Geyserland Express (train)
Encyclopedia
The Geyserland Express was a long distance passenger train
operated by the Tranz Scenic
division of Tranz Rail
(previously the New Zealand Rail Limited division InterCity Rail) between Auckland
and Rotorua
in New Zealand
's North Island
. It utilised the Silver Fern
railcar
s and operated from 9 December 1991 until 7 October 2001.
line had a long history of express trains between Auckland and Rotorua since the branch line
opened in 1894. Until 1959, the Rotorua Express was steam-hauled
and was one of New Zealand's premier trains in its heyday. It was initially only run thrice weekly in the peak Christmas and Easter period, but by 1902, it ran daily year-round, and in December 1903, dining cars were introduced. This was a rare feature for trains operated by the New Zealand Railways Department
, but shortages during World War I
led to their withdrawal. In the post-war period, the service was briefly cancelled in 1919, but by 1925, it was experiencing a resurgence as more powerful motive power became available in the form of AB class
locomotives, and in 1930, it was upgraded to become the Rotorua Limited, completing its journey in six hours. It reverted to the name Rotorua Express in 1937, and during World War II
, services had to be cut to thrice weekly due to coal
shortages, and then to twice weekly after the war. Patronage plummeted as travellers opted for other modes of transport, but the Rotorua Express survived to be the last provincial steam-hauled express, operating for the final time on 6 February 1959. It was replaced by an 88 seater railcar
service. The introduction of railcars on this route provided a significant improvement in service, operating six days a week on a five hour timetable. However, the railcars soon showed signs of aging, and mechanical problems began to plague them towards the end of their service. The government of the day considered a replacement train too expensive and believed New Zealand Railways Road Services
buses could provide an adequate service instead. The railcar service last operated on 11 November 1968. The only passenger trains to operate on the Rotorua Branch line for the next 23 years were chartered excursions.
railcars could be deployed on new services. Two new provincial expresses were inaugurated for the Silver Ferns: the Kaimai Express between Tauranga and Auckland, and the Geyserland Express between Auckland and Rotorua. The twice daily service began operating on 9 December 1991, just over 23 years since the cancellation of the last regular passenger service to Rotorua. The morning service, train no. 401, departed Auckland at 8:45am, reaching Rotorua at 12:45pm; its return run, train no. 402, left Rotorua at 1:30pm and reached Auckland at 5:30pm. The afternoon service, train no. 403, departed Auckland at 12:45pm and arrived in Rotorua at 4:45pm; its return run, train no. 404, left Rotorua at 5:30pm and arrived in Auckland at 9:30pm.
An unfortunate situation for the new service was the terminal at Rotorua, which was now the Koutu freight yard. The line into the Travel Centre in the central city had been closed and lifted in 1989. On 9 September 1995, a new but very small passenger station operated by the Second Chance Train Trust was opened on the north side of the Lake Road bridge at the entrance to the Koutu freight yard. The new passenger station at Koutu was intended as a temporary measure until the line could be relaid to a proposed new passenger station in the central city on the corner of Ranolf and Amohau Streets, which was being pursued by the Second Chance Train Trust and the Rotorua District Council. The new station never eventuated.
In April 1995 the twice daily services were cut back to Friday and Sunday only, due to poor patronage. A daily service still remained on all other days. In November 1996 the twice daily services on Friday and Sunday ceased altogether.
In 2000 a timetable change was made to enable the introduction of the Waikato Connection commuter service between Hamilton and Auckland, and allowed for a southbound journey of 4 hours and 13 minutes duration and a slightly longer northbound journey of 4 hours and 16 minutes duration. Under the new timetable, train no. 401 departed Auckland at 8:04am and arrived in Rotorua at 12:17pm, and train no. 402 departed Rotorua at 1:30pm for a 5:46pm arrival in Auckland.
In September 2006 a joint proposal was put forward to the government by the Rail and Maritime Transport Union and the Green Party, to have long distance passenger rail services transferred to the government owned track company ONTRACK
(now part of the KiwiRail group) and make ONTRACK an operator, with Toll NZ
supplying locomotives and drivers in a "hook and tow" arrangement. They proposed reintroducing a number of regional services, Rotorua being one of these.
ONTRACK stated in 2006 that there are currently two tentative proposals to operate passenger services on this line.
