˜ Overlander stays on trackfile.stuff.co.nz/legacy-assets/stuff/asset/290906.pdfToll would...
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Overlander stays on track Reprieve gives time to refurbish service and champagne, if bylaws allowed By Esther Harward and NZPA champagne. The party would peak at 12.50pm Train campaigners are hailing when 400 people on the Overlander’s Toll NZ’s turnaround on the northbound and southbound services Overlander a double victory as they met at the National Park rail station anticipate an upgraded service with for 45 minutes. spin-off benefits for business. Otorohanga taxi driver Bill Millar Otorohanga District Council will shouted the news across his PA sys- be one of the first to seek a meeting tem as he drove through the town with Toll staff to discuss ways of im- yesterday afternoon. proving marketing and promoting lo- He was “ecstatic” at the unexpect- cal attractions to domestic and ed turnaround and was looking for- overseas tourists. ward to telling Toll staff what they In an 11th-hour announcement yesterday, made two days before the rail service was due to be scrapped, Toll NZ chief executive David Jack- son said the Overlander would stay on with trips reduced to Friday, Sat- urday and Sunday during winter. The outcome is better than that requested by regional councils, which asked Toll for a six-month stay of execution. Toll would refurbish carriages be- fore the summer tourist season and could include about Otorohanga as work with local authorities on a part of their marketing. marketing campaign. He said the Overlander’s car- The train had been due to run for riages were tired and overdue for the last time tomorrow, which would refurbishment. have ended 98 years of passenger There were often delays to the 12- train travel between Wellington and hour service of two to three hours Auckland, after Toll said the service which was unacceptable, he said. was losing too much money. Rail and Maritime Transport The Government on Monday de- Union general secretary Wayne clined to subsidise the service. Toll Butson also said he was happy. Most had sought $1.75 million a year to ALL ABOARD: Francis Neha makes sure everything runs like clockwork at the Taumarunui Station when the Overlander pulls in. Mr Neha has been the staff were keeping their jobs, New keep the train on the rails. town’s honorary stationmaster for 23 years. PICTURE: Mark Taylor Zealanders who petitioned to save Ruapehu Mayor Sue Morris, who the Overlander were seeing their lobbied hard to save the Overlander wish come true, and the North Is- after Toll announced its demise two land was keeping its one remaining months ago, said today she was un- Stationmaster back whistling while he works long-distance train, he said. concerned it would run for just three Horizons Regional Council chair- days “because people will just go on planned to scrap its passenger rail Tomorrow was going to be a sad Mel Pochin, from the town’s in- With that, Mr Neha burst into man Garrick Murfitt, who was part those three days instead of spread- service. day for Taumarunui’s honorary formation centre, described Mr life, shuffling across the platform to of efforts by four regional councils to ing it out”. stationmaster Francis Neha. Neha, who lives in an assisted-living Toll’s decision yesterday to con- meet the train and thrusting his save the Overlander, said people “The yield gets greater, the tour- unit, as the town’s icon. “He’s a big tinue the Overlander left Mr Neha For 23 years Mr Neha, 62, had thumb in the direction waiting pas- now needed to show their support ist dollars get greater, everyone in a state of shock when the Times part of this community. He has his greeted Overlander train passengers sengers were to head. for the train by using it. benefits.” called. photo taken every day.” at the town’s station, helping them When asked why he turned up at From mid-December to autumn, She was “over the moon” to be with their luggage and providing As the Overlander pulled in to the “I didn’t know that,” he said. the station every day Mr Neha said and subject to patronage, the service cancelling a farewell gathering she travel advice. Taumarunui Station yesterday, “That’s good news.” his love of trains kept him coming would run daily. After Easter it had been planning at Taumarunui four-year-old Cameron Kennedy Mr Neha was to start a new job After Saturday Mr Neha had back. And the people. would run three days a week, with for Saturday. could not hide his enthusiasm. with a scrap metal dealer next