Coastal Pacific

Coastal Pacific
The Coastal Pacific crossing a double-decker rail and road bridge in April 2007 near Seddon.
Overview
Service type	Inter-city rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Upper South Island, New Zealand
First service	1988
Current operator(s)	Tranz Scenic
Former operator(s)	InterCity Rail (1988–1995)
Route
Start	Christchurch
No. of intermediate stops	6
End	Picton
Distance travelled	348 km (216 mi)
Average journey time	5 hours, 17 minutes
Service frequency	Daily each way
On-board services
Class(es)	Standard only
Disabled access	Restricted due to age of rolling stock
Seating arrangements	Airline-style Alcove with table
Catering facilities	On-board café
Observation facilities	Large windows in all carriages Open air observation carriage
Baggage facilities	Overhead racks Baggage carriage
Technical
Rolling stock	NZR DC class locomotives NZR 56-foot carriages
Gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	66 km/h (41 mph) average
Route map |- | colspan="2" align="left"| Legend 347.98 Picton Connection to Interislander ferry to Wellington 319.50 Blenheim 294.40 Seddon 191.12 Kaikoura 119.57 Mina 62.88 Waipara 30.11 Rangiora 0.51 Christchurch

The Coastal Pacific is a long-distance passenger train between Picton and Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand, operated by Tranz Scenic.^[1] It was known as the TranzCoastal from May 2000 until being temporarily withdrawn in February 2011.^[2]

History

Before the Main North Line was completed, the open sections were served by mixed trains and the Culverden Express. On 15 December 1945, the Main North Line was completed and the Picton Express began operating, providing a direct daily service between Picton and Christchurch. In January 1946, the Picton Express was cut to operate thrice weekly, and its popularity and profitability declined. In February 1956 the Picton Express was replaced by a more frequent railcar service, utilising RM class 88-seaters. When these railcars wore out in the 1970s, carriage trains were re-introduced to the route. These were sometimes known as the Picton Express.

In April 2006, Toll NZ announced its intention to sell the TranzCoastal and the TranzAlpine.^[3] However with the purchase of Toll NZ's rail assets in 2008 by the government, these plans never came to fruition. KiwiRail has signaled its intention to upgrade the remaining three long-distance passenger services.

Following the 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Christchurch on February 22 KiwiRail suspended the TranzCoastal service, later announcing that it would return on 15 August 2011^[4] under its original name, the Coastal Pacific.^[5] It was replaced by a substitute bus service, which was withdrawn on 10 April.^[6]

Route and Stations

Heading north through Christchurch.

The service runs daily between Christchurch and Picton, stopping enroute for passengers at Rangiora, Waipara, Mina, Kaikoura, Seddon and Blenheim^[7], along the Main North Line. It was introduced on Sunday, 25 September 1988 and took 5 hours 20 minutes. In the present timetable the northbound journey takes 5 hours 13 minutes, the southbound 5 hours 21 minutes.

Rolling stock

From 1982 until 1988 the Picton Express and the Greymouth and West Coast Expresses shared a pool of 12 former second class NZR 56-foot carriages and guard's vans with six 50-ft wooden box wagons/parcel vans. All these cars and wagons were painted bright red and had wall-to-wall carpet, fluorescent strip lights and later, a new design of seat from Addington Workshops. Cars with luggage space seated 46, passenger-only cars seated 52.

During 1984-1985, while the red Picton/Greymouth cars were being fitted with new seats, three Southerner cars and a modular van for baggage were used on this train.

Refurbishment of service

In 1987, due to the need to re-equip the deteriorating yellow Northerner trains, cars were reallocated and refurbished to cover this.

With this change, the last three original Southerner day cars remaining were refurbished to the same design as the three "big window" cars on the TranzAlpine and the sole Connoisseur car. Two cars seated 51 each in the seats designed by Addington Workshops, which were reupholstered and re-arranged, alcove-style, around tables. The third car became a 31-seat servery/observation car fitted out similarly to its TranzAlpine counterpart, but with detail differences in the buffet counter area. A Mitsubishi - built modular van was fitted with an 11-kW petrol generator at the handbrake end for power/baggage duties.

