Cape Foulwind Railway
Encyclopedia
The Cape Foulwind Railway was a branch railway line west of Westport
to Cape Foulwind
. In 1886 the Westport Harbour Board built the line to their quarry to transport rocks to their breakwaters in the Buller River. In 1888 it was linked to Westport by a road-rail bridge over the Buller River. About 1890 passenger services were started. In 1914 a new section of line including a tunnel was built to a new quarry south of the Cape.
In 1921 the line and the three F class
locomotives were transferred to the New Zealand Railways
. The branch was one of the branch lines closed by the Railway Commission in 1930, although it had been effectively closed from about 1925. But in 1931 the line reverted to the Marine Department, which ran occasional trains until about 1940.
has a lighthouse, and a large cement works. Built since the line closed, the cement is trucked from the works to a private siding just south of Westport.
Westport, New Zealand
-Economy:Economic activity is based around fishing, coal mining and dairy farming. Historically, gold mining was a major industry, and coal mining was much more extensive than today . However, the region still is home to New Zealand's largest opencast mining operation in Stockton...
to Cape Foulwind
Cape Foulwind
Cape Foulwind is a prominent headland on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, overlooking the Tasman Sea. It is located ten kilometres west of the town of Westport...
. In 1886 the Westport Harbour Board built the line to their quarry to transport rocks to their breakwaters in the Buller River. In 1888 it was linked to Westport by a road-rail bridge over the Buller River. About 1890 passenger services were started. In 1914 a new section of line including a tunnel was built to a new quarry south of the Cape.
In 1921 the line and the three F class
NZR F class
The NZR F class was the first important class of steam locomotive built to operate on New Zealand's railway network after the national gauge of 1067 millimetres was adopted. The first locomotives built for the new 1067 mm railways were two E class double Fairlies for the Dunedin and Port Chalmers...
locomotives were transferred to the New Zealand Railways
New Zealand Railways Department
The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's railway infrastructure and operating the railway system. The Department was created in 1880 and was reformed in 1981 into the New...
. The branch was one of the branch lines closed by the Railway Commission in 1930, although it had been effectively closed from about 1925. But in 1931 the line reverted to the Marine Department, which ran occasional trains until about 1940.
Cape Foulwind
Cape FoulwindCape Foulwind
Cape Foulwind is a prominent headland on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, overlooking the Tasman Sea. It is located ten kilometres west of the town of Westport...
has a lighthouse, and a large cement works. Built since the line closed, the cement is trucked from the works to a private siding just south of Westport.