Ngapara
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Ngapara is a small village inland from Oamaru in the Otago region of New Zealand's South Island. It is located in a rural setting, with farming activity consisting primary of raising sheep and growing cereal crops such as wheat. A flour mill was established in the town in 1898. Heavier industrial activity has also taken place around Ngapara, including mining for lignite coal and limestone. The name of Ngapara is derived from the Maori word for the "tables" or plateaus of limestone in the area.
From 1877 until 1959, Ngapara was the terminus of the more significant arm of the Ngapara and Tokarahi Branches, a branch line railway that left the Main South Line near Oamaru, and a locomotive depot was located in the town until 1927. It was one of the first towns on New Zealand's national rail network to lose its passenger service, with a bus substitute introduced in December 1926. Some remnants of the town's railway still remain, including the station's platform and loading bank, and the station sign is now affixed to the exterior of the local rugby club's rooms.
[edit] External links
- 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand's article on Oamaru - contains some Ngapara details
- Branch lines with modelling potential: Ngapara - contains a map and brief history of the Ngapara Branch
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