Te Kuiti railway station
Te Kuiti Rail Station
General information
LocationNew Zealand
Coordinates38°20′09″S 175°09′58″E / 38.335732°S 175.166187°E / -38.335732; 175.166187
Elevation54 m (177 ft)
Line(s)North Island Main Trunk
DistanceWellington 475.66 km (295.56 mi)
History
Opened2 September 1887 goods
2 December 1887 passenger[1]
Closed24 June 2012[2] except for groups of 10+[3]
Rebuilt1908, moved 1911,
extended 1929, 1951 and 1957
ElectrifiedJune 1988
Services
Preceding station   Historical railways   Following station
Te Kumi
Line open,
station closed
3.34 km (2.08 mi) 		  North Island Main Trunk
KiwiRail 		  Waiteti
Line open,
station closed
5.59 km (3.47 mi)
Designated5 September 1985
Reference no.4450
Te Kuiti 1917
20 May 1947 Te Kuiti

Te Kuiti railway station is a station on the North Island Main Trunk in New Zealand.[4][5] The station was important in the growth of Te Kūiti.[6]

History

Tenders for the 11 mi 41 ch (18.5 km) extension of the NIMT from Ōtorohanga to Te Kuiti were invited in August 1885.[7] However, from 17 September 1885[8] work was suspended[9] after William Russell got Parliamentary support to cut spending on public works.[10] A year later Coates & Metcalfe of Hamilton won the construction contract for £17,273 in September 1886[11] and work started quickly.[12] The line opened on 2 September 1887 for goods.[13] By October 1887 goods trains ran on Mondays and Fridays and the station was being built.[14] A contract with Arthur Burn for the station buildings was signed on 29 August 1887 and they were completed by 19 December.[8] New Zealand Railways Department took over from the contractors, adding a passenger service on those days from 2 December 1887.[15] Te Kuiti was the terminus for over a year, until the 8 mi 65 ch (14.2 km) extension to Puketutu opened on Wednesday 8 May 1889. By November 1889 Te Kuiti had lost its stationmaster and become a flag station. However, by 1896 there was a 4th class station, platform, cart approach, 40 ft (12 m) by 30 ft (9.1 m) goods shed, cattle yards, water supply from a well, coal bunker, engine shed, loading bank, urinals and a passing loop for 31 wagons. There was a Post Office at the station until 1907, when a stationmaster was reappointed and railway houses, a 50 ft (15 m) turntable and more sidings were built.[8]

The first Auckland - Wellington through expresses ran on 14 February 1909, taking 19 hours 13 minutes, and stopping at Te Kuiti.[16] Since then, trains calling have included The Overlander, Blue Streak, Silver Fern, Scenic Daylight, Daylight Limited, Northerner and Night Limited. Since 2012 it has only seen occasional calls by excursions and to set down or pick up groups of 10 or more, booked on the Northern Explorer.

In 1910 a bookstall was added. More houses were built in 1910, 1927, 1952, 1953 and 1955. Electric lighting came in 1911, by which time the goods shed was 110 ft (34 m) long and there were sheep yards. In 1940 a new goods shed and stockyards were completed. The goods shed was 60 foot extended by 60 ft (18 m) in 1952.[8]

Te Kuiti had an engine shed from 1887. It was improved in 1911. By 1919 it had 5 engines and by 1924 2 of its 6 had to remain outside. On 28 January 1925 engine A 424 was on the turntable when it cracked. It was replaced by a turntable from East Town until £1060 was spent on a new 70 foot turntable later in the year. BB engines were also stabled at Te Kuiti, which had 8 engines by 1928.

By 1966 the coaling bunker had been removed, the engine shed was in poor condition and a diesel shunter had replaced steam engines. By 1968 the shed was demolished and the turntable was removed.[8]

Listed building

Since 1985 the building has been listed NZHPT Category II.[17] The Rail Heritage Trust describes the station as, "the finest remaining example of a standard class B station". It dates from 1908 (the old station was moved to Ongarue),[18] when George Troup (best known for Dunedin railway station) was the head of railway architecture. After a deputation to the Minister,[19] it was moved from the west to the east (town side) of the tracks in 1911, and a verandah was added. The station is of weatherboard, with a corrugated-iron roof, gabled at both ends, originally 103 ft (31 m) long, but extended in 1929, 1951 and 1957. The alterations are evidenced by double-hung sash windows either side, but casement windows to the south.[20] In 1921 it was proposed that NZR take over the refreshment rooms. In 1968 the corrugated iron refreshment building was reported as built in 1956.[8]

