‘Own your own’ trains

Press, 30 December 1976, Page 2

‘Own your own’ trains

PA Hamilton Railway enthusiasts will soon be permitted to buy carriages for excursion haulage by Railways Department locomotives. This follows a recent decision by the department to stop running excursion trains because of a shortage of departmental rolling stock. The own-your-own carriage compromise has been announced by the Aucklandbased Railway Enthusiasts’ Society, in its latest newsletter.

“The way is now clear,”

it says, “for the society to enter into a contract to purchase its own fleet of wooden carriages for restoration and future use for excursions.”

Many of the finer details of the agreement are still to be finalised under the auspices of the National Federation of Rail Societies. An initial investment of about $7OOO, apart from labour, would be needed by the Auckland society for eight carriages. Eventual costs, including covered storage, could bring the capital outiay to $20,000 or more. I

“While the fact that we are forced into taking this step remains regrettable, it is nevertheless obvious tliat it is the only choice we have if we are to continue to operate our popular rail outings.

“In doing so we must be aware, however, that a lot of hard work lies in store to renovate and recondition the fleet of eight carriages and maintain them in a condition which will satisfy the stringent safety and other demands to be placed upon them.”