RAILWAY SPECIALS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21923, 18 January 1946, Page 2

RAILWAY SPECIALS

POSITION EASED

SATURDAY CLOSING

LIMITED SERVICES

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 18. As an indirect, consequence of the Saturday morning closing of businesses there will be a limited service of special race trains between Wellington and Trentham for the Wellington club’s summer meeting, The expected reduction in the demand for ordinary trains on Saturdays is enabling the Railway Department to resume in a strictly modified measure its peace-time practice of running excursion and special trains to cater for local requirements. “The Railway Department has greatly regretted its inability during the later war years to meet requests for extra local trains on special occasions,” said the Minister of Railways, Mr. R. Semple, yesterday. “School and other excursions, A. and P. Shows, and race meetings are examples. For many years the people have looked to the railways for transport to such gatherings and normally the important part of the department's job has been to provide that transport. Now the war is over, but the effects of its accumulated strains linger, and the Railways Department will not be able for some time to resume its full peace-time service of special trains. Nevertheless we are making a start.” The Minister added that, it seemed probable that one of the effects of the Saturday morning closing would be to reduce the number of ordinary trains required on Saturdays. It was too early yet to say just what would happen, as the department could not judge accurately from the experience of abnormal holiday time Saturdays, but all the indications pointed to the cancellation of some Saturday trains hitherto run regularly. Restricted Distances "This should give us a bit of train mileage up our sleeves,” said Mr. Semple. “In addition, the railways have come through their holiday traffic — which has called for many extra longdistance trains —with a better reserve of fuel than might have been expected in these circumstances and also, as a goodwill gesture to the public, the department is prepared to consider the running of special trains for limited distances to cater for school and similar excursions, race meetings and other events when it is impracticable to cater for such traffic by ordinary or rearranged ordinary services.” Mr Semple added that in the meantime," however, it would not be possible to provide picnic trains for journeys of more than 30 or 35 miles and, in the case of race of sports specials, requests for runs of up to 50 miles would be considered. The Minister emphasised that the department could not make wild promises in advance, and at any moment conditions might necessitate closing down again on the running of specials. However, the department would do the utmost possible to meet the requirements of clients, but each application would have to be considered separately in the light of the circumstances of the moment and nf .the district concerned.