130:
that had been converted to 20-bunk ambulance carriages in World War Two. When peacetime resumed, the five cars were fitted out in the late 1940s and early 1950s with 35 first-class seats to a newer design, and one car trialled fluorescent lighting and individual overhead at-seat reading lights, which
196:
initially terminated in Napier with a connecting service operating between Napier and
Gisborne, which last operated on 30 May 1976. For approximately two years, no passenger service operated between Napier and Gisborne. On Monday 20 March 1978 a Napier-Gisborne return rail service was re-introduced,
234:
Some of the 56-foot class carriages had been moderately refurbished with fluorescent strip lighting and a newer type of window, but still with bench seats. By
October 1982 it was able to be operated by more comfortable AC "Grassgrub" carriages. The northbound service left Wellington at 7:45 am
324:
struck the east coast of the North Island, causing significant damage to the line between Napier and
Gisborne. This led to the abbreviation of the Wellington-Gisborne express at Napier, and although the track was repaired, regular passenger trains ceased beyond Napier. Patronage on the
249:
carriages (three cars seating 36, the fourth 32) previously used returned to the run in May 1984, the better three of the red
Gisborne-Napier carriages were reassigned to the Masterton commuter service, but during busy holiday periods they saw regular duty on the
308:
carriages assumed duty on the NIMT) before it, steel box wagons were towed along at the rear for parcels traffic. The buffet car did not return. The train's reliability began to decline; by this stage, the DA class had been withdrawn or converted into the
139:
first-class carriage, seating 31. This car was completely rebuilt to incorporate a full-length counter with 20 stools alongside. One 56-ft van was added to the train, also thoroughly rebuilt. A second van, similarly fitted, was added later.
115:, the only instance of regular headboard use in the country at the time. The new train ran roughly to the railcar timetable, taking five and a half hours between Wellington and Napier. Although some railcar services supplemented the
183:
had its buffet carriage withdrawn as an economy measure. As a result, the schedule was amended to extend the stop at
Palmerston North railway station so passengers could purchase refreshments at the station cafeteria.
147:, was regularly added to this train to help carry extra passengers, especially in holiday times. The car was refitted for permanent service on this train and had a staff compartment built-in. It now seated 32.
135:. These newer seats were retained and reupholstered. Three cars seated 36, while two seated 32 to accommodate a staff compartment. The buffet car was a 56-ft two-lavatory first-class car, later designated a
343:
to have been in service by this date, but because the newer cars were still being rebuilt and both
Palmerston North and Napier refreshment rooms closed on the same date, a buffet car was added to the
325:
Napier-Gisborne section was never high except for occasional holiday traffic, and by turning around the train at Napier the number of carriages needed was halved as one train could do a return trip.
235:
and reached
Gisborne at 6:30 pm, the southbound left Gisborne at 9:55 am and reached Wellington at 8:40 pm. As it lacked a buffet car, stops were made for refreshments in Napier and
231:. 56-foot class carriages were reallocated from elsewhere in New Zealand to provide a through Wellington-Gisborne service, with the AC cars for Gisborne reallocated elsewhere in the network.
865:
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870:
143:
A sixth second-class carriage had been similarly fitted with 35 first-class seats to the newer 1950s design and, because of the increasing popularity of the
880:
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20:
111:
s carriages were painted in a distinctive blue livery rather than the red scheme usual at the time, and the locomotive carried a
242:
The AC class "Grassgrub" carriages did not last long on the
Wellington-Gisborne express, as they were not designed to be towed.
314:
310:
94:
840:
85:
54:
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cars, one with 50 (ex 33) seats, the other 45 (ex 29) seats, and two 46- seat car-vans with luggage space at one end, three
586:
769:
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209:
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In 1987, a program was initiated to upgrade all long-distance passenger trains. The
Endeavour was replaced by the
699:
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consist in the interim. This train ran until Sunday, 10 December 1989 when it was replaced by the Bay
Express.
198:
80:
339:
in December 1989. On Saturday, 4 November 1989, a new timetable was implemented. It had been planned for the
774:
217:
136:
579:
41:
19:
This article is about a New Zealand passenger train. For the New South Wales DMU of the same name, see
83:
railcars used on this route were deteriorating due to age and were unreliable, and the success of the
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consists. All eight cars had been progressively fitted out with a new design of seat from
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for luggage and two 50-ft wooden box wagons for parcels traffic were added to the four
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was introduced on Sunday, 6 November 1972 as a carriage train to replace the morning
825:
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45:
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locomotives hauled the train and struggled to keep to the scheduled timetable.
97:
33:
533:
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461:
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239:. Around this time, the train stopped carrying its distinctive headboard.
662:
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s entire consist was diverted to the NIMT as a substitute, known as the
631:
213:
76:
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cars and the two cars with luggage spaces received their new seats.
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car underframes was not as substantial as that carried out on the
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in its early years, these all ceased by the end of 1976, with the
575:
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502:
384:
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286:, which had proven successful on the Picton/Greymouth trains.
