Beach railway station (New Zealand) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Beach
|
|
|---|---|
| New Zealand Government Railways Department | |
| Coordinates | 41°13′28.25″S 174°51′32.68″E / 41.2245139°S 174.8590778°E |
| Owned by | Hutt Park Railway Company |
| Line(s) | Hutt Park Railway |
| Platforms | None |
| Tracks | Branch line (1) |
| Construction | |
| Parking | No |
| History | |
| Opened | 6 February 1885 |
| Closed | 19 November 1915 (Victoria Street) 31 January 1950 (Beach) |
| Previous names | Petone Junction, Petone Beach |
Beach railway station was a train stop in Petone, a suburb of Lower Hutt in New Zealand. It was part of the Hutt Park Railway, a special train line built to take people to the Hutt Park Racecourse. Even though a private company owned this railway, the government helped run the trains.
This station was located near the main Wairarapa Line and the government's own Petone railway station. It was mainly set up for people going to horse races. It also served locals who wanted to catch trains on the main line.
Contents
History of Beach Railway Station
The First Race Trains
Beach railway station first opened on 6 February 1885. This was when the very first race trains started running on the Hutt Park Railway. These trains took people to horse racing events at the Wellington Racing Club's racecourse.
Simple Beginnings and Changes
The station always had very basic facilities. At first, it was just a flat area next to the tracks. There was also a small ticket booth and a telephone.
Around 1895, the railway line was moved closer to the beach. This also meant the station moved. The ground at the new station spot was not even. This made it a bit risky for passengers.
Requests for Improvements
Because of the uneven ground, railway officials asked for improvements. They wanted a better ticket booth and telephone office. There were also requests to build a proper platform. However, most of these requests were not met.
By March 1896, the company did put up a new ticket booth. Officials then decided the line was safe enough for race trains.
Moving to Victoria Street
The company didn't want to make more improvements to Beach station. So, in November 1897, officials suggested a new stop. They wanted race day trains to stop at Victoria Street instead. The ground there was much flatter.
This new stop was better for passengers from Petone. It also helped the Railways Department. They didn't have to stop trains on a tricky slope anymore. This idea was approved quickly.
The End of Passenger Service
Trains started stopping at Victoria Street on 24 November 1897. This meant Beach station was no longer used for passengers. It continued to be used for signalling trains until 1950.
A ticket booth was set up at the Victoria Street stop. It was used until the railway company stopped using the line. By 1910, this ticket booth was broken. Victoria Street remained an official train stop until 1915.
