North Auckland Line

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The North Auckland Line is a major railway line in New Zealand's national rail network. It runs from Westfield to Otiria via Whangarei. It was completed in 1925, with the first section north from Auckland opening in 1880.

The North Auckland Line forms the Western Line part of the Auckland suburban commuter services to Henderson and Waitakere operated by Veolia, for which upgrading is proposed.

The North Auckland Line previously continued to Opua in the Bay of Islands. The section from Kawakawa to Opua is now the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway, currently disused. See also the Okaihau Branch Line and Opua Branch Line.

Contents 1 Branch lines 2 Stations 3 History 3.1 1860s 3.2 1870s 3.3 1880s 3.4 1890s 3.5 1900s 3.6 1920s 3.7 1950s 3.8 1960s 3.9 1970s 3.10 1980s 3.11 1990s 3.12 2000s 4 Operation 5 References

[edit] Branch lines

Only one branch line survives on the line, the Dargaville Branch. A new branch line has been proposed to the new deep-water port at Marsden Point.

[edit] Stations

The following stations are or were on the North Auckland Line, with distances from Westfield:-

• Westfield - 0 km
• Southdown - 1 km
• Penrose - 3 km
• Ellerslie - 4 km
• Racecourse Platform - 5 km
• Greenlane - 6 km
• Remuera - 7 km
• Newmarket - 9 km
• Boston Road - 10 km
• Mount Eden - 11 km
• Kingsland - 12 km
• Morningside - 13 km
• Baldwin Avenue - 15 km
• Mount Albert - 16 km
• Avondale - 18 km
• St Georges - 19 km
• New Lynn - 20 km
• Fruitvale Road - 21 km
• Croydon Road - 22 km
• Glen Eden - 23 km
• Westbrook - 24 km
• Sunnyvale - 25 km
• Henderson - 27 km
• Sturges Road - 29 km
• Ranui - 30 km
• Swanson - 33 km
• Waitakere - 37 km
• Taupaki - 40 km
• Kumeu - 45 km
• Huapai - 47 km
• Waimauku - 51 km
• Rewiti - 55 km
• Woodhill - 58 km
• Wharepapa - 61 km
• Ohirangi - 64 km
• Helensville - 65 km
• Mount Rex - 69 km
• Punganui - 72 km
• Kaukapakapa - 75 km
• Kanohi - 78 km
• Makarau - 83 km
• Tahakeroa - 88 km
• Ahuroa - 96 km
• Woodcocks - 100 km
• Kaipara Flats - 105 km
• Tauhoa - 109 km
• Wayby - 114 km
• Wellsford - 120 km
• Te Hana - 125 km
• Topuni - 132 km
• Kaiwaka - 140 km
• Ranganui - 144 km
• Bickerstaffe - 148 km
• Maungaturoto - 151 km
• Huarau - 154 km
• Paparoa - 157 km
• Mareretu - 164 km
• Taipuha - 168 km
• Waikiekie - 174 km
• Waiotira - 180 km
• Tauraroa - 188 km
• Mangapai - 195 km
• Oakleigh - 200 km
• Portland - 204 km
• Whangarei - 214 km
• Town Hall - 215 km
• Mair - 217 km
• Kamo - 220 km
• Ruatangata - 221 km
• Kauri - 226 km
• Hikurangi - 232 km
• Waro - 234 km
• Otonga - 238 km
• Whakapara - 239 km
• Waiotu - 244 km
• Hukerenui - 247 km
• Akerama - 251 km
• Towai - 254 km
• Maromaku - 259 km
• Taikirau - 262 km
• Motatau - 267 km
• Opahi - 270 km
• Pokapu - 277 km
• Otiria - 281 km
• Moerewa - 284 km
• Kawakawa - 288 km
• Taumarere - 291 km
• Te Akeake - 296 km
• Whangae Bridge - 297 km
• Opua - 300 km

[edit] History

It took many years to build a complete line to serve the Northland Region, with different sections being developed at different times. Eventually it became was clear that a main line was required to link these isolated railways to improve transport of both passengers and freight to and from New Zealand's northernmost region, and to open up land for greater economic development.

[edit] 1860s

• 1868 March 2: The Kawakawa to Taumarere section opened as a private tramway with wooden rails.^[1]

[edit] 1870s

• 1870: The Kawakawa-Taumarere tramway was converted to metal railway standards using 1435 mm (4' 8.5") standard gauge.^[1]
• 1875:-
  • The Government bought the Kawakawa-Taumarere railway.^[1]
  • The Kumeu-Riverhead Section opened, linking the Kaipara and Waitemata Harbours.
• 1877: The Kawakawa-Taumarere railway was converted to 1067 mm (3' 6") narrow gauge to match the national railway system.^[1]
• 1878: Work started on the section between Whangarei and Kamo.^[1]

[edit] 1880s

• 1880:-
  • September: The line from Auckland reached Helensville.^[1]
  • October 28: The section between Whangarei and Kamo opened.^[1]
• 1881:-
  • July 13: The section between Henderson and Helensville opened. This section met formerly isolated Kumeu-Riverhead Section, turning it into the Riverhead Branch.^{[citation needed]}
  • July 18: The North Auckland Line had made the Riverhead Branch redundant, so it was closed.^{[citation needed]}
• 1884:-
  • April 7: The branch to Taumarere wharf closed.^[1]
  • April 7: The line to Opua opened.^[1]
• 1889:-
  • May 3: The section between Helensville Station and Kanohi opened.

