Pokeno railway station facts for kids
The Pokeno railway station was once a busy train stop in the town of Pokeno, New Zealand. It was part of the important North Island Main Trunk railway line. This station helped people and goods travel across the country for many years.
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Pokeno Railway Station: A Look Back
When the Station Was Open
The Pokeno railway station first opened its doors to passengers on 20 May 1875. A few years later, on 6 April 1879, it also started handling goods. This meant that both people and products could be transported by train from Pokeno.
The station served the community for many decades. However, it eventually closed to passengers on 24 June 1973. A few years later, on 30 March 1980, it also stopped handling goods.
The Unfinished Railway Line
Did you know there was a plan to build another railway line from Pokeno? Work on a proposed line called the Paeroa–Pokeno Line started in 1938. About 13 kilometers of earthworks were completed at each end of the planned line.
However, this project had to stop because of World War 2. Even after the war, progress was very slow in 1950. This new line was meant to be the first part of a much bigger railway, the East Coast Main Trunk Railway.
Preceding station | ![]() |
Following station | ||
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Whangarata Line open, station closed |
North Island Main Trunk New Zealand Railways Department |
Mercer Line open, station closed |
How Busy Was Pokeno Station?
Over the years, the Pokeno station saw many passengers and goods pass through. The number of tickets sold and the amount of goods transported changed over time. You can see how busy the station was by looking at the graph below. It shows how many tickets were sold between 1881 and 1950.
Future Plans for Pokeno
In 2020, there was talk about reopening the Pokeno station. This idea was suggested as a way to help the economy recover after the COVID-19 pandemic. The estimated cost to reopen the station was around $10 million.