THE NORTH TRAIN.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9596, 10 December 1896, Page 3

THE NORTH TRAIN.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRKSS. Sm,-The authorities have lately done so much to improve matters on this section of the line that to act the part of Oliver Twist and ask for more seems somewhat ungracious. Yet one cannot but think that, without" one penny of extra expense, the service could be still further improved and greater punctuality insured to the increased convenience of the travelling pnblic. To explain my meaning, the np mprning train from Waikari -was to-day'delayed for fifteen minutes lieyond its time at Waipara, what with shunting trucks, &c, and this time it was impossible to make np, for oar locomotives, though excellent for goods traffic, can with their-small driving wheel* do little fr>w*r'U picking up time. Again, the down train to Colverdeo, heavily loaded with

trucks, was twenty minutes late at Amberley, and losing time every mile. Thi3 train, I may add, has been late for the past three or four weeks. Now, sir, this train need never be one half-minute late if the Department would see their way to carry out what I now suggest, viz., that the morning goods train from Christchurch, instead of remaining at Jiangiora for an hour or more, and then proceeding only as far as Amberloy, should go straight on with as little delay as possible to Waipara, taking with it all goods for the North and marshalling them at Waipara for the 7.35 f coin Christchurch to take on, thus relieving the latter train from taking any trucks for the first forty miles of ite journey, ensuring its punctuality and probably allowing it to leave the city a little later than it does at present. As things are the goods train remains at Amberley from 11 to 3 p.m. Were my suggestion adopted it would remain at the Waipara, leaving there at 5, or preferably (for the sake of stock) at 5.30, thus relieviug the afternoon traiu from Culverden of all shunting after leaving Waikari, and saving it the ten minutes or more delay at Waipara. Waipara is but six miles from Amberley, and the expense of running the goods train the extra distance would be more than counterbalanced by the saving in coal, &c, to the other trains,-for nothing is more expensive than forcing heavy trains to make np time. Why the "goods" has hitherto remained at Amberley has been a puzzle to many, for including stock there is at least three times the goods traffic at Waipara to what there is at the former station, it being no uncommon thing for ten, fifteen, or even eighteen trucks of sheep to leave Waipara, whilst the Amberley fat sheep chiefly travel by road. To find fault is easy, but that is not my object, it is with the hope that the DepaVtment will look into this matter and pardon any seeming captiousness from one who in railway matters is not a mere tyro, that I have written thus at length.— Yours, &c, " Foot Plate."