New Zealand Railways Timetables of Principal Services for Tourists and Holidaymakers: 1 May 1984 - 3 November 1984 and to 30 April 1985

I know some people find timetables boring, so I have decided to post the next two covering the 12 months from 1 May 1984 to 30 April 1985, together because they have few real differences. This is a time of relatively little change for the Railways Corporation, given the Booz Allen report had been released, but the change of government from the 1984 General Election had not resulted in any major changes in policy as of yet. That was to come.

I am posting the same pages from each timetable in sequence so you can see what any differences are, as you will see above, the covers are virtually identical except for the dates.

Below, the inset has changed with a more colourful advertisement for Road Services depicting the front of the new Volvo B10M coaches including the reclining seats, which is much more of interest than the back of the coach. It also isn't focused on overnight like the previous ad.

The Northerner and Wairarapa services (including the Wellington-Masterton-Woodville-Palmerston North train) remain largely unchanged between the two periods.

The Wellington-Gisborne express is also largely unchanged. Of note for the Silver Fern is the first timetable reports the end of the "Blue Fern" locomotive hauled service on Wednesdays with the completion of the refurbishment of the Silver Fern railcars (one having been repaired after an accident, and it was decided to refurbish them all).  This also saw the end of Saturday Silver Fern services. The second timetable only has the Monday to Friday service.

The South Island rail services and the ferries are largely unchanged, although the Christchurch-Greymouth express is retimed to be on a slower schedule, 25-30 minutes slower depending on the direction of travel. It is unclear why.

The beginning of the Road Services section is largely unchanged between the seasons

Few changes also on the Northland pages of the Road Services timetables

The Auckland-Whangarei routes are largely unchanged, as are the Auckland-Wellington services, but the addition of Auckland-New Plymouth is new. with a daylight and an overnight service weekdays.

Auckland-Gisborne, Auckland-Tauranga, around East Cape and Hamilton-Tauranga largely unchanged

Coromandel, Tauranga-Wellington and Auckland-Napier services are little changed, but Wellington-Napier coach services have been added here, being an evening service from Napier to Wellington and an early morning service from Wellington to Napier (likely being parcel service based).

Wellington-New Plymouth services are moderately expanded, but the Masterton-Wellington coach services are mostly unchanged. Notable in the South Island is the extension of Christchurch-Kaikoura to Picton once a day, so there is an overnight Christchurch-Picton service and a morning departure from Picton, to meet different ferry services from the rail service.

The Christchurch-Dunedin-Invercargill trunk services have hardly changed, neither have the services over to the Glaciers from Christchurch or the top of the West Coast.

In Otago, there are some minor changes such as additional services on some days between Dunedin and Wanaka, but otherwise the network remains largely unchanged.

On the last pages the only change of note is that the second timetable depicts new coach routes between New Plymouth and Auckland, Wellington and Napier, and Picton to Christchurch.