Shortly afterthe end of the extremely trimmed down Daylight Limited 1959-60 summer season (only one southbound and three northbound services), NZR, with the enthusiastic blessing of the Minister of Railways, Michael Moohan, ran a trial passenger train from Wellington to Auckland and back, utilising diesel power in each direction. The trial was intended to provide insights to help in the design of diesel railcars to run on the route. To the casual observer the train looked like a diesel-hauled Daylight Limited, and it was sparkling clean. It was full of invited guests, for example mayors and members of parliament of towns and cities along the route, and a press contingent.
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