Masterton railway station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Masterton
Metlink regional rail
Location	Perry Street, Masterton, New Zealand
Coordinates	40°56.420′S 175°39.321′E / 40.940333°S 175.655350°E / -40.940333; 175.655350
Elevation	115 metres (377 ft)
Owned by	Greater Wellington Regional Council
Line(s)	Wairarapa Line
Distance	90.96 kilometres (56.52 mi) from Wellington
Platforms	Single side
Tracks	1 mainline 1 loop 6 row sidings (3 in carriage fence area)
Train operators	Transdev Wellington
Construction
Structure type	At-grade
Parking	Yes
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Other information
Station code	MAST
Fare zone	14
History
Opened	1 November 1880
Rebuilt	1967
Services
Preceding station   Transdev Wellington   Following station Terminus Wairarapa Connection Renall Street toward Wellington

The Masterton railway station is a train station in the town of Masterton, New Zealand. It has one platform. You can find it at the end of Perry Street. Masterton has three train stations, and this one is the last stop for trains coming from Wellington. The other two stations are Renall Street and Solway.

The station is the end of the line for the Wairarapa Connection passenger trains. These trains run on Metlink's Wairarapa Line. A trip from Masterton to Wellington usually takes about one hour and forty-three minutes. The station building has a ticket office and a café. There's also a yard where freight is handled, a goods shed, a turntable for turning trains around, and a shed for engines or railcars.

Station History

The first Masterton station was built in 1880. It had a goods shed for storing items, yards for sheep and cattle, and a shed for train engines. There were also places to get coal and water for the trains.

In 1894, a windmill and pump were added to get more water for the trains and the station. A turntable, which helps turn trains around, was put in place in 1897. In 1902, the station was updated and got refreshment rooms where people could buy food and drinks.

A new, larger turntable was installed in 1954. Two years later, in 1956, a shed for railcars was built. When new diesel-electric trains started being used in 1955, the old engine shed was no longer needed. It was later taken down, but the water tanks stayed until 1968.

In 1965, a new area for freight and a new goods shed were built. The current station building opened in September 1967. The sheep and cattle yards were removed in 1969.

Train Services

In the past, the Napier Express train used to pass through Masterton station. However, its route changed in 1908. Later, Masterton was a stop for passenger trains traveling between Palmerston North or Woodville and Wellington. These trains included the Wairarapa Mail and services using different types of railcars.

However, not enough people were using the trains that went all the way to Palmerston North. So, these direct services officially stopped on August 1, 1988.

Today, the only passenger trains that stop at Masterton station are the Wairarapa Connection services. These trains run between Wellington and Masterton.

• From Monday to Thursday, there are five trains each way.
• On Fridays, there are six trains each way.
• On Saturdays and Sundays, there are two trains each way.

There are also freight trains that run between Wellington and Masterton during the week. These trains often go to the Juken Nissho timber mill, which is just south of Masterton at Waingawa. The train engine is often turned around using the turntable at Masterton station. A Sunday train service that used to run between Wellington and Palmerston North through Masterton has been stopped.

Gallery

• 

  The station platform, looking towards the north-east.

• 

  The entrance to the station's main area and ticket office, with access to the car park.

• 

  A crane used for moving large containers.

• 

  An Auckland SD Set train during a test run.

• 

  Another view of an Auckland SD Set train on a test run.