Picton-Christchurch Express 1984

 

Picton-Christchurch express publicity leaflet February 1984

Picton-Christchurch express publicity leaflet February 1984

In 1984 the NZ Railways Corporation was operating the Picton-Christchurch Express well before it was subsequently upgraded to be the Coastal Pacific. This is the promotional leaflet used to describe the service with the timetable and various imagery designed to encourage patronage. The imagery clearly supporting it being a train connecting with a ferry and with a scenic ride, although the depiction of scenery appears to show the sea and the mountains behind it, which is not realistic. You are either on the sea or the mountain side (for around half of the trip, the other half is inland). The depiction of the "harsh environment" of the route is quite a piece of writing, highlighting the Grassmere Saltworks (photo included), mentioning:

"The breakers of the Pacific Ocean sweep continuously onto cruel reefs whilst brown kelp writhes in the wake of each wave. Small boats are clues to the hardy fisher folk who often signpost the highway, selling their crayfish".

That quality of writing is almost unknown in much modern journalism, let alone it being someone working at the NZR Publicity and Advertising Branch in 1984. 

It was timetabled to leave Christchurch at 7.30am arriving in Picton at 1.40pm to connect to the 2.20pm ferry to Wellington, and then meeting the 10.00am ferry departure from Wellington which arrived at 1.20pm, for the train leaving at 2.10pm, arriving in Christchurch at 8.05pm. It was a leisurely trip, albeit noting that the walk from the Picton ferry terminal to Picton railway station took around 15 minutes each way (and not undercover if the weather was poor).  Notable was that checked baggage at the Guard's van would be transferred automatically to the rail ferry (and vice versa), perhaps the only example of NZR transferring baggage like airlines regularly do with interlining.

The trains were operated at the time by refurbished 56ft rolling stock, but a rather basic level of refurbishment, with fixed fabric covered seats. Carriages had 52 seats (except for the part baggage car with 46 seats). There was no on-board service, with the train stopping in Kaikoura for 10 minutes to do the typical rush to the railway station cafeteria for a pie, sandwich, slab of fruit cake and instant coffee or tea, etc.  This was the rolling stock and service from 1982 through till 1988, so this represents the last era before it became the Coastal Pacific express.

The leaflet interestingly notes that the Christchurch Railway Station Restaurant opens at 6.15am serving "cooked breakfasts". That is long gone, as the 1960 station (built to a modernist design from a couple of decades before) was sold in 1991 and a replacement small scale station built at Addington to handle the (then) three daily long-distance services. The 2010 and 2011 Christchurch earthquakes caused considerable damage, making it unviable to repair, so it was demolished in 2012.  Personally I thought Christchurch Railway Station was one of the better major stations, being both clean and well signposted.

I rode this train once (southbound) with my family and enjoyed it, although the rush to Kaikoura station for food was less than enjoyable.  The scenery on the route was notable, but the NZ Railways Corporation at the time was not well incentivised to encourage more tourist use, in part because it received regular subsidies from central government to operate the train (along with all other long-distance passenger trains).  The comfort was adequate, it was heated, with opening windows and the seating was akin to riding on a long-distance coach, but I was young and just loved riding trains.