Taitā railway station facts for kids

The Taitā railway station is a train station in Taitā, a suburb of Lower Hutt, New Zealand. It's part of the Wairarapa Line and is about 20.6 kilometers (12.8 miles) north of Wellington. This station is used by Metlink's electric trains, which are called "Matangi" trains.

The station has a special type of platform called an island platform. This means the platform is in the middle, with train tracks on both sides.

Station History

How Taitā Station Started

Taitā railway station first opened on 14 April 1947. At that time, it was just a single track that extended from Naenae to Taitā. The station originally had only one platform for trains.

A second platform was added in 1952. Then, on 22 February 1953, the train line from Naenae to Taitā became a double track. This meant more trains could use the line at the same time.

Becoming a Main Route

On 1 March 1954, Taitā became a "through station." This means trains could pass through it to continue their journey. A new single track opened, connecting Taitā to Haywards (which is now called Manor Park).

Because an older train line from Melling to Haywards closed, the route through Taitā became the main way for trains to reach Upper Hutt and the Wairarapa region.

Name Change

The official name of the area, Taitā, changed in December 2019 to include a macron (a line above the 'a'). The railway station's official name also changed to "Taitā Railway Station" on 16 July 2020.

Train Services

Daily Train Schedule

Metlink, working with the Greater Wellington Regional Council, runs electric train services on the Hutt Valley Line. These trains travel between Wellington and Upper Hutt, passing through Taitā.

During the day, when it's not rush hour, trains usually run:

• Two trains per hour (tph) to Wellington, stopping at every station.
• Two trains per hour (tph) to Upper Hutt, stopping at every station.

Morning Rush Hour Trains

During the busy morning rush hour, there are more trains:

• Six trains per hour to Wellington.
  • Three of these stop at every station until Petone.
  • The other three stop only at Waterloo before continuing to Wellington.

Taitā as a Key Stop

Taitā station is a very important stop during rush hour for trains on the Hutt Valley Line. Many trains start or end their journey here in the morning and evening.

Trains going south to Wellington railway station from Taitā stop at all stations. However, trains coming from Upper Hutt railway station often run faster to or from Taitā. They only stop at Waterloo Interchange and then stop at all stations north of Taitā.

How Trains Turn Around

To help trains start and end their journeys at Taitā, there are special tracks called "crossover points" south of the station. There is also a "central storage siding" north of the station. A siding is a short track where trains can wait or be stored.

Since trains cannot stay at Taitā for a long time, any train that ends its trip here must return to Wellington. Sometimes, these trains travel empty without passengers.

Before July 2014, a signal box in the station building controlled the train movements at Taitā during rush hour. This signal box was removed, and now train control is managed from central Wellington.

Different Ways Trains Use the Station

Trains can use Taitā station in a few different ways when they are starting or ending their journey:

• Arriving and Leaving from the Up Platform: If there's enough time before the next train from Wellington arrives, a train ending its journey at Taitā will stop at the "up platform." This train will then go back to Wellington from the same platform, using a special track (crossover 77) to switch to the "down line." This usually happens in the morning rush hour.

• Arriving and Leaving from the Down Platform: If there isn't enough time before the next train from Wellington arrives, a train ending its journey at Taitā will switch to the "down line" using another special track (crossover 75). It will then stop at the "down platform." This train will then return to Wellington from the down platform. This usually happens in the evening rush hour.

• Arriving Up Platform, Leaving Down Platform: If there isn't enough time for either of the above options, a train will stop at the "up platform" to let passengers off. Then, it will move into the central storage siding using crossover 78. This clears the "up line" for the next train. Once the next train has passed, the waiting train will move to the "down platform" using crossover 79 to pick up new passengers for its return trip. This method is used during both morning and evening rush hours.

Bus Connections

Local Bus Routes

Metlink bus routes 120 and 121 also stop at Taitā station. This makes it easy for people to connect between trains and buses.