HOLIDAY TIME

Southland Times, Issue 20675, 22 December 1928, Page 7

HOLIDAY TIME

THE RAILWAYS’ PART. HEAVY BOOKINGS RECORDED. Despite increasing competition yearly from the motor, the New Zealand railways still play a prominent part in the consummation of one’s holidays. In fact Christmas holidays and trains are, almost synonymous. Without the “iron horses" and their admitted convenience many would be deprived of an annual jaunt, made possible only by hard saving on their part and the creation of reasonable excursions on the part of the, railways. This year finds conditions much the. same. The popularity of railway travelling has increased, however, and judged on the rush already experienced, the 1928-29 holiday season bids fair to establish a record for train traffic. Yesterday big trainloads of holidaymakers arrived from the north, the, midday express carrying 200 travellers to Invercargill and last night’s through express depositing a similar number. ForwaM bookings show that the efflux of travellers will be just as great as the influx. This morning’s through express has a capacity load, ten cars being fully booked, representing approximately4oo travellers; Sunday’s night express has been reserved to the extent of 300 seats, and Monday’s first express also records 300 bookings. Besides these figures, there will be numbers of late bookings and also many “unreserved” travellers. Thus it will be seen that many are availing themselves of the opportunity to travel by train, and it is reported that the figures quoted already represent an increase on last year’s figures. The real rush will probably commence from to-day. The usual expresses will run outward (the second leaves Invercargill at 2.5 p.m. instead of 1.45 p-ni.), but there will be an additional inward train—from Dunedin, arriving at 10.5 p.m. In addition to Monday’s trains, midnight expresses will run to and from Invercargill and Dunedin, leaving and arriving at Invercargill at 11.25 p.m. and 5.8 a.m. (Tuesday). On Christmas Day the usual evening through express will run from Invercargill, as well as the ordinary expresses. In addition to the express trains, special excursion trains will be run to the various nporting attractions as follows:—December 25, Edendale (sports); December 26, Gore (trotting meeting), and Riverton (regatta) ; December 27, Mataura (sports), and Balfour (Cattle Flat races); December 29, Winton (trotting meeting), and Orepuki (sports). Suitable trains have also been arranged for the New Year holidays, and the weekend excursions to Queenstown will also be run.