Solway railway station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Solway
Metlink regional rail
Historic station shelter
Location	Ngaumutawa Road, Solway, Masterton, New Zealand
Coordinates	40°57′11.94″S 175°37′30.72″E / 40.9533167°S 175.6252000°E / -40.9533167; 175.6252000
Elevation	124 metres (407 ft)
Owned by	Greater Wellington Regional Council
Line(s)	Wairarapa Line
Distance	88.09 kilometres (54.74 mi) from Wellington
Platforms	Single side
Tracks	1 main line
Train operators	Transdev Wellington
Construction
Structure type	At-grade
Parking	Yes
Bicycle facilities	No
Other information
Station code	SOLW
Fare zone	14
History
Opened	1 November 1880
Closed	13 October 1986 (freight)
Rebuilt	2007
Previous names	Kurupuni, Purakau
Services
Preceding station   Transdev Wellington   Following station Renall Street toward Masterton Wairarapa Connection Carterton toward Wellington

Solway railway station is a train station in Solway, a part of Masterton, New Zealand. It is on the Wairarapa Line, which is a railway track that connects different towns. The station is about 88.1 km (54.7 mi) north of Wellington and 2.9 km (1.8 mi) south of Masterton.

The Wairarapa Connection train service stops at Solway station many times each day. These trains travel to Wellington and Masterton. The station has one main track and a platform where people wait for the train. This platform is long enough for a four-car train.

Solway railway station.

In 2007, Solway station got an upgrade. This was part of a bigger plan to make stations on the Wairarapa Line ready for newer, modern train carriages. The work happened between May and August 2007.

History of Solway Station

Solway station first opened on 1 November 1880. When it first opened, it was quite simple. It only had a small shelter and a platform for passengers.

Station Names Over Time

The station was not always called Solway. When it first opened, its name was Kurupuni. It was located just south of Masterton. Later, between 1908 and 1912, it was briefly known as Purakau. After that, it was finally renamed Solway.

Freight Services at Solway

Even though Solway station was never a very big or busy station, it did handle freight (goods) for many years. It carried items for local businesses, like the Wairarapa Electric Power Board and a company that made fertiliser. The station stopped handling freight in 1986.

Station car park.

Station Improvements

In 2001, the Masterton District Council built a new car park at the station. This was done to make it easier for people to use public transport in the area.

A few years later, in 2006, there was a plan to move the old station shelter. This shelter was a historic building. The idea was to move it to a fenced area at Carterton Station. However, people living nearby were worried about this plan. They wanted the old shelter to stay at Solway. Because of their concerns, the plan was changed, and the shelter remained at Solway station.