Daylight Limited

For other uses, see Daylight Limited (disambiguation).

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

After the introduction of the Night Limited in 1924, the New Zealand Railways Department investigated the possibility of a daylight train between Wellington and Auckland. It was introduced on a trial basis in 1925-26, but was then cancelled until another trial in 1929-30. The economic impact of the Great Depression intervened and the service was cut back to operating solely during the Christmas and Easter peak seasons.

Operation

In the off-peak season the Night Limited catered for passenger demand between Auckland and Wellington, but at the times of the most intense demand extra trains ran. In the early years of the service, A^B and sometimes W^AB class steam locomotives operated the train, and later more modern locomotives such as the K^A class were used, with ED and EW electric locomotives between Wellington and Paekakariki from 1940.

The train made extended stops at Mercer, Frankton, Taumarunui and Marton for refreshments: Marton refreshment rooms closed in 1954 and Mercer in 1958.

Replacement

In 1963, the train was replaced by the diesel-hauled Scenic Daylight operating year-round.

References

New Zealand History Online - The Daylight Limited: Poster and Article

External links

Photo of Limited Express at Frankton Station c1937

Long distance passenger trains of New Zealand

Operational

North Island	Capital Connection Northern Explorer Wairarapa Connection

South Island	Coastal Pacific Seasider TranzAlpine

Historic

North Island	Bay Express Blue Fern Blue Streak Overlander Daylight Limited Endeavour Geyserland Express Kaimai Express Kiwi Lager Express Napier Express New Plymouth Express New Plymouth Night Express Night Limited Northerner Northland Express Overlander Rotorua Express Scenic Daylight Silver Star Silver Fern Taneatua Express Taranaki Flyer Thames Express Waikato Connection Wairarapa Mail

South Island	Culverden Express Kingston Flyer Lynx Express Picton Express Southerner South Island Limited

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