3801 - The Western Endeavour - now in High Definition and Widescreen

Something a bit different this time.
In 1988 ABC released 3801 A Legend in Steam on VHS, one of the first rail videos released and marketed to a general audience and sold through major retailers. It's a great video and contains a lot of now historic shots and information about 3801.
One of its sequences was a fine film shot of the 3801 running the Western Endeavour in 1970, the first time that a steam locomotive crossed the Australian Continent.
It is a unique record of a memorable event in Australian railway history.
The film was originally shot in 4 x 3 format and standard definition but has been upscaled to high definition and reformatted to widescreen for this video.
3801 A Legend in Steam was later released on DVD many years ago and some retailers may still have copies of it. If you don't have a copy it's a very worthwhile addition to your rail video library.

[@nswrailvideos7113]

Thank you for sharing. Brilliant quality. Great rail history right there.

[@nathanchapple6202]

My Pop (former fireman at Pelaw Main and Broadmeadow) had this video when it was first released, and if I didn’t watch it a hundred times at their house with him it was a thousand for sure. Today would have been his birthday and I’m the ten years he’s been gone it’s been a bit of a tradition to watch it today - I can’t thank you enough for not only going to the effort to revive a classic but for absolutely making my day. Merry Christmas 🎄

[@pndvd]

I’m touched. I think the trip is a special piece of Australian railway history, but as you’ve highlighted, sometimes it’s also a special piece of one’s personal history.

[@brendanwilliams7291]

I read somewhere about locomotive number 3803 is stored in a private collection, boy I wish someone could acquire it and get a group together to try to restore the locomotive to static or working condition.

[@jimmynswgr]

Thanks for putting it up. Great picture quality. An engine that has brought so much joy to so many people.

[@DEVILTAZ35]

I have been inside the cabin of the 3801 and talked with the driver down in Thirlmere after it was restored recently. Sadly it is back off the rails again awaiting parts. I never thought I would ever see this video looking this incredible on an OLED TV. Thank you so much. I was born just 3 months after this trip started. I think what also made these documentaries so special was the exemplary work done by the narrators back then and even earlier ones from the 50’s and 60’s. Like our National News from the 70’s and 80’s their voices just resonated so much more than what we see and hear today.

[@HighlandRob]

Wonderful, thanks. I was a passenger on the Western Endeavour. It still rates as the best holiday and journey of my life, ever!

[@pndvd]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jamescrawford9883]

Wow, my goodness, it looks great in widescreen! I cant notice any sign of cropping or anything different from the original 4.3. Which I have on a dvd. Must watch again. Well done!

[@AustNRail]

54 years ago and the face of Australia was totally different.

[@aaronfitzgerald9109]

Better back then

[@DEVILTAZ35]

I have a childhood Lima model of a similar Diesel as on this video No. GM 32 Australian National Railways. Recently I discovered there is an error on the locomotive model as it has the horn placement as on top of the cab like the US design where as the Aussie ones were on the bonnet in front of the windscreen. Just never knew all this time it was incorrectly placed.

[@dannyhowell2027]

Wish they would restore more locomotives

[@ThompsonSteamtrain]

It doesn’t look that bad. It looks like a feature length film because it’s in widescreen. 🎞️

[@TANGARASandOSCARS]

Back then we had less people getting struck by trains & a lot less fences. Why? Common sense.