The biggest hurdle facing the reinstatement of the Geyserland Express is that the Rotorua Branch
line has been inactive and mothballed since not long after the passenger train's cessation, and although most track remains in place, it will have to be significantly repaired before it can be used again. Not having a station in the central city at Rotorua also does not help make any potential rail passenger service look attractive.
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
operated by the Tranz Scenic
Tranz Scenic
Tranz Scenic is the long-distance passenger train brand of KiwiRail, formed from the New Zealand Railways Corporation InterCity Rail services. Tranz Scenic was renamed along with the other operating divisions of Tranz Rail in 1995...
division of Tranz Rail
Tranz Rail
Tranz Rail, formally Tranz Rail Holdings Ltd , was the main rail operator in New Zealand from 1991 until it was purchased by Toll Holdings in 2003.- Formation :...
(previously the New Zealand Rail Limited division InterCity Rail) between Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
and Rotorua
Rotorua
Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
. It utilised the Silver Fern
NZR RM class (Silver Fern)
This article is about the New Zealand railcar service and the railcars themselves. For other uses, see Silver Fern .The NZR RM class Silver Fern is a class of railcar in New Zealand. The three air-conditioned and sound-proofed 723-kW 96-seater diesel-electric twin-set railcars were built by...
railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s and operated from 9 December 1991 until 7 October 2001.
Background
The Rotorua BranchRotorua Branch
The Rotorua Branch is a railway line from Putaruru to Rotorua, in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions of the North Island of New Zealand. Construction of the line was commenced by the Thames Valley and Rotorua Railway Company and finished by the Public Works Department...
line had a long history of express trains between Auckland and Rotorua since the branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
opened in 1894. Until 1959, the Rotorua Express was steam-hauled
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
and was one of New Zealand's premier trains in its heyday. It was initially only run thrice weekly in the peak Christmas and Easter period, but by 1902, it ran daily year-round, and in December 1903, dining cars were introduced. This was a rare feature for trains operated by the New Zealand Railways Department
New Zealand Railways Department
The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's railway infrastructure and operating the railway system. The Department was created in 1880 and was reformed in 1981 into the New...
, but shortages during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
led to their withdrawal. In the post-war period, the service was briefly cancelled in 1919, but by 1925, it was experiencing a resurgence as more powerful motive power became available in the form of AB class
NZR Ab class
The NZR AB class was a class of 4-6-2 Pacific tender steam locomotive that operated on New Zealand's national railway system. Originally an improvement on the 1906 A class, 141 were built between 1915 and 1927 by NZR's Addington Workshops, A & G Price Limited of Thames, New Zealand, and North...
locomotives, and in 1930, it was upgraded to become the Rotorua Limited, completing its journey in six hours. It reverted to the name Rotorua Express in 1937, and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, services had to be cut to thrice weekly due to coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
shortages, and then to twice weekly after the war. Patronage plummeted as travellers opted for other modes of transport, but the Rotorua Express survived to be the last provincial steam-hauled express, operating for the final time on 6 February 1959. It was replaced by an 88 seater railcar
NZR RM class (88 seater)
The NZR RM class 88-seaters were a class of railcar used in New Zealand, known unofficially as 'articulateds', 'twinsets', 'Drewrys' and 'Fiats'. They were purchased to replace steam-hauled provincial passenger trains and mixed trains...
service. The introduction of railcars on this route provided a significant improvement in service, operating six days a week on a five hour timetable. However, the railcars soon showed signs of aging, and mechanical problems began to plague them towards the end of their service. The government of the day considered a replacement train too expensive and believed New Zealand Railways Road Services
New Zealand Railways Road Services
The New Zealand Railways Road Services was a branch of the New Zealand Railways Department and later the New Zealand Railways Corporation. It operated long-distance, tourist and suburban bus services and freight trucking and parcel services.-History:...
buses could provide an adequate service instead. The railcar service last operated on 11 November 1968. The only passenger trains to operate on the Rotorua Branch line for the next 23 years were chartered excursions.
