kids encyclopedia robot

Pokeno railway station facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Pokeno railway station
DL9302 Pulling goods train in between Pokeno and Tuakau (14342228715).jpg
DL9302 pulling goods train between Pokeno and Tuakau
Location New Zealand
Coordinates 37°14′51″S 175°01′15″E / 37.247548°S 175.020704°E / -37.247548; 175.020704
Line(s) North Island Main Trunk
Platforms 2
Tracks 2
History
Opened 20 May 1875
Closed passengers 24 June 1973
goods 30 March 1980

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.

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 National Rail National Rail Following station
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.

Images for kids

kids search engine
Pokeno railway station Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.