Since 1969, the authoritative voice of late actor Oswald Laurence warns "Mind the Gap" to ensure passengers are aware of the space between the doors and the platform at those stations built on a curve.
Some 19,000km away across the world, "Mind the Gap" has for many years had a different meaning when it comes to matters of the railway kind. This cautionary note for those of us in the South Island is on a temporal rather than spatial scale, a reminder you’ll be waiting an awfully long time before the next passenger train comes along.
Wonderful news then last week to receive the announcement that a train service connecting Dunedin with Christchurch and Invercargill will launch next month, almost 24 years since the termination of the much-missed Southerner.
Tempering the excitement a tad are the details of The Mainlander train. Initially it will be very infrequent and rather slow. It is certainly not a commuter train service but one aimed squarely at tourists or South Islanders wanting to embark on a special adventure.
But it is a start. And it is some rare good news when it comes to passenger rail in the South and worth celebrating.
The initiative comes from the Rail and Tourism Group, which has released details of a three-day timetable in the January school holidays, leaving Christchurch for Dunedin on Tuesday the 20th, heading to Invercargill the next morning and then doing the return journey on the 22nd and 23rd.
The operators are expecting to issue the next monthly dates soon, with Rail and Tourism Group chief executive Paul Jackson saying future services are more likely to run across weekends.
Among those who have welcomed the new service are Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker, who said it was a "huge win" for the city and a significant step towards more rail connections between South Island main centres.
Dunedin passenger rail advocate Jarrod Hodson said last week the new offering was well overdue but it was essential the cost of tickets became more affordable, to support those who wanted to use a rail alternative to car, bus or plane for regional travel.
This week the operators have done just that and reduced prices. The initial one-way price was $199 from Dunedin to Christchurch, and $169 between Dunedin and Invercargill. But they have now dropped to $149 and $129 respectively.
That is a good move, as the original ticket price was beyond the reach of some. It also more firmly puts the $300 cost of a return trip from Dunedin to Christchurch somewhere in the middle ground, with the price of a return InterCity bus fare being about $160 and an Air New Zealand return flight generally above $500, unless booked several months in advance.
One disappointment is with the original timetable. A daily journey in each direction is going to be unlikely until the service has proved its worth. But there are plenty who might hope for a timetable that dovetails with their need to travel north or south for work. At seven and a-quarter hours, it is also quite an investment of time.
However, improving that may just be a matter of time. Increasing demand will inexorably lead to more regular trips and cheaper fares.
There’s something special about travelling by train. People in other countries take frequent services and comprehensive rail networks for granted, offerings which we in the South would die for.
New Zealand is not now a particularly train-loving nation. North Islanders have a few passenger rail services and Wellington and Auckland residents enjoy commuter trains, though complain a lot about their reliability and punctuality.
But since the Southerner hung up its bogies in February 2002, people in the South Island’s three largest cities have been linked by just cars and buses, and very expensive flights.
The Mainlander train is just a start. But it’s one which deserves support to ensure it flourishes and benefits us all.
