Piako railway station explained

Piako railway station
Address:	37°38'39.0"S 175°33'30.6"E
Country:	New Zealand
Line:	Thames Branch
Opened:	1/3/1886
Closed:	passengers 22/11/1948 freight 14/10/1968
Former:	Murray's until 8/12/1912

Piako was a flag station,^[1] at the junction of SH26 and Horrell Rd,^[2] on the former Thames Branch, 2.87km (01.78miles) east of Morrinsville and 4.03km (02.5miles) west of Tatuanui.^[3]

The area was owned in succession by politicians:

• Thomas Gillies^[4]
• William Murray, who built nearby Annandale House about 1881 and planned a township, hoping the Kinleith Branch junction would be here, rather than Morrinsville
• William Shepherd Allen who built sheep pens and a loading race in May 1890 and stockyards in 1898. The Allen family owned the farm from 1887^[5] to 1920^[6] and still owns Annandale House, which has been a Category 1 listed building since 1989.^[7]

Work was continuing when the branch opened to Te Aroha.^[8] Murray's had a platform, then a shelter was added in 1887. In December 1912 it was renamed Piako, as had been expected when it opened.^[9] It closed to passengers on 22 November 1948.^[10] The station building was removed in December 1961 and the stock yards in 1968.^[11] The site became Murray Oaks Scenic Reserve in 1975.^[12]

External links

• Photo of Annandale House
• 1941 aerial photo

Notes and References

1. News: Waikato Train Service.. 1888-03-17. Te Aroha News. 2018-05-31. 6.
2. Web site: Sheet N57 one inch map. October 1943. www.mapspast.org.nz. 2018-05-31.
3. Book: New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas. Yonge. John Roger. Company. Quail Map. 1993. Quail Map Company. 9780900609923. en.
4. News: Annandale: Piako.. 1887-03-19. Te Aroha News. 2018-05-31. 2.
5. News: Annandale: Piako.. 1887-03-19. Te Aroha News. 2018-06-01. 2.
6. News: Page 13 Advertisements Column 5. 1920-05-15. New Zealand Herald. 2018-06-01. 13.
7. Web site: Annandale. www.heritage.org.nz. en-nz. 2018-06-01.
8. News: The Aroha and Ohinemuri News and Upper Thames Advocate.. 1886-04-24. Te Aroha News. 2018-06-01. 2.
9. News: Our Railway.. 1884-04-19. Te Aroha News. 2018-06-01. 7.
10. Web site: Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations. Scoble. Juliet. 2010. Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand.
11. Book: Stanley, Joan. Matamata-Piako District Heritage Trail. 2009. Matamata-Piako District Council . 978-0-9597740-2-3.
12. Web site: Murray Oaks Scenic Reserve. www.mpdc.govt.nz. en-gb. 2018-05-31.