Newmans may take over Picton service

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34146, 6 May 1976, Page 7

Newmans may take over Picton service

(N.Z. Press Association) BLENHEIM. If New Zealand Railways goes out of the passenger carrying business between Christchurch and Picton. it appears that the longestablished coachline of New man Bros will be! left “holding the baby.” The last passenger train! between Christchurch and! Picton will run on May 22. ! The acting Prime Minister; (Mr Taiboys) announced in Wellington that the Christchurch-Picton railcar service was to be withdrawn. Though a spokesman for Newmans Coach Lines’ South Island office at Nelson said this morning he could make no comment until the Government’s firm intentions were known, he indicated that “at this stage if we are to do the job we would have to build a fleet of coaches in a hurry.” Newmans Coach Lines at present run services from Christchurch to Blenheim, Picton and Nelson, with the Blenheim to Nelson section on the notional railway system. However, it appeared that

the system of Government i assistance was to end. “We will just have to waitj and see what the Govern-1 ment intends to do,” the! spokesman said. If it was to be left to pri-l vate enterprise, Newmans appeared to be the coach! line which would have to do( the job. At the moment it did not have the fleet available to handle it but he recalled that the line recently had spent $2.25m on new chassis. However, those have been ear-marked for the growing tourist industry, so it could mean some hurried coachbuilding. The district traffic manager at Christchurch (Mr C. S. Roscoe), said all he knew was that the daily passenger service between the city and Picton was to be withdrawn from May 23 and that it was assumed that this ruling applied to the train which had been providing the service since Christmas. While mechanical condition of the railcars was the reason for their withdrawal, this did not apply to the condition of the train, but Mr Roscoe assumed that the Government’s decision applied to it as well. With the withdrawal of the railcar service the only transport between Picton and

Christchurch will be by Newmans coaches, and the goods train with carriage which leaves Christchurch daily at 8 p.m. and arrives at Picton shortly after 5 a.m. the next day. Mr Roscoe said the Railways Road Services did not provide a passenger service between the two centres. There was only a limited service between Christchurch and Kaikoura and a further limited connecting service between Kaikoura and Blenheim. In the meantime until confirmation is received the Railways Department will continue to accept bookings on the railcar to and from Picton although passengers will be notified of the impending withdrawal of the service. Two new Hino diesel coaches (with bodywork fitted by Railway Services) were being used to replace the Christchurch-Dunedin railcar which has also been withdrawn. These 41-seater coaches were in the luxury line as far as finish was concerned, as they were in demand for tour parties. The next two Hinos would be allocated to the DunedinChristchurch service.