Taupiri railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Taupiri
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DL9348 passing site of Taupiri station in 2014
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| Location | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 37°36′46″S 175°11′22″E / 37.612859°S 175.189352°E |
| Owned by | KiwiRail |
| Line(s) | North Island Main Trunk |
| Tracks | 2 |
| History | |
| Opened | 19 December 1877 |
| Closed | 3 October 1982 (to passengers before 1976) |
Taupiri was once a busy train station in New Zealand. It was located on the main railway line that runs through the North Island, called the North Island Main Trunk. This station helped connect the small town of Taupiri in the Waikato District to the rest of the country. It had a special platform for passengers and a shed for goods.
| Preceding station |  National Rail |
Following station | ||
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| Huntly Line open, station closed |
North Island Main Trunk New Zealand Railways Department |
Ngāruawāhia Line open, station closed |
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Contents
Taupiri Station: A Look Back
The Taupiri station first opened its doors on December 19, 1877. It quickly became an important spot for the local community.
Early Station Life
In 1882, a house for the stationmaster was built. A telegraph office was also added, allowing people to send messages. Around the same time, a goods shed was built. This shed was used to store items being sent or received by train.
Changes and Challenges
In 1895, the stationmaster was removed. This caused protests from the local people. The station became a flag station. This meant trains would only stop if someone waved a flag. Even so, the station still had staff working there. In 1901, a funny incident happened. Some calves were accidentally left behind at the station!
How Many People Used the Station?
Over the years, more and more people used the Taupiri station. The number of tickets sold grew steadily. For example, in 1883, only 571 tickets were sold. But by 1943, this number had jumped to over 13,000 tickets! This shows how important the train was for travel. However, after 1943, ticket sales started to go down. This was likely due to more people using cars and buses.
Mangawara Bridges: Building for the Future
Just north of Taupiri station, trains had to cross the Mangawara Stream.
The First Bridge
In 1877, a wooden bridge was built here. It was called bridge 57. This bridge helped trains cross the stream safely.
New Bridges for More Trains
Later, in 1938, the railway line was made bigger. Two new bridges, numbered 272 and 273, were built next to the old one. This allowed more trains to pass through.
Modern Upgrades
Bridge 273 (on the east side) was replaced starting in 2015. Bridge 272 (on the west side) was also updated. The new bridge used a lot of steel, about 390 tonnes! It had two long steel beams, each 24 meters long. These upgrades helped the railway line handle more trains. This was the last of eight bridge upgrades in the area.
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