Masterton Railway Station
Encyclopedia
Masterton railway station is a single-platform, urban railway station serving the town of Masterton
in the Wairarapa
district of New Zealand
. The station lies on the Wairarapa Line
, and is located at the end of Perry Street. It is one hour, thirty seven minutes journey time to Wellington
. Trains for the Wairarapa Connection service terminate at this station. This station is one of three stations located in the town of Masterton
, the others being Renall Street
and Solway
.
The station building is utilised for a ticket office and café, while the yard incorporates working freight handling facilities, good shed, turntable and engine/railcar shed.
Following the introduction of diesel-electric locomotives in 1955, the engine shed was used by the Way and Works Branch until it became surplus to requirements at which time it was demolished. The water tanks, however, remained in place until their removal in November 1968.
In 1965 a new freight yard and goods shed were established to the west of the original one, followed by the opening in September 1967 of a new station building (the present day structure). The sheep and cattle yards were removed in August 1969.
passed through Masterton station before being re-routed along the west coast when the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company's line was purchased in December 1908. Subsequently, Masterton was a through station for passenger services between Palmerston North
/Woodville
and Wellington, such as the steam-era
Wairarapa Mail
and subsequent services operated by NZR RM class
Wairarapa
, Standard
, and 88 seater
railcar
s. However, due to insufficient patronage, through trains between Palmerston North and Masterton officially ceased from Monday, 1 August 1988, with the last services running on Friday, 29 July 1988.
Presently the only passenger services with scheduled stops at this station are those of the Wairarapa Connection, which operates between Wellington and Masterton. There are five such services both ways Monday to Thursday, six services on Fridays and two services each way on Saturdays and Sundays. There is also a weekday freight service to/from Wellington (trains #645 and #644 respectively). A third freight service, number 640, sometimes passes through the station on Sundays on its way to Palmerston North from Wellington. This is the only scheduled freight service on the Masterton to Pahiatua section of the Wairarapa Line.
Masterton
Masterton is a large town and local government district in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. It is the largest town in the Wairarapa, a region separated from Wellington by the Rimutaka ranges...
in 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...
district of 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...
. The station lies 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...
, and is located at the end of Perry Street. It is one hour, thirty seven minutes journey time to Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
. Trains for the Wairarapa Connection service terminate at this station. This station is one of three stations located in the town of Masterton
Masterton
Masterton is a large town and local government district in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. It is the largest town in the Wairarapa, a region separated from Wellington by the Rimutaka ranges...
, the others being Renall Street
Renall Street Railway Station
Renall Street railway station is an urban single-platform railway station on Renall Street in the Wairarapa town of Masterton in New Zealand’s North Island...
and Solway
Solway Railway Station
Solway railway station is an urban single-platform railway station in the Wairarapa town of Masterton in New Zealand’s North Island. It is on Ngaumutawa Road, between Hillcrest Street and Judds Road...
.
The station building is utilised for a ticket office and café, while the yard incorporates working freight handling facilities, good shed, turntable and engine/railcar shed.
History
The original Masterton station was erected in 1880 and included a goods shed, sheep and cattle yards, and an engine shed with coal and water facilities. In 1894 a windmill and pump were installed to improve the supply of water for use by the locomotives and station. In 1897 a turntable was installed, and in 1902 the station was refurbished, which included the addition of refreshment rooms. In 1954 a new 55 feet (16.8 m) turntable was installed, followed two years later by a railcar shed.Following the introduction of diesel-electric locomotives in 1955, the engine shed was used by the Way and Works Branch until it became surplus to requirements at which time it was demolished. The water tanks, however, remained in place until their removal in November 1968.
In 1965 a new freight yard and goods shed were established to the west of the original one, followed by the opening in September 1967 of a new station building (the present day structure). The sheep and cattle yards were removed in August 1969.
Services
In its early years the Napier ExpressNapier Express
The Napier Express was a passenger express train operated by the New Zealand Railways Department initially between Napier and Palmerston North and later between Napier and Wellington. It ran from 1891 until 1954.-Introduction:...
passed through Masterton station before being re-routed along the west coast when the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company's line was purchased in December 1908. Subsequently, Masterton was a through station for passenger services between Palmerston North
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
/Woodville
Woodville, New Zealand
Woodville is a small town in the southern North Island of New Zealand, 75 km north of Masterton and 25 km east of Palmerston North. In the 2006 census 1,398 people are usually resident in Woodville, a decrease of 81 people, or 5.5%, since the 2001 Census.-Early History and Local...
and Wellington, such as the steam-era
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
Wairarapa Mail
Wairarapa Mail
The Wairarapa Mail was a passenger train operated by the New Zealand Railways Department between Wellington and Woodville, continuing on to Palmerston North as a mixed train...
and subsequent services operated by NZR RM class
NZR RM class
The RM class is the classification used by the New Zealand Railways Department and its successors given to most railcars and railbuses that have operated on New Zealand's national rail network. As NZR and its successors has operated many diverse types of railcars, alternate names have been given...
Wairarapa
NZR RM class (Wairarapa)
The NZR RM class Wairarapa railcar was the first truly successful class of railcars to operate on New Zealand's national rail network...
, Standard
NZR RM class (Standard)
The NZR RM class Standard railcars were a class of railcar operated by the New Zealand Railways Department in the North Island of New Zealand. Officially classified as RM like all other railcar classes in New Zealand, they acquired the designation of 'Standard' to differentiate them from others...
, and 88 seater
NZR RM class (88 seater)
The NZR RM class 88-seaters were a class of railcar used in New Zealand, known unofficially as 'articulateds', 'twinsets', 'Drewrys' and 'Fiats'. They were purchased to replace steam-hauled provincial passenger trains and mixed trains...
railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s. However, due to insufficient patronage, through trains between Palmerston North and Masterton officially ceased from Monday, 1 August 1988, with the last services running on Friday, 29 July 1988.
Presently the only passenger services with scheduled stops at this station are those of the Wairarapa Connection, which operates between Wellington and Masterton. There are five such services both ways Monday to Thursday, six services on Fridays and two services each way on Saturdays and Sundays. There is also a weekday freight service to/from Wellington (trains #645 and #644 respectively). A third freight service, number 640, sometimes passes through the station on Sundays on its way to Palmerston North from Wellington. This is the only scheduled freight service on the Masterton to Pahiatua section of the Wairarapa Line.
External links
- Passenger service timetables from Metlink and Tranz Metro.