Opua Branch
Encyclopedia
The Opua Branch or Otiria-Opua Industrial Line, partially still operational as the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway, is a former section of the North Auckland Line in the Northland Region of New Zealand
, between Otiria
and the Bay of Islands
township of Opua
. The first section was constructed as a bush tramway in 1868 and converted to a railway in the next decade. Today the railway is partially used by the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway
, which runs tourist services between Kawakawa
and Taumarere
. The line's centrepiece is the section where it runs down along the main street of Kawakawa.
, and motive power was provided by horses that hauled wagons along wooden rails.
In 1871, some surplus rails, wagons, and two steam locomotives were acquired from a railway project near Auckland
and the tramway was upgraded to railway standards. It was purchased by the government in 1876, who had recently established the national gauge as 3 feet 6 inches (1067 mm), and re-gauged the line in 1877.
In 1876, a settlement with a deepwater port was proposed, and in 1881 plans of a town named "Newport" were published. It became known as Opua and the railway from Kawakawa opened on 7 April 1884. The spur to Taumarere wharf was no longer necessary as Opua's port was far superior, and it was closed.
It was some time before the isolated Kawakawa-Opua line was connected to the rest of the national rail network
. There were questions over its viability, but in 1899 parliament approved a connection with the line that was progressing north from Whangarei
. A line 44 kilometres in length was required to link Kawakawa to the Whangarei section's northern railhead in Waiotu, and factors such as poor winter weather and difficulties in accessing the construction due to the relative isolation of the region at the time meant that it was not until 1911 that the rails from each end met.
In 1925, the North Auckland Line was finally completed and the Whangarei-Opua section was linked to the national network.
In the tramway days and the first years of the line, the predominant traffic was coal from Kawakawa for export. By the late 1890s coal traffic had all but disappeared and the government initially expressed a desire to remove the line. Local indignation was such that instead of removing the line, it was connected to Whangarei and then the national network.
When the North Auckland Line was fully opened in 1925, the Opua Express
passenger train operated thrice weekly from Auckland to Opua. Freight did not operate directly to Auckland; it was conveyed to and from Whangarei, with other services operating south. Some trains were mixed trains, conveying both passengers and freight.
In November 1956, railcar
s replaced the Opua Express. Unfortunately for Opua, the railcars operated to the other northern terminus of Okaihau
on the Okaihau Branch
, leaving Opua without any dedicated passenger trains. Passengers had to rely on mixed trains, which did not connect with the railcars. Nonetheless, the mixed trains lasted another two decades (longer than the railcars, which ceased operating in 1967); the last one ran between Whangarei and Opua on 18 June 1976. From this time, this part was used to carry solely freight, almost all of which was output from the Moerewa Dairy Factory and Affco Meat Works to the port of Opua. By the 1980s, regular freight services beyond Kawakawa were becoming irregular due to the decline of shipping to Opua as a result of containerisation. It was last used in 1985 and leased to the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway to operate tourist passenger services from Opua to Kawakawa, including running down the centre of Kawakawa's main street.
The short stretch between Otiria and Kawakawa was retained as a link to the national network, but has since been dismantled and is now used as a footpath connecting Kawakawa with Moerewa (a disused siding terminates at Moerewa). The tourist trains operated between Kawakawa and Opua until 2001, when the Land Transport Safety Authority withdrew the line's operating licence. Currently, operations run between Kawakawa, including the stretch down the main street, to Taumarere. The terminus in Opua is on land now owned by Far North Holdings, the trading arm of Far North District Council, and negotiations are under way so that trains can return to Opua in the near future.
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...
, between Otiria
Otiria
Otiria is a rural locality in the Northland Region of New Zealand's North Island. It neighbours Moerewa to the east, with the nearest major town, Kawakawa a few kilometres further eastwards. Other nearby localities include Pokapu to the south, Orauta to the west, and Hupara to the north.-...
and the Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is an area in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located 60 km north-west of Whangarei, it is close to the northern tip of the country....
township of Opua
Opua
Opua is a locality in the Bay of Islands, in the sub-tropical Northland Region of New Zealand. It is notable as the first port for overseas yachts arriving in the country after crossing the Pacific Ocean...
. The first section was constructed as a bush tramway in 1868 and converted to a railway in the next decade. Today the railway is partially used by the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway
Bay of Islands Vintage Railway
The Bay of Islands Vintage Railway Trust is a heritage railway in Kawakawa, in Northland in New Zealand. The railway operates on part of the former Opua Branch railway.-History:...
, which runs tourist services between Kawakawa
Kawakawa, New Zealand
Kawakawa is a small town in the Northland Region of northern New Zealand. It had a population of 1347 at the 2006 census, down from 1401 in 2001. Kawakawa developed as a service town when coal was found in the area in 1861, but there is no longer coal mining here...
and Taumarere
Taumarere
Taumarere is a locality in Northland, New Zealand. State Highway 11 runs through the area. The Waiharakeke Stream runs through Taumarere into the Bay of Islands. Kawakawa is 3 km to the southwest. Paihia is 14 km to the north....
