Greytown Railway Station
Encyclopedia
Greytown railway station was the terminus of the Greytown Branch
railway, which connected the Wairarapa
town of Greytown
in New Zealand
’s North Island to Woodside on the Wairarapa Line
.
The opening of the line on 14 May 1880 was to have been a grand affair, with a parade led by a brass band, followed by local charitable societies, school children and the general public. These festivities were to have been followed by sporting events including teams from Wellington and Greytown. Foul weather on the day meant that much of what had been planned was cancelled, and the first train from Wellington brought with it few visitors.
Until the opening to Masterton on 1 November 1880, Greytown was the effective northern terminus of the Wairarapa Line. The Greytown to Woodside section then became a branch railway.
.
The station yard is at the southern end of West Street in Greytown, and is noticeable by the large hump in the road as you pass the goods shed. A road transport company and row of large trees now occupy much of the yard and where the station building used to be.
Greytown Branch
The Greytown Branch was a five-kilometre branch line railway off the Wairarapa Line at Woodside in the Wairarapa district of New Zealand's North Island. It followed an almost straight course over flat terrain...
railway, which connected the Wairarapa
Wairarapa
Wairarapa is a geographical region of New Zealand. It occupies the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service towns, with Masterton being the largest...
town of Greytown
Greytown
Greytown may refer to one of several places:*Greytown, New Zealand, a town in the southern North Island's Wairarapa region*Greytown, Nicaragua, the capital city of the municipality of San Juan de Nicaragua*Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal, a town in South Africa...
in New Zealand
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...
’s North Island to Woodside on the Wairarapa Line
Wairarapa Line
The Wairarapa Line is a secondary railway line in the south-east of the North Island of New Zealand, connecting the capital city of Wellington with the Wairarapa region. The line ends at Woodville, where it joins the Palmerston North - Gisborne Line...
.
History
In 1878, parliament authorised the construction of the Greytown Branch, and the following year, after the completion of a survey, plans were drawn up and tenders called. The contract for the construction of the Greytown station building, goods shed and locomotive shed was let to Ebenezer Gray for £1183. Construction was completed on time.The opening of the line on 14 May 1880 was to have been a grand affair, with a parade led by a brass band, followed by local charitable societies, school children and the general public. These festivities were to have been followed by sporting events including teams from Wellington and Greytown. Foul weather on the day meant that much of what had been planned was cancelled, and the first train from Wellington brought with it few visitors.
Until the opening to Masterton on 1 November 1880, Greytown was the effective northern terminus of the Wairarapa Line. The Greytown to Woodside section then became a branch railway.
Today
With the closure of the Greytown Branch in 1953, the locomotive shed was demolished and the station building was relocated by train to Woodside to serve as a goods shed, where it remains. Greytown goods shed survives on its original site, but there have been proposals to move it to the railway heritage precinct at Carterton Railway StationCarterton Railway Station
Carterton Railway Station, in the Wairarapa district of New Zealand, is a single platform railway station in the town of Carterton. It is located at the corner of Cnr Broadway, Davy and Wheatstone Streets, near the main shopping precinct on State Highway 2...
.
The station yard is at the southern end of West Street in Greytown, and is noticeable by the large hump in the road as you pass the goods shed. A road transport company and row of large trees now occupy much of the yard and where the station building used to be.
External links
- Greytown Railway Station photograph from Alexander Turnbull Library.
- Greytown Railway Station, a photo of a train at the Greytown station platform.
- Greytown Railway Station, a photo of the Greytown station building and platform.
- Steam train at Greytown Railway Station, a photo of a train at the Greytown station platform with crew and other Railways staff.
- Tank locomotive WF 398 at Greytown Station, a photo showing the Greytown station yard.