Okaihau Branch
Encyclopedia
The Okaihau Branch, sometimes known as the Kaikohe Branch and rarely the Rangiahua Branch, was a branch line
railway that joined the North Auckland Line of the national rail network
of New Zealand
at Otiria
. It was the most northerly line in New Zealand and was intended to run all the way to Kaitaia
. It opened to Okaihau in 1923 and closed in 1987.
in 1911, construction progressed in earnest from Otiria towards Kaikohe
: initial work had been undertaken in 1910. On 1 May 1914, this section opened. A small amount of further construction took place over the next two years, but World War I
meant that no work took place between 1916 and 1919. The resumption of work led to the completion of the line to Okaihau on 29 October 1923.
Debate raged over what route to follow to Kaitaia. The proposal was to run from Okaihau to Rangiahua
, near the Hokianga Harbour, and then either through the Maungataniwha Range
, about 30 kilometres long with two tunnels; or skirting the range, roughly ten kilometres longer with no tunnels. A 1921 commission did not support work beyond Okaihau, but a compromise in 1923 established Rangiahua as the northern terminus and the Public Works Department continued to build northwards, albeit slowly.
The Great Depression
proved catastrophic for the fortunes of the line beyond Okaihau, with construction abandoned in the early 1930s. The Rangiahua section was essentially complete: the line wound downhill to the settlement and a station yard complete with platform was built, though the station building itself was not erected. In 1936, a change in government led to a review of the work beyond Okaihau and the decision was made not to extend the line to Kaitaia. The steep route to Rangiahua was not seen as being particularly useful and had been plagued by slips. The line was accordingly terminated in Okaihau, which was on the main State Highway north (SH1). During World War II
the abandoned trackage was salvaged for use elsewhere.
Folk singer Peter Cape
wrote and sang his song The Okaihau Express in the 1950s about the Okaihau train, which consisted of a steam engine, a carriage and a guards van.
When railcar
s were introduced on services north of Auckland
in November 1956, they ran all the way to Okaihau. Previously, a carriage train known as the Northland Express had run from Auckland to Opua with connections to Okaihau via the mixed trains, but with the change of the northern terminus to Okaihau, the branch increased in importance. This proved to be short-lived; in July 1967 the very popular railcar service was withdrawn due to mechanical problems plaguing the railcars. Passengers had to use the mixed trains, with significantly older rolling stock on a slower schedule, and demand slipped. The branch closed to passengers on 21 June 1976.
In 1977, a relaxation of road transport laws led to a decline in freight traffic on the line and forestry proposals that would have required a railway service failed to eventuate. Scheduled trains were cancelled on 12 August 1983, and for a little over four years the line was shunted when required. The branch closed on 1 November 1987.
retained ownership over the trackbed in the hopes that forestry proposals would come to fruition, and some rails were still in place during the 1990s. In most places track and bridges have been removed, though evidence of the bridge piles and ballast remain. A loading bank and rails under a loading chute exist in Kaikohe, and in Okaihau, the flat area of the yard, the tunnel leading to Rangiahua and the platform are very apparent. For much of the line's length, its formation is quite obvious and includes embankments and cuttings. At Rangiahua State Highway 1
is where the rails used to be, with a loading bank to the west and a platform to the east. The corridor is still owned by the Crown.
There is currently a proposal by the Kaikohe Rau Marama Community Trust to convert the trackbed between Okaihau and Kaikohe into a walking and cycling track, much like the Otago Central Rail Trail
and the Little River Rail Trail
in the South Island
. This would be the first step in a plan to establish a rail trail through to the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway
in Kawakawa
.
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
railway that joined the North Auckland Line of the national rail network
Rail transport in New Zealand
Rail transport in New Zealand consists of a network of gauge railway lines in both the North and South Islands. Rail services are focused primarily on freight, particularly bulk freight, with limited passenger services on some lines...
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...
at Otiria
Otiria
Otiria is a rural locality in the Northland Region of New Zealand's North Island. It neighbours Moerewa to the east, with the nearest major town, Kawakawa a few kilometres further eastwards. Other nearby localities include Pokapu to the south, Orauta to the west, and Hupara to the north.-...
. It was the most northerly line in New Zealand and was intended to run all the way to Kaitaia
Kaitaia
Kaitaia is a town in the far north region of New Zealand, at the base of the Aupouri Peninsula which is about 160 km northwest of Whangarei. It is the last major settlement on the main road north to the capes and bays on the peninsula...
. It opened to Okaihau in 1923 and closed in 1987.
Construction
Proposals for a railway line to Kaitaia and the Far North existed as early as the 1870s, but it was not until 1909 that preliminary surveys were conducted. After the North Auckland Line was linked to and extended over the Opua BranchOpua Branch
The Opua Branch or Otiria-Opua Industrial Line, partially still operational as the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway, is a former section of the North Auckland Line in the Northland Region of New Zealand, between Otiria and the Bay of Islands township of Opua. The first section was constructed as a...
in 1911, construction progressed in earnest from Otiria towards Kaikohe
Kaikohe
Kaikohe is the central service area for the Far North District of New Zealand, about 260 km from Auckland, situated on State Highway 12 at...
: initial work had been undertaken in 1910. On 1 May 1914, this section opened. A small amount of further construction took place over the next two years, but World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
meant that no work took place between 1916 and 1919. The resumption of work led to the completion of the line to Okaihau on 29 October 1923.
Debate raged over what route to follow to Kaitaia. The proposal was to run from Okaihau to Rangiahua
Rangiahua
Rangiahua is a small locality near the Hokianga Harbour in the Northland Region of New Zealand. State Highway 1 passes through it. Umawera is to the west, and Okaihau to the east.Rangiahua nearly became New Zealand's most northern railway terminus...
