EXCURSION TO AUCKLAND

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1934, Page 7

EXCURSION TO AUCKLAND

SPECIAL TRAIN POPULAR.

CROWD LEAVES NEW PLYMOUTH.

Splendid support was received for the special New Plymouth-Auckland excursion train which left New Plymouth at 7.25 o’clock last night. A crowd of several hundred people assembled at the railway station, showing the keen interest that had been aroused. There were about 100 passengers aboard as the train steamed out, and more were collected at every stage of the journey. Reservations alone accounted for 153 seats, and of these 59 were for excursionists. A distinction was made in counting up at the booking office at New Plymouth between those who were making the return journey by the special train and those who were not.

Eight cars, four more than usual, left New Plymouth, so that accommodation for about 300 was provided. An unusual feature, showing the extent to which the increased patronage was evident, was that the sleeper, usually either empty or poorly patronised, was full. Many passengers expressed their intension of staying either several days or a week longer than the excursion provided for. The Taranaki-Auckland Rugby football match proved a good draw, a fair proportion of the travellers being induced to go because of that.

Interest in Central Taranaki was equally marked, there being about 200 people on the Stratford station platform when the train came in, and by the time it left there were about 200 aboard altogether. The train will return on Sunday night, leaving Auckland at 7.18 p.m. and arriving at New Plymouth at 6.13 o’clock on Monday morning.