[edit] 1890s

• 1894: The section between Kamo and Waro opened.^{[citation needed]}
• 1899:-
  • The section between Waro and Waiotu opened.^{[citation needed]}
  • Parliament authorised construction to connect Waiotu with Kawakawa via Otiria.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 1900s

• 1911: The section between Waiotu and Kawakawa was completed.^{[citation needed]}
• 1914: The line terminated at Ranganui, 130 km north of Auckland.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 1920s

• 1925, 29 November: The North Auckland Line was complete and it was now possible for trains to run from Opua to Auckland via Whangarei.^[1]

[edit] 1950s

• 1956, November: Opua Express carriage train was replaced by a railcar service utilising 88-seaters. These services terminated at the terminus of the Okaihau Branch, rather than at Opua.^{[citation needed]}
• 1959: The Auckland Harbour Bridge had opened and drastically cut road transport times north.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 1960s

• 1966: Diesel-electric locomotives were introduced on the line. They were the DB and DG class locomotives.
• 1967, July: The Okaihau railcar services were withdrawn, lasting only just over a decade. Mixed trains, following freight timetables, were introduced instead. These trains ran between Whangarei and Auckland and from Whangarei to Okaihau and Opua.^{[citation needed]}
• 1968: Makarau Tunnel was enlarged to accommodate the DA class. These locomotives became the dominant motive power for many years.

[edit] 1970s

• 1976: All mixed trains were withdrawn. They were unpopular due to their slow pace. Helensville became the northern terminus for scheduled passenger train services.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 1980s

• 1980:
  • February: The Minister of Railways, Mr McLachlan, announced the withdrawal of the daily service between Auckland and Helensville since there were no rolling stock available to keep this service running.^[2]
  • August 18: A new timetable was implemented. Under the new timetable all trains terminated at Waitakere, cancelling the service between Auckland and Helensville. Croydon Road, St Georges Street and Westbrook stations closed to suburban traffic on a trial basis.^[3]
• 1987 July 22 A truck collides with a goods train near Helensville. There were only minor injuries on both sides.^[4]

[edit] 1990s

• 1997: Platforms on Western Line stations were extended by the Auckland Regional Council to accommodate longer trains.^[5]

[edit] 2000s

• 2004:-
  • April 9: Construction work began on double-tracking between Mt Eden and Morningside.^[6]
• 2005:-
  • February 14: Following the double-tracking between Mt Eden and Morningside, a new timetable was implemented with more frequent suburban trains between Britomart and Waitakere. In particular, there were more peak trains between Britomart and Waitakere as well as the introduction of short-runner trains between Britomart and New Lynn.^[7]
  • May: Work started on preparing the corridor for double-tracking between New Lynn and Henderson.^[8]
  • May 21: The new Kingsland signature station was officially opened. It is a double-platform station to the new design, replacing the old single-platform station.^[8]
  • October 25: A new timetable was put in service, with huge changes for Western Line services. Many features of the new timetable has been re-introduced for the first time in many years. An express service between Britomart and Waitakere was introduced on weekdays. Train frequencies on weekdays were increased to every 37 minutes between Britomart and Swanson and decreased to every 74 minutes between Britomart and Waitakere. Sunday suburban services were introduced between Britomart and New Lynn.^[9]
  • December 31: Double-tracking work started between New Lynn and Henderson. ^[10]
• 2006:-
  • December 19: Double-tracking between New Lynn and Avondale approved by central government; $120 million package includes a 1km long, 8m deep trench to carry the tracks through the centre of New Lynn. Construction is expected to begin in 2009.^[11]

[edit] Operation

In the early days of the line, services were very localised and catered to local rather than national needs. When the railway around Whangarei was isolated from the national network, it was home to up to half of the members of the W^B class. When the line was completed, freight and passenger trains operated directly to Whangarei; freight trains further north were handled by services originating in Whangarei, but the passenger trains ran directly from Auckland to Otiria and then along the Opua Branch. This was known as the Northland Express, and by the 1950s, it ran thrice weekly and took five hours and twenty minutes to run from Auckland to Whangarei. Unfortunately, due to the twisting nature of the line, passenger services were inherently slow and they struggled to compete with private cars.

In November 1956, the Northland Express carriage train was replaced by a railcar service utilising 88 seaters. These popular services barely lasted longer than a decade, being withdrawn in July 1967 as the railcars proved mechanically unreliable. The Auckland Harbour Bridge had opened in 1959 and drastically cut road transport times north, and in the face of heightened competition, the railway could not compete and no dedicated passenger service replaced the railcars. Passenger carriages were now attached to some freight trains to create "mixed" services that ran between Whangarei and Auckland and from Whangarei to Okaihau and Opua; as they adhered to the freight schedules, the mixed trains ran much slower than the previous dedicated passenger services. This slow pace made them unpopular and the last mixed trains ran in 1976. Since this time, no passenger trains have run north of Auckland.

