EAST COAST RAILWAY

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 280, 25 August 1942, Page 3

EAST COAST RAILWAY

Arrangements For Service

Arrangements for the inauguration of the Bast Coast railway service, were announced yesterday by the Minister of Bailways and Transport, Mr. Semple. He said that as a result of a conference between the Minister of Public Works, Mr. Armstrong, it had been decided to inaugurate a through train service daily, leaving Gisborne at 10.5 a.m., and Wairoa at 12.40 p.m. It would arrive at Napier at 3.40 p.m., connecting with the 4.25 p.m. train to Palmerston North. Deferring to the service to Gisborne, the Minister said the department would run a train after the. arrival of the Wellington express at Napier, and that a train would leave Napier at 5.25 p.m., arriving at Wairoa at 8.38 p.m., and reaching its destination at Gisborne at 11 P-m. The Minister said that in the ordinary course of events the line would not be taken over by the Working Bailways Department till about November, but in view of the present serious rubber situation, the proposed service would come into operation as from Monday, September 7. This service would be inaugurated on the same day as a railcar passenger service would begin operating between Greymouth and Westport, and vice versa. As a result of the action taken, concluded the Minister, a large saving would be effected in.both petrol and commercial tyres, and if supplies should be further restricted, it would be possible to main-' tain these essential transport services.