week, planned to pack away his station- “I love all the different people.” Toll looking at a ‘‘ski service’’ during Instead there would be a party at but now he will be back at the sta- master’s black cap, reflective orange “The train’s coming,” Cameron winter. tion, whistle in hand. jacket and trusty whistle as Toll NZ National Park with balloons, a band yelled. — Aaron Leaman Researchers point the finger at who’ll make an athlete Offbeat A burglar who broke into a house in Unit had found that finger length Georgina Evers-Swindell says The findings, published in the Olympic gold medallist Evers- She said she didn’t know if her the Dutch town of Tiel last night was largely inherited, possibly ex- she may be a champion rower but British Journal of Sports Medi- Swindell, of Cambridge, said her twin sister Caroline had a shorter could not resist playing the piano he plaining why sporting parents of- she’s a useless runner and new re- cine, find that women with ring ring finger was marginally shorter ring finger too “because I’ve never found there after ransacking the really looked.” ten have sporting children. search suggests it may have some- fingers longer than their index fin- than her index figure which con- living room, police said today. Unfort- thing to do with the length of her gers performed better at running firmed why she’s a rower and not Ross Palmer, a spokesman for A report by researchers said fin- unately for the 20-year-old thief, his fingers. and associated running sports a runner. the government sports funding ger length “could help identify tal- music woke the owner of the house, GEORGINA such as soccer and tennis. ented individuals at a pre- agency Sparc, said he was un- In the biggest study of its kind, “So this has got nothing to do who called the police. ‘‘The owner EVERS- aware of any link between the hand measurements of 607 female In women the ring finger is with training at all? It’s all about competitive stage”. didn’t register whether the playing SWINDELL: was any good or not. He was more length of a woman’s fingers and twins aged 25-79 from Britain commonly shorter or the same my fingers? I might just stick to Report author Professor Tim Better rower worried about the state of his her ability to run. were compared with the women’s length as the index finger, while in training and not worry about how Spector said earlier research by house,’’ a police spokesman said. than a runner. — Staff, The Dominion Post lifetime sporting achievements. men it is generally longer. long my fingers are.” the King’s College Twins Research INSIDE: TV, WEATHER P12 BUSINESS P13,14 SPORT P22,24 FAMILY NOTICES P11 FULL INDEX P2
Transcript of ˜ Overlander stays on trackfile.stuff.co.nz/legacy-assets/stuff/asset/290906.pdfToll would...
Overlander stays on trackReprieve gives timeto refurbish service
and champagne, if bylaws allowedBy Esther Harward and NZPA champagne.
The party would peak at 12.50pmTrain campaigners are hailing when 400 people on the Overlander’s
Toll NZ’s turnaround on the northbound and southbound servicesOverlander a double victory as they met at the National Park rail stationanticipate an upgraded service with for 45 minutes.spin-off benefits for business. Otorohanga taxi driver Bill Millar
Otorohanga District Council will shouted the news across his PA sys-be one of the first to seek a meeting tem as he drove through the townwith Toll staff to discuss ways of im- yesterday afternoon.proving marketing and promoting lo- He was “ecstatic” at the unexpect-cal attractions to domestic and ed turnaround and was looking for-overseas tourists. ward to telling Toll staff what they
In an 11th-hour announcementyesterday, made two days before therail service was due to be scrapped,Toll NZ chief executive David Jack-son said the Overlander would stayon with trips reduced to Friday, Sat-urday and Sunday during winter.
The outcome is better than thatrequested by regional councils,which asked Toll for a six-monthstay of execution.
Toll would refurbish carriages be-fore the summer tourist season and
could include about Otorohanga aswork with local authorities on apart of their marketing.marketing campaign.
He said the Overlander’s car-The train had been due to run forriages were tired and overdue forthe last time tomorrow, which wouldrefurbishment.have ended 98 years of passenger
There were often delays to the 12-train travel between Wellington andhour service of two to three hoursAuckland, after Toll said the servicewhich was unacceptable, he said.was losing too much money.
