SERVICE TO CLARENCE

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 245, 17 October 1942, Page 4

SERVICE TO CLARENCE

FIRST TRAIN ON MONDAY* NO FUNCTION TO BE HELD. No special function will mark the departure on Monday morning of the first train to run from Picton to the new terminus which has been established at Clarence Bridge. The train, following its arrival at Blenheim from Picton, will leave for the south at 7.45 a.m., and, as it will be carrying most of the passengers previously transported by the ervice cars, it is expected that the six carriages which it will compVise will be comfortably filled. Presumably any functions which it is proposed to hold in connection with the progress towards completion of the line will be reserved until, at the end of the estimated five months, Picton and Kaikoura are linked by rail. > Although the gap between the railheads is being lessened as much as possible to eliminate the use of motor transport, it has been found necessary for one service car to travel over the route. For the convenience of Nelson and in-between passengers authority has been given Messrs Newman Bros. to run a daily car from Nelson to the Hundalee and back. Northbound passengers from Hundalee for Nelson and poir.ts between Blenheim and Nelson will have to utilise this car on its return trip, as there will be no connertion between the ti a.m on its arrival at Blenheim, and Nelson, the service car passing through before the arrival of the train from Clarence Bridge. Incidentally the car from Nelson to Hundalee will continue to deliver The Marlborough Express to sub--scribers en route. .Under the new system of travel both northward and southward-bound passengers will have lunch at Hundalee and not at Kaikoura as was the custom in the service car days. The opening of the railway to the Clarence will be the means of considerably reducing the cost of travel between Blenheim and Christchurch-, Under the new scale the fares to Christchurch will involve a reduction of 6s 3d single, and 13s 7d in the return fare.