EAST COAST LINE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22412, 7 May 1936, Page 14

EAST COAST LINE

WORK OF REOPENING LIGHT ENGINES IN USE RAIL CAR POSSIBILITIES [by telegraph—own correspondent] NAPIER, "Wednesday Small engines of the "puffing billy" type aro being placed at intervals along tho East Coast line toward Wairoa preparatory to the extending of the reinstatement activities. The latest to be brought into commission is to bo found a few miles beyond Eskdale, tho engine having been conveyed to the site on the back of a large motor-lorry.

The railway army is growing. Between 40 and 50 men are leaving Napier each morning by special transport train and aro being dropped at various points along the line almost as far as Eskdale. In addition, an extra gang drawn from tho Bay View and Westshore districts is also working 011 the track in that area. It is anticipated that to-morrow will find the lino opened up to a point beyond Eskdale.

Kail cars are mentioned as a probable means of passenger conveyance on the completion of tho railway. By this means it is hoped to carry out a faster and more profitable service than would be possible were tho Railways Department to place ordinary express trains on the lino. While he stated that he was not in possession of any definite information in the matter, tho stationmaster at Napier, Mr. J. Mac Donald, said he understood rail cars were to bo employed on the line. Such a service, he said, would provido the fullest comfort for passengers and would also enable a fast service to be established.

It is understood that rail cars will also be used between Wairoa and Gisborne when that section of the line is brought to completion. It will then bo possible for the journey between Napier and Gisborne to bo made in little more than four hours. Mr. Mac Donald was asked if he could give any indication of the frequency with which the service would be run once the Wairoa section was reinstated. While he was not in a position to answer this question, Mr. Mac Donald said that at any rate the service was almost certain to connect with the outward (morning) and inward (evening) express trains at Napier.