Commuter services between Auckland and its western suburbs have been a mainstay of the North Auckland Line from its construction. By the early 20th century, an intensive suburban service ran between Auckland and Henderson, with some trains progressing to Waitakere and Helensville. When the mixed trains were withdrawn, Helensville became New Zealand's northern passenger terminus, but in 1980, the daily train to Helensville was cancelled and the terminus moved south to Waitakere. Commuter trains nowadays terminate at Waitakere, Swanson, or New Lynn, and with traffic volumes increasing, the line is progressively being double-tracked.

Freight services nowadays operate a couple of times every weekday each way between Auckland and Whangarei, with localised services shunting the line north to Otiria - one service all the way to Otiria and two to Kauri with a third if required. Furthermore, south of Whangarei, a shunt operates each weekday to Portland, and a second if required to Wellsford; no freight trains at all operate on weekends except for one train between Auckland Whangarei (but only return if required).[1] Diesel-electric locomotives has been used since 1966, when DB and DG class diesel-electric locomotives took over from the A^B class and J class steam locomotives that had been working the line for the last couple of decades. In 1968, the Makarau tunnel was made larger to accommodate the DA class and they were the dominant motive power well into the 1980s. Although the DA class had been withdrawn from many other parts of the New Zealand network, the inability of the DC class to fit through the Makarau tunnel meant the DAs continued to operate until February 1989. By this time, the DF and DX classes were permitted to run to Whangarei, and nowadays, the DC class can also pass through the Makarau tunnel.

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} Rails That Built a Nation by Robin Bromby (p.17)
2. ^ Rails magazine, March 1980, pp.15-16
3. ^ Rails magazine, September 1980, p.14
4. ^ Rails magazine, September 1987, p.43
5. ^ Auckland Regional Council: Rail Project Background
6. ^ Auckland Regional Council Press Release, 2 April 2004: The Prime Minister Launches Western Rail Line Construction
7. ^ ARTA Rail Newsletter - Issue 16
8. ^ ^{a b} ARTA Rail Newsletter - Issue 17
9. ^ ARTA Rail Newsletter - Issue 21
10. ^ ARTA Rail Newsletter - Issue 23
11. ^ The New Zealand Herald: - Rail trench saviour for New Lynn shopping centre December 19

• Churchman, Geoffrey B., and Hurst, Tony; The Railways Of New Zealand: A Journey Through History, HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand), 1991 reprint
• Leitch, David, and Scott, Brian; Exploring New Zealand's Ghost Railways, Grantham House, 1998 revised edition

New Zealand Railway Lines

v • d • e Main lines v • d • e North Island: East Coast Main Trunk • North Island Main Trunk (inc. Paraparaumu Line) v • d • e South Island: Main North Line and Main South Line, known together as the South Island Main Trunk v • d • e Secondary lines v • d • e North Island: Marton - New Plymouth Line • North Auckland Line • Palmerston North - Gisborne Line • Stratford - Okahukura Line • Wairarapa Line (inc. Hutt Valley Line) v • d • e South Island: Midland Line • Nelson Section • Otago Central Railway • Stillwater - Westport Line • Waimea Plains Railway v • d • e Branch lines v • d • e Upper North Island Cambridge • Dargaville • Donnelly's Crossing • Glen Afton • Kinleith • Kumeu-Riverhead • Mount Maunganui • Murupara • Newmarket • Okaihau • Onehunga • Onerahi • Opua • Rotorua • Taneatua • Thames • Waiuku and Mission Bush v • d • e Lower North Island Ahuriri • Castlecliff and Wanganui • Foxton • Greytown • Johnsonville • Melling • Mount Egmont • Moutohora • Ngatapa • Opunake • Raetihi • Taonui • Te Aro • Waitara v • d • e Upper South Island Blackball and Roa • Cape Foulwind • Conns Creek • Eyreton • Fairlie • Little River • Lyttelton • Methven • Mount Somers • Oxford • Rapahoe • Rewanui • Hokitika/Ross • Seddonville • Southbridge • Waiau • Waimate • Whitecliffs v • d • e Lower South Island Bluff • Catlins River • Dunback and Makareao • Fernhill • Hedgehope • Kingston • Kurow • Moeraki • Mossburn • Ngapara and Tokarahi • Outram • Port Chalmers • Roxburgh • Shag Point • Tapanui • Tokanui • Tuatapere • Waikaia • Waikaka • Wairio • Walton Park • Wyndham v • d • e Private lines Glen Massey Branch • Dunedin Peninsula and Ocean Beach Railway • Dun Mountain Railway • Hutt Park Railway • Kaitangata Line • Sanson Tramway • Wellington and Manawatu Railway v • d • e Significant proposals Canterbury Interior Main Line • Nelson Railway Proposals • Taupo Railway Proposals • Wainuiomata Railway Proposals