Palmerston North - Gisborne Line
Encyclopedia
The Palmerston North – Gisborne Line (PNGL) is a secondary main line railway in the North Island
of New Zealand
. It branches from the North Island Main Trunk Railway in Palmerston North
and runs east through the Manawatu Gorge
to Woodville
, where it meets the Wairarapa Line
, and then proceeds to Hastings
and Napier
in Hawke's Bay
before following the coast north to Gisborne
. Construction began in 1872, but the entire line was not completed until 1942.
In conjunction with the Moutohora Branch
that ran north from Gisborne between 1900 and 1959, the line was originally intended to connect to the East Coast Main Trunk Railway, but the section between Taneatua
in the Bay of Plenty and Moutohora was never completed.
The line has been freight only since October 2001, when the Bay Express passenger train was cancelled. The northern portion of the line from Napier - Gisborne is currently under review as part of KiwiRail's turnaround plan.
Hawke's Bay featured in Julius Vogel
's "Great Public Works" scheme of 1870 to create a cohesive national transport network, and in 1871, a line south from Napier was officially authorised. Construction commenced in 1872 and the first section opened to Hastings on 13 October 1874; from Napier's railway station, it followed a coastal shingle ridge to Clive
, and then turned inland. From Hastings, the line proceeded inland through country that was initially easy but became steadily more difficult. It was thickly wooded at the time and the upper reaches and tributaries of the Manawatu River
provided engineering difficulties. Nonetheless, construction proceeded apace; the line was opened to Pakipaki on 1 January 1875; Te Aute on 17 February 1876; Waipawa
on 28 August 1876; and the township of Waipukurau
just three days after Waipawa on 1 September 1876. Takapau followed on 12 March 1877, then Kopua on 25 January 1878 for a total of 103 km of railway built in six years.
However, construction slowed from this stage due both to the terrain and the beginning of the Long Depression
. The next section, from Kopua to Makotuku, featured two viaducts, including the 280 m long, 39 m high Ormondville viaduct, and was opened on 9 August 1880. It was nearly four years until the next section, 7 km to Matamau, opened on 23 June 1884. On 1 December 1884, the major centre of Dannevirke
was reached. Beyond Dannevirke, the terrain became somewhat easier and the line reached Woodville at the eastern end of the Manawatu Gorge on 22 March 1887. However, work from the Palmerston North end had not begun until 1886, and due to significant engineering troubles associated with the Manawatu Gorge, the line was not completed until 9 March 1891. Upon completion, a direct route between Napier and Wellington
was established but required a change of trains in Longburn
with the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company. On 11 December 1897, the Wairarapa Line was completed through to Woodville and this provided a through NZR connection from Wellington to Hawke's Bay, albeit via the torturous Rimutaka Incline.
to Auckland
and another to Napier and thus Wellington. Gisborne's first railway, the initial portion of what became the Moutohora Branch
, opened to the north in 1902, but it wasn't until 1911 that a route south was approved. This was proposed to follow an inland route to the Wairoa River
, which would then be followed to the town of Wairoa
before proceeding along the coastline to Napier. Work began in April 1911, and the first 18 km to Ngatapa was essentially complete by December 1914. The economic impacts of World War I
led to the suspension of construction beyond Ngatapa towards Waikura, and it did not recommence until 1920 after further surveying was undertaken. This work may have included some tunnelling but no trace of this exists today.
In 1920, work began on a short isolated branch from Wairoa to the port of Waikokopu
; it was completed in 1923 and was built initially to ship meat from a freezing works
in Wairoa. In 1924, an engineer's report recommended this branch be incorporated as the southernmost portion of a new coastal route from Wairoa to Gisborne. The Public Works Department
(PWD) accordingly abandoned the inland Ngatapa route and began work on the coastal route. At this time, the route from Napier to Wairoa was also under construction. The first sod had been turned in Napier in 1912, but delays meant the line was not opened to Eskdale
by the PWD until December 1922 and handed over to the New Zealand Railways Department
(NZR) on 23 July 1923. The next section, to Putorino
, was handed over to NZR on 6 October 1930.