Rail and Maritime TransportThe Government on Monday de-Union general secretary Wayneclined to subsidise the service. TollButson also said he was happy. Mosthad sought $1.75 million a year to ALL ABOARD: Francis Neha makes sure everything runs like clockwork at the Taumarunui Station when the Overlander pulls in. Mr Neha has been thestaff were keeping their jobs, Newkeep the train on the rails. town’s honorary stationmaster for 23 years. PICTURE: Mark TaylorZealanders who petitioned to saveRuapehu Mayor Sue Morris, whothe Overlander were seeing theirlobbied hard to save the Overlanderwish come true, and the North Is-after Toll announced its demise twoland was keeping its one remainingmonths ago, said today she was un- Stationmaster back whistling while he workslong-distance train, he said.concerned it would run for just three
Horizons Regional Council chair-days “because people will just go on planned to scrap its passenger railTomorrow was going to be a sad Mel Pochin, from the town’s in- With that, Mr Neha burst intoman Garrick Murfitt, who was partthose three days instead of spread- service.day for Taumarunui’s honorary formation centre, described Mr life, shuffling across the platform toof efforts by four regional councils toing it out”. stationmaster Francis Neha. Neha, who lives in an assisted-livingToll’s decision yesterday to con- meet the train and thrusting hissave the Overlander, said people“The yield gets greater, the tour- unit, as the town’s icon. “He’s a bigtinue the Overlander left Mr NehaFor 23 years Mr Neha, 62, had thumb in the direction waiting pas-now needed to show their supportist dollars get greater, everyone in a state of shock when the Times part of this community. He has hisgreeted Overlander train passengers sengers were to head.for the train by using it.benefits.” called. photo taken every day.”at the town’s station, helping them When asked why he turned up atFrom mid-December to autumn,She was “over the moon” to be with their luggage and providing As the Overlander pulled in to the“I didn’t know that,” he said. the station every day Mr Neha saidand subject to patronage, the servicecancelling a farewell gathering she travel advice. Taumarunui Station yesterday,“That’s good news.” his love of trains kept him comingwould run daily. After Easter ithad been planning at Taumarunui four-year-old Cameron KennedyMr Neha was to start a new jobAfter Saturday Mr Neha had back. And the people.would run three days a week, withfor Saturday. could not hide his enthusiasm.with a scrap metal dealer next week,planned to pack away his station-
“I love all the different people.”Toll looking at a ‘‘ski service’’ duringInstead there would be a party at but now he will be back at the sta-master’s black cap, reflective orange “The train’s coming,” Cameronwinter. tion, whistle in hand.jacket and trusty whistle as Toll NZNational Park with balloons, a band yelled. — Aaron Leaman
Researchers point the finger at who’ll make an athleteOffbeat
A burglar who broke into a house in Unit had found that finger lengthGeorgina Evers-Swindell says The findings, published in the Olympic gold medallist Evers- She said she didn’t know if herthe Dutch town of Tiel last night was largely inherited, possibly ex-she may be a champion rower but British Journal of Sports Medi- Swindell, of Cambridge, said her twin sister Caroline had a shortercould not resist playing the piano heplaining why sporting parents of-she’s a useless runner and new re- cine, find that women with ring ring finger was marginally shorter ring finger too “because I’ve neverfound there after ransacking the
really looked.” ten have sporting children.search suggests it may have some- fingers longer than their index fin- than her index figure which con-living room, police said today. Unfort-thing to do with the length of her gers performed better at running firmed why she’s a rower and not Ross Palmer, a spokesman forA report by researchers said fin-unately for the 20-year-old thief, hisfingers. and associated running sports a runner. the government sports fundingger length “could help identify tal-music woke the owner of the house,
GEORGINAsuch as soccer and tennis. ented individuals at a pre- agency Sparc, said he was un-In the biggest study of its kind, “So this has got nothing to dowho called the police. ‘‘The ownerEVERS-aware of any link between thehand measurements of 607 female In women the ring finger is with training at all? It’s all about competitive stage”.didn’t register whether the playingSWINDELL:was any good or not. He was more length of a woman’s fingers andtwins aged 25-79 from Britain commonly shorter or the same my fingers? I might just stick to Report author Professor TimBetter rowerworried about the state of his her ability to run.were compared with the women’s length as the index finger, while in training and not worry about how Spector said earlier research by
house,’’ a police spokesman said. than a runner.— Staff, The Dominion Postlifetime sporting achievements. men it is generally longer. long my fingers are.” the King’s College Twins Research
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