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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 3, Issue 5 (September 1, 1928)

Circular Tours

Circular Tours.

It was John Ruskin, I believe, who remarked in his “Modern Painters” that a railway was merely a device for making the world smaller. This year the Home railways are setting out to reduce their territory to infinitesimal proportions, so elaborate and far-reaching are the travel programmes placed before the public.

A feature of the season's passenger business is the operation of a new type of long-distance circular tour, enabling extended excursions to be made, lasting up to three months, at fares twenty-five per cent. below normal. These special tours, which are planned primarily for the benefit of visitors from overseas, are not confined to the system of any one group railway, but are available over as many as three of the great transportation undertakings of the Homeland, and include travel by rail, road and steamer. They cover such popular resorts and places of pilgrimage as Shakespeare Land, the Burns and Scott countries, the Cathedral cities of the Eastern Counties, the beauteous Lake District and the Scottish Trossachs. Here is a splendid opportunity for all visitors to see the Homeland as it really is, and to appreciate the scenic charms of sea-side and country, with a minimum of trouble and expense.

While all the better-known beach resorts are doing record business this summer, many of the lesser-known holiday haunts further afield are drawing large numbers of patrons. The Isle of Man, for example, is stepping to the forefront among holiday resorts for the Britisher, and the transportation services of the island are being extended in almost every direction to meet the growing needs of the holiday-maker. The principal railway undertaking in Manxland is known as the Manx Electric Railway Company, and has its headquarters in Douglas. Of 3ft. gauge, this enterprising line connects the coast towns of Douglas, Laxey and Ramsey, passing through many of the most interesting and beautiful parts of the island, such as Groudle Glen, Laxey Glen, Dhoon Glen and Glen Mona. From Laxey, a special mountain railway ascends to the summit of Snaefell Mountain, the highest point in the island, from which there are secured the most wonderful views of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Of double track throughout, and electrically operated, the Snaefell Mountain line is on a continuous gradient of 1 in 12, and ranks as one of the most interesting mountain railways in the world.