MORE RAIL-CARS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22950, 31 January 1938, Page 13

MORE RAIL-CARS

TARANAKI SERVICE FIRST TRIAL IN APRIL NEW PLYMOUTH TO WELLINGTON [by telegraph OWN* correspondent] NEW PLYMOUTH, Saturday Rail-cars will be running between New Plymouth and Wellington within a few months, according to the Minister of Railways, the Ron. D. G. Sullivan. A suggestion that cars should also run between New Plymouth and Taumarunui to connect with the "Welling-ton-Auckland express on nights the Taranaki express does not go north was favourably received by the Minister, who will have it investigated. .

The suggestion was made by Mr. D. F. C. Saxton, who said the TaranakiAuckland night express ran three times a week. The returns of passengers were not known locally, nor was it known whether the department considered a daily service was warranted. If such a service were not yet justified he urged the Minister to consider running a rail-car on the other nights, connecting at Taumarunui with the Wellington-Auckland express. Creating Confidence

Mr. Saxton pointed out that many people, especially visitors, were not familiar with the nights on which the trains to Auckland ran. A rail-car connection on the off nights would establish continuity and would create confidence in the service, he said. The general manager of railways, Mr. G. H. Mackley, stated that experimental runs with rail cars for the Tara-naki-Wellington service will probably be made in April if no further delays in the delivery of material occurred The date the rail-cars would be brought into service on the line was inquired about during the course of representations made to Mr. Sullivan relating to general railway facilities at New Plymouth. Supplies Delayed The Minister explained that there had been delays over which the department had no control. The department was anxious as were the people of the district to bring the cars into service and give Taranaki residents the advantage of improved travel. The difficulty had been in getting supplies of material from overseas, but as soon as they could be completed the cars would be brought into operation. He could not say definitely when that would be, but he thought he could safely say it would not be a matter of more than another few months. The cars were being built at the Hutt now, but they were waiting for certain mechanical parts required to complete «the job.