58:
service in the South Island, and operated from 1972 to 1989.
524:"New Zealand Railway Observer". Vol. 46, no. 3.
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cars were later fitted with this type of bogie. Work on
554:
The Railways of New Zealand: A Journey through History
32:
was a long-distance passenger train service between
808:
687:
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645:
614:
607:
155:With the success of the Korean-built bogies on the
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357:Brief history and print articles on the Endeavour
266:cars, which had been exchanged for the other two
104:, five passenger carriages and a buffet car. The
362:Endeavour brochure and timetable from March 1980
293:cars returned to the South Island once all four
93:. In its first incarnation, it was hauled by a
508:
413:"Gisborne-Napier Passenger Service Restored".
400:
388:
304:(the name given to the Grass Grubs used while
866:Long-distance passenger trains in New Zealand
602:Long distance passenger trains of New Zealand
587:
208:On Tuesday, 18 August 1981, one of the three
8:
552:Churchman, Geoffrey B; Hurst, Tony (2001) .
556:(Second ed.). Transpress New Zealand.
201:carriages. This service connected with the
79:service between Wellington and Napier. The
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526:New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society
485:New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society
454:New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society
423:New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society
126:The consist was five former second class
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16:Passenger train in Aotearoa/New Zealand
123:proving more popular with passengers.
886:1989 disestablishments in New Zealand
876:Railway services discontinued in 1989
7:
871:Railway services introduced in 1972
475:"Gisborne Express gets "AC" Cars".
262:On Tuesday, 11 September 1984, two
881:1972 establishments in New Zealand
52:. The service was modelled on the
14:
131:became a standard feature on the
21:New South Wales Endeavour railcar
179:On Saturday, 8 August 1981, the
40:(and for part of its history,
1:
272:FM class modular guard's vans
220:(NIMT) and the next day, the
89:inspired the creation of the
528:. Spring 1989. p. 115.
477:New Zealand Railway Observer
446:New Zealand Railway Observer
415:New Zealand Railway Observer
902:
735:New Plymouth Night Express
509:Churchman & Hurst 2001
401:Churchman & Hurst 2001
389:Churchman & Hurst 2001
98:diesel electric locomotive
18:
444:"Research Notes No. 41".
487:: 154. Summer 1982–83.
218:North Island Main Trunk
212:railcars derailed near
137:North Island Main Trunk
100:and had a consist of a
278:cars to form two new
245:When four of the six
188:Extension to Gisborne
128:NZR 56-foot carriages
836:South Island Limited
730:New Plymouth Express
668:Taieri Gorge Limited
637:Wairarapa Connection
456:: 105. Spring 1982.
258:New route, new seats
199:AC class "Grassgrub"
425:: 66. Winter 1978.
313:, so under-powered
284:Addington Workshops
795:Waikato Connection
715:Geyserland Express
627:Capital Connection
175:Buffet Car Removed
853:
852:
849:
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816:Culverden Express
750:Northland Express
676:
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622:Northern Explorer
320:On 7 March 1988,
289:The two reseated
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780:Taneatua Express
705:Daylight Limited
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237:Palmerston North
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197:using a pair of
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351:External links
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826:Lynx Express
809:South Island
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688:North Island
646:South Island
615:North Island
553:
545:Bibliography
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67:Introduction
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46:North Island
28:
27:
25:
775:Silver Star
770:Silver Fern
700:Blue Streak
695:Bay Express
658:TranzAlpine
608:Operational
341:Bay Express
336:Bay Express
210:Silver Fern
205:at Napier.
102:guard's van
50:New Zealand
860:Categories
841:Southerner
755:Overlander
745:Northerner
368:References
291:Southerner
264:Southerner
169:Northerner
159:cars, the
157:Northerner
151:New Bogies
133:Northerner
86:Southerner
55:Southerner
34:Wellington
710:Endeavour
534:0028-8624
493:0028-8624
462:0028-8624
431:0028-8624
373:Citations
345:Endeavour
315:DBR class
306:Endeavour
300:Like the
295:Endeavour
276:Endeavour
268:Endeavour
247:Endeavour
229:Blue Fern
222:Endeavour
203:Endeavour
194:Endeavour
181:Endeavour
165:Endeavour
161:Endeavour
145:Endeavour
121:Endeavour
117:Endeavour
113:headboard
106:Endeavour
91:Endeavour
81:88-seater
73:Endeavour
44:) in the
29:Endeavour
681:Historic
663:Seasider
311:DC class
95:DA class
42:Gisborne
632:Te Huia
483:(174).
452:(171).
216:on the
214:Waiouru
77:railcar
62:History
560:
532:
491:
460:
429:
329:Demise
38:Napier
225:'
109:'
558:ISBN
530:ISSN
489:ISSN
458:ISSN
427:ISSN
254:es.
192:The
71:The
36:and
26:The
48:of
862::
516:^
501:^
481:39
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450:39
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421:.
419:35
417:.
381:^
595:e
588:t
581:v
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536:.
495:.
464:.
433:.
23:.
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