Palmerston North railway station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Palmerston North
An electric EF class train at Palmerston North Railway Station in 2007.
Location	Matthews Avenue, Palmerston North New Zealand
Coordinates	40°20′40″S 175°35′40″E / 40.3444°S 175.5944°E / -40.3444; 175.5944
Elevation	30 m (98 ft)
Owned by	KiwiRail
Line(s)	North Island Main Trunk
Distance	Wellington 136.23 km (84.65 mi)
Platforms	1 side platform
Tracks	1
Connections	Napier & Gisborne line (goods only)
Construction
Parking	Yes
Bicycle facilities	Yes
History
Opened	20 October 1876; 148 years ago (1876-10-20)
Rebuilt	1891, 1963
Electrified	25 kV 50 Hz AC
Services
Preceding station   The Great Journeys of New Zealand   Following station Ohakune toward Auckland Strand Northern Explorer Paraparaumu toward Wellington Terminus Capital Connection Shannon toward Wellington Preceding station   Historical railways   Following station Terminus   Palmerston North–Gisborne Line KiwiRail   Whakarongo Line open, station closed 8.75 km (5.44 mi) Bunnythorpe Line open, station closed 8.52 km (5.29 mi)   North Island Main Trunk KiwiRail   Longburn Line open, station closed 6.29 km (3.91 mi)

The Palmerston North railway station is an important train station in the city of Palmerston North, located in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. It sits on the main railway line called the North Island Main Trunk.

This station is the last stop for the Capital Connection train, which takes people to and from Wellington. It is also a major stop for the Northern Explorer service, a long-distance train that travels between Auckland and Wellington.

When the Overlander train service stopped, Palmerston North became the closest station for towns like Levin and Feilding. This means more people from nearby areas use this station.

Soon, a new rail freight hub will be built by KiwiRail near Palmerston North. This new hub will help move goods by train more easily. It will replace the older Tremaine Avenue freight yard.

A Journey Through Time: The Station's History

The First Station and Its Challenges

The very first Palmerston North railway station opened a long time ago, on 20 October 1876. You can learn more about it at Palmerston North Central railway station. As more train lines opened, like the one to Napier in 1891, the station got busier.

Because it was so busy, the station was moved about 600 meters south in March 1891. Even after this move, it was still a "bottleneck." This means it was a narrow or crowded part of the railway system where trains often got stuck or delayed. It was the longest-lasting bottleneck on the main train line until the 1960s.

The Big Move: The Milson Deviation

To fix the bottleneck problem, a big project called the Milson Deviation began in May 1926. The idea was to move the railway line and the station away from the busy city center of Palmerston North. This would make train travel smoother and safer.

However, this project faced many delays. The Great Depression and World War II slowed things down. Also, some local businesses didn't like the idea because the new station would be further from the town center. Work stopped and started several times.

Finally, construction restarted in 1957. The first part of the new line opened in 1954. The entire new route for goods trains was ready by 27 July 1959.

On 21 October 1963, the brand new station and its large train yards were officially opened. This was a huge change! All train traffic was moved away from the main street and square of Palmerston North. The old train line closed by mid-1965. The new route was also a bit shorter than the old one.

This chart shows how many tickets were sold at the station between 1881 and 1950.

What the Station is Used For Today

Today, the Palmerston North station is used by two main train services: the Capital Connection and the Northern Explorer. Only one or two trains visit the station each weekday. This is a big change from when the station first opened, when there were more than 60 trains a day!

Sometimes, special heritage trains also use the station for fun trips. The main building of the station is now used as offices or storage space for KiwiRail, the company that runs the trains. The old cafeteria area is even used as an after-school care center for kids!

While there isn't a city bus stop right at the station, you can find taxis there if you need a ride.

Gallery

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  The official opening of the Milson Deviation on 27 July 1959.

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  The opening ceremony for the Milson Deviation on 27 July 1959.

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  A view of the Milson Deviation.