last steam train I was on was the narrow-gauge Zig-Zag Railway near Lithgow, a long time ago now. They re-tracked this line in 3'6'' gauge because the locomotives and cars from QLD were more readily available.


‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

 
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