However, at this point, construction of the line was plagued by natural disasters and a lack of government will to complete the project. The 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake
resulted in the closure of the Napier - Putorino section. Work initially continued after the earthquake, and by September, all that was required to complete the Napier to Wairoa section was one tunnel, one viaduct, and 13 km of track. However, due to the toll of the earthquake and the Great Depression
, the government recommended that work cease and the line be abandoned. In 1935, a new government
was elected, and in early 1936, it ordered the recommencement of work. This led to the Napier - Putorino section being reopened on 17 October 1936. On 1 July 1937, the 275 m long Mohaka viaduct was completed; at 97 m high, it is New Zealand's highest viaduct. The full line from Napier to Wairoa and Waikokopu opened on 23 August 1937. It was not open for long, however: severe flooding in February 1938 forced the closure of the entire line beyond Putorino and killed 21 construction workers on the final stage between Waikokopu and Gisborne in the Kopuawhara disaster. The line was restored to operational standards by December 1938 and transferred from the PWD to NZR on 1 July 1939. Work persisted through World War II
and the final stage was completed in 1942. The PWD was able to operate freight trains through to Gisborne from 3 August 1942, passengers were carried from 7 September 1942, and the complete PNGL passed into NZR ownership on 1 February 1943.
Until the completion of the line from Napier to Palmerston North, passengers were catered for solely by slow mixed train
s that also conveyed goods. However, once the link with the WMR was established, the earliest incarnation of the Napier Express
began operating. It first required a change of trains at Longburn
, then, when the Wairarapa Line opened, it operated directly through to Wellington. However, the difficulties associated with the Rimutaka Incline meant the journey via the Wairarapa actually took over an hour longer than the west coast route of the WMR, and once the WMR's route was incorporated into the NZR network, the Napier Express was re-routed to the west coast, with the Wairarapa Mail
providing a connection from Woodville with towns in the Wairarapa. While the Express ran through the Wairarapa, WA class locomotives hauled a feeder service between Palmerston North and Woodville.
On 3 July 1939, NZR RM class
Standard
railcar
s began operating a service between Napier and Wairoa, and when the line to Gisborne was completed, the Gisborne Express was introduced on 7 September 1942, running from Wellington through to Gisborne. This service typically operated twice weekly except for holiday periods when it was more frequent, but it ceased to operate in 1955 and was replaced by more efficient railcars except for occasional re-instatement during holiday periods to cater for heavy loads. By this time, railcars had already replaced the Napier Express; in 1954, the daily express was replaced by twice daily services run initially by Standard railcars and then by 88 seaters
. This markedly quickened the journey from Napier to Wellington from 7 hours to 5.5 hours. The railcars entered into service to Gisborne on 1 August 1955 and also ran twice daily; one return service terminated in Napier while one went through to Wellington.
In 1968 and 1971, cuts were made to the services as the railcars wore out, and on 6 November 1972, they were cancelled entirely on the Wellington to Napier run and replaced by the Endeavour
, which was modelled on the successful Southerner. Railcars survived on the run through to Gisborne until 30 May 1976, when they were replaced by an extension of the Endeavour. It ran once daily in each direction, but its quality gradually declined during the 1980s as rolling stock was reallocated to other trains; this included the removal of a buffet car, necessitating lengthy refreshment stops in Napier and Palmerston North. On 8 March 1988, Cyclone Bola
significantly damaged the line between Napier and Gisborne, resulting in the truncation of the Endeavour to Napier. Passenger services never ran beyond Napier in regular service again.
On 11 December 1989, the Endeavour was replaced by the Bay Express. This train restored the standards of the original 1972 Endeavour, and it operated throughout the 1990s. However, declining patronage and an unwillingness on behalf of Tranz Scenic
to replace the decades-old rolling stock meant that the Bay Express was cancelled from 7 October 2001. Since this time, the PNGL has been entirely freight only. To augment the expresses and railcars, numerous other mixed trains and local passenger services also once operated on the PNGL between various destinations, including intermediate termini such as Waipukurau, but these had all ceased by the 1960s.
products. As land was cleared for farming, timber also constituted a significant commodity. By the late 20th century, the emphasis had dramatically changed to long-distance bulk freight. This includes frozen meat, canned foods, Fonterra
products from their Oringi plant, and fertiliser traffic from near Gisborne. Freight is also conveyed to the Port of Napier; it is located near the PNGL and accessed via the short Ahuriri Branch
. Presently, two trains each way operate weekdays between Palmerston North and Napier, with a third service one or both ways operating if required. A service previously existed direct between Wellington and Napier using the Wairarapa line
from Woodville, but this has been discontinued.
