DAYLIGHT SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 93, 22 April 1925, Page 5

DAYLIGHT SERVICE

ON THE MAIN TRUNK

NOT UNTIL NEXT SUMMER

SPEEDING UP IN THE SOUTH,

The announcement of the Minister of .Railways (the Hon. J. G. Coates) with reference to the speeding up of Wain services, and the proposal to run a daylight express on the Main Trunk line, was made iast night. "So far as the proposed daylight Main Trunk express service is * concerned," said Mr. Coates,'' "it will be probably remembered that when a limited . express was first inaugurated the intention was to try the service out first as a night train and later on a daylight service, to enable the scenic portions of the journey to be traversed in daylight. Since announcing that intention, however, of putting the proposal into practice after the Easter holidays, a considerable number of objections have been raised to any interference with the present 'limited' service. It has been represented from many quarters that the night 'limited' has filled a, long-felt want, and is an exceedingly valuable service for business men and others in that they are able to transact a full day's business in either Wellington or Auckland, travelling to and from their destinations during the night hours. "The connections to and from Eotorua, Thames, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, and Tarannki districts, are all provided for, and would not be made bo satisfactorily by a daylight service. On the other hand, the time occupied on the journey by the present ordinary express precludes that train being converted to a daylight service, and any interference would destroy the connection with the North Auckland express at Auckland. Another rqasori put forward against the suggested conversion of the night to a daylight ■"limited' is that with the shorter winter days now approaching the time is inopportune to satisfactorily test out the merits of the service. Looking at the matter from all points of view, there can be little doubt that the 'limited' has given general satisfaction, and the opposi-" tion raised to the proposed change has caused the board and myself to seriously consider the desirability of leaving! the services as. they'are until November or December, when a more satisfactory trial could be given. SOUTH ISLAND SERVICES. "A very careful check has been kept on the passenger traffic for some time past on the express trains in the South, as it was my intention to retain .the daily express service between Invercargill and Christchurch throughout the year if there was any indication that the volume of traffic would reasonably justify the service. Unfortunately ' however, passenger traffic immediately | preceding Easter was well within the' scope of last winter's service, and thereappears to be no alternative but to agree to the reduction of express services, to the usual winter time-table unless the Department can secure a return that will pay expenses of the full seran'nn hVC?elel' ated titne-i^^ already virfTn "' con.nection with this «er-ilf-rMa^roXt and then reviewed, with the object of ments for the remaining winter months. The question of maintaining a daily ex?nt Sen-H S betWeen OJirutdinrch and InvercargJl and eliminating the ni"a tram service between Christchurch and Dunedin, and Dunedin and Invercargill, has been given consideration, but the Department has been informed by the Tjmon Steam Ship Company that following the usual custom, the s s Maraim will take up the winter running early .m May, and consequently a con- ™» ™th the first 'express at Christchurch could not be' guaranteed. This necessitates the running of the Christchurch-Dunedin mail train service on . three days—Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays—and also very materially reduces the value of the Invercargill express so far as mail services and passenger 1 connections are concerned on the three days a week referred to. - « ANXIOUS TO PROVIDE BEST SERVICE. "These aspects have all to be very carefully weighed, as I am anxious to provide the best services possible, having regard to the volume of traffic to be dealt with. As from 9th May the luvercargill express will leave Christchurch at 8.50 a.m., as at present, reaching- Dunedin at 4.18 p.m., instead of 4.45 p.m., and Invercargill at 8.55 p.m. instead of 10.15 p.m., a saving of one hour twenty minutes. On the return journey the express will leave Invercargill at 7 a.m. instead of 6.10 a.m.; Dunedin 11.30 a.m. instead of 11.15 a:m., reaching Christchurch at 7.5 p.m. instead of 7.28 p.m., a saving of 1 hour 13 minutes. After Saturday) 9th May, the present 12.20 p.m.' Christ-ehurch-Dunedm train, and the 8 a lii Dunediu-Ohristchurch train will run on Mondays; Wednesdays, and Fridays only. These trams have also been accelerated, the former leaving Christchurch at 12.20 p.m. as at present, but reaching Dunedin at 8.45 p.m. instead ot y.^o p.m., a. saving of 40 minutes The present _ 8 a.m. Dunedin-Christchurch train will leave at 8.40 a.m. and reach Christchurch at 5.3 p.m. instead of 5.8 p.m., a saving of 45 minutes. The mail train services between Dunedin and Invercargill will also be speeded up. The present 8.30 a s m. train will leave Dune'din at 8.33 a.m., reaching Invercargill at 12.55 p.m. instead of 2.6 p m a saving of 1 hour 14 minutes. The 1.38 p.m. train will leave Invercargill at 1 40 p.m., reaching Dunedin at 6.15 p.m. instead of 6.55 p.m., a saving of 42 minutes. These trains will run only on 2S?£ Mly d"e3day3 ' Md