Greatford railway station

Greatford railway station was a station on the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) in New Zealand, south of Marton.[2][3] It is in the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Only a substation[4] and a passing loop remain.[5]

Greatford railway station
Greatford railway station in 1942
LocationNew Zealand
Coordinates40.125396°S 175.415496°E / -40.125396; 175.415496
Elevation105 m (344 ft)
Line(s)North Island Main Trunk
DistanceWellington 176.01 km (109.37 mi)
History
Opened20 May 1878 (1878-05-20)[1]
Closed27 March 1983 (1983-03-27)[1]
Rebuilt11 June 1939
400 m (1,300 ft) north-westwards
ElectrifiedJune 1988
Services
Preceding station   Historical railways   Following station
Marton
Line open, station closed
4.24 km (2.63 mi)		   North Island Main Trunk
KiwiRail		   Kakariki
Line open, station closed
4.8 km (3.0 mi)

History

Opening

Special trains ran from Halcombe[6] and from Palmerston North to Marton in April 1878.[7] On 20 May 1878 the Halcombe to Greatford section opened, as the final link between the ports of Foxton and Whanganui. In 1878 it was noted that the loading stage was built to allow a Fairlie engine to pass.[8] The line was initially worked by these E and R Class engines, which were considered to be running fast when reaching 40 mph (64 km/h) and averaging 25 mph (40 km/h).[9]

The line became part of the NIMT, when it fully opened in 1909, and Greatford was one of the stopping points for Wellington to New Plymouth expresses in 1910[10] and in the 1940s.[11]

Move

On 11 June 1939 the station was moved about 440 yd (400 m) north-westwards,[12][13] from its original site to the east of Cliff Road.[14] The move, which had been planned in 1915,[15] was associated with work starting in 1935,[16] and for which £4,989[17] was funded in 1938,[18] to ease the gradient and curve on the bank between Greatford and Kakariki[12] to 1 in 70.[19] The realigned curve opened in March 1939 and eliminated two level crossings.[20]

Traffic

Greatford had its annual returns of traffic recorded, as did Marton to the north and Halcombe to the south.[21] In 1912 the station sold 6,258 tickets.[22] By 1923 that had declined to 4,613 passengers, but it still had 22,165 sheep and pigs arriving at the station.[21] In 1950 passenger numbers were down to 2,968.[23] However, in the early days, traffic was such that, in 1897, a Mrs Wolferston asked for authority to supply tea, coffee, and refreshments at the station.[8] In the 1920s the station was staffed at grade 7[24] by a stationmaster and clerk.[25]

Greatford village

Although the village only had a small population (81 in 1886,[26] 132 in 1901,[27] 135 in 2018),[28] the station also served large estates, such as those of former prime minister, William Fox, at Westoe (listed as a Category 1 Historic Place on 29 November 1985)[29] and of William Jarvis Willis at Woodendean.[30] St Martin's Anglican Church was the first building designed by Frederick de Jersey Clere, on land that had been part of Woodendean. It has had a Category 2 listing since 2 April 2004.[31]

Bulls and proposed Levin to Greatford railway

The station was also the railhead for Bulls.[32] Planned rail links to Bulls were never built. A 4 mi (6.4 km) branch line was considered in 1879,[33] but rejected in 1880.[34][35] In 1914 a 4 mi (6.4 km) branch was authorised.[36] It isn't clear if this was the gravel pit siding, eventually built, or whether, as suggested at the time, it was to be a link to the Sanson tramway.[37] That proposal had been made in 1892,[8] was rejected in 1916,[38] and made again in 1937. It was planned as a railway from Levin, via an upgrade of the tramway, to Bulls and Greatford, via Foxton. It was claimed that bypassing Palmerston North would shorten the NIMT by about 19 mi (31 km),[39] or a 1905 estimate said 15 mi (24 km).[40] There had also been a request in 1878 to lay a tramway across the railway at Greatford and, in 1883, a plan of a tramway from Greatford to the Rangitīkei River.[8]

Gravel pit

Rangitīkei County Council had a siding leading to a gravel pit in a bend of the river, 2.55 km (1.58 mi) south of Greatford,[2] from about 1915.[41][42] It was a short siding, also known as Kakariki Ballast Pit[43] and had been used as a source of railway ballast from 1888, despite the objections of its landowners.[44]

Station structures

When the station opened it had no waiting room.[45] On 20 March 1878 a contract had been signed with J & C Bull for station buildings, which were completed by 5 August 1879.[8] It seems that the 5th class station built at Halcombe was moved to Greatford, when a much larger station replaced it in 1878.[46] In 1887 a telephone replaced a Morse telegraph and, by 1896, there was a 5th class station, passenger platform, cart approach to platform, 40 ft (12 m) by 30 ft (9.1 m) goods shed, cattle yards, water service, stationmaster's house, urinals and a passing loop for 27 wagons. In 1897 a loading bank and crane were added and the approach road widened, and in 1898 sheep yards were built. On 19 February 1917 the goods shed burnt down. From 1878 to 1968 there was a Post Office at the station. In 1963 two 7½-ton electric gantries were built to handle concrete products.[8]

