michael kempThis train used to be 'The Silver Star' and ran overnight in the 1970s between Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand.

george adlerThat's correct! Unfortunately, after the introduction of airplanes the demand for such trains fell rapidly. So after the Silver Star stopped, the cars were purchased by a rich "railfan" called James Sherwood, former director of Orient Express Hotels Ltd., which is known as Belmond today.

michael kempThere were several reasons why 'The Star' didn't work. It started about ten years too late so between cars and cheaper air travel no one used it. In the mid 70s the old overnight Auckland to Wellington express was replaced with refurbished carriages and called 'The Northerner' It was composite sitting and sleeping whereas the Star wasn't. The Star was taken off the Road in 1979 to be converted to both sitting and sleepoing but workers found Blue Asbestos in the carriage lining so all work halted and the two sets sat in respective yards in Auckland and Wellington for a number of years before they were sold.