3801 & The NSWRTM: a Long History In the early 1960s, the then embryonic NSW Rail Transport Museum selected 3801 for preservation in the railway museum it was preparing to open. The locomotive had hauled its last regular train and had been set aside - 'condemned' - ready to be taken to the scrapper's yard. The NSWRTM didn't yet have a permanent museum facility but it had to act quickly, to save this famous locomotive for the benefit of the community. In 1966, eager to see 3801 operational once more, the NSWRTM persuaded the NSW Government Railways to overhaul the long-disused locomotive instead of one of the Railways' other locomotives. Supported by its enthusiastic and generous members, the RTM made a significant financial contribution by funding the shortfall required to cover the locomotive's heavy overhaul. At this time, the locomotive was still fully-owned by the Government Railways and some 12 years would pass before 3801 became gifted to the NSWRTM by way of deed.

1970 saw the first steam hauled train operate across Australia – the NSWRTM’s epic Western Endeavour Sydney – Perth journey, hauled by 3801. Until 1976, NSWRTM operated 3801 from both its original Enfield site and later from Thirlmere. In the 1980s, the NSWRTM was heavily involved in the NSW State Government-backed restoration of 3801 and has contributed engineering expertise and a large number of spare parts throughout the intervening years. For the past 20 years, 3801 has been leased to an operator of tourist steam trains - 3801 Limited. The NSWRTM is a Management Member of 3801 Limited and until recently provided representatives on the board of the Company. NSWRTM has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to 3801 over the life of the lease with numerous chartered 3801 operations in NSW and a pioneering journey on Victoria’s standard gauge lines in 2000. November 2006 will see the expiry of the lease to 3801 Limited and the return of the Nation's most famous steam locomotive to the custody of the NSWRTM, at its operating railway museum at Thirlmere in the NSW Southern Highlands.