. The line's centrepiece is the section where it runs down along the main street of Kawakawa.
Construction
In 1868, the first part was constructed. Coal was mined near Kawakawa, and accordingly, a tramway was built to carry the coal from Kawakawa to the river so that it could be shipped from the wharf in Taumarere. The line's gauge was 4 feet 8.5 inches (1435 mm), international standard gaugeStandard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
, and motive power was provided by horses that hauled wagons along wooden rails.
In 1871, some surplus rails, wagons, and two steam locomotives were acquired from a railway project near Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
and the tramway was upgraded to railway standards. It was purchased by the government in 1876, who had recently established the national gauge as 3 feet 6 inches (1067 mm), and re-gauged the line in 1877.
In 1876, a settlement with a deepwater port was proposed, and in 1881 plans of a town named "Newport" were published. It became known as Opua and the railway from Kawakawa opened on 7 April 1884. The spur to Taumarere wharf was no longer necessary as Opua's port was far superior, and it was closed.
It was some time before the isolated Kawakawa-Opua line was connected to the rest of the national rail network
Rail transport in New Zealand
Rail transport in New Zealand consists of a network of gauge railway lines in both the North and South Islands. Rail services are focused primarily on freight, particularly bulk freight, with limited passenger services on some lines...
. There were questions over its viability, but in 1899 parliament approved a connection with the line that was progressing north from Whangarei
Whangarei
Whangarei, pronounced , is the northernmost city in New Zealand and the regional capital of Northland Region. Although commonly classified as a city, it is officially part of the Whangarei District, administered by the Whangarei District Council a local body created in 1989 to administer both the...
. A line 44 kilometres in length was required to link Kawakawa to the Whangarei section's northern railhead in Waiotu, and factors such as poor winter weather and difficulties in accessing the construction due to the relative isolation of the region at the time meant that it was not until 1911 that the rails from each end met.
In 1925, the North Auckland Line was finally completed and the Whangarei-Opua section was linked to the national network.
Stations
The following stations were on the Otiria-Opua section of the North Auckland Line, with the distance in kilometres from Otiria in brackets:- Moerewa (3 km)
- Kawakawa (7 km)
- Taumarere (10 km)
- Te Akeake (15 km)
- Whangae Bridge (16 km)
- Opua (19 km)
Operation
When the North Auckland Line was fully opened in 1925, the Opua Express
Northland Express
The Northland Express, also known as the Opua Express, was an express passenger train operated by the New Zealand Railways Department between 1925 and 1956. It ran from Auckland via Whangarei to Opua in the Bay of Islands.-Operation:...
passenger train operated thrice weekly from Auckland to Opua. Freight did not operate directly to Auckland; it was conveyed to and from Whangarei, with other services operating south. Some trains were mixed trains, conveying both passengers and freight.
In November 1956, railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s replaced the Opua Express. Unfortunately for Opua, the railcars operated to the other northern terminus of Okaihau
Okaihau
Okaihau is a small town in the Northland Region of New Zealand's North Island, just north of Kaikohe. State Highway 1 passes through the town. The 2006 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings recorded Okaihau's population as 717, an increase of 30 people since the 2001 census.- Transport...
on the Okaihau Branch
Okaihau Branch
The Okaihau Branch, sometimes known as the Kaikohe Branch and rarely the Rangiahua Branch, was a branch line railway that joined the North Auckland Line of the national rail network of New Zealand at Otiria. It was the most northerly line in New Zealand and was intended to run all the way to Kaitaia...
, leaving Opua without any dedicated passenger trains. Passengers had to rely on mixed trains, which did not connect with the railcars. Nonetheless, the mixed trains lasted another two decades (longer than the railcars, which ceased operating in 1967); the last one ran between Whangarei and Opua on 18 June 1976. From this time, this part was used to carry solely freight, almost all of which was output from the Moerewa Dairy Factory and Affco Meat Works to the port of Opua. By the 1980s, regular freight services beyond Kawakawa were becoming irregular due to the decline of shipping to Opua as a result of containerisation. It was last used in 1985 and leased to the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway to operate tourist passenger services from Opua to Kawakawa, including running down the centre of Kawakawa's main street.
The short stretch between Otiria and Kawakawa was retained as a link to the national network, but has since been dismantled and is now used as a footpath connecting Kawakawa with Moerewa (a disused siding terminates at Moerewa). The tourist trains operated between Kawakawa and Opua until 2001, when the Land Transport Safety Authority withdrew the line's operating licence. Currently, operations run between Kawakawa, including the stretch down the main street, to Taumarere. The terminus in Opua is on land now owned by Far North Holdings, the trading arm of Far North District Council, and negotiations are under way so that trains can return to Opua in the near future.