Woodside railway station, Wellington Region facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Woodside
Metlink regional rail
Woodside Station
Location	Wallace Street, Woodside, New Zealand
Coordinates	41°4′2.61″S 175°24′7.05″E / 41.0673917°S 175.4019583°E / -41.0673917; 175.4019583
Elevation	91 metres (299 ft)
Owned by	Greater Wellington Regional Council
Line(s)	Wairarapa Line
Distance	65.12 kilometres (40.46 mi) from Wellington
Platforms	Single side (originally Island)
Tracks	1 main line
Train operators	Tranz Metro
Bus routes	1
Bus operators	Tranzit Coachlines
Connections	[[|204]]  Woodside Station - Greytown
Construction
Structure type	At-grade
Parking	Yes
Bicycle facilities	No
Other information
Station code	WOOD
Fare zone	12
History
Opened	14 May 1880
Electrified	No
Previous names	Woodside Junction
Traffic
Passengers (2011)	>168 passengers/day
Services
Preceding station   Transdev Wellington   Following station Matarawa toward Masterton Wairarapa Connection Featherston toward Wellington

Woodside railway station is a train station in a quiet, countryside area called Woodside, in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand. It is about 5 kilometers (3 miles) west of Greytown. This station is part of the Wairarapa Line. It is located about 65 kilometers (40 miles) north of Wellington and 26 kilometers (16 miles) south of Masterton.

The Wairarapa Connection train service stops here several times each day. These trains travel to Wellington and Masterton. In recent years, a group called the Woodside Station Preservation Society has worked hard to restore the station building.

History of Woodside Station

Why Woodside Was Chosen

When the Wairarapa Line was first planned in 1876, engineers looked at two possible paths for the railway between Featherston and Masterton. One was a "Central route" and the other was a "Western route." Even though people in Greytown wanted the train to go through their town, the Western route was chosen. This was because there were worries about floods north of Greytown. So, the railway line ended up going through Woodside instead of Greytown.

Early Days of the Station

Woodside station officially opened on 14 May 1880. This happened when the railway line was extended from Featherston. For a few months, Woodside was the very last stop on the Wairarapa Line in the north. This was before the line to Masterton was finished later that year.

At first, the station had a main building and a house for the stationmaster. The station building was on a special platform called an "island platform." This platform was between the main railway line and a smaller line called the Greytown Branch.

Changes Over Time

The Greytown Branch line closed in 1953. After this, the main railway yard at Woodside was removed. The station building was then moved to a new platform on the western side of the main line.

In 1954, the old station building from Greytown was moved to Woodside. It was changed to be used as a goods shed, where items were stored for trains. Today, this building is no longer used.

When the railway line to Masterton opened, the line to Greytown became a smaller "branch line." Because of this, Woodside station was known as "Woodside Junction" until 1953. There was even a sign on the platform that said: "Woodside Junction. Change here for Greytown."

On 17 September 2019, a train near the Waiohine Bridge hit a tree branch. The driver kept going and stopped the train safely at Woodside Station.

Train and Bus Services

Woodside station is served by Metlink Wairarapa Connection trains.

• There are five trains each way from Monday to Thursday.
• On Fridays, there are six trains each way.
• On Saturdays and Sundays, there are two trains each way.

Connecting Bus Service

A special shuttle bus service, Route 204, connects Woodside station to Greytown. This bus is operated by Tranzit Coachlines for Metlink. It runs from Monday to Saturday. The bus does not run on Sundays or public holidays.

Images for kids

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  This is the disused goods shed, which used to be the Greytown railway station building.

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  The station platform was made much bigger in 2007 as part of an upgrade program.

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  A look back at the past. This is the original Woodside station building and a platform sign. It reminds us of the old sign that said: "Woodside Junction. Change here for Greytown."

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  There is a large car park available for people who use the train.

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