A Steam Train Passes is an award winning Australian 1974 short film set in the 1940s, featuring the construction and operation of locomotive 3801.
On 6 May 1990, Professor Ward, together with his wife Patricia, 69, and his daughter Jennifer, 36, were on board the 3801 steam train on a Sunday excursion run between Sydney and the Hunter Region.
In November 1986 a team of apprentices from the Hunter Valley Training Company completed a three year overhaul of steam locomotive 3801 at the dockyard.
Between 1988 and 2007, 3112 saw most of its work with 3801 Limited, attending the annual Hunter Valley Steamfest at Maitland and Thirlmere’s Festival of Steam, as well as running enthusiast specials to Kiama, Gosford, Moss Vale and other locations in the Sydney Area, during which it was sometimes paired with C38 class locomotives 3801 and 3830.
On 6 May 1990 an interurban electric train ran into the rear of the heritage steam train 3801 which had stalled climbing the Cowan Bank.
Mr Hand also considered it likely that a passenger on 3801 had applied a handbrake on the third carriage, and that this, combined with the heavy load, the steep grade and the curvature of the line, had prevented the steam train from restarting.