Kaiwharawhara railway station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kaiwharawhara
Metlink regional rail
Location	Westminster Street, Kaiwharawhara, Wellington, New Zealand
Coordinates	41°15′36.18″S 174°47′28.92″E / 41.2600500°S 174.7913667°E / -41.2600500; 174.7913667
Owned by	Greater Wellington Regional Council
Line(s)	Melling Line Hutt Valley Line Kapiti Line
Platforms	Island (2)
Tracks	Main line (4)
Other information
Fare zone	2
History
Opened	20-04-1874
Closed	23-11-2013
Rebuilt	1911, 1935
Electrified	June 1940
Previous names	Kaiwarra
Services
Former Services     Preceding station   Tranz Metro   Following station Ngauranga toward Melling Melling Line Wellington Terminus Ngauranga toward Upper Hutt Hutt Valley Line Takapu Road toward Waikanae Kapiti Line

The Kaiwharawhara railway station was a train station in Wellington, New Zealand. It was located on the main railway lines that run through the North Island. This station closed in 2013.

It was the first station you would reach when travelling north from the main Wellington station. It used to serve the area of Kaiwharawhara. Before it closed, trains run by Tranz Metro stopped there. These trains were part of the Metlink network and served the Melling Line, Hutt Valley Line, and Kapiti Line.

The station was temporarily shut down on 13 June 2013. This happened because there were safety worries about the pedestrian bridge that people used to cross over the tracks. An inspection found that the bridge was very rusty. The station was then permanently closed on 21 November 2013. The old bridge was taken down in March 2014.

Kaiwharawhara station had a special way its platforms were set up, which was different from most stations in New Zealand. If you looked north, the platform on the left was for trains going "up" (away from Wellington). The platform on the right was for trains going "down" (towards Wellington). The inner parts of these platforms were used by trains on the Kapiti Line. The outer parts were for trains on the Melling Line and Hutt Valley Line.

History of Kaiwharawhara Station

Early Days and First Buildings

The railway line reached the Kaiwarra Stream area in July 1873. This part of the line officially opened on 14 April 1874. At first, trains didn't stop at Kaiwarra. But soon after, on 20 April, Kaiwarra became a regular stop for trains.

The station got its very first building in late 1875. Around 1879, a simple passenger shelter was added. This early station did not have extra tracks for trains to pass each other or for storing wagons.

Kaiwharawhara railway station, looking south towards Wellington.

Upgrades and New Buildings

In the early 1900s, a big decision was made to add a second railway track between Wellington and Lower Hutt. Work started in 1903. The second track reached Kaiwarra in 1909 and Wellington by 4 April 1911. A new station building was built in 1911. It was designed by a famous architect named George Troup.

In the mid-1930s, more changes happened. A new railway line was being built, and the new Wellington station opened in 1937. Because of these changes, new "up" and "down" main tracks were laid through Kaiwarra. These new tracks were for the Paekakariki Line, which is now called the Kapiti Line.

The old Kaiwarra signal box was removed. The old station was replaced with two new, narrow platforms. These platforms had simple shelters for passengers. The platform on the west side was for the Hutt Valley Line. The platform on the east side was for the Paekakariki Line.

Name Change and Track Layout

The station's name was changed from Kaiwarra to Kaiwharawhara on 9 February 1951. This decision was made by the New Zealand Geographic Board.

The way the railway tracks are set up today was decided in 1965. The "down" track for the Hutt Valley Line was moved from the west side to the east side of the Kapiti Line tracks. This was possible because more land was created by filling in part of the harbour. This new layout helped reduce traffic jams where the different railway lines joined closer to Wellington.

With the new setup, the western platform was used for trains going "up" (away from Wellington). The eastern platform was used for trains going "down" (towards Wellington). An extra track was also added on the western side of the four main lines. This track was used to reach an oil depot and other warehouses.

The simple passenger shelters that were built on each platform in 1937 were removed sometime in the 1990s. These shelters were open on both sides, facing the tracks.

Train Services at Kaiwharawhara

Before the station closed in 2013, trains stopped there regularly. During off-peak times, Hutt Valley Line trains stopped every half-hour. Melling Line trains stopped every hour. During busy times, there were more frequent services. Kapiti Line trains would only stop if passengers wanted to get on or off.

Station Facilities and Closure Reasons

Today, there are no shelters or buildings left at the former Kaiwharawhara station. There is also no special car parking. People used to get to the station by walking across a footbridge from Westminster Street.

As mentioned, the station closed in 2013 because the footbridge, built in 1937, was found to be very rusty and unsafe. The bridge was taken down in March 2014. The stairs from the bridge, which were still in good condition, were moved and reused at Trentham station.

Even though the station is closed, the platforms are still there. They are kept for emergencies, in case people need to get off a train.

On 3 July 2019, a goods wagon derailed (came off the tracks) near the station. This damaged both tracks leading out of Wellington. It stopped most train services into Wellington, except for the Johnsonville Line. Partial service was only restored the next day.

All the railway lines reduce to two or three tracks closer to the Wellington train yards. There are plans to add a fourth track in the future. Changes were planned for Kaiwharawhara Station to allow it to be used as an emergency stop for trains from the Hutt, Kapiti, and Melling lines. This would have allowed buses to shuttle passengers into Wellington if the main lines were blocked.

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