Hastings railway station, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hastings
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| Location | Russell Street, Hastings New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 39°38′21″S 176°50′47″E / 39.6391°S 176.8465°E |
| Owned by | New Zealand Railways Department |
| Line(s) | Palmerston North–Gisborne |
| History | |
| Opened | 12 October 1874 |
| Closed | 7 October 2001 (passengers) |
The Hastings railway station was once a very busy train stop in Hastings, New Zealand. It was an important part of the main railway line that connected towns like Palmerston North and Gisborne. You can find the station building on the corner of Russell Street and St Aubyn Street, right in the middle of Hastings. Today, regular passenger trains no longer stop here.
Contents
The Hastings Train Station
The Hastings railway station was the main train stop in Hastings. It was an intermediate stop on the Palmerston North–Gisborne Line. This means trains traveling between Palmerston North and Gisborne would stop here. The station is located very close to the center of Hastings.
A Look Back: When It Opened
The first part of the railway line from Napier to Hastings opened on October 12, 1874. This was also when the original Hastings station first welcomed trains. The station was officially taken over from the builders on January 18, 1875.
Over time, the railway line grew longer. By March 9, 1891, the line was fully connected. It stretched through the Manawatu Gorge all the way to Palmerston North. This connection meant trains could then travel to Wellington, New Zealand's capital city.
Trains That Used to Stop Here
From 1874 until 2001, many different passenger trains used the Hastings station. Some of these were local "mixed" trains. These trains carried both people and goods between small towns in the southern Hawke's Bay.
Other trains were express services, like the Endeavour, which came from Wellington. The Bay Express was the very last regular passenger train service to use the station.
What Happened to Passenger Trains?
Regular passenger train services stopped using the Hastings station on October 7, 2001. Since then, the station building has been empty. However, it is still visited sometimes by special heritage train trips. These are often old trains that take people on fun journeys to remember the past.
