Ormondville Rail Preservation Group Inc.

New Napier express

Source: 'Rails', December 1989, page 104

A new Wellington-Napier-Wellington passenger train, to be known as The Bay Express is expected to be in service about the time this issue of Rails is published.

The new train replaces the existing Endeavour service, which started in 1972 and which some years ago lost its buffet car and catering staff.

InterCity's Manager Mr John Bennett said that the new train would comprise three carriages - two would be fitted out with big windows as had been done with the cars used on the South Island's Tranz-Alpine and Coastal Pacific trains while the third would be a combined seating/buffet car.

"But the Bay Express buffet car will have an observation window at the end, rather like the big window in the end of the business car used from time to time on the Silver Fern replacement train - that's what will make this new train different," he said.

The observation end of the car would have seats arranged around a coffee table, and would be turned around at the end of each run, he said.

The new train would have a standard of catering similar to that of the South Island trains and the fares would be the same as the old Endeavour, taking into account the overall five per cent increase in all long-distance train fares which came into force on 5 November.

The new train will run to an earlier timetable than its forerunner. It will leave Wellington 45 minutes earlier at 8am, arrive in Napier at 1.30pm and leave again at 2.30pm for an arrival time back in Wellington of 8pm, 35 minutes earlier than the old train.

Bay Express in Service

Source: 'Rails', January 1990, page 129

"The Bay Express" has been chosen as the name for the new Wellington-Napier daily return passenger train, which replaced the former Endeavour from 10 December. The new train features carriages refurbished with large windows and tables as used on the Tranz-Alpine and in addition has a buffet/observation car fitted with a large viewing window at the rear end.

Rails will publish an article on the new train early in the new year.

The new Napier-bound Bay Express on the Ormondville Viaduct, with Ormondville in the distance.

The original caption to this photo reads: "The Hawke's Bay line has not in the past been regarded as particularly scenic, but this should change as the new Bay Express attracts more people to this route. Many of the line's more spectacular features, such as the Ormondville Viaduct, seen here, are remote from the main highway which perhaps explains why they are not as well known as they could be. In this photograph the new Bay Express with its panoramic windows and rear-end observation-buffet car, is seen on its inaugural run on 10 December last." (i.e. 10 December 1989)