cr
2011-09-05 08:24:02 UTC
So what did happen to the steam special? The Herald says 'the train lost a
wheel' which with the Herald's usual standard of spectacular technical
accuracy could mean anything. (It was illustrated with a completely
irrelevant and totally misleading pic of the Overlander in Britomart, just
par for the course).
I notice that 'Angry train passengers including tourists, families and the
disabled say they were "dumped" ' but in fact only one couple were
quoted... did any of the others actually speak to a reporter? Or did
they hear the message and catch the bus / taxis and the Herald is filling in
the gaps from its imagination as usual?
cr
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wheel' which with the Herald's usual standard of spectacular technical
accuracy could mean anything. (It was illustrated with a completely
irrelevant and totally misleading pic of the Overlander in Britomart, just
par for the course).
I notice that 'Angry train passengers including tourists, families and the
disabled say they were "dumped" ' but in fact only one couple were
quoted... did any of the others actually speak to a reporter? Or did
they hear the message and catch the bus / taxis and the Herald is filling in
the gaps from its imagination as usual?
cr
Angry train passengers left stranded at station
By John Weekes
(Pic of AO215 on Overlander at Britomart, captioned 'Passengers were left
stranded')
Angry train passengers including tourists, families and the disabled say
they were "dumped" at a suburban Auckland station with no explanation and
no alternative transport.
In a bad start to a busy time for Auckland's train system with the Rugby
World Cup looming, Glen Eden man Michael Jones says his Father's Day was
ruined when he and his family, with some 90 other passengers, were
yesterday told to get off the train at Avondale because of a problem ahead.
Mr Jones said he was travelling from Britomart with his wife Kim, children
Christina and Jayden, and 9-month-old granddaughter Arabella.
At the train's approach to Mt Albert station about 4pm, staff told
passengers the train would stop at Avondale.
"We got dumped," Mr Jones said. "We were told there was a problem up
ahead."
He said the message was delivered by a woman who had "poor English" and
passengers were confused.
The passengers, including tourists, a disabled man and a number of small
children, had no idea what was happening, he said.
Veolia spokeswoman Michelle Roach said passengers were told a bus was on
the way before and after they disembarked at Avondale. A bus arrived 25
minutes later and 17 taxis were sent, she said.
But Mrs Jones said there was confusion, adding: "Nobody from the train came
to tell us where to catch the bus."
And she said only one taxi arrived.
The Jones plan to make a formal complaint to Veolia.
Meanwhile, in a possibly related incident, a steam train returning to
Ellerslie from an excursion to Helensville with 280 people onboard lost a
wheel, stopping the train.
Main Line Steam operations manager Michael Tolich said the carriages were
owned by KiwiRail, which was investigating.
- APNZ
_______________________________________________By John Weekes
(Pic of AO215 on Overlander at Britomart, captioned 'Passengers were left
stranded')
Angry train passengers including tourists, families and the disabled say
they were "dumped" at a suburban Auckland station with no explanation and
no alternative transport.
In a bad start to a busy time for Auckland's train system with the Rugby
World Cup looming, Glen Eden man Michael Jones says his Father's Day was
ruined when he and his family, with some 90 other passengers, were
yesterday told to get off the train at Avondale because of a problem ahead.
Mr Jones said he was travelling from Britomart with his wife Kim, children
Christina and Jayden, and 9-month-old granddaughter Arabella.
At the train's approach to Mt Albert station about 4pm, staff told
passengers the train would stop at Avondale.
"We got dumped," Mr Jones said. "We were told there was a problem up
ahead."
He said the message was delivered by a woman who had "poor English" and
passengers were confused.
The passengers, including tourists, a disabled man and a number of small
children, had no idea what was happening, he said.
Veolia spokeswoman Michelle Roach said passengers were told a bus was on
the way before and after they disembarked at Avondale. A bus arrived 25
minutes later and 17 taxis were sent, she said.
But Mrs Jones said there was confusion, adding: "Nobody from the train came
to tell us where to catch the bus."
And she said only one taxi arrived.
The Jones plan to make a formal complaint to Veolia.
Meanwhile, in a possibly related incident, a steam train returning to
Ellerslie from an excursion to Helensville with 280 people onboard lost a
wheel, stopping the train.
Main Line Steam operations manager Michael Tolich said the carriages were
owned by KiwiRail, which was investigating.
- APNZ
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