TRAIN SERVICES

Waikato Independent, Volume XXIII, Issue 3070, 14 June 1923, Page 6

TRAIN SERVICES

SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS HAMILTON PROPOSALS The proposed amending railway timetable was discussed further by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce on Monday evening last (says the Waikato Times), when the president, Mr J. E. Tidd, mentioned that a representative of the Railway Department would be visiting the district shortly, when the following suggestions would be put before him:— Start the present 9.45 a.m. Frankton Auckland train at about 7 a.m. as suggested by the deputation to Mr Massey, local to Mercer, thence express to Auckland calling at say Tuakau, Pukekohe and Newmarket. Perhaps a stop at Papakura would enable transfer to suburban trains which work PapakuraAuckland stations. This would cut out the locals now connecting at Frankton 9 to 9.30 a.m. By present connection (9.45 a.m.) these arrive Auckland at about 2.30, or half an hour before the second express. Restore the second express (noon Frankton, 2.45 p.m. Auckland).

For connections start express from Thames to arrive Frankton 1.1.30 a.m., and let the (5.15 a.m. from Kotorua coniicct with Thames express at Morrinsville; King Country express to arrive sav 15 minutes after second express arrives at 11.30 a.m. This arrangement would permit Kotorua, Thames and the King Country passengers to arrive in Auckland at 3 p.m., and would relieve the Kotorua express, which would run as at present from Morrinsville to Auckland, but perhaps arrive at (i p.m. instead of 5 p.m., at Auckland. This arrangement would, use no more trains than are now used when both Kotorua and Thames express trains are running, but would give an infinitely superior service. The proposed train from Hamilton leaving at 7 or 8 p.m. would probably then not be justified, if the Kotorua express left Frankton at about 2.45 p.m., and the proposed train started at 7 the, following morning. For the Aucklnnd-Frankton service the return express to Thames could be

delayed till after the arrival of the second express, and leave at say 4 p.m. arriving at Thames 8 p.m. If the Rotorua express started at 9.15 a.m. from Auckland, it would make a better, distribution of the day, and if the goods train “with passenger car attached’ ’ for Putaruru was delayed at Morrinsville till the Thames express arrived from Frankton about 4.45 p.m. it would give a highly appreciated service for Waharoa, Matamata, etc.

Similarly the present 4.5 p.m. train Frankton to Te Kuitt would connect with the second express for local services.

The point of these arrangements was that practically all stock finance and dairy finance was arranged at Hamilton, and there were two stock sales (Frankton and Claudelands) each week; if the farmer could serve both buruoses in the one day it was an arrangement. that would suit him well. Practically this then left the problem of the connection between the Main Trunk express at Frankton (3.37 a.m. to 3.47 a.m.) and in this connection could one first-class and two secondclass carriages be marked plainly as for Wellington-Frankton passengers only. On arrival at Frankton these could be shunted and the passengers left alone till daylight, when they could locate and join their own trains. At the south end of the platform, just beyond the signal box, a dock could be constructed for this purpose, and if need be the ramp to the overbridge moved eastward some feet. Similarly the Thames, Waihi, Rotorua and Mercer-Frankton passengers arriving from 8 to 9.15 a.m. could secure, seats at- leisure and lessen the battle which usually occurred when the 9.55 p.m. express arrived. The. Chamber approved of the suggestions and decided to place them be- I fore the representative of the .Department.