| On 4th March 2010, the design for the new all welded boiler for steam locomotive 3801 was given its Certificate of Plant Design Registration by WorkCover NSW. This means the boiler design is registered as an acceptable design for use in NSW.
Due to the move away from riveted manufacturing techniques to welded boiler techniques, there are some minor differences although these will not be noticeable on the finished locomotive.
The boiler is, allowing for the differences between welding and riveted construction, such as a lack of lap joints, the same size as the original in all the critical areas and at all the interface points on the locomotive.
Most of the changes actually provide an improvement in construction that should go some way towards improving the traditional weak points of locomotive boiler design.
The use of welded manufacturing techniques is a step change for the heritage railway industry in NSW and provides some challenges for the maintenance crews, and changes to established practice.
The timely certification allows the project to continue to run to time, with completion and delivery of the boiler expected in the next few months.
All photographs © Achim Decker, Dampflokwerk Meiningen
updated 28 May 2010
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