Taihape railway station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Taihape railway station
Taihape station and goods shed in 2011
Location	New Zealand
Coordinates	39°40′44″S 175°47′50″E / 39.6789°S 175.7971°E / -39.6789; 175.7971
Elevation	442 m (1,450 ft)
Line(s)	North Island Main Trunk
Distance	Wellington 251.85 km (156.49 mi)
History
Opened	4 August 1904 (1904-08-04)
Closed	10 April 2005 (2005-04-10)
Electrified	June 1988
Services
Preceding station   Historical railways   Following station Mataroa Line open, station closed   North Island Main Trunk KiwiRail   Winiata Line open, station closed

The Taihape railway station was once a very important stop on the main railway line in New Zealand. It was located in the town of Taihape. This station was a busy place with a special room for snacks, a large area for sorting train cars, and a place to keep train engines.

The station first opened for moving goods on 4 August 1904. Passengers could start using it a little later, from 1 November 1904. The main railway line, called the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT), fully opened for trains traveling between Auckland and Wellington on 9 November 1908. The first fast express trains started running on 14 February 1909. The Prime Minister at the time, Richard Seddon, officially opened the station on 20 November 1908.

The station closed for passengers on 10 April 2005. However, it was reopened for a trial period of one year starting on 23 October 2009.

A Busy Railway Hub

Taihape station was a very active place. It had a "marshalling yard" where train cars were sorted and put together to make new trains. There was also a "locomotive depot," which was like a garage for train engines. These busy areas operated until the late 1970s.

Helping Trains Up Hills

Sometimes, an extra engine, called a "banker locomotive," was added to trains. This helped them climb the long, steep hills across the central plateau. The station also had a "turntable," a large spinning platform used to turn engines around. This turntable was taken apart and removed in the early 1980s.

Station Buildings

The building for storing goods and the engine depot were at the south end of the railway yard. Right next to the railway station was a bus depot. This was for the New Zealand Railways Road Services buses, which worked with the trains.

Station Changes Over Time

In 1999, the company Tranz Rail took down the old Taihape railway station building. However, the refreshment rooms, where people could get food, stayed on the platform. The goods shed and the engine depot area also remained.

The Return of the Turntable

After a lot of hard work and fundraising by a group called Rotary, the old locomotive turntable was bought back. It was then put back in place at the station. This means that special trains can now travel to Taihape, turn around, and go back where they came from.

A local engineering company also installed an old steam whistle. This whistle is now operated by air pressure and sounds at 10 AM, noon, and 3 PM. It has become the town's "smoko" signal, telling people it's time for a break. Tourists often hear it and think a steam train is at the station!

The Hautapu River Bridge

Just south of the Taihape station, there is a bridge that crosses the Hautapu River. This bridge was built on strong concrete supports.

Images for kids

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  This chart shows how many tickets were sold at Taihape station between 1905 and 1950.