The line also sees services between Oringi and Palmerston North hauling milk wagons that then form part of the consists to Fonterra's Whareroa plant near Hawera on the MNPL. The number services depends on the time of year but at peak is usually two each way. The Palmerston North to Woodville section of the PNGL is also utilised for two daily trains between Palmerston North and Pahiatua
in the northern Wairarapa
, and two shunts operate between Napier and Hastings, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
North of Napier, one return freight to Gisborne operates on Mondays and Wednesdays; on Thursdays, a service operates from Napier to Gisborne and returns the following day. On weekends, there is a significantly reduced timetable, with no services at all north of Napier. Tunnels Nos. 3,4,5 near Woodville at the east end of the Manawatu Gorge were "daylighted" or opened out in May–November 2008 to allow the use of “hi-cube” containers on the line. The work was carried out by HRS a subsidiary of Downers.
s operated most trains on the PNGL until the 1960s, when all passenger duties were taken by railcars and remaining trains were dieselised
. The earliest motive power was provided by F class
tank locomotive
s. J class
tender locomotive
s were introduced for the Napier Express upon its commencement, and were later augmented by N
class locomotives. The Ns sometimes worked in conjunction with members of the M class, and after the acquisition of the WMR, the UD class
also saw some use on the PNGL, especially on the Napier Express. The use of A class
locomotives allowed timetables to be quickened in 1914; this again occurred with the introduction of the AB class
in 1925 and the K
and JA
classes after World War II. BB class
locomotives were employed on the Manawatu Gorge stretch during the 1930s. On line to Gisborne, locomotives of the AA
, JB
, and X
classes were also employed.
Steam was fully replaced by diesel motive power in 1966, with DA class
locomotives predominant. By the 1980s, the DF class
had been introduced, the use of the underpowered DBR class had caused some tardy operation of the Endeavour, and the DA class was withdrawn by the latter years of the decade. DX
and DC
class locomotives are also regularly used on the PNGL; the damage caused by Cyclone Bola meant that when repair work was undertaken, clearances were improved and the DX class were authorised to operate to Gisborne from September 1988.
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
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...
. It branches from the North Island Main Trunk Railway in 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...
and runs east through the Manawatu Gorge
Manawatu Gorge
The Manawatu Gorge runs between the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges of the North Island of New Zealand, linking the Manawatu and Hawke's Bay regions...
to 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...
, where it meets 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 then proceeds to Hastings
Hastings, New Zealand
The city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District...
and Napier
Napier, New Zealand
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
in Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay is a region of New Zealand. Hawke's Bay is recognised on the world stage for its award-winning wines. The regional council sits in both the cities of Napier and Hastings.-Geography:...
before following the coast north to Gisborne
Gisborne, New Zealand
-Economy:The harbour was host to many ships in the past and had developed as a river port to provide a more secure location for shipping compared with the open roadstead of Poverty Bay which can be exposed to southerly swells. A meat works was sited beside the harbour and meat and wool was shipped...
. Construction began in 1872, but the entire line was not completed until 1942.
In conjunction with the Moutohora Branch
Moutohora Branch
The Moutohora Branch was a branch line railway that formed part of New Zealand's national rail network in Poverty Bay in the North island of New Zealand. The branch ran for 78 km approximately North-West from Gisborne into the rugged and steep Raukumara Range to the terminus at Moutohora...
that ran north from Gisborne between 1900 and 1959, the line was originally intended to connect to the East Coast Main Trunk Railway, but the section between Taneatua
Taneatua
Taneatua is a small town in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. It is officially defined as a "populated area less than a town". The 2001 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings found its population to be 750, a 14.7% decline since the previous census in 1996...
in the Bay of Plenty and Moutohora was never completed.
The line has been freight only since October 2001, when the Bay Express passenger train was cancelled. The northern portion of the line from Napier - Gisborne is currently under review as part of KiwiRail's turnaround plan.
Construction
The PNGL was constructed in two distinct phases. The southern portion between Napier and Palmerston North was built between 1872 and 1891, while the northern portion from Napier to Gisborne followed at a much later date, 1912 to 1942.Palmerston North - Napier section
Julius Vogel
Sir Julius Vogel, KCMG was the eighth Premier of New Zealand. His administration is best remembered for the issuing of bonds to fund railway construction and other public works...
