railroad.wikisort.org - Station

Rukuhia railway station was a flag station[2] on the North Island Main Trunk in New Zealand, located in the settlement of Rukuhia.[3][4] It was established during an extension of the railway line in the 1870s.[5][6] The service started with two trains a day.[7]

Rukuhia railway station
Rukuhia in 1953
General information
Location	Rukuhia New Zealand
Coordinates	37.863606°S 175.28266°E / -37.863606; 175.28266
Elevation	55 m (180 ft)
Line(s)	North Island Main Trunk
Distance	Wellington 533.84 km (331.71 mi)
History
Opened	4 June 1878
Closed	12 September 1971[1]
Electrified	June 1988
Services
Preceding station   Historical railways   Following station Hamilton Line open, station closed 8.45 km (5.25 mi)   North Island Main Trunk KiwiRail   Ōhaupō Line open, station closed 6.68 km (4.15 mi)

Opening of the line from Hamilton to Ōhaupō was delayed by subsidence at Rukuhia.[8] A service had been planned from 25 February 1878[9] and the Governor General went over the line on 27 March 1878,[10] but opening was still postponed[11] as large quantities of gravel were poured into a hole.[12] The line finally opened on 4 June 1878.[13] A 1943 notice noted that owing to the danger of track subsidence, no engine must be allowed to remain stationary on the siding for any length of time.[14] Tests in 1981 found that the track deformed by about 12mm each time a train went over it, due to the peat swamp.[15]

A road to the station was formed in 1879, a siding in 1881, by 1884 it had a 5th class stationmaster's house, a 30 ft (9.1 m) by 20 ft (6.1 m) goods shed, shelter shed, platform and a cart approach. and by 1897 it had cattle yards. A passing loop for 38 wagons was added in 1908 and sheep yards by 1911.[14]

On 12 September 1971 Rukuhia closed to all traffic[14] and only a passing loop remains.[16]

References

External links

• 1951 photo of station
  

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