route on the two new boxes may not be correct, but that doesn't explain the boxes concerned not being able to see the router direct.
One think you could try is to remove each of the two new machine's one at a time and see if the other one works correctly - if so you've at least narrowed things down a little.
Also, is there one network address for the subnet or more than that? If more, then check that the router has the second and subsequent addresses configured on that interface.
Of course another line of enquiry would be to get hold of the guy who went down there and establish exactly what he did to see if he may have accidentally misconfigured something.
Steve.