Australian museum group Transportation Heritage NSW has issued an update on progress toward restoring to service 4-6-0 36 Class steam locomotive No. 364.

The work is being carried out at the group’s fleet maintenance workshop at Thirlmere, 40 miles southwest of Sydney. Built 100-years ago in 1926 for the New South Wales Government Railways, No. 3642 is one of three 36 class locomotives to be preserved.

Work so far has included removing the locomotive’s boiler ready for a replacement to be installed, repairing cracks in the locomotive’s chimney, and overhauling the superheater header. Firebox stays in the replacement boiler have also been knocked down, and the tender tank has been removed from the tender frame.

The next stage is to remove the wheelsets, so they can be overhauled, and carry out further repairs to the tender’s drag box.

For many years, 3642 was a static exhibit at Thirlmere, but work to restore it started in 2006 and it returned to service in 20008. Until 2018, 3642 operated shuttle trips from the Thirlmere railway museum, on mainline trips around New South Wales, and at day-out-with-Thomas events, where it took the part of Henry.

In February, Transport Heritage NSW, ran a special train with a vintage electric multiple unit to Thirlmere Museum. Network Rail also has involvement with New South Wales, after it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Transport for NSW in February 2025 to develop rail technology to improve reliability and drive sustainability.