The new train became a favourite with rail travelers, but it did not quite attract the same level of popularity as the TranzAlpine. In 1993, a "backpackers" car (a former red Picton - Greymouth car with luggage space at one end) was introduced, for train travelers looking for a cheaper option. This premise proved popular, as did adding up to five wagons authorised to travel at 100 km/h conveying priority freight for the North Island or deep South.

In the early 1990s, the panorama cars were equipped with pressure ventilation like the Bay Express cars and the TranzAlpine rear observation car.

Connoisseur Service

On Monday, January 19, 1987 a private tourism firm leased a 29 (later 45) seat single-lavatory South Island Main Trunk first class car refurbished in 1970 for the Southerner and attached it to the Picton train initially, before expanding its operation to Greymouth and later Invercargill. It was marketed as a luxury carriage: it offered the same level of comfort as other Southerner cars, but the service was to a higher standard. Originally named the Connoisseurs' Express car, it was heavily refurbished to offer a superior quality service and renamed The Connoisseur car.

Rebranding and re-equipping

A Picton-bound TranzCoastal service departing Christchurch station.

During 1996, the original TranzAlpine observation car was thoroughly overhauled and air-conditioning installed, and this car, along with the two former Lynx Express cars and the car with luggage space, were permanently assigned to this train. The backpackers' car was later replaced by the only former Southerner (later Northerner) car to escape rebuilding as a panorama car or scrapping. It was fitted out with 47 of the same type of Addington seat that it had had in the mid to late 1980s, all seats facing toward the two centre tables, one on both sides of the aisle of the car, and became the new backpackers' car. The former Connoisseur car, thoroughly refurbished the year before with air conditioning installed, assumed regular duty on this service. The Lynx Express baggage van, and later the first of the NIMT baggage vans were also permanently allocated to this service. Later, the second backpacker car had air conditioning installed, then, in late 2003, was transferred north for use on the Overlander or Wairarapa Connection services. It never returned.

The baggage van fitted out for the initial third NIMT passenger trainset in 1992 had its central and one end module converted into an open viewing area, while the other end module remained for luggage.

New rolling stock

At KiwiRail's Hillside Railway Workshops, building has commenced on new carriages for the Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine services, classed AK. The new cars for the Coastal Pacific entered service toward the end of 2011, and it is expected the new cars for the Tranz Alpine will enter service in 2012.^[5]

See also

• Lynx Express

References

1. ^ "The TranzCoastal: Discover the wild spirit of the coast". Tranz Scenic. http://www.tranzscenic.co.nz/services/tranzcoastal.aspx. Retrieved 2007-08-31. 
2. ^ Wheeler, Bob (11 October 2000). "Chairman’s Address to Shareholders, 2000 Annual Meeting". Wellington: Tranz Rail Holdings. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0010/S00085/speech-by-bob-wheeler-chairman-tranz-railto-agm.htm. 
3. ^ "Tranz Alpine journey up for grabs". Television New Zealand. 22 May 2006. http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/425829/720377. Retrieved 24 September 2011. 
4. ^ GORMAN, PAUL (5 April 2011). "TranzCoastal off rails till August". The Press (Christchurch: Fairfax New Zealand). http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/4847231/TranzCoastal-off-rails-till-August. Retrieved 5 April 2011. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "TranzCoastal service resumes with new Coastal Pacific identity", The Express (104): 1, 2011 
6. ^ BUTTERFIELD, TANIA (5 April 2011). "East coast rail service is stopped". The Marlborough Express (Blenheim: Fairfax New Zealand). http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/4848909/East-coast-rail-service-is-stopped. Retrieved 22 July 2011. 
7. ^ Tranz Scenic Stations

External links

• Official page of the Coastal Pacific
• ALLEN, IAN (16 August 2011). "Train service restart a bit Irish". The Marlborough Express (Blenheim: Fairfax New Zealand). http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/5451927/Train-service-restart-a-bit-Irish. Retrieved 17 August 2011.