Manakau Railway Station
History
Fergus and Blair of Dunedin had the contract for building the Manakau to Ōtaki section. Manakau was opened as a flag station by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company on Monday 2 August 1886, when trains started to run between Longburn and Ōtaki. The first through train from Wellington to Palmerston North ran on 30 November 1886.
In 1902 a new goods shed was built. When New Zealand Railways Department took over in 1908, tablet signalling was introduced. Further improvements were made in 1909, so that by 1911 there was a shelter shed, platform, cart approach, 25 ft (7.6 m) by 13 ft (4.0 m) goods shed, loading bank, cattle and sheep yards and a passing loop for 51 wagons (extended to 90 wagons in the 1940s). A railway house was extended in 1900 and others built in 1918, 1926 and 1941. A nearby level crossing on SH1 was replaced by a bridge in 1938. Some curves on the line to Ōtaki were eased in the late 1930s.
From 20 October 1967 staff were withdrawn and Manakau became an unattended flag station. In 1973 tenders were called for removal of the station building. By 1981 Manakau was handling fertiliser and lime at a private siding and little else. On 4 April 1982 it closed to all except private siding traffic.
References
- ^ Juliet Scoble: Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand
- ^ "1:63360 map Sheet: N152 Levin". www.mapspast.org.nz. 1965. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ "Geographic Boundary Viewer". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (First ed.). Quail Map Co. 1965. pp. 3 & 4.
- ^ Pierre, Bill (1981). North Island Main Trunk. Wellington: A.H&A.W Reed. pp. 289–290. ISBN 0589013165.
- ^ "WELLINGTON AND MANAWATU RAILWAY COMPANY, LIMITED. NEW ZEALAND TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 29 July 1887. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ "Stations" (PDF). NZR Rolling Stock Lists. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ Juliet Scoble: Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand
- ^ "1076 State Hwy 1". Google Maps. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ "WELLINGTON-MANAWATU RAILWAY. EVENING STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 9 August 1886. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "MANAWATU RAILWAY COMPANY, LIMITED TIME TABLE. EVENING POST". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 31 July 1886. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
- ^ "WELLINGTON-MANAWATU RAILWAY LINE. NEW ZEALAND TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 30 November 1886. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "Railway level crossing at Manakau. EVENING POST". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 6 April 1938. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
- ^ "OTAKI NOTES. HOROWHENUA CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 9 January 1936. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
External links
Photos -
- mixed train at station
- loading milk cans
- station and hotel
- station building in 1916
- station about 1920
- 1946 aerial view
- station before demolition