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Ohinewai railway station
Ohinewai Railway Station was a flag station[2] on the North Island Main Trunk line, serving Ohinewai in the Waikato District of New Zealand, 59 mi (95 km) south of Auckland.[3] It was 8.18 km (5.08 mi) north of Huntly, 7.26 km (4.51 mi) south of Rangiriri[4] and 33 ft (10 m) above sea level.[5] It was in the village, just north of Tahuna Rd.[6]
HistoryThe station opened on 13 August 1877.[7] The early service averaged about 13 mph (21 km/h), taking about 4hr 45 mins to Auckland, 15mins to Rangiriri and 23mins to Ruawaro (Huntly).[8] A goods train took 1½hrs to Newcastle (Ngāruawāhia) and 1hr 17mins to Mercer, 3 days a week.[9] Tablet signalling was introduced in 1905.[10] In 1902 there were complaints of thefts due to lack of a caretaker.[11] It seems one had been appointed by 1915, as a storeman at the station[12] was killed at Gallipoli.[13] There was protest in 1925, when the only train which had allowed an Auckland day trip was withdrawn.[14] The previous year the Great South Rd had metal added at Ohinewai, so that it could be used all year,[15] and a bus started linking Ohinewai with Auckland, Morrinsville and Te Aroha in 1929.[16] Ohinewai's rail service was so poor that a wartime plan, to connect the bus with trains at Ohinewai, had to be amended to meeting at Mercer instead.[17] Track doubling to ease congestion had been authorised in 1914,[18] but work was delayed by the war. 300 men worked [19] on doubling the track between Huntly and Ohinewai, which opened on 27 August 1939.[20] To the north, doubling to Te Kauwhata didn't open until 14 December 1958.[4] In 1965 the station closed to passengers and on 31 December 1978 it closed completely.[21] References
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