Queen Street (Levin) railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Queen Street railway station
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1973 map of Levin showing both stations
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| Location | New Zealand | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 40°37′19″S 175°17′15″E / 40.622057°S 175.28763°E | ||||||||||
| Elevation | 37 m (121 ft) | ||||||||||
| Line(s) | North Island Main Trunk | ||||||||||
| Distance | Wellington 91.67 km (56.96 mi) | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Opened | 16 July 1956 | ||||||||||
| Closed | 17 December 1977 | ||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||
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The Queen Street (Levin) railway station was a train stop in Levin, a town in New Zealand. It was part of the important North Island Main Trunk railway line. This station was only for passengers and operated for about 21 years. It opened on 16 July 1956 and closed its doors on 17 December 1977.
Station History
Early Railway Days
The railway line that passed through Queen Street was quite old. It was first opened by a company called the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company. This happened on 2 August 1886. At that time, trains started running between Longburn and Ōtaki.
A special train had even run earlier, in April 1886, from Longburn to Ohau. The very first train to travel all the way from Wellington to Palmerston North ran on 30 November 1886.
Building the Station
The New Zealand Railways Department took over the railway line in 1908. Many years later, in 1955, work began on building the Queen Street station. It was designed to be a simple shelter. The shelter was about 16 ft (4.9 m) long and 6 ft (1.8 m) wide.
It had a light wooden floor and was supported by concrete piles. The platform itself was 220 ft (67 m) long and covered with a sealed surface. It stood about 8 in (20 cm) above the train tracks. This platform was big enough for two special twin-car trains. Building the station cost £744.1.11 at the time.
Changes and Closure
In 1963, new steps were built at the station. The platform also got a fresh layer of tar seal. However, the station did not stay open forever. It closed in December 1977. The railway department started looking for companies to remove the station in 1978. The station building was finally taken away in 1985.
