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Ohakune railway station

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Ohakune railway station is a station on the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT), which serves the town of Ohakune in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. It is served by KiwiRail's Northern Explorer long distance train between Wellington and Auckland. It was called Ohakune Junction from 10 August 1926 until Raetihi Branch closed in 1968, to avoid confusion with Ohakune Town station on that branch.[3] It was the second highest operating railway station in New Zealand, after National Park.[4]

Ohakune
Overlander at Ohakune in 2012. The low platform resulted in use of steps to ease access to coaches.
General information
LocationThames Street, Ohakune[1]
New Zealand
Coordinates39°24′10″S 175°24′59″E / 39.402775°S 175.416384°E / -39.402775; 175.416384
Elevation618 m (2,028 ft)
Owned byKiwiRail
Line(s)North Island Main Trunk
DistanceWellington 317.09 km (197.03 mi)
ConnectionsRaetihi Branch (closed 1968)
Construction
ParkingYes
History
Opened7 March 1908 (goods)
15 February 1909 (passenger)[2]
Electrified25 kV 50 Hz AC June 1988
Previous namesOhakune Junction in working timetables 1917–1968
Services
Preceding station Great Journeys New Zealand Following station
National Park
towards Auckland Strand
 Northern Explorer Palmerston North
towards Wellington
Other services
Preceding station   Historical railways   Following station
Horopito
Line open
station closed
10.16 km (6.31 mi) 		  North Island Main Trunk
KiwiRail 		  Rangataua
Line open
station closed
4.43 km (2.75 mi)
Terminus   Raetihi Branch
New Zealand Railways Department 		  Rochfort
Line closed
station closed
3.24 km (2.01 mi)
Designated20 February 2009
Reference no.7790

When the Overlander was replaced by the Northern Explorer in 2012, the service to Ohakune was reduced to one train a day on six days a week. Scheduled services to Ohakune were suspended from December 2021[5] to 25 September 2022.[6]

History

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See also: Ohakune § Trains

The Class B station was built about 1908 and was important in the growth of Ohakune.[7] Trains calling have included The Overlander, Blue Streak, Scenic Daylight, Daylight Limited, Northerner, Silver Star and Night Limited.

Surveying for the route between Hīhītahi and Piriaka began in 1894.[8] The first trains reached Ohakune when the railhead was extended from Rangataua[9] on Tuesday 5 November 1907, when Public Works Department (PWD) and New Zealand Railways Department (NZR) made arrangements for both passenger and goods traffic,[3][10][11][12] At that stage the station was described as 100 ft (30 m) long on a 300 ft (91 m) platform.[13] However, goods traffic between Mataroa and Ohakune didn't begin until Saturday 7 March 1908.[3] Initial plans were for NZR to take over from PWD in June 1908,[14] but NZR reported on 25 September 1908, "Obtaining possession of office and other buildings."[3] In July newspapers said the station and railway houses were still bring built.[15] Although the rails completing the NIMT were laid on 3 August 1908, they said the yard at Ohakune wasn't complete[16] and there was still no platform in November.[17]

On Monday 9 November 1908, a stationmaster was appointed[3] and the first public train from Wellington to Auckland ran,[18] with passengers staying overnight in Ohakune from 8pm to 6am.[19] In January 1909 the General Manager gave permission for passengers to sleep in the trains, owing to a lack of accommodation in the town.[3] On 20 November 1908 NZR sent a note to PWD asking for expedition in completing the platform, as it was, "exceedingly inconvenient and dangerous for passengers landing in the dark". However, an NZR report on 20 March 1908 described a 300 ft (91 m) by 20 ft (6.1 m) platform, loading bank, cattle loading and discharging yards, 40 ft (12 m) by 30 ft (9.1 m) goods shed with verandah, urinals, 2x 4,000 gallon water tanks, 120 ft (37 m) by 35 ft (11 m) engine shed double-stall, coal store, 55 ft (17 m) turntable and passing loop for 80 wagons.[3] NZR took over from PWD on 14 February 1909, from Erua, via Ohakune to Waiouru.[20]

The first through expresses began on 14 February 1909 and stopped at Ohakune.[21] By July 1909 a footwarmer house had been built by PWD for £54.4.4[3] and there was a bookstall,[22] a special station building, with District Engineer's office, luggage, stationmaster's, lobby, and ladies rooms, a lengthened and asphalted platform, cart approach, goods shed, loading bank, cattle and sheep yards, crane, water service, coal accommodation, engine turntable, engine shed, stationmaster's house and urinal. In 1910 the goods shed was extended to 80 ft (24 m) by 44 ft (13 m).[3]

Ohakune was one of the stations for which annual returns of traffic were published. For example, in 1923, Ohakune issued 58,001 tickets, plus 26 season tickets, and 280,437 board feet (661.76 m3), or superficial feet of timber were railed from Ohakune, well above other stations for timber exports at that time.[23]

On 12 April 1905, the engine shed burnt down. A new 120 ft (37 m) by 35 ft (11 m) shed could take five locomotives. In 1910 an ash pit was added. On 7 December 1923 that shed was destroyed by fire. In 1929 the 55 ft (17 m) turntable was sent to Huntly and replaced by a 70 ft (21 m) turntable for £1800. By 1960 the depot was only being used by Raetihi branch engines. It again caught fire on 17 February 1967.[3]

Railway houses were built in 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1912, 1914 and 1965 and a hostel for female refreshment room staff on Tyne Road in 1940.[3]

From December 1966, Centralised Traffic Control replaced tablet signalling.[3]

References

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  1. ^ KiwiRail Scenic Journeys – our stations
  2. ^ Juliet Scoble: Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Stations" (PDF). NZR Rolling Stock Lists. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  4. ^ Yonge, John (1985). New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (Third ed.). Quail Map Company. p. 8D. ISBN 090060932X.
  5. ^ "Urgent calls for long-distance passenger services to stay as KiwiRail cuts operations". Newshub. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Even Greater Journeys for 2022!". Great Journeys of New Zealand. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  7. ^ Heritage NZ description and photo
  8. ^ "THE RAURIMU SPIRAL. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1 November 1929. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  9. ^ "RANGATAUA NOTES. WANGANUI HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  10. ^ "OHAKUNE NOTES. WANGANUI CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 12 November 1907. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  11. ^ "OHAKUNE NOTES. WANGANUI CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 3 October 1907. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  12. ^ "RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. MANAWATU STANDARD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 9 November 1907. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  13. ^ "MANAWATU TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 8 November 1907. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  14. ^ "OHAKUNE NOTES, WANGANUI HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 26 March 1908. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  15. ^ "OHAKUNE NOTES. WANGANUI HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 6 July 1908. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  16. ^ "NORTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK COMPLETED. MANAWATU STANDARD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 4 August 1908. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  17. ^ "MAIN TRUNK LINE. FEILDING STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2 December 1908. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  18. ^ "WELLINGTON TO AUCKLAND. TARANAKI HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 11 November 1908. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  19. ^ "WELLINGTON TO AUCKLAND. EVENING POST". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2 November 1908. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  20. ^ "RAILWAYS STATEMENT. BY THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, THE HON, J. A, MILLAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 13 October 1909. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  21. ^ "RIGHT THROUGH. WELLINGTON TO AUCKLAND. EVENING POST". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 15 February 1909. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  22. ^ "OHAKUNE NOTES. WANGANUI CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 10 March 1909. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  23. ^ "RAILWAYS STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, HON. J. G. COATES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1923. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
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