Quite so, Rapaire. And this train and others like it, don't just go for little runs around the paddock - they go on trips all over NSW, and even across Australia. Until the end of last year, 3801 was managed by 3801 Limited, an organisation specially set up to maintain the engine and organise tours. I've been on it a number of times - one time I especially remember was in September 1997. I had gone to the Newcastle Jazz Festival on it, and was on my way back to the train late in the afternoon and noticed a flag at half mast - it was the day Princess Diana was killed!

3801 has now been sent back to The NSW Rail Transport Museum which also has a program of tours. 3801 Limited is still going, and still runs tours with other steam trains.

3801 was the first steam train to cross the continent from Sydney to Perth - in 1970. My uncle and aunt were on that trip. I have a video (now available in DVD) called 3801- A Legend in Steam which has my Uncle Harold being interviewed - the only footage of him that I know of. He was originally a Scot, with a lovely Scottish lilt in his voice. He liked reciting Robbie Burns poetry. He met my aunt because he was a business associate of my grandfather, who used to buy and sell heavy machinery, including locomotives. He was a lot older than my aunt, but they still had a long and happy marriage because he lived to 94!

The train is older than me!!! It has been in service since 1943, and only stopped being used regularly when steam trains were taken off the NSW railways in 1974. It came back almost straight away though as the star of a short film A Steam Train Passes. There was period of time between 1976 and 1986 when it was out of service and being restored, but since then, it has led - and still leads - a pretty exciting life.

My suburb is a few kms away from any train lines, but late at night when there is scarcely a car on our road and all is silent, I can hear the sound of distant trains, and sometimes I can hear the whistle of 3801 early in the morning. I know its whistle. In fact, on the day that 3801 Limited very reluctantly handed it back to the Rail Transport Museum - which meant it would be housed at Thirlmere instead of in Sydney, I was woken up by its whistle, and it almost seemed like it was calling me.

Yes, I'm afraid I am a sucker for the old steam trains.