0 8 ▁when ▁the ▁line ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁cities ▁was ▁completed . ▁The ▁inaug ural ▁trip ▁took ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Sir ▁Joseph ▁Ward ▁and ▁other ▁M embers ▁of ▁Parliament ▁to ▁A uck land ▁to ▁gre et ▁the ▁American ▁Pacific ▁Fle et . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁Rail ways ▁Tom ▁Mc Gu igan ▁announced ▁a ▁new ▁train ▁would ▁be ▁introduced ▁to ▁replaced ▁the ▁un named ▁night ly ▁service . ▁ ▁Mot ive ▁Power ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁ 3 ▁November ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁the ▁pre - N or ther ner ▁services ▁were ▁ha u led ▁by ▁DA ▁class ▁dies el - elect ric ▁locomot ives . ▁With ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁the ▁Nor ther ner ▁brand ing , ▁D X ▁class ▁locomot ives ▁were ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁train ' s ▁ha ul age . ▁From ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁on wards , ▁D F ▁class ▁locomot ives ▁were ▁used ▁inf re qu ently , ▁and , ▁on ▁a ▁more ▁permanent ▁basis ▁DC ▁class ▁locomot ives ▁were ▁used . ▁ ▁Rol ling ▁stock ▁ ▁Origin ally ▁number ed ▁ 2 2 7 ▁south bound ▁and ▁ 6 2 6 ▁north bound , ▁the ▁train ▁used ▁extens ively ▁ref urb ished ▁N Z R ▁ 5 6 - foot ▁carri ages ▁that ▁dated ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 7 - 1 9 4 0 . ▁Ten ▁carri ages ▁were ▁built ▁as ▁two - lav atory ▁ 3 1 - se at ▁first - class ▁carri ages