3801, The Australian, 26 November 2006

26 NOVEMBER 2006

John Stapleton

NOSTALGIA, excitement, frustration and bitterness, they were all part of the mix as the historic 3801 steam train left Central Station yesterday.

It was the locomotive's last trip under its present ownership structure, with the NSW state government refusing all entreaties to leave the train with the team of volunteers who have been running it successfully for the past 20 years.

The 3801 is regarded as the best working example of a steam locomotive in Australia. An engineering triumph in its day, the 3801, built by Clyde Engineering in Western Sydney, came into operation in 1943. After ceasing operation in the 1960s it was left as a rusting heap at the NSW Rail Transport Museum at Thirlmere south of Sydney until the 1980s, when it was restored and then leased to volunteer heritage company 3801 Ltd. That lease expired yesterday and the train will now return to the Museum.

The more than 100 enthusiasts who formed 3801 wanted the past arrangements to continue. But the NSW government has been determined to resume control and to rehouse it. The historical Redfern rail sheds where it was housed have been earmarked for high rise development.

Recently retired chairman of 3801, former dean of Engineering at Sydney University John Glastonbury, said the 3801 was the ultimate steam passenger locomotive in Australia, of the same significance to Australians as the ``Flying Scotsman'' was to the English. He said there was great sadness at the train's last ride. ``It is plain crazy,'' he said. ``This operation has been eminently successful, and the government are about destroying it. They want to replace us with a committee. We had an iconic piece of heritage being successfully run by a volunteer community group, and now we have a bureaucracy. It is a travesty.''

Yesterday's train manager Allan Phillpot, 67, said hundreds upon hundreds of hours of volunteer work had gone into the 3801. ``We are very disappointed, the drivers, the guards, everyone who has been involved,'' he said.

Opposition Transport spokeswoman Gladys Berejiklian pledged to save the 3801 as a ``piece of living history'' if they won government and called for an extension of the train's lease at least until the March state elections. She said every effort should be made to ensure the train continued to operate and did not end up sitting idle in a museum.

``The volunteers and steam enthusisasts who make up 3801 Limited should be allowed to continue their good work.''

NSW Transport Minister John Watkins said the 3801 had a secure future under the new arrangements, although it may not be able to run as often. ``It belongs to the people of NSW,'' he said. ``The Iemma Government will do everything in its power to ensure the many men, women and children who so love the 3801 will see it out on our tracks for generations to come.''

Chief Executive of NSW RailCorp Vince Graham said the train would be driven to Maitland this week to be assessed by experts as part of their commitment to ensure the train continued to run.