Maymorn Railway Station
Encyclopedia
Maymorn railway station is a twin platform, rural railway station serving the small settlement of Maymorn
on the Maymorn Plateau, east of Upper Hutt
, in New Zealand
’s North Island. It is served by the Wairarapa Connection, and sees five services each way Monday to Thursday, six on Friday and two on Saturday and Sunday.
This station was initially known as Mangaroa and received its present name on 26 January 1959.
.
The ground on which the station is located was created using fill extracted during the construction of the Rimutaka Tunnel. During construction of the tunnel, a crossing loop long enough to accommodate 116 wagons and a temporary connection to the now closed section of the Wairarapa Line
were built to enable work trains to bring in materials and supplies. The connection between the old and new lines was lifted along with the old line, but the loop remained in use for many years afterwards for operational reasons. Northbound (up) passenger services used the loop and second platform, while southbound (down) passenger services used the main line and first platform. Both platforms had identical wooden passenger shelters on them. In 1990 part of the loop was lifted, reducing it to a siding, and it was completely removed by August 1999.
As part of the Wairarapa station upgrade program to accommodate the SW-class carriages for the Wairarapa Connection, this station was renovated in 2007 with works completed by the end of August that year.
The station's wooden passenger shelter suffered extensive fire damage on 17 July 2008 in a suspected arson
. As it was judged uneconomic to repair the building, it was demolished the following week. A new glass shelter was installed on the site of the old wooden shelter during the evening of Monday 18 May 2009.
Nothing remains of the crossing loop, and all sidings have also been lifted. Despite this, there is still evidence of the former presence of the loop including the second platform, the gap between it and the main line, and the extra-wide Maymorn Road overpass. There is a passenger shelter on the main line platform (the shelter on the second platform has long been removed), a couple of equipment buildings, and a shed for a surfaceman's trolley. On 14 November 2009 the Rimutaka Incline Railway excavated the back of the second (disused) platform to both retrieve fill and to make way for the formation of their own rail yard.
From the station, an embankment on which the old line ran can be seen just past the end of Old School Road, and now has a fence line running along its apex. Hikers can access the old railway formation using an access road which starts near the station, from the corner of Maymorn Road and Parkes Line Road. At the top of the access road, where it meets the formation, the remains of the Dry Creek Gully bridge which carried the line over a washout, are to the right but obscured by dense foliage.
secured a 20-year heritage lease on land at the Maymorn railway yards from ONTRACK
. The trust proposes to reinstate the world-famous Rimutaka Incline, with its base of operations established at Maymorn, and is currently working through stage one of the project including preparing the yard, construction of buildings, fencing and platelaying. This will also include a rail connection of approximately 1.6 kilometre (0.994196378639691 mi) in length between the station and the original railway formation, for which their preferred option is to lay their own line over the Maymorn Road overpass next to the current main line.
Maymorn
Maymorn is a rural area of Upper Hutt city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. For statistical purposes, Maymorn is counted as part of Te Marua in the New Zealand census. The usual resident 2006 population of this area was 1,068...
on the Maymorn Plateau, east of Upper Hutt
Upper Hutt
Upper Hutt is a satellite city of Wellington. It is New Zealand's smallest city by population, the second largest by land area. It is in Greater Wellington.-Geography:Upper Hutt is 30 km north-east of Wellington...
, in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
’s North Island. It is served by the Wairarapa Connection, and sees five services each way Monday to Thursday, six on Friday and two on Saturday and Sunday.
This station was initially known as Mangaroa and received its present name on 26 January 1959.
History
This station officially opened on 3 November 1955 along with the Rimutaka Deviation and Rimutaka TunnelRimutaka Tunnel
The Rimutaka Tunnel is a railway tunnel through New Zealand's Rimutaka Ranges, between Maymorn, near Upper Hutt, and Featherston, on the Wairarapa Line.The tunnel, which was opened to traffic on 3 November 1955, is long...
.
The ground on which the station is located was created using fill extracted during the construction of the Rimutaka Tunnel. During construction of the tunnel, a crossing loop long enough to accommodate 116 wagons and a temporary connection to the now closed section of the Wairarapa Line
Wairarapa Line
The Wairarapa Line is a secondary railway line in the south-east of the North Island of New Zealand, connecting the capital city of Wellington with the Wairarapa region. The line ends at Woodville, where it joins the Palmerston North - Gisborne Line...
were built to enable work trains to bring in materials and supplies. The connection between the old and new lines was lifted along with the old line, but the loop remained in use for many years afterwards for operational reasons. Northbound (up) passenger services used the loop and second platform, while southbound (down) passenger services used the main line and first platform. Both platforms had identical wooden passenger shelters on them. In 1990 part of the loop was lifted, reducing it to a siding, and it was completely removed by August 1999.
As part of the Wairarapa station upgrade program to accommodate the SW-class carriages for the Wairarapa Connection, this station was renovated in 2007 with works completed by the end of August that year.
The station's wooden passenger shelter suffered extensive fire damage on 17 July 2008 in a suspected arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
. As it was judged uneconomic to repair the building, it was demolished the following week. A new glass shelter was installed on the site of the old wooden shelter during the evening of Monday 18 May 2009.
Today
From the station, an embankment on which the old line ran can be seen just past the end of Old School Road, and now has a fence line running along its apex. Hikers can access the old railway formation using an access road which starts near the station, from the corner of Maymorn Road and Parkes Line Road. At the top of the access road, where it meets the formation, the remains of the Dry Creek Gully bridge which carried the line over a washout, are to the right but obscured by dense foliage.
Future plans
On 14 July 2005 the Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage TrustRimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust
The Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust is a non-profit, charitable trust in New Zealand that was established in 2003 with the objective of reinstating an operating heritage railway over the Rimutaka Ranges using the original route of the Wairarapa Line between Maymorn and Featherston,...
secured a 20-year heritage lease on land at the Maymorn railway yards from ONTRACK
OnTrack
OnTrack was a regional rail line that operated in Syracuse, New York from 1994 to 2007. During its operation, Syracuse was the smallest city in the United States to have regional train service. The line ran from Colvin Street on the city's south side via Syracuse University and Armory Square to the...
. The trust proposes to reinstate the world-famous Rimutaka Incline, with its base of operations established at Maymorn, and is currently working through stage one of the project including preparing the yard, construction of buildings, fencing and platelaying. This will also include a rail connection of approximately 1.6 kilometre (0.994196378639691 mi) in length between the station and the original railway formation, for which their preferred option is to lay their own line over the Maymorn Road overpass next to the current main line.
External links
- Passenger service timetables from Metlink and Tranz Metro.