MAIN TRUNK LINE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 433, 16 February 1909, Page 4

MAIN TRUNK LINE.

: THROUGH SERVICE TO AUCKLAND-:.V; fc ■-. :■. '::;;;;; , : :X", -': ■■ • : ',^;;:;': r o; ■■ Another chapter in tie history of .the, Main ■; .>.-'.'," Trunk-line began-yesterday morning at 9.15;'". .;V";' : , At.that tiraei;.prompt-to the! ■niiriuto, the ; ; - ■ through-service;frqm Wellington to Auckland .';.■':,;.'•. j wasinitiated,-'Thb: : chapter,- though an im-.;-; . ; portant one, was of.aivery plain appearance, ■~: . .: ■judged-by things visible at the,station.: The : ■ ■;; departure of: tho:'train )vas something like the - : ;'.",.; departure .of,, any; ordinary .mail, train;; The-1,- " only, band that farewejled'the long-promised ■■■'■'";■■■■'■; express, -which is to f oim' .the connecting'link ■■■ '-v ',"-. drawing Wellington :and; Auckland closer to-; gether, was' a'*:band-.of -thpi.friends: ahd.'rela.:.;';": tives; of departing : : passengers. > : Of l course;: the ■'• -y,;; übiquitous.photographer-.was there,- and 'the , .. ,:;.<:.' usual ■■ crowd'• watchediho .starting {with; >5a rather languid and disappointed,interest.'••'.;' ;■.•:■ ■ .*;;'-, ■'The. human freight which the.express is'ex- .i:,'; pected'to land at Aucklandlafr 6:sßthismorn- • ''■ '■;' ing numbered 220. .'Of this'number 40 booked .".;,- sleeping: berths, :o"0, travelledv first-class; ;: ,and ■" ■::> •■ the •.remaining: 130- journeyed' with-"f. second.; "-:." class tickets. Tlie carriages, numbered nine,'' : -■■' including three first,; three second; two sleep-'\,':/ ing-cars; and one refreshment car. :At first it ' ; ;.' i was intended to , hayebnly-ohe'sleeping-carr..-.- "■- riage, ; but the number ofi pebpkV who applied. : . ; ':;.: forvbertlis was, so; much, in "excess'6f. ; flie;:2o■■ l> 7 : which a^'.'single'car:williaccpmmbdate, that if ; '. .wns l^fourid"neoMM^v]to•■pilt''6n.■Wpther^l :^^α■:^^'•: !• engines. drew-the'train ! :oiit ; of the "station— v<. No.; 412, /of' huge 'and struction,: the ; ManaVatu Company's old ,' ■ ■•' No- 3, solidly'built'and''vjry powerful. ■ Thp' : ■■''>'■■'.'' journey of 19 hours 13 minutes will include'> '■'.''■':. stoppages at Paekakariki,;palmerston North," i- ■ ]?eilding_, Martin, ,;Taihape. : Oh'akurie, - Tau. - : - marunuijTe Kuiti,,and.]?rankton..-:.; V; ,■■■■.-•;■ . ; ; At Auckland the. in-■'.• : "'. * : itiated - ; at 9.15: p.m.. ca Snaday. About 200 ■ passengers south, ;; .train 'consisting 'oi eight : .ca'rriages,. : 'including ..- : . three -first; three: second; arid one ' ''■'■' < refreshment:can --Slight; deliys made:the^a'r- ;: ; rival at Taihape 40, minutes'behind scheduled'' f; /'- time. ~i The -train was also -35; minutes:late.iu:," : * leaying- Ohakune;Jbut this,Vas'..made -up• 'in-.,'. ':. ■■.':' the' journey: down,' : :-and;." at '4,24:'; p.mi-fone;- , '/'; minute first : ''. ■' through express steamed;:iota Thorndbaista- , '- ■-.-'. tion.'-'-.': ■;;'"-' \ :: ■>■■•'■■ ; .;'. ?^i;'\[ :: : *' '■ : : : r &:';: : ' ,; The trip an:;uneventfulone, : "arid .all- -.': ! tho^passengers'■:who,.made .it appeared ; ;td"b?; ; : .:', : '.' satisfied with the arrangements. ;■•■:■- : !;, '' : v; ,:

AT THE AUCKLAND END

'■'.''■;'::/A■CRUSH . : ;■•"' .:; w ,-■,; '- : \.y:. Auckland,: February,- i&Z V : Ihe;first .train.: : of---:the.-regular-express'' '■■'■ ' through - service. on; the Main -Tronic Rail- . ■ way,;left Auckland'> last:- : ..evening, ; ' a few- < minutes; after ..schedule 'isi ; .-9.16 •'■■-:■■ p.m." It consisted of five ordinary, passenger' ; carriages,.: orie.;''sleepery" a -postal; van, and :<' two luggage :. vans, -drawn.: by iipowerful ; ■■'- engine; of -the: latest' type.: ;■ About:.2oo,'pa's- l-iw sangers -were. on board, a;;large:'proportion:.;~' of; whom.'were.'returning ..ekcursionistsy traiu Jbein&.the vlast.by : which:;liplders.;bf : ! :: Christmas tand-New , Year ;. excursion, tickets " " could ;avail;:themselves;:pf'the.:pnvilege..-: s At<:: 8.45 p.m." : ,there,.-,• wore;.probably.- 900 people; :; on- the-station: platform,:-and,■ iby the/..time:i■■!■■ the .train left,' over. ■asoo,attsnded. .'.'Needless ":■;>. to/say, .the" ..great majority' -were'/not//there; K to pay.goodrbyerto. friends;-.but;"to 'see; the'-'v":;''-fcraiiioif.-i',:'- Railway Officials; little" '■£;: the '.first of the' through-.espresses -tt'teaye '...'■> Auckland, ',-.but : .the;platform* (never too: : great; at/;any '■ ,time) was ; cjpwded'■'• ■•■ .. \W./sucnV;anx;esteht:'.as;>to-'Hnder.-;pffi(^ra;iA.'Vv i : .■.thβ^^.-dnti^/v. , aild.■ ! it^ias.■;bββn;■;derad6d'■..^tp•..', : •J' :, adopt .some.;'method of keeping casual ■ proin-cj; Venaders,-.'.'.outsidef'the'.i station; rpreciriott'' T: ''m :; /■;. future.-'; At--Dimfedin-'-barriers : J ?'hayei been '■>"' erected, and'a charger of; 2d;> made -'forbad" /; v mission .to:'allinon-passengers.-'tt;the; plat-, .: form., VPossiblyv something; of this! kind may; -;, be'.'adopted; at : Auckland. ■;} Oy/NV':' , /- : ;i :-?' ■'';' ; The crowd '/manifested 'great: curiosity *rei?:, garding■; tHe- sleeping : : car,-;.a'nd : '.;it;'was"'in-" . spected .'by* t-'lfundreds/;.■ 20.-berths,-four..in each cpmpartmenti '.;•;■ .the- berths .looked 1 mubh" like ■those. pn : board";''; snip.'.;.:Soon;after, 9 'S'clict- 1 all 'the passengersi' , : ',■ hadsettleddownrcorafortably.for their"joffii 1 ."*: ney.'; The:■ sleeping'- to'/ba'. booked,-but : there iwcre a; number;:pfpass'en-'; : .gors ;on-, board - who i had' • made : prenarationi- .; for .sleeping', in.the -.reclining.: cbairs with':'.- ■'; which the passenger'cars are rfitted..'There',' : . was;some;cheering.'and :waving -.of.Kandker---:. chiefs : as;-the-train pulled : . ; out;'on .'its-long V h h ':.'■■'■ ' : i^'^' r: ' ■';: ' : ;:?<':-;i:f':-'■ ; ;