Whanganui letters: High speed trains could be possible in NZ

NZ rail has the same gauge as South Africa which has faster trains. Photo / File

Letters

Re Rob Rattenbury (Opinion, November 9), I disagree that the NZ rail gauge limits us to 100km/h.

South Africa has the same gauge, and an engineer there by the name of Scheffel in 1975 designed a bogie that enables train travel at much higher speed (see Wikipedia).

A record speed of 245km/h was set using these bogies on the South African narrow gauge.

I have always thought that a high-speed rail link between Auckland and Hamilton with limited stops, would open up the isthmus for commuters to live along a rail link such as this.

It would also lay down infrastructure for the day that inevitably Wellington gets hit by "the big one", and government realises that, facing the cost of rebuilding government centres there, it would be better to relocate to a more geographically stable location, such as Hamilton.

CHRIS PATTISON
Tauranga

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Fundraiser exceeds expectations

I've just received the wonderful news that our collection exceeded all our dreams.

In fact we almost doubled last year's collection. We raised $6490.70, which included $800 donated from a raffle and a further donation from an event run in support of Pink Ribbon, and two "Pink days" run by the local Courthouse.

Even a courier driver dashing into the Court dipped into his wallet to help the cause.

Sincere thanks to all those wonderful people who gave so generously. As we told them often, every coin or note counts and the ASB Bank could certainly vouch for that; I had to ask a friend to help me stagger in with the banking bags so the bank could count them.

How lucky we are to live in a community that cares about those around them.

They donated not just for family and friends, but even complete strangers.

New World, Mitre 10, Pak'nSave, Countdown Trafalgar Square and the Riverside Markets were all extremely co-operative and considerate; you are all stars. I cannot speak highly enough, either, of the many incredible volunteers who gave their time so willingly. A lot of them, including Zonta and some from Volunteer Whanganui, were experienced and passionate from previous years, but a lot of others who had never helped us before. More than one of them came with their own stories and experiences. The students from City College excelled with their street collection in Victoria Ave, and we received any comments on how well turned out they were. Nearly as many as on the variations of pink worn by some of our collectors.
We can never thank you enough, it's a very worthy cause.
SHIRLEY FORWARD
Gonville

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