Otorohanga Railway Station

Otorohanga railway station

Otorohanga railway station in 1921
Godber, Albert Percy, 1875-1949 -Collection of albums, prints and negatives. Ref- APG-0815-1-2-G.
Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington.
Location New Zealand
Coordinates 38°11′12″S 175°12′44″E / 38.1867°S 175.2123°E / -38.1867; 175.2123Coordinates: 38°11′12″S 175°12′44″E / 38.1867°S 175.2123°E / -38.1867; 175.2123
Line(s) North Island Main Trunk
History
Opened 9 March 1887[1]
Closed 2012[2]
Electrified June 1988
Services
  KiwiRail  
Preceding station   KiwiRail Scenic   Following station
Northern Explorer
toward Wellington

Otorohanga Railway Station has served the town of Otorohanga, on the North Island Main Trunk in New Zealand since 1887. It was 4.45 km (2.77 mi) south of Kiokio and 9.21 km (5.72 mi) north of Hangatiki,[3] but is now one of only 9 stations on the line served by the Northern Explorer.[4]

Trains calling at Otorohanga included The Overlander, Blue Streak, Scenic Daylight, Daylight Limited, Northerner and Night Limited. By 2012 passenger numbers had dropped to an average of two per train,[5] which brought about a brief closure from 24 June.[6] Initially the reinstatement was for summer only[7] from 10 December[8]

Services

The station is managed by Kiwirail who operate the Northern Explorer three times a week in each direction between Wellington and Britomart. Hamilton is 48.11 km (29.89 mi) to the north, timetabled in 2015, departure to departure, in 39 minutes, and National Park, 147.58 km (91.70 mi)[3] to the south, in 139 minutes, both southbound.[4]

Preceding station Historical railways Following station
Kiokio
Line open, station closed		   North Island Main Trunk
New Zealand Railways Department		   Hangatiki
Line open, station closed

Rangitoto Colliery Co. branch

Circa 1910 Radcliffe, Frederick George, 1863-1923 - New Zealand post card negatives. Ref- 1-2-006465-G.
Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington.
Circa 1921 Godber, Albert Percy, 1875-1949 -Collection of albums, prints and negatives. Ref- APG-1839-1-2-G.
Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington.
April 1947 Whites Aviation Ltd -Photographs. Ref- WA-07359-F.
Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington.
May 1947 Whites Aviation Ltd -Photographs. Ref- WA-07358-F.
Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington.

The 1919 Railways Authorisation Bill included a, "branch line from Otorohanga, along right bank of the Waipa River, to the south boundary of Block VI, Mangaoronga survey district. Length about 7½ miles."[9] The Railway Atlas indicates the line was horse worked, served the Ellis and Burnand Mill, as well as the colliery, and existed by 1921.[3] The 1921 photograph (left) appears to show a horse worked tramway, but only remnants of the line appear in the 1947 photos.

A 1944 Parliamentary report indicates the colliery had closed some time before and that a road was built, rather than using the tramway. The report said, "Rangitoto Opencast.—Stripping of this area, adjacent to the old Rangitoto Colliery, some eight miles from Otorohanga, commenced, in July. An access road was also constructed. Coal-production started in September, Output for 1944 was 1,797 tons."[10]

References

  1. ↑ Juliet Scoble: Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand
  2. ↑ Otorohanga DC minutes p. 10
  3. 1 2 3 New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (First ed.). Quail Map Co. 1965. pp. 3 & 4.
  4. 1 2 KiwiRail Scenic Journeys - Northern Explorer
  5. ↑ Waikato Times 19 May 2012 Kiwirail reviews axing of Otorohanga stop
  6. ↑ Waikato Times 19 June 2012
  7. ↑ NZ Herald 26 June 2012,
  8. ↑ KiwiRail staff magazine
  9. ↑ Taranaki Daily News , 24 October 1919, Page 4
  10. ↑ Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1945 Session I, C-02 statement by the acting Minister of Mines p. 25
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