A 'Revitalisation Project' started in 2014[21] to provide for arts and crafts groups, an education centre, youth projects, historical displays and a meeting room.[22]

Patronage

As shown in the table and graph below, passenger numbers peaked in 1944 -

year tickets season tickets staff source title
1888 1,600 1 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1889/I/1068?large_image=true RETURN No. 10. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Twelve Months ending 31 March 1888
1908 11,955 12 5 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1908/I/2061 RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1908
1909 19,530 67 10 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1909/II/1832 RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1909
1910 22,033 39 9 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1910/I/2050 RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1910
1911 26,284 137 9 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1911/I/2497 RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1911
1912 35,314 76 11 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1912/II/2420 RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1912
1913 37,131 124 15 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1913/I/3693 RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1913
1914 37,856 157 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1914/I/2031 RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1914
1915 40,989 121 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1915/I/1638 RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1915
1916 46,256 143 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1916/I/1053 RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1916
1917 45,307 210 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1917/I/1123 RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1917
1918 44,454 207 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1918/I-II/1159 RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1918
1919 47,470 161 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1919/I/1231 RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1919
1920 54,829 362 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1920/I/1349 RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1920
1921 60,712 282 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1921/I-II/1452 RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1921
1922 56,353 563 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1922/I/1409 RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1922
1923 54,492 451 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1923/I-II/1321 RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1923
1924 56,536 366 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1924/I/2458 RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1924
1925 59,092 419 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1925/I/1804 RETURN No. 12. Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1925
1926 59,363 623 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1926/I/1930 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1926
1927 55,784 902 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1927/I/2230 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1927
1928 50,060 454 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1928/I/2628 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1928
1929 51,133 667 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1929/I/2090 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1929
1930 51,039 571 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1930/I/2212 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1930
1931 54,436 444 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1931/I-II/1778 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1931
1932 43,379 378 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1932/I-II/1934 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1932
1933 43,925 347 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1933/I/1388 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1933
1934 45,773 505 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1934/I/2278 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1934
1935 50,191 381 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1935/I/1326 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1935
1936 56,666 390 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1936/I/1552 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1936
1937 67,514 359 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1937/I/1896 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1937
1938 65,919 297 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1938/I/1652 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1938
1939 61,697 231 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1939/I/1970 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1939
1940 62,456 108 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1940/I/1314 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1940
1941 64,188 123 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1941/I/1203 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1941
1942 77,160 292 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1942/I/651 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1942
1943 90,203 279 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1943/I/679 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1943
1944 93,147 116 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1944/I/895 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1944
1945 81,064 39 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1945/I/969 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1945
1946 81,524 67 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1946/I/1548 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1946
1947 77,837 79 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1947/I/2495 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1947
1948 69,958 92 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1948/I/2521 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1948
1949 68,323 99 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1949/I/2104 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1949
1950 67,472 70 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1950/I/2366 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31 March 1950


tickets sales 1908–1950 – derived from annual returns to Parliament of "Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended"

References

  1. ^ Juliet Scoble: Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand
  2. ^ Waikato Times 19 June 2012
  3. ^ KiwiRail list of stations archive https://web.archive.org/web/20121011002827/http://www.kiwirailscenic.co.nz/our-stations/
  4. ^ New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (First ed.). Quail Map Co. 1965. pp. 3 & 4.
  5. ^ Pierre, Bill (1981). North Island Main Trunk. Wellington: A.H&A.W Reed. pp. 289–290. ISBN 0589013165.
  6. ^ "Te Kuiti". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  7. ^ "THE TRUNK RAILWAY. WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 22 August 1885. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Station Archive". Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand. 2012.
  9. ^ "VISIT OF HON. J. BALLANCE. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 27 October 1885. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  10. ^ "HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. EVENING POST". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 12 September 1885. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  11. ^ "THE MAIN TRUNK LINE. WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 16 September 1886. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  12. ^ "WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 30 November 1886. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  13. ^ "WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 6 September 1887. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  14. ^ "THE KING COUNTRY. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 24 October 1887. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  15. ^ "NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 28 November 1887. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  16. ^ "RIGHT THROUGH. WELLINGTON TO AUCKLAND. EVENING POST". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 15 February 1909. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  17. ^ NZHPT listing with photo
  18. ^ "Ongarue". King Country Chronicle. 7 August 1908. p. 2. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  19. ^ Northern Advocate , 22 September 1910, Page 6 TE KUITI RAILWAY STATION
  20. ^ Rail Heritage Trust – Te Kuiti
  21. ^ Waitomo District Council – Railway Buildings Revitalisation Project
  22. ^ Waitomo News 23 August 2012

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