Closure

In 1966 the sheep yards were reduced and then closed on 6 March 1972, when they were sold and removed. In 1980 all that remained was a high-level loading bank and a loop for 48 wagons. On Sunday 27 March 1983 the station closed to all traffic.[8]

Incidents

An engine and three trucks overturned when they derailed on the points at the station in 1925.[47] A similar derailment occurred a year earlier.[48]

References
  1. Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand by Juliet Scoble (2012)
  2. New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (First ed.). Quail Map Co. 1965. pp. 3 & 4.
  3. Pierre, Bill (1981). North Island Main Trunk. Wellington: A.H&A.W Reed. pp. 289–290. ISBN 0589013165.
  4. "21 Willis St". Google Maps. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  5. "Basemaps". basemaps.linz.govt.nz. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  6. "WANGANUI HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 11 April 1878. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  7. "PALMERSTON NORTH. WANGANUI HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 13 April 1878. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  8. "Stations" (PDF). NZR Rolling Stock Lists. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  9. "LOCAL AND GENERAL. WANGANUI CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 7 August 1879. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  10. "RAILWAY TIME-TABLES. DOMINION". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 28 March 1910. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  11. "PATEA MAIL". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 4 April 1941. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  12. "RAILWAY BRIDGE TO BECOME ROAD BRIDGE. HOROWHENUA CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 29 June 1938. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  13. "Gift to Museum. MANAWATU STANDARD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 9 June 1939. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  14. "Plan, Township of Greatford, Rangitikei district land sections for sale". MTG Hawkes Bay Collection Online. 6 July 1878. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  15. "RANGITIKEI-OROUA NOTES. WANGANUI CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 11 August 1915. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  16. "RAILWAY CROSSINGS. MANAWATU STANDARD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 24 October 1935. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  17. Representatives, New Zealand Parliament House of (1940). Parliamentary Debates.
  18. "Appropriations for Public Works Services. RAILWAYS: IMPROVEMENTS AND ADDITIONS TO OPEN LINES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 31 March 1938. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  19. ""Daylight Limited" Expresses in New Zealand". Railway Magazine. August 1950.
  20. "NEW DEVIATION. AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 4 March 1939. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  21. "RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1923". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  22. "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1912". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  23. "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1950". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  24. "Railway Department Classification, 1923". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  25. "NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE" (PDF). 3 September 1931.
  26. "RESULTS OF A CENSUS OF THE COLONY OF NEW ZEALAND taken for the night of the 28th March 1886".
  27. "RESULTS OF A CENSUS OF THE COLONY OF NEW ZEALAND TAKEN FOR THE NIGHT OF THE 31ST MARCH, 1901".
  28. "Data | SA1 | Census | 2018 | SA1 Dataset | GIS Map Data Datafinder Geospatial Statistics | Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". datafinder.stats.govt.nz. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  29. "Westoe". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  30. "Lower Rangitīkei". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  31. "St Martins Church". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  32. "THE CYCLOPEDIA OF NEW ZEALAND [WELLINGTON PROVINCIAL DISTRICT] GREATFORD". 1897.
  33. "PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT, BY THE MINISTER FOR PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON. RICHARD OLIVER, TUESDAY, 9TH DECEMBER, 1879". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  34. "THE BULLS AND GREATFORD RAILWAY. WANGANUI HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 21 January 1880. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  35. "RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS REPORT ON NORTH ISLAND. WANGANUI HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 27 July 1880. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  36. "Railways Authorization Act, 1914" (PDF).
  37. "LEVIN-GREATFORD RAILWAY. MANAWATU STANDARD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 10 November 1914. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  38. "FOXTON WHARF AND MAIN TRUNK DEVIATION COMMISSION (REPORT OF THE) TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS AND EVIDENCE. APPENDIX TO THE JOURNALS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 1916". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  39. "RAILWAY PROPOSAL. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 21 April 1937. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  40. "LOCAL AND GENERAL. HAWERA & NORMANBY STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 9 September 1905. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  41. "GREATFORD GRAVEL PIT. WANGANUI CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 9 March 1915. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  42. "PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. WANGANUI CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2 October 1915. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  43. "Kakariki Ballast Pit". archivescentral.org.nz. 1949. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  44. Heather Bassett, Richard Kay (November 2018). "Public Works Issues" (PDF). Crown Forestry Rental Trust.
  45. "WANGANUI CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 10 June 1878. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  46. "HALCOMBE. WANGANUI HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 25 January 1878. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  47. "DERAILED AT GREATFORD. MANAWATU TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 12 August 1925. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  48. "RAILWAY MISHAP. MANAWATU STANDARD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 31 January 1924. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
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