, near the Hokianga Harbour, and then either through the Maungataniwha Range
Maungataniwha Range
The Maungataniwha Range is a volcanic mountain range located halfway between Kaitaia and Okaihau in Northland of New Zealand. The Mangamukas, as it is known by the local residents and many Northlanders because of the name of the settlement and river on the southern side, separates Kaitaia and the...
, about 30 kilometres long with two tunnels; or skirting the range, roughly ten kilometres longer with no tunnels. A 1921 commission did not support work beyond Okaihau, but a compromise in 1923 established Rangiahua as the northern terminus and the Public Works Department continued to build northwards, albeit slowly.
The Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
proved catastrophic for the fortunes of the line beyond Okaihau, with construction abandoned in the early 1930s. The Rangiahua section was essentially complete: the line wound downhill to the settlement and a station yard complete with platform was built, though the station building itself was not erected. In 1936, a change in government led to a review of the work beyond Okaihau and the decision was made not to extend the line to Kaitaia. The steep route to Rangiahua was not seen as being particularly useful and had been plagued by slips. The line was accordingly terminated in Okaihau, which was on the main State Highway north (SH1). During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the abandoned trackage was salvaged for use elsewhere.
Stations
The following stations were on the Okaihau Branch, with the distance from Otiria in brackets. The extension to Rangiahua is not included, as it never saw regular service.- Kawiti (5 km)
- Cameron's Crossing (7 km)
- Ngapipito (10 km)
- Rakautao (17 km)
- Ngapuhi (22 km)
- Kaikohe (26 km)
- Lake OmapereLake OmapereLake Omapere is a small lake in the Northland Region of New Zealand. It is located just to the north of the town of Kaikohe.The lake is five km in length and covers 14 km², but only two to three metres deep at its deepest point...
Road Crossing (35 km) - Okaihau (40 km)
Operation
Although Kaikohe has become established as the service centre of the Far North, it failed to generate much rail traffic in the early years of the line. During the first ten months of existence, just 1,500 tons of inbound freight was carried, with roughly half that carried outbound; the decline continued to the point that in 1918 Kaikohe lost its stationmaster. Minimal services were offered, and although losses increased up to 1930, fortunes had somewhat improved by 1940, and by 1950 there was sufficient traffic to justify six trains each way a week. Two carried solely freight, while four were mixed trains, also carrying passengers. Full complements of staff were employed at Kaikohe and Okaihau, where a locomotive depot was located.Folk singer Peter Cape
Peter Cape
Peter Cape was a singer and song writer born in Helensville, New Zealand.He is best remember for his songs "Taumarunui On The Main Trunk Line" and "She'll Be Right Mate"....
wrote and sang his song The Okaihau Express in the 1950s about the Okaihau train, which consisted of a steam engine, a carriage and a guards van.
When 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 were introduced on services north of Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
in November 1956, they ran all the way to Okaihau. Previously, a carriage train known as the Northland Express had run from Auckland to Opua with connections to Okaihau via the mixed trains, but with the change of the northern terminus to Okaihau, the branch increased in importance. This proved to be short-lived; in July 1967 the very popular railcar service was withdrawn due to mechanical problems plaguing the railcars. Passengers had to use the mixed trains, with significantly older rolling stock on a slower schedule, and demand slipped. The branch closed to passengers on 21 June 1976.
In 1977, a relaxation of road transport laws led to a decline in freight traffic on the line and forestry proposals that would have required a railway service failed to eventuate. Scheduled trains were cancelled on 12 August 1983, and for a little over four years the line was shunted when required. The branch closed on 1 November 1987.
The branch today
After the line's closure, the New Zealand Railways CorporationOnTrack
OnTrack was a regional rail line that operated in Syracuse, New York from 1994 to 2007. During its operation, Syracuse was the smallest city in the United States to have regional train service. The line ran from Colvin Street on the city's south side via Syracuse University and Armory Square to the...
retained ownership over the trackbed in the hopes that forestry proposals would come to fruition, and some rails were still in place during the 1990s. In most places track and bridges have been removed, though evidence of the bridge piles and ballast remain. A loading bank and rails under a loading chute exist in Kaikohe, and in Okaihau, the flat area of the yard, the tunnel leading to Rangiahua and the platform are very apparent. For much of the line's length, its formation is quite obvious and includes embankments and cuttings. At Rangiahua State Highway 1
New Zealand State Highway network
The New Zealand State Highway network is the major national highway network in New Zealand. Just under 100 roads in both the North and South Islands are State Highways...
is where the rails used to be, with a loading bank to the west and a platform to the east. The corridor is still owned by the Crown.
There is currently a proposal by the Kaikohe Rau Marama Community Trust to convert the trackbed between Okaihau and Kaikohe into a walking and cycling track, much like the Otago Central Rail Trail
Otago Central Rail Trail
The Otago Central Rail Trail is a 150-kilometre walking, cycling and horse riding track in the South Island of New Zealand. It runs in an arc between Middlemarch and Clyde, along the route of the former Otago Central Railway...
and the Little River Rail Trail
Little River Rail Trail
The Little River Rail Trail is a cycling and walking track on Banks Peninsula in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island.-Location:...
in the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
. This would be the first step in a plan to establish a rail trail through to the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway
Bay of Islands Vintage Railway
The Bay of Islands Vintage Railway Trust is a heritage railway in Kawakawa, in Northland in New Zealand. The railway operates on part of the former Opua Branch railway.-History:...
in Kawakawa
Kawakawa, New Zealand
Kawakawa is a small town in the Northland Region of northern New Zealand. It had a population of 1347 at the 2006 census, down from 1401 in 2001. Kawakawa developed as a service town when coal was found in the area in 1861, but there is no longer coal mining here...
.
Resources
- 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