Waimiha railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Waimiha railway station
|
|||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Waimiha 1955
|
|||||||||||
| Location | New Zealand | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 38°37′05″S 175°18′37″E / 38.618100°S 175.310200°E | ||||||||||
| Elevation | 232 m (761 ft) | ||||||||||
| Line(s) | North Island Main Trunk | ||||||||||
| Distance | Wellington 433.9 km (269.6 mi) | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Opened | 1 December 1903 | ||||||||||
| Closed | passenger before Dec 1975 goods 13 October 1986 |
||||||||||
| Electrified | June 1988 | ||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
Waimiha was a small train station in New Zealand. It was known as a flag station, which means trains only stopped there if someone waved a flag to get on, or if a passenger on the train asked to get off. This station was part of the important North Island Main Trunk railway line.
The station served the tiny village of Waimiha. This village is located in the beautiful Ōngarue valley, within the Ruapehu District.
Contents
What Was Waimiha Station Like?
The Waimiha station area was quite large, covering about 6 acres. It had a simple shelter shed where people could wait for trains. There was also a platform for passengers to get on and off. For goods, there was a special area for carts and a loading bank.
Goods and Wagons
Around 1910, a goods shed was added. This building was used to store items being sent or received by train. The station also had a passing loop. This is an extra section of track that allows trains to pass each other.
When it was first built, the passing loop could hold 42 railway wagons. By 1980, it was made longer to hold up to 80 wagons. This passing loop is still used today, even though the station is closed.
A Look Back at Waimiha's History
The railway tracks reached Waimiha around Christmas in 1900. By May 1901, trains were already carrying supplies for the railway workers. This helped the area grow.
Early Buildings and Connections
A small house for railway workers was built by 1902. Another house for a second porter (a railway worker who helps with luggage and other tasks) was added in 1912. In 1913, a plan was made to connect the station to a tramway. This was a special small railway used by the timber companies.
In 1921, the Rangataua Timber Co. looked for companies to build a mile of this tramway. A telephone was connected to the station in 1915, making communication easier. More houses were built in the 1920s as the area developed.
When the Station Closed
Over time, fewer people used the station. From June 20, 1981, Waimiha station no longer had staff working there. Passenger services stopped before December 1975. The station officially closed for goods transport on October 13, 1986.
