Ohinewai railway station explained

Ohinewai Railway Station
Address:Ohinewai
Country:New Zealand
Owned:KiwiRail Network
Line:North Island Main Trunk
Tracks:double track
from 14 Dec 1958 to north
from 27 August 1939 to south[1]
Opened:13 August 1877
Closed:10 April 1965 passengers
31 December 1978 goods

Ohinewai Railway Station was a flag station[2] on the North Island Main Trunk line, serving Ohinewai in the Waikato District of New Zealand, 59miles south of Auckland.[3] It was 8.18km (05.08miles) north of Huntly, 7.26km (04.51miles) south of Rangiriri[4] and 33feet above sea level.[5] It was in the village, just north of Tahuna Rd.[6]

History

The station opened on 13 August 1877.[7] The early service averaged about 13mph, taking about 4hr 45 mins to Auckland, 15mins to Rangiriri and 23mins to Ruawaro (Huntly).[8] A goods train took 1½hrs to Newcastle (Ngāruawāhia) and 1hr 17mins to Mercer, 3 days a week.[9]

Tablet signalling was introduced in 1905.[10]

In 1902 there were complaints of thefts due to lack of a caretaker.[11] It seems one had been appointed by 1915, as a storeman at the station[12] was killed at Gallipoli.[13]

There was protest in 1925, when the only train which had allowed an Auckland day trip was withdrawn.[14] The previous year the Great South Rd had metal added at Ohinewai, so that it could be used all year,[15] and a bus started linking Ohinewai with Auckland, Morrinsville and Te Aroha in 1929.[16] Ohinewai's rail service was so poor that a wartime plan, to connect the bus with trains at Ohinewai, had to be amended to meeting at Mercer instead.[17]

Track doubling to ease congestion had been authorised in 1914,[18] but work was delayed by the war. 300 men worked [19] on doubling the track between Huntly and Ohinewai, which opened on 27 August 1939.[20] To the north, doubling to Te Kauwhata didn't open until 14 December 1958.

In 1965 the station closed to passengers and on 31 December 1978 it closed completely.[21]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.railheritage.org.nz/assets/NZR_MILEAGE_TABLE_1957.pdf NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS GEOGRAPHICAL MILEAGE TABLE 1957
  2. Web site: New Zealand Herald. 9 May 1902. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2019-02-07.
  3. Web site: Page 6 Advertisements Column 3 (New Zealand Herald, 1882-03-31). paperspast.natlib.govt.nz National Library of New Zealand. en. 20 May 2017.
  4. Book: New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas. Quail Map Co.. 1993. 0-900609-92-3. Fourth.
  5. Web site: Ohinewai. nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. 2019-02-07.
  6. Web site: One inch map Sheet N52. www.mapspast.org.nz. 2019-02-08.
  7. Web site: TABLE NO. 9.— Appendix K. NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS.—NORTH ISLAND. Statement of Lengths of Sections Open for Traffic, 31st March, 1880. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz National Library of New Zealand. en. 28 May 2017.
  8. Web site: Auckland Star. 21 August 1877. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2019-02-08.
  9. Web site: Auckland Star. 29 January 1878. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2019-02-08.
  10. Web site: Waikato Argus. 10 October 1905. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2019-02-08.
  11. Web site: Ohinewai Flag Station. New Zealand Herald. 9 May 1902. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2019-02-08.
  12. Web site: Auckland NZ railways roll of honour board. nzhistory.govt.nz. 2019-02-08.
  13. Web site: ROLL OF HONOUR, EVENING POST. 2 June 1915. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2019-02-08.
  14. Web site: Waikato Train Service. Grievance at Ohinewai. New Zealand Herald. 16 March 1925.
  15. Web site: Metal for Rangiriri. New Zealand Herald. 26 July 1924. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2019-02-08.
  16. Web site: MOTOR TRANSPORT NEW ZEALAND HERALD. 12 April 1933. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2019-02-08.
  17. Web site: ROAD SERVICES, AUCKLAND STAR. 19 Feb 1942. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2019-02-08.
  18. Web site: Railways Improvement Authorization Act, 1914.
  19. Web site: Auckland Star – Railway Works. Double line track. Progress on Main Route.. 6 May 1939. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2019-02-07.
  20. Web site: Rail Duplication – New Zealand Herald. 24 August 1939. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2019-02-07.
  21. Book: Scoble, Juliet. Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand, 1863 to 2012. 2012. Wellington. 47.

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