's "Great Public Works" scheme of 1870 to create a cohesive national transport network, and in 1871, a line south from Napier was officially authorised. Construction commenced in 1872 and the first section opened to Hastings on 13 October 1874; from Napier's railway station, it followed a coastal shingle ridge to Clive
Clive, New Zealand
The small town of Clive is located ten kilometres south of Napier in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand's North Island. It is close to the mouth of the Ngaruroro River....
, and then turned inland. From Hastings, the line proceeded inland through country that was initially easy but became steadily more difficult. It was thickly wooded at the time and the upper reaches and tributaries of the Manawatu River
Manawatu River
The Manawatu River is a major river of the southern North Island of New Zealand.The river has its headwaters to the northwest of Norsewood in the Ruahine Ranges of southern Hawke's Bay. It flows initially eastward before turning south-west near Ormondville, flowing 40 km before turning...
provided engineering difficulties. Nonetheless, construction proceeded apace; the line was opened to Pakipaki on 1 January 1875; Te Aute on 17 February 1876; Waipawa
Waipawa
Waipawa is the second-largest town in Central Hawke's Bay in the east of the North Island of New Zealand. At the 2001 Census it had a population of 1,872, a change of -2.0 percent since the 1996 census....
on 28 August 1876; and the township of Waipukurau
Waipukurau
Waipukurau , also known as Ypuk, is the largest town in the Central Hawke's Bay District on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 50 kilometres southwest of Hastings on the banks of the Tukituki River....
just three days after Waipawa on 1 September 1876. Takapau followed on 12 March 1877, then Kopua on 25 January 1878 for a total of 103 km of railway built in six years.
However, construction slowed from this stage due both to the terrain and the beginning of the Long Depression
Long Depression
The Long Depression was a worldwide economic crisis, felt most heavily in Europe and the United States, which had been experiencing strong economic growth fueled by the Second Industrial Revolution in the decade following the American Civil War. At the time, the episode was labeled the Great...
. The next section, from Kopua to Makotuku, featured two viaducts, including the 280 m long, 39 m high Ormondville viaduct, and was opened on 9 August 1880. It was nearly four years until the next section, 7 km to Matamau, opened on 23 June 1884. On 1 December 1884, the major centre of Dannevirke
Dannevirke
Dannevirke , is a rural service town in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region of the North Island, New Zealand. It is the major town of the administrative Tararua District, the easternmost of the districts in which the Regional Council has responsibilities...
was reached. Beyond Dannevirke, the terrain became somewhat easier and the line reached Woodville at the eastern end of the Manawatu Gorge on 22 March 1887. However, work from the Palmerston North end had not begun until 1886, and due to significant engineering troubles associated with the Manawatu Gorge, the line was not completed until 9 March 1891. Upon completion, a direct route between Napier and 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...
was established but required a change of trains in Longburn
Longburn
Longburn is a rural settlement just outside of Palmerston North in the Manawatu-Wanganui area of New Zealand. Made up of large dairy processing plants Longburn is often mistaken to be a small township and not seen as a large satellite town of Palmerston North...
with the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company. On 11 December 1897, the Wairarapa Line was completed through to Woodville and this provided a through NZR connection from Wellington to Hawke's Bay, albeit via the torturous Rimutaka Incline.
Napier - Gisborne section
Due to the isolation of Gisborne, a railway link to other centres was not initially given serious consideration. However, by 1900, a Railway League had been formed to pressure the government into building two lines, one via RotoruaRotorua
Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...
to 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...
and another to Napier and thus Wellington. Gisborne's first railway, the initial portion of what became the Moutohora Branch
Moutohora Branch
The Moutohora Branch was a branch line railway that formed part of New Zealand's national rail network in Poverty Bay in the North island of New Zealand. The branch ran for 78 km approximately North-West from Gisborne into the rugged and steep Raukumara Range to the terminus at Moutohora...
, opened to the north in 1902, but it wasn't until 1911 that a route south was approved. This was proposed to follow an inland route to the Wairoa River
Wairoa River
Wairoa is the name of several rivers and streams in New Zealand. Wairoa is Māori for long water.* Wairoa River * Wairoa River * Wairoa River * Wairoa River * Wairoa River...
