LONG DELAY TO EXPRESSES

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27670, 28 May 1955, Page 2

LONG DELAY TO EXPRESSES

WAGGONS DERAILED ON. MAIN TRUNK

PASSENGERS CRITICISE FOOD SUPPLIES (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. May 27. Five derailed goods waggons, which extensively damaged seven chains of line between Utiku and Taihape on Thursday night, delayed the arrival of the afternoon express at Auckland today by three hours and a half and tne limited express by seven hours. Passengers on the Limited express arrived tired and hungry, and some complained that the Railways Department had made inadequate Provision for the emergency. They said they had the utmost difficulty m getting refreshments. which were not sufficient for the 21 hours which they psent on the train. , During that time, they had only three opportunities for refreshments, pnd then they were only light snacks. Some passengers missed even these. The express which left Wellington at 3.30 p.m. was diverted through New Plymouth. Passengers who boarded the Limited express at Palmerston North were told that their train was also being diverted, but the plans were apparently changed. . A Railways Department official said today that the Limited express was held at Marton in the hope that the line would be cleared. The delay was longer than expected. The departure of the Monowai for Sydney was delayed to allow train passengers to connect with the ship. After waiting five hours south of Taihape for the line to be cleared, passengers found on arrival at Taihape at breakfast-time that the refreshment rooms sold only sandwiches. The same fare was served to them at Ohakune. Sandwiches Again Tliey expected something better at Taumarunui, which they reached at 11.30 a.m. Here the refreshment rooms sold pies, buns, and sandwiches. However, there were enough pies and buns for only half the train. The rest of the passengers had sandwiches—if they could get them. When the departure bell rang after the usual stopping time, one-third of the passengers were still waiting to be served. Only three girls were serving at the counter. There was general dissatisfaction about this, passenger* said, because they knew they would not get anything more to eat until they reached Frankton Junction. / z ' One man sgid the Minister of Social Welfare (Mrs G. H. Ross) had been standing behind him at the counter “She just managed to get a cup of coffee before the train left,” he said. One passenger recalled that the train’s departure from Palmerston North was delayed by an argument which occurred in a gambling school in one of the carriages. When a fight appeared likely to develop, the guard intervened, and finally the police were 1 called to restore order.