Helensville railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Helensville Railway Station
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| Coordinates | 36°40′19″S 174°27′02″E / 36.671857°S 174.450484°E |
| Owned by | Helensville Railway Station Trust |
| Line(s) | North Auckland Line |
| Platforms | 1 |
| Tracks | 1 |
| History | |
| Opened | 18 July 1881 |
| Closed | 12 June 1987 |
The Helensville railway station was once a busy train stop in the town of Helensville, New Zealand. This town is about 40 kilometers northwest of Auckland. The station was part of the North Auckland Line, an important railway route. It was the main station north of Waitakere. For a while, it was even called the Helensville North Railway Station.
The station officially closed in 1987. However, it briefly reopened for a trial period from 2008 to 2009. Today, you can still see the original wooden station building. It has been carefully restored. The site also has a shunting yard and a depot used by KiwiRail. In 2007, the platform was updated. This was done to test bringing back train services for people traveling to Auckland. Near the station car park, there is an old steam train called an NZR D class locomotive.
Contents
Station History and Services
The Helensville railway station has an interesting history of opening and closing. It first opened on July 18, 1881. For many years, it served as a key stop on the North Auckland Line.
Passenger and Freight Services
The station stopped carrying passengers on July 31, 1967. This meant that people could no longer catch trains from Helensville. Later, on June 12, 1987, the station closed completely to all train traffic. This included freight trains carrying goods.
Trial Commuter Trains
In June 2007, there was exciting news for Helensville. Plans were made to bring back suburban train services. These services would run to Auckland for a trial period starting in 2008. Trains began running again on July 14, 2008. This was after 28 years without regular passenger trains.
The trial services ran until Christmas 2009. They included a morning train from Helensville to Auckland's Britomart Transport Centre. In the evening, a train would go from Britomart back to Helensville. Then it would return to Britomart.
Special Christmas Trains
For several years, special trains ran between Helensville and Auckland. These trains were for the Farmers Santa Parade. This popular Christmas event brought many people to Auckland. It was a fun way for families to travel during the holiday season.
