RailNews July 1985 - Railways Corporation internal newspaper

RailNews June1985 pg1

RailNews June 1985 pg2

RailNews June 1985 pg3

RailNews June 1985 pg4

RailNews June 1985 pg5

RailNews June 1985 pg6

RailNews June 1985 pg7

RailNews June 1985 pg8

In the 1980s the Railways Corporation had an in-house staff newspaper called RailNews, which include news about business and staff around the railways at the time.  This edition has a lot of stories some of public policy interest, and quite a few of staff interest, and is quite a snapshot of life working for NZRC in the mid 1980s.  Some key points from this edition:

• The ballot sale of railway houses, enabling staff to buy surplus NZRC houses, with non-negotiable prices, occupation by the purchaser only (not for investment), no right to resell within five years.
• Opening of the new Railways Road Services travel centre in Otahuhu on the Great South Road. 
• Beginning of computerised reservations for Searail (Cook Strait ferries)
• General Manager's comment of a complete re-examination of everything NZRC does.  This included considering organisational changes, alternative manning (code for removing guards vans and second locomotive drivers), new track maintenance policy and a clerical review.  Also under consideration is determining workshop and depot needs. Noting that the policy until the early 1990s will be:
• Withdrawal of the majority of high-side wagons to be replaced with bogie hopper wagons; and high speed four-wheeled and bogie flat-top wagons capable of carrying multiple container types
• Stronger coupling hooks and pins on existing drawer to enable larger and fewer trains to reduce operating costs
• Manufacturing of containers at the Addington workshops at the rate of one per day.  These were NZ designed side-opening containers, with the first 400 built in South Korea.  200 were being built in NZ with components built at East Town workshop, then assembled at Addington.  
• Women as apprenticed at the Woburn (Hutt) workshop
• Removal of the Kupe statue from Wellington Railway Station
• The last D Class (English Electric EMU) to be refurbished at Woburn workshop (at the time)
• A comic strip depicting a locomotive driver throwing tacks on the road to stop trucks
• Margharet Matenga from Finance and Accounts included in the NZ netball squad

There are multiple staff members depicted in the newspaper, who may be of interest to their family today.

(Apologies for the scanning which was awkward in places, happy to rescan specific items on request)