Matarawa railway station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Matarawa
Metlink regional rail
Location	Railway Road, Dalefield, New Zealand
Coordinates	41°2′55.78″S 175°26′53.31″E / 41.0488278°S 175.4481417°E / -41.0488278; 175.4481417
Elevation	70 metres (230 ft)
Owned by	Greater Wellington Regional Council
Line(s)	Wairarapa Line
Distance	69.61 kilometres (43.25 mi) from Wellington
Platforms	Single
Tracks	main line
Train operators	Transdev Wellington
Construction
Structure type	At-grade
Parking	No
Bicycle facilities	No
Other information
Station code	MATA
Fare zone	13
History
Opened	1 November 1880 (1880-11-01)
Rebuilt	2007
Services
Preceding station   Transdev Wellington   Following station Carterton toward Masterton Wairarapa Connection Woodside toward Wellington

Matarawa railway station is a small train stop located in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand. It serves the quiet rural community of Matarawa. This station is part of the Wairarapa Line, which connects towns in the Wairarapa to Wellington, the capital city. It's a key spot for local people to catch trains for their daily travel or weekend trips.

History of Matarawa Station

This train station first opened its doors on 1 November 1880. It started operating when the railway line between Woodside Junction and Masterton was officially opened.

In its early days, Matarawa station had a simple shelter shed and a loading bank. It also had a "crossing loop," which was an extra track. This loop allowed trains to pass each other on the single main line. At that time, many sawmills operated nearby. Timber from these sawmills was a major type of goods loaded onto trains here. Over time, the crossing loop and private sawmill tracks were removed.

Saving the Station

In 2006, there was a plan to close Matarawa station. This was because new train carriages were coming for the Wairarapa Connection service. The station had very few passengers, and building a new platform for the bigger trains would cost a lot.

However, people living in the area strongly disagreed with the closure. They spoke up and protested. Because of their strong opposition, the plan to close the station was stopped.

Station Upgrades

To prepare for the new trains, Matarawa station was temporarily closed. This closure lasted from 17 May 2007 to 4 June 2007. During this time, construction workers built a new platform. Before this upgrade, the station did not have a proper platform.

The station reopened on 7 June 2007 with its brand new platform. This made it safer and easier for passengers to get on and off the trains.

Train Services

Matarawa is a "request stop" station. This means that trains only stop here if a passenger on board asks to get off, or if someone waiting on the platform signals for the train to stop.

The station is served by the Wairarapa Connection train service. From Monday to Thursday, there are five trains each way (to Masterton and to Wellington). On Fridays, there are six trains each way. On Saturdays and Sundays, there are two trains each way.

Currently, no public bus routes serve Matarawa station.

Images for kids

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  "Vogel-era" class 6 passenger shelter shed.

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  Loading bank.