ABSTRACT
Levin is a small town about 50 miles north of Wellington and some six miles from the East Coast. The express arrived there about five in the morning, thus leaving two hours for the final ‘dash’ to Wellington. I had recovered from my stupor in time to collect sandwiches and NZR tea at one or two earlier stops, probably at Te Kuiti and Taumarunui. My memory is unclear about the stops, but I do remember what NZ railway tea was like. It was served at most of the stops on the Auckland to Wellington line. The thick, clumsy cups resembled miniature pos; they were filled with a warm amber liquid, like tea in appearance but not taste. The train would wait for about ten minutes while its passengers rushed to the tea rooms to collect their mugs of ‘tea’, already poured and waiting. Doorstep ham sandwiches would also be collected on the run and then back to the train, which would be puffing and snorting in anticipation of roaring on into the darkness. I expect things are very different now.
