Scenic Daylight
Encyclopedia
The Scenic Daylight was a short-lived daytime express train
in New Zealand
that operated between Auckland
and Wellington
along the North Island Main Trunk Railway. It commenced in 1963 and was replaced in 1968 by the Blue Streak.
, a steam-hauled
service that operated primarily at the Christmas and Easter peak seasons; only the overnight Night Limited
ran outside peak travel periods. However, as dieselisation
of North Island
railway lines progressed swiftly in the 1950s and 1960s, the decision was taken to replace the Daylight Limited with a diesel-hauled service that ran all year. Year-round daylight running was motivated in part by a strategy to attract tourist travellers with the scenery in the central North Island and was one of the New Zealand Railways Department
's first attempts to capitalise on the tourist market, and the Scenic Daylight was introduced in 1963.
diesel-electric locomotives and NZR 56-foot carriage
s that had been built around World War II
. As dining cars had been removed from New Zealand's railways as an economy measure during World War I
and not re-introduced until the launch of the Southerner in 1971, the train made refreshment stops in Frankton
and Taumarunui
. Due to the power of the DA locomotives, the service operated to a faster timetable than the Daylight Limited.
88-seater
railcar
was refurbished and repainted in a distinctive blue scheme that led to it being nicknamed the Blue Streak. It initially operated an unsuccessful service between Hamilton
and Auckland in early 1968, and was transferred to the Auckland-Wellington run on 23 September 1968. It initially ran in tandem with the Scenic Daylight, with the railcar operating from Wellington to Auckland on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and returning the next day, with all other services operated by the Scenic Daylight. For the peak Christmas/New Year season, a second 88-seater was renovated into a Blue Streak and the Scenic Daylight was fully replaced, with a third Blue Streak introduced in 1969. Regular carriage expresses were not operated on the North Island Main Trunk until the 1991 introduction of the Overlander, although the Blue Fern
operated during parts of the 1980s.
Express train
Express trains are a form of rail service. Express trains make only a small number of stops, instead of stopping at every single station...
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...
that operated 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 Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
along the North Island Main Trunk Railway. It commenced in 1963 and was replaced in 1968 by the Blue Streak.
Introduction
The Scenic Daylight was preceded by the Daylight LimitedDaylight Limited
The Daylight Limited was an express passenger train between Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand along the North Island Main Trunk. It commenced in 1925 and was replaced by the Scenic Daylight in 1963.- Introduction :...
, a 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...
service that operated primarily at the Christmas and Easter peak seasons; only the overnight Night Limited
Night Limited
The Night Limited was an express passenger train that operated in New Zealand between Wellington and Auckland, utilising the entire length of the North Island Main Trunk...
ran outside peak travel periods. However, as dieselisation
Dieselisation
Dieselisation or dieselization is a term generally used for the increasingly common use of diesel fuel in vehicles, as opposed to gasoline or steam engines.-Water Transport:...
of 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...
railway lines progressed swiftly in the 1950s and 1960s, the decision was taken to replace the Daylight Limited with a diesel-hauled service that ran all year. Year-round daylight running was motivated in part by a strategy to attract tourist travellers with the scenery in the central North Island and was one of 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...
's first attempts to capitalise on the tourist market, and the Scenic Daylight was introduced in 1963.
Operation
The Scenic Daylight typically consisted of DA classNZR DA class
The NZR Da diesel-electric mainline locomotive class ran on the New Zealand railway system between 1955 and 1989. With 146 locomotives, it was the most numerous class to operate in New Zealand, just five more than the AB class steam locomotive....
diesel-electric locomotives and NZR 56-foot carriage
NZR 56-foot carriage
The NZR 56-foot carriage is a class of 17.07m-long railway passenger car formerly used on almost all long-distance rail transport in New Zealand, and still in service. Some have been preserved.-1927: Prototypes:...
s that had been built around 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...
. As dining cars had been removed from New Zealand's railways as an economy measure 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...
and not re-introduced until the launch of the Southerner in 1971, the train made refreshment stops in Frankton
Frankton, Waikato
Frankton is a central suburb of the city of Hamilton, New Zealand. It is the site of the city's passenger railway station, a major industrial-commercial stretch of State Highway 1, and a commercial shopping area.- Tornado :...
and Taumarunui
Taumarunui
Taumarunui is a town in the King Country of the central North Island of New Zealand. It is on State Highway 4 and the North Island Main Trunk Railway....
. Due to the power of the DA locomotives, the service operated to a faster timetable than the Daylight Limited.
Replacement
In 1968 an RM classNZR RM class
The RM class is the classification used by the New Zealand Railways Department and its successors given to most railcars and railbuses that have operated on New Zealand's national rail network. As NZR and its successors has operated many diverse types of railcars, alternate names have been given...
88-seater
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...
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...
was refurbished and repainted in a distinctive blue scheme that led to it being nicknamed the Blue Streak. It initially operated an unsuccessful service between Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
and Auckland in early 1968, and was transferred to the Auckland-Wellington run on 23 September 1968. It initially ran in tandem with the Scenic Daylight, with the railcar operating from Wellington to Auckland on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and returning the next day, with all other services operated by the Scenic Daylight. For the peak Christmas/New Year season, a second 88-seater was renovated into a Blue Streak and the Scenic Daylight was fully replaced, with a third Blue Streak introduced in 1969. Regular carriage expresses were not operated on the North Island Main Trunk until the 1991 introduction of the Overlander, although the Blue Fern
Blue Fern (train)
The Blue Ferns, an unofficial name, were temporary replacement locomotive-hauled carriage trains between Wellington and Auckland on the North Island Main Trunk Railway in the North Island of New Zealand, in 1981-1984 and 1989-1990.-Twist of Fate:...
operated during parts of the 1980s.