, which would then be followed to the town of Wairoa
Wairoa
Wairoa is a town in New Zealand's North Island. It is the northernmost town in the Hawke's Bay region, and is located on the northern shore of Hawke Bay at the mouth of the Wairoa River and to the west of Mahia Peninsula...
before proceeding along the coastline to Napier. Work began in April 1911, and the first 18 km to Ngatapa was essentially complete by December 1914. The economic impacts of 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...
led to the suspension of construction beyond Ngatapa towards Waikura, and it did not recommence until 1920 after further surveying was undertaken. This work may have included some tunnelling but no trace of this exists today.
In 1920, work began on a short isolated branch from Wairoa to the port of Waikokopu
Waikokopu
Waikokopu is a small coastal settlement in northern Hawke Bay, New Zealand, where the Waikokopu stream forms a small tidal estuary between two prominent headlands. ‘Waikokopu’ translates from Māori as 'water' or 'river' of the kokopu' , kokopu being any one of three species of small native...
; it was completed in 1923 and was built initially to ship meat from a freezing works
Slaughterhouse
A slaughterhouse or abattoir is a facility where animals are killed for consumption as food products.Approximately 45-50% of the animal can be turned into edible products...
in Wairoa. In 1924, an engineer's report recommended this branch be incorporated as the southernmost portion of a new coastal route from Wairoa to Gisborne. The Public Works Department
New Zealand Ministry of Works
The New Zealand Ministry of Works, formerly the Department of Public Works and sometimes referred to as the Public Works Department or PWD, was founded in 1876 and disestablished and privatised in 1988...
(PWD) accordingly abandoned the inland Ngatapa route and began work on the coastal route. At this time, the route from Napier to Wairoa was also under construction. The first sod had been turned in Napier in 1912, but delays meant the line was not opened to Eskdale
Eskdale
-United Kingdom:*Eskdale, Cumbria, England*Eskdale, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland*Eskdale, North Yorkshire, England*Eskdale , Cumberland, England, former constituency-United States:...
by the PWD until December 1922 and handed over to the New Zealand Railways Department
New Zealand Railways Department
The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's railway infrastructure and operating the railway system. The Department was created in 1880 and was reformed in 1981 into the New...
(NZR) on 23 July 1923. The next section, to Putorino
Putorino
Putorino is a small settlement in northern Hawke's Bay, in New Zealand's eastern North Island. It lies on State Highway 2 between Tutira and Mohaka.Putorino is at the border for the Hastings and Wairoa Districts, within Hawke's Bay....
, was handed over to NZR on 6 October 1930.
However, at this point, construction of the line was plagued by natural disasters and a lack of government will to complete the project. The 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake
1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake
The 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake, also known as the Napier earthquake, occurred in New Zealand at 10:47 am on Tuesday 3 February 1931, killing 256 and devastating the Hawke's Bay region. It remains New Zealand's deadliest natural disaster...
resulted in the closure of the Napier - Putorino section. Work initially continued after the earthquake, and by September, all that was required to complete the Napier to Wairoa section was one tunnel, one viaduct, and 13 km of track. However, due to the toll of the earthquake and 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...
, the government recommended that work cease and the line be abandoned. In 1935, a new government
25th New Zealand Parliament
The 25th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. It opened on 25 March 1936, following the 1935 election. It was dissolved on 16 September 1938 in preparation for the 1938 election....
was elected, and in early 1936, it ordered the recommencement of work. This led to the Napier - Putorino section being reopened on 17 October 1936. On 1 July 1937, the 275 m long Mohaka viaduct was completed; at 97 m high, it is New Zealand's highest viaduct. The full line from Napier to Wairoa and Waikokopu opened on 23 August 1937. It was not open for long, however: severe flooding in February 1938 forced the closure of the entire line beyond Putorino and killed 21 construction workers on the final stage between Waikokopu and Gisborne in the Kopuawhara disaster. The line was restored to operational standards by December 1938 and transferred from the PWD to NZR on 1 July 1939. Work persisted through 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...
and the final stage was completed in 1942. The PWD was able to operate freight trains through to Gisborne from 3 August 1942, passengers were carried from 7 September 1942, and the complete PNGL passed into NZR ownership on 1 February 1943.
Passenger services
- See also: Napier ExpressNapier ExpressThe 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:...
, Gisborne Express, EndeavourEndeavour (train)The Endeavour was a long-distance passenger train service between Wellington and Napier in the North Island of New Zealand...
, and Bay Express.
