Overlander (train)

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The Overlander is a long-distance rail passenger service between Auckland and Wellington in the North Island of New Zealand. It is operated by Tranz Scenic.

It replaced the Silver Fern service, Monday, December 2, 1991. The train follows the North Island Main Trunk, and following the withdrawal of the overnight Northerner, is the only regular long-distance passenger service on the line.

In the last two years passenger numbers have dropped from 90,000/year to 50,000/year.

Contents 1 Withdrawal proposals 2 Rolling Stock 3 Blue Fern 4 Extra Carriages 5 Re-Equipping 5.1 Vans 6 Double Duty 7 Current passenger stops 8 Former Passenger Stops 9 External links 10 References

[edit] Withdrawal proposals

On 25 July 2006 it was announced that the service would be withdrawn at the end of September due to the service making a loss for some time. The last trains were scheduled to run on Saturday, 30 September 2006.

On 18 August 2006 the Green Party announced a Save the Overlander campaign, this received public reaction, typically from the small towns along the train's route. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]}

On 28 September 2006 (three days before the service was due to end), an announcement was made by Toll that the service would continue operating, albeit on a reduced schedule. Its pre-October 2006 timetable allowed for one train each way each day, and the new limited timetable will allow for service only three days per week on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in the off peak winter season. In the peak summer and Easter period services will operate every day. ^{[16] [17] [18]}

The Manning Group have also proposed a service that would run twice a day, with eight stops between Auckland and Wellington. ^[19]

The first regular daylight Wellington-Auckland passenger train services, augmenting the older overnight services, were the Daylight Limiteds (steam hauled) and Scenic Daylights (diesel hauled) that ran primarily during summer months and Easter holiday period for many years from the 1920s onwards. The arrival of the Blue Streak and Silver Fern railcars saw an end to regular carriage trains (except when more than one of the Silver Fern railcars were unavailable and railcar replacement trains were operated).

[edit] Rolling Stock

Originally, the service was operated by six Northerner Express cars (which were originally single lavatory first class cars, later designated South Island Main Trunk first class cars and among those refurbished for the original Southerner expresses of 1970), the Bay Express sole servery/observation/rear-view car, and what was once both The Connoisseur car and TranzAlpine rear-view/observation car and the two Northerner modular-designed handbrake end-mounted 11kW generator power-luggage vans, painted in the dark blue InterCity logo with 220 mm white stripe sandwiching a 100 mm red band, minus the parcels traffic. Later, in December 1991, another modular van was refitted with a generator and a Wairarapa car fitted with 32 seats to a newer design arranged alcove-style and a servery to facilitate the introduction of a third trainset for maintenance requirements, the third set thus becoming a "spare".

[edit] Blue Fern

Between 1981 and 1990, due to accidents or mechanical failures, temporary railcar replacement carriage train services had been run, both versions unofficially known as the Blue Fern.

[edit] Extra Carriages

The former Vice-Regal/Governor-General car turned Southerner full buffet car was refitted in 1993 and returned to the NIMT with 24 seats to a newer design arranged alcove style and a short buffet counter to replace the full-length counter and 20 bar stools.

A new "no frills" fare was introduced, using the remaining six Northerner cars, a Southerner car and two Auckland excursion cars between 1995 and 2002. With the cancellation of the Bay Express in 2001, the three panorama cars from that train were utilised as a "fourth" set for the NIMT.

[edit] Re-Equipping

From December 1991 until December 1994, nine 56-ft ex second class passenger coaches built in New Zealand between 1937 and 1945 (one the former TranzAlpine rear-view observation car, one a Southerner car, two from Auckland excursion, three from Auckland suburban and two from Wairarapa commuter services) were extensively refurbished similar to the successful "big window" panorama cars used on the TranzAlpine, Coastal Pacific and pressure-ventilated Bay Express cars and made into three 3-car/1-van sets for "new" Overlander/Northerner services, each including a coach with a servery bar where hot food, snacks and beverages can be bought during the trip, a rear view observation car and a 49-seat day car. All nine cars were fully air-conditioned.

[edit] Vans

Three modular-designed vans, one from the Telecom, one from the Sesqui 1990 and one from the Bay Express trains were refitted to newer designs, all incorporating new-style 90kW generators for increased on-train requirements, as power-luggage vans. An Auckland suburban van, the other of two Bay Express vans and the second of two Northerner vans were similarly refitted to serve this train.

[edit] Double Duty

As the Overlander and Northerner shared rolling stock, substantially better carriage utilisation was achieved, compared to having two train sets sitting unused for over 12 hours a day.

On Wednesday, August 16, 2006, the first air-conditioned 42-seat rear-view Northerner/Overlander car, AO209, and its air-conditioned 49-seat day car running mate, AO117, were taken to Hutt Workshops to be cut up for scrap, their bogies to go under the new second-hand British Rail turned Wairarapa Connection cars.

[edit] Current passenger stops

The Overlander passenger train stops: (North Island Main Trunk Railway)
Auckland (Britomart) | Middlemore | Papakura | Pukekohe | Hamilton | Otorohanga | Te Kuiti | Taumarunui | National Park | Ohakune | Marton | Feilding | Palmerston North | Levin | Paraparaumu | Porirua | Wellington (Railway Station)

Notes:

• Taumarunui - previously had a dining room, and engines were changed.
• National Park - now a 45-minute lunch stop.
• Porirua (southbound only)

[edit] Former Passenger Stops

Between Pukekohe and Hamilton

• Te Kauwhata (discontinued April 2005)
• Huntly (discontinued April 2005)

Between Hamilton and Otorohanga

• Te Awamutu (discontinued April 2005)

Between Tamarunui and National Park - pre 1980s/Overlander

• Manunui
• Piriaka
• Kakahi - steam engine turning point.
• Owhango
• Oio
• Raurimu - location of the Raurimu Spiral

Between Ohakune and Marton

• Waiouru - the highest station on the line (discontinued April 2005)
• Taihape - previously had a dining room, and engines were changed (discontinued April 2005)

Between Levin and Paraparaumu

• Otaki (discontinued April 2005)
• Waikanae (discontinued April 2005)

[edit] External links

• Tranz Scenic's website
• 18th August 2006: Greens put "Save the Overlander" campaign on the rails

[edit] References

Long Distance Passenger Trains of New Zealand

Currently operational: North Island Capital Connection - Overlander Currently operational: South Island TranzAlpine - TranzCoastal Historic: North Island Bay Express - Blue Fern - Blue Streak - Daylight Limited - Endeavour - Geyserland Express - Kaimai Express - Napier Express - New Plymouth Express - New Plymouth Night Express - Night Limited - Northerner - Northland Express - Rotorua Express - Scenic Daylight - Silver Star - Silver Fern - Taneatua Express - Taranaki Flyer - Thames Express - Waikato Connection - Wairarapa Mail Historic: South Island Culverden Express - Kingston Flyer - Lynx Express - Picton Express - Southerner - South Island Limited