Operation
The introduction of the locomotive-hauled Overlander on the North Island Main Trunk Railway in 1991 meant that the Silver FernNZR RM class (Silver Fern)
This article is about the New Zealand railcar service and the railcars themselves. For other uses, see Silver Fern .The NZR RM class Silver Fern is a class of railcar in New Zealand. The three air-conditioned and sound-proofed 723-kW 96-seater diesel-electric twin-set railcars were built by...
railcars could be deployed on new services. Two new provincial expresses were inaugurated for the Silver Ferns: the Kaimai Express between Tauranga and Auckland, and the Geyserland Express between Auckland and Rotorua. The twice daily service began operating on 9 December 1991, just over 23 years since the cancellation of the last regular passenger service to Rotorua. The morning service, train no. 401, departed Auckland at 8:45am, reaching Rotorua at 12:45pm; its return run, train no. 402, left Rotorua at 1:30pm and reached Auckland at 5:30pm. The afternoon service, train no. 403, departed Auckland at 12:45pm and arrived in Rotorua at 4:45pm; its return run, train no. 404, left Rotorua at 5:30pm and arrived in Auckland at 9:30pm.
An unfortunate situation for the new service was the terminal at Rotorua, which was now the Koutu freight yard. The line into the Travel Centre in the central city had been closed and lifted in 1989. On 9 September 1995, a new but very small passenger station operated by the Second Chance Train Trust was opened on the north side of the Lake Road bridge at the entrance to the Koutu freight yard. The new passenger station at Koutu was intended as a temporary measure until the line could be relaid to a proposed new passenger station in the central city on the corner of Ranolf and Amohau Streets, which was being pursued by the Second Chance Train Trust and the Rotorua District Council. The new station never eventuated.
In April 1995 the twice daily services were cut back to Friday and Sunday only, due to poor patronage. A daily service still remained on all other days. In November 1996 the twice daily services on Friday and Sunday ceased altogether.
In 2000 a timetable change was made to enable the introduction of the Waikato Connection commuter service between Hamilton and Auckland, and allowed for a southbound journey of 4 hours and 13 minutes duration and a slightly longer northbound journey of 4 hours and 16 minutes duration. Under the new timetable, train no. 401 departed Auckland at 8:04am and arrived in Rotorua at 12:17pm, and train no. 402 departed Rotorua at 1:30pm for a 5:46pm arrival in Auckland.
Demise
A lack of profitability, largely due to poor advertising and marketing of the service, led to the cancellation of the Geyserland Express early in the 21st century. At its end the train was attracting an average of only 30 to 40 passengers per day which was unsustainable and thus the final service ran on 7 October 2001.Proposed reinstatement
Following cancellation of the service the Geyserland Express Trust was established, seeking to re-instate the train as a five-star tourist venture under the Geyserland Express name. In response to the trust's proposal, national rail operator KiwiRail stated that it would not consider running such a service unless a third party contributed funding as the service would not be financially viable by itself. KiwiRail has also indicated that it would need to see a sound business case for reinstating the train that proves there would be sufficient demand with 120 passengers daily thought to be the number required for the service to break-even. This proposal has yet to come to fruition.In September 2006 a joint proposal was put forward to the government by the Rail and Maritime Transport Union and the Green Party, to have long distance passenger rail services transferred to the government owned track company ONTRACK
OnTrack
OnTrack was a regional rail line that operated in Syracuse, New York from 1994 to 2007. During its operation, Syracuse was the smallest city in the United States to have regional train service. The line ran from Colvin Street on the city's south side via Syracuse University and Armory Square to the...
(now part of the KiwiRail group) and make ONTRACK an operator, with Toll NZ
Toll NZ
Toll Group Limited is a New Zealand trucking company. A subsidiary of the Australian company Toll Holdings, it has its headquarters in Auckland. It carries out operations by road and in the air, and formerly by rail and sea....
supplying locomotives and drivers in a "hook and tow" arrangement. They proposed reintroducing a number of regional services, Rotorua being one of these.
ONTRACK stated in 2006 that there are currently two tentative proposals to operate passenger services on this line.
The biggest hurdle facing the reinstatement of the Geyserland Express is that the Rotorua Branch
Rotorua Branch
The Rotorua Branch is a railway line from Putaruru to Rotorua, in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions of the North Island of New Zealand. Construction of the line was commenced by the Thames Valley and Rotorua Railway Company and finished by the Public Works Department...
line has been inactive and mothballed since not long after the passenger train's cessation, and although most track remains in place, it will have to be significantly repaired before it can be used again. Not having a station in the central city at Rotorua also does not help make any potential rail passenger service look attractive.