Bay Express - Additional Rolling Stock

Additional Rolling Stock

The train attracted good patronage and, from 1993 onward, the odd Northerner car or two, a thoroughly refurbished Auckland excursion car and later a thoroughly refurbished Wairarapa Connection car, the Auckland excursion modular van with a 37.5-kW generator housed in the non handbrake end module, the first and third modular NIMT 11-kW power-luggage vans were frequently being used to bolster this service.

From January 12 until January 25, 1993, the first of three 56' air conditioned rear-view cars and the first of three 90-kW power-luggage vans exclusive to the Northerner and Overlander passenger trains were put to use on the Napier train for trialling purposes. In the meantime, one of the 51-seat cars exclusive to this train was transferred for trial use on the Southerner.

In December 1991, with the alterations made to NIMT daylight passenger services, the Bay Express lost its key attraction: the rear-view and servery car to the new Overlander daylight passenger trains. It was replaced by the only 56' car to serve a Governor-General as a Vice-Regal car later Southerner, later Auckland excursion, later Northerner buffet car. However, the rear-view and servery car returned when the three NIMT passenger trainsets were fully re-equipped.