RAILWAY TIME TABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3958, 21 January 1930, Page 32

RAILWAY TIME TABLE.

ALTERATIONS ANNOUNCED.

DU N EDIN-PALMERSTON-OAMARU.

WELLINGTON, January 18. An announcement made to-day by Mr. W. B. Taverner (the Minister of Railways) covers important improvements about to be introduced in the train services on the Dunedin-Palmerston-Oamaru section. The revised timetable will come into operation on Monday, January 27.

In dealing with the change now being inaugurated, Mr Taverner explains that it has been felt for some time tiiat an improvement was necessary, and this has now been achieved by converting certain of the trains which were formerly “mixed” (that is, carrying both passengers and goods) into purely “ passenger ” trains. “ ‘ Mixed trains,’’ said Mr Taverner, “ are, of course, only employed because of the measure of economy in operation which they secure, but their necessarily slower speed is unattractive from the travellers’ point of view, and on the line in question their running has a decidedly detrimental effect on the passenger traffic obtainable.

“ The improved time table will, I hope, serve to popularise the train services in this locality to an extent that will be sufficient to meet the additional operating cost involved and make the change a profitable one to the department. Whether this hope will be realised can be determined only by actual experienced The new time table will therefore be tried out over a reasonable period, during which results will be carefully watched so that it may be determined whether the continuance of the improved time table will be warranted.” The following are the changes in train timing (the existing times are shown in parentheses):— FROM OAMARU AND PALMERSTON

TO DUNEDIN

Leave Palmerston 6.15 a.in. (6.2£j a.m.), Seacliff 7.10 a.m. (7.25 a.m.), arrive Dunedin 8.30 a.m. (9.1 a.m.). Saves 21 minutes.

Leave Oamaru 7 a.m. (8 a.m.). PaL merston 8.48 a.m. (10.25 a.m.), Seacliff 9.47 a.m. (11.38 a.m.), arrive Dunedin 11.7 a.m. (1.20 p.m.). Saves 1 hour 13 minutes.

FROM DUNEDIN TO PALMERSTON

AND OAMARU.

Leave Dunedin 4 p.m. (3 p.m.), cliff 5.26 p.m. (4.51 p.m.), arrives PaL merston 6.19 p.m. (5.55 p.m.), leaves Palmerston 6.24 p.m. (6.14 p.m.), arrives Oamaru 8.5 p.m. (8.30 p.m.). Saves 1 hour 25 minutes.

Leave Dunedin 5.32 p.m. (4.25 p.m.}, Seacliff 7.4 p.m. (6.27 p.m.), arrive PaL merston 7.55 p.m. (7.36 p.m.). Saves 38 minutes.

It will be seen that a total saving of an hour is made on the return journey from Palmerston to Dunedin anil back, and a saving of two and a-half hours on the journey from Oamaru to Dunedin and back.

’lhe Saturday’ evening train from Dunedin to Palmerston will, in future, leave Dunedin at 6.36 p.m. and arrive at Palmerston at 9.5 p.m.—2o minutes earlier than at present. Mr Taverner points out that the attractions of the many beautiful bays on the line north from Dunedin have induced many townspeople to build summer residences in those localities. The earlier running of the morning train from Palmerston will enable these to reach Dunedin in good time for business, whilst the evening train is conveniently timed for the return journey. I think,” said Mr Taverner in conclusion, “ that the new services will meet the convenience of the great majority’ of residents in the area in question, and I trust that the resultant increase in traffic will justify its inauguration. The improvement is in line with our policy of making the railways increasingly serviceable to the public. “ In order that the new service may have a fair chance to justify itself, it will be given a trial over a period, and its continuance thereafter will depend upon the amount of patronage affwded during that period.”