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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 1, Issue 10 (March 21, 1927)

A Super Dining Car — Meals On The Royal Train

page 6

A Super Dining Car
Meals On The Royal Train

After a lapse of nine years, a dining car has once more been seen on a New Zealand express. Not by any means an ordinary dining car, nor yet an ordinary train, but a super-car on the Royal train itself. During the past two weeks, members of the party accompanying Their Royal Highnesses on their tour through New Zealand have had the privilege of taking their meals in the largest and finest dining car ever run on the New Zealand Railways. It seats 36 persons, but even this liberal accommodation has been so fully taxed that each meal has been served in two sittings since the commencement of the tour. The car was designed by the Chief Mechanical Engineer (Mr. G. S. Lynde) on the lines of similar cars in use on the great railway systems of England and America, and it is safe to say that no dining car in use in other countries could excel that on the Royal train for comfort and convenience.

Interior view of the Dining Car used by Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York in the North Island.

Interior view of the Dining Car used by Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York in the North Island.

Attached to the dining car is a kitchen car, fitted with every convenience. It is also the last word in spotless cleanliness. In the old days, nine years ago, the kitchen was a tiny cubby hole partitioned off from the dining car. To work there in the atmosphere of a coastal steamer's galley passing through a heat wave, was more than mortal cook could stand, so that the Railway Department was placed in the same unenviable position as the suburban housewife whose maids refuse to hold their job for more than a fortnight at a time. Work in the Royal train kitchen is very different. The chefs have been able to work in comfort and convenience, and as a result they have turned out dishes “fit to set before a king.”

“Come and have a look at the kitchen,” invited Mr. G. S. Lynde one afternoon when there was an hour or two to spare between official welcomes, and with great pleasure I went. The impromptu visit found cooks and kitchen page 7 as immaculate as though Royalty were expected at any moment. “Right up to Army standard—that's the idea,” said Mr. Lynde, and the idea has been maintained right through the tour.

The dining car arrangements are under the control of Mr. F. Lindsay (Controller of Refreshment Services), who has travelled right through the North and South Islands with the Royal party. Only one full dinner—on the night when the party entrained at National Park—has been served in the train, but through many days of train travel the entire party has assembled for lunch and for morning and afternoon tea.

With Mr. Lindsay as supervisor of the dining car arrangements, is Mr. H. A. Fanselow (Assistant Controller) and a staff of chefs, stewards and storemen numbering 24. There are two chefs and assistant cooks, a head steward in charge of the Royal dining saloon and another steward who has charge of the general dining car in which the official party take their meals. The Royal dining saloon is attached to the Royal car itself, and is reserved for the exclusive use of the Duke and Duchess, members of their staff and the ladies in waiting.

The general dining car is the last word in comfort and convenience. With blue and gold brocade curtains at the windows, silver vases of flowers running in long rows down the side of the car, the general appearance is very bright and attractive.

The chefs, whose position has been a highly important one, are from the Marton and Frankton railway dining rooms, and the menus they have presented during the Royal tour have been comparable with those of the best London hotels. Their kitchen is fitted with every kind of labour-saving contrivance and convenience. There is a huge gas stove big enough to cook fourteen ordinary dinners, special icechambers for keeping things cool, and a hot press for keeping them warm. The chef cuts up his joints on a miniature butcher's block, and rolls out his pastry on a specially fitted pastry board. There is a shelf running the entire length of the carriage for setting out the dishes, and china racks to keep the crockery safe from the jerking of the train.

Mr.R.J. Stone, the driver of the locomotive “Passchendaele,” which hauled the Royal train in the South Island. Mr. Stone with the same locomotive, drove the Royal train during the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1920.

Mr.R.J. Stone, the driver of the locomotive “Passchendaele,” which hauled the Royal train in the South Island. Mr. Stone with the same locomotive, drove the Royal train during the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1920.

A storeroom is attached to the dining car, where everyday requisites are stored, and vegetables, bread, and perishable foodstuffs are taken aboard as required.

With all these conveniences to hand, and under the smooth working of an excellent system of organisation, the chefs proved themselves fully capable of turning out dainty dishes to tempt travel-jaded appetites, and have assisted in no small measure towards the success of a truly Royal tour.

[The full extent to which the Railway Refreshment Branch has assisted in the catering arrangements throughout the tour is not generally known, although the success of this phase has been fully acknowledged.

Besides providing for an average of 100 persons on the Royal train and 80 on the Pilot and Emergency trains for eleven days of train travel, the whole of the catering for the Royal party and the special camp staff at Tokaanu was carried through by this Branch. Simultaneously a party of 400 petty officers and sailors off the “Renown” were provided with meals at Rotorua.

At Palmerston North, Napier, Nelson, Westport, Murchison, Greymouth, Christchurch, Pembroke and Queenstown, members of the staff were used to supplement the staffs at certain of the hotels at which the Royal party were accommodated.

The total Refreshment Branch staff employed for all services in connection with the tour was twenty-nine, and no less than twenty large mail hampers were needed to convey the crockery, glassware, etc.—Ed. N.Z.R.M.]