NIGHT EXPRESS TRAINS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1929, Page 14

NIGHT EXPRESS TRAINS

NEW PLYMOUTH-WELLINGTON

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MOVES

LETTER TO RAILWAYS MANAGER.

The inauguration of a night express train service was recently before the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, which decided to make representations to the Railway Department; Following is a copy of the letter which was sent to the General Manager of Railways by the chamber yesterday in pursuance of ite decision. Copies of the letter have also been sent to the principal newspapers in the districts affected and to the chambers of commerce concerned, who have been asked to write direct to the Railway Department if they approve of the proposal:— “At a meeting of this chamber, held on July 9, the question of establishing a night express service between Wellington and New Plymouth was discussed, and the opinion was unanimouslv expressed that such a service would not only prove of enormous advantage to the business community here, but would also be a profitable undertaking to the department. We think that if Hawke’s Bay district could be catered for by the same service most satisfactory results would accrue to all parties. * Various methods and schemes for carrying out the project have been discussed by this chamber, and about four years ago the following skeleton proposals were placed before your department. “It was suggested that a night train be arranged to leave New Plymouth, say, about 8 p.m., a similar train leaving Napier about 10 p.m., each train stop” ping at important intermediate stations en route to Palmerston North, at which point both trains would join up and proceed as one train to "Wellington, arriving there some time between, say, 7 a.m. or 7.30 a.m. The return train service from Wellington to Napier and New Plymouth would leave Wellington, say, about 9 p.m., dividing at Palmerston. the New Plymouth section reaching its destination about 8 a.m., and the Napier section arriving about 6.30 a.m. The times of departure and arrival suggested above are, of course, only approximate. “This service would link up the most important towns on east and west coasts respectively, and enable the public of New Plymouth or Napier to spend a day in Wellington without the loss of two whole working days in travelling. The proposed service would also give the terminal towns of New Plymouth and Napier early trains in and late trains out, enabling country visitors to spend a full day in either place, returning the same day to their respective destinations. From a departmental point of view, we venture to suggest that such a service would go far to meet the competition of motor services and would, after a trial, create a special traffic over ami above the daylight service. “In suggesting this night service we wish to make it clear that we do not desire any- alteration in the existing Wellington-New Plymouth day express. We would add, too, that the proposal received the support of the Taranaki Farmers’ Union representative on the chamber, who stressed the inconvenience caused to farmers visiting Wellington in having to be absent from their farms for at least three days. We know that you will give this matter serious consideration, and we sincerely trust that you will see your way to give the suggested service a trial.”