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G'day Syd,
The train load was 240 tonne including the SWT (water gin converted from petrol tanker).
I was toying with the notion of telling everyone that 3801 had been converted to oil burning.
As a jest, but decided to not bother.
Tumulla bank is four miles of 1 in 40, the ruling grade on the Main West beyond Lithgow.
The soot belching era max pas load for a 38er climbing Tumulla was 310 tons.
That equated to a 7 car air con HUB set which was the normal consist on W31.
The weasel was required to drag the shuttles back to Bathurst.
Plus also assist up the hill to maintain the tabled sectional running time allocated.
AND, to clear the section should the soot belcher fail.
Soot belchers are rarely permitted to strut around by themselves now days on the main line.
Can't have the main line blocked delaying freighters.
There being NO easy rescue potential these days since privatization and demise of regional loco depots.
The 38 class have a 47 square foot grate area.
Management considered a mechanical stoker, but decided to rely on hand shovelling.
But, it was feared the a sole fireman would not be able to maintain the 245 psi boiler pressure.
So, two firemen were initially rostered.
But, after crews became proficient with the 38 class, a single fireman sufficed.
She is a magnificent beastie and much more spacious in the cab than you Pommy Flying Scotsman.
But, regardless, it woulda been hard yakka swinging the banjo on her and sisters during the glory days.
Steve.
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