Oamaru Railway Dining Room To Close

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29994, 1 December 1962, Page 19

Oamaru Railway Dining Room To Close

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Nov. 29. The Railways Department will close the station diningroom at Oamaru from March 4 and extend its facilities for light refreshments. This will shorten the rail journey between Christchurch and Dunedin by about 15min. The General Manager of Railways (Mr A. T. Gandell) said today that the demand for a sit-down meal at Oamaru had fallen off in recent years.

Over 12 months, including the period of peak holiday traffic, toe average number of meals served was less than 50 a train—not nearly enough to warrant the heavy costs involved.

•The popular demand today is for light refreshments rather than three-course meals, and toe counter refreshment facilities at Oamaru will be extended.” The express would no longer stop at Oamaru for 23 minutes, although there

would still be plenty of time to buy refreshments. From March 4, the southbound Limited, leaving Christchurch at 8.40 a.m., would run 15 minutes earlier south of Oamaru, reaching Dunedin at 3.49 p.m., instead of 4.4 p.m., and Invercargill at 8.20 p.m. instead of 8.35. The north-bound train would run five minutes later from Invercargill, at 7.40 a.m., and from Dunedin at 12 noon. It would be about five minutes earlier north of Oamaru to reach Christchurch at 7.20, instead of 7.25 p.m. The evening rail-car from Christchurch to Dunedin would have to leave at 5.35, instead of 5.40 p.m., and toe morning rail-cars from Dunedin to Invercargill and from Alexandra to Dunedin would each run up to five minutes later than at present.