Porewa railway station

Porewa railway station was a station on the North Island Main Trunk in New Zealand located in Pohonui-Porewa,[1][2] on the Hunterville Branch (later incorporated into the NIMT), 6 mi 42 ch (10.5 km) from Marton.[3] The station was in use from 1887 to 1982,[4] but now has only a single track through the site.[5]

Porewa railway station
Porewa railway station in 1942
General information
LocationNew Zealand
Coordinates40°01′34″S 175°28′17″E / 40.026165°S 175.47144°E / -40.026165; 175.47144
Elevation165 m (541 ft)
Line(s)North Island Main Trunk
DistanceWellington 190.53 km (118.39 mi)
History
Opened19 October 1887
Closedpassenger before December 1975
goods 25 April 1982
ElectrifiedJune 1988
Services
Preceding station   Historical railways   Following station
Rata
Line open, station closed
4.93 km (3.06 mi)
  North Island Main Trunk
KiwiRail
  Overton
Line open, station closed
1.84 km (1.14 mi)

History

edit
 
Porewa railway station plan 1915 showing the goods shed location

The line was inspected in 1884.[6] The official opening of the 15 mi 57 ch (25.3 km) Marton to Hunterville section was on Saturday 2 June 1888, when the station was served by two trains a week.[7] A Certificate of Inspection for the line was issued on Wednesday, 6 June 1888.[7] By 1894 the branch had two trains a day.[8]

Gifford & O'Connor built the station in 1887, its final certificate being given on 6 January 1888. By 1896 Porewa had a shelter shed, platform, cart approach, loading bank, urinals and a passing loop for 27 wagons, extended to 76 by 1980. Sheep yards were added by 1898 and a 30 ft (9.1 m) by 20 ft (6.1 m) goods shed by 1904, though there is a note about J W Marshall erecting a goods shed in 1888.[3] Cattle yards were added in 1888. After flooding, it was recommended in 1897 that the ganger's house be moved to higher ground.[3] In 1978 the railway housing was given up.[9] A tablet porter started in 1912,[10] who could help with goods traffic.[11] The sidings were improved in 1914.[3] Electric lighting came in 1939.[12] In 1980 only a loading bank was noted. On Sunday, 25 April 1982 Porewa closed to all traffic.[3]

New passing loop

edit

From 14 December 1983 a new crossing loop replaced those at Rata and Porewa,[4] 1.89 km (1.17 mi) to the east of Porewa.[1] Porewa is the official name,[13] for the new crossing loop.[14] The correct name for the nearby Porewa Stream is Pourewa.[15] There is a shelter at the new loop.[16] The realignment of State Highway 1 alongside the railway occurred between the map editions of 1986 and 2009.[17]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (First ed.). Quail Map Co. 1965. pp. 3 & 4.
  2. ^ Pierre, Bill (1981). North Island Main Trunk. Wellington: A.H&A.W Reed. pp. 289–290. ISBN 0589013165.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Stations" (PDF). NZR Rolling Stock Lists. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Juliet Scoble: Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  5. ^ "Porewa Rd". Google Maps. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  6. ^ "MANAWATU TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 19 December 1884. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  7. ^ a b "INTERPROVINCIAL. EVENING STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2 June 1888. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  8. ^ "LOCAL AND GENERAL. WANGANUI CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 25 October 1894. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Gazette - Declaring Land Taken for a Government Work (for a Site for a Dwelling for a Employee of the Government Railways Department) at Porewa and not now Required for That" (PDF). 23 November 1978.
  10. ^ "RANGITIKEI ADVOCATE AND MANAWATU ARGUS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 28 September 1912. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  11. ^ "RANGITIKEI NOTES. WANGANUI CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 11 December 1912. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  12. ^ "RAILWAYS STATEMENT (BY THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, HON. D. G. SULLIVAN)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1939. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  13. ^ "Porewa". gazetteer.linz.govt.nz. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  14. ^ "Gazette - Notice of Final Decision of New Zealand Geographic Board Reassigning of Place Names" (PDF). 8 November 1984.
  15. ^ Alexander, David (February 2012). "THE RANGITIKEI RIVER, ITS TRIBUTARY WATERWAYS, AND OTHER TAIHAPE WATERWAYS SCOPING REPORT A report commissioned by Crown Forestry Rental Trust" (PDF).
  16. ^ "2357 State Hwy 1". Google Maps. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  17. ^ "1:50000 map Sheet: R23-S23 Marton". www.mapspast.org.nz. 1986. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
edit