After reading various letters re the lack of train services from Tauranga/Auckland I haven't noticed any from people travelling on the service years ago.
I retired to Tauranga four years ago as family are living here. As I was working I came down very often at weekends. I caught the train at 6pm Friday nights, enjoyed a good comfortable trip.
You could have snack meals and arrive at Tauranga at 9ish. You could also return on a Sunday morning. It all seemed well patronized and I never knew why they disbanded it all.

Pat Wilson, Papamoa.