3801 Overhaul

Brilliant. Fingers crossed for a few weeks of cool wet weather down there...

 

Brilliant views.
After so much heartache, restoration skills and general effort [plus no little expense!] it's great to see 3801's first movements under it's own steam

 

Well she's made it out the box: https://flic.kr/p/2ihxYoz

 

Fantastic! Thanks for photo and remind us about this happening

Knut

 

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?st...2606&id=126857120851391&fs=0&focus_composer=0

A video to go with Owen's post above. Sounds pretty good.

 

Thanks for the video! Great whistle very similar to the S160s.

 

Looked good. Sounded great. Congratulations to all involved.
Pat

 

Ditto.
Sounds from 3801 remind me of my short time with 4472 Down Under in 1989 and the many double-headed runs.
It's a beast.
Well done to all concerned.

 

It's moved today (24th) to NSW Museum Rail Thirlmere for final 'snagging', main line testing base and full repainting (intrigued by black gloss tender!).
Videos copyright of relevant photographers of course:
(another brilliant Bevan Wall production IMHO)

 

The nose cone and cab give a better hint as to final colour...

 

Yesterday (Wed 05/02) 3801 undertook some load trials between Picton and Thirlmere. Bevan Wall was on hand to get the coverage.

The train of four carriages + POTS weighs in at roughly 280 tonnes. Near enough to 280 Imperial Tons. 3801 did six runs on this section of line. Each run involved a standing start on a 1 in 40 grade, with unsympathetic curvature, accelerating to 60 km/h and maintaining speed for roughly 3 miles. I'll let you be the judge of how it went.

 

On Thursday 06/02/2020, 3801 did a trial run on the mainline, from Picton to Moss Vale and return. This is a fairly gentle mainline, featuring 25 miles of almost continuous 1 in 75 grades.

The load was the same four carriages, but with Clyde - GM unit 4201 in place of Goninan - ALCO unit 4490. 4201 is 20 tonnes heavier than 4490, so the load was closer to the 300 tonne mark. The purpose of the trial was to ensure that 3801 could manage a load at sustained high speed against an adverse grade. The trial included many kilometres (miles) of runing at track speed - 115 km/h (72 mph) in both directions.

Picton - Moss Vale Trial on Thursday - by Declan Goodsell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as5jGL2DVHY&t=6s


Picton - Moss Vale Trial on Thursday - by Craig Daly

 

Another video [not my copyright] of same test run I believe:

 

The Coronavirus is affecting the painting and commissioning of the loco. The lunch has been postponed and the loco is in the paint shop in undercoat.

 

Official announcement from Transport Heritage NSW about the postponement: https://www.thnsw.com.au/3801

 

See that 3801 has been unveiled at Thirlmere today in her new paint -- see the Transport Heritage NSW Facebook page....image added to 116

 

3801 at Thirlmere NSW......hope it has a chance to run later in the year ......

 

Also of note is the Maitland Steamfest for the year is cancelled ....

 

Bevan Wall once again catches 3801 in action:
This time on adhesion tests up the average 1 in 40 of Cowan Bank [Hawkesbury River Station for around 5 miles up to Cowan Station] in NSW.

 

Like buzby2 wrote, last night, 3801 undertook adhesion testing on Cowan Bank. This is part of its full reommissioning testing. The load was NTAF (water tanker), VHO (crew van/mobile workshop), MCA (72'6" passenger carriage and 4201 (Clyde/GM DE unit) and weighed 316 tonnes.

In steam days, a 38 Class locomotive was allowed a maximum of 310 tons (Imperial) on Cowan Bank. This was over the load usually allowed for a 1 in 40 grade, to do this the trains had to have a clear run from north of Hawkesbury River bridge so that they could get a run on the bank.

Three test runs up the hill were scheduled, only two were needed, departing Hawkesbury River Station at 19:59 and 22:58.

To go with the video posted above, here is the curve and gradient diagramme for Cowan Bank.