Until the completion of the line from Napier to Palmerston North, passengers were catered for solely by slow mixed train
Mixed train
A mixed train is a train that hauls both passenger and freight cars or wagons. In the early days of railways they were quite common, but by the 20th century they were largely confined to branch lines with little traffic. As the trains provided passengers with very slow service, mixed trains have...
s that also conveyed goods. However, once the link with the WMR was established, the earliest incarnation of the Napier Express
Napier 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:...
began operating. It first required a change of trains at Longburn
Longburn
Longburn is a rural settlement just outside of Palmerston North in the Manawatu-Wanganui area of New Zealand. Made up of large dairy processing plants Longburn is often mistaken to be a small township and not seen as a large satellite town of Palmerston North...
, then, when the Wairarapa Line opened, it operated directly through to Wellington. However, the difficulties associated with the Rimutaka Incline meant the journey via the Wairarapa actually took over an hour longer than the west coast route of the WMR, and once the WMR's route was incorporated into the NZR network, the Napier Express was re-routed to the west coast, with the 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...
providing a connection from Woodville with towns in the Wairarapa. While the Express ran through the Wairarapa, WA class locomotives hauled a feeder service between Palmerston North and Woodville.
On 3 July 1939, 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...
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...
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 began operating a service between Napier and Wairoa, and when the line to Gisborne was completed, the Gisborne Express was introduced on 7 September 1942, running from Wellington through to Gisborne. This service typically operated twice weekly except for holiday periods when it was more frequent, but it ceased to operate in 1955 and was replaced by more efficient railcars except for occasional re-instatement during holiday periods to cater for heavy loads. By this time, railcars had already replaced the Napier Express; in 1954, the daily express was replaced by twice daily services run initially by Standard railcars and then by 88 seaters
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...
. This markedly quickened the journey from Napier to Wellington from 7 hours to 5.5 hours. The railcars entered into service to Gisborne on 1 August 1955 and also ran twice daily; one return service terminated in Napier while one went through to Wellington.
In 1968 and 1971, cuts were made to the services as the railcars wore out, and on 6 November 1972, they were cancelled entirely on the Wellington to Napier run and replaced by the Endeavour
Endeavour (train)
The Endeavour was a long-distance passenger train service between Wellington and Napier in the North Island of New Zealand...
, which was modelled on the successful Southerner. Railcars survived on the run through to Gisborne until 30 May 1976, when they were replaced by an extension of the Endeavour. It ran once daily in each direction, but its quality gradually declined during the 1980s as rolling stock was reallocated to other trains; this included the removal of a buffet car, necessitating lengthy refreshment stops in Napier and Palmerston North. On 8 March 1988, Cyclone Bola
Cyclone Bola
Cyclone Bola was one of the costliest cyclones in the history of New Zealand, causing severe damage as an extratropical cyclone when it passed near the country in March 1988. It formed on February 24 to the north of Fiji, and tracking generally southwestward it reached hurricane-force winds near...
significantly damaged the line between Napier and Gisborne, resulting in the truncation of the Endeavour to Napier. Passenger services never ran beyond Napier in regular service again.
On 11 December 1989, the Endeavour was replaced by the Bay Express. This train restored the standards of the original 1972 Endeavour, and it operated throughout the 1990s. However, declining patronage and an unwillingness on behalf of Tranz Scenic
Tranz Scenic
Tranz Scenic is the long-distance passenger train brand of KiwiRail, formed from the New Zealand Railways Corporation InterCity Rail services. Tranz Scenic was renamed along with the other operating divisions of Tranz Rail in 1995...
to replace the decades-old rolling stock meant that the Bay Express was cancelled from 7 October 2001. Since this time, the PNGL has been entirely freight only. To augment the expresses and railcars, numerous other mixed trains and local passenger services also once operated on the PNGL between various destinations, including intermediate termini such as Waipukurau, but these had all ceased by the 1960s.
Freight
In the earliest years of the line, the emphasis was on local freight, primarily agriculturalAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
products. As land was cleared for farming, timber also constituted a significant commodity. By the late 20th century, the emphasis had dramatically changed to long-distance bulk freight. This includes frozen meat, canned foods, Fonterra
Fonterra
Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited is a New Zealand multinational dairy co-operative owned by almost 10,500 New Zealand farmers. The company is responsible for approximately 30% of the world's dairy exports and with revenue exceeding NZ$19.87 billion, is New Zealand's largest company.- History :In...
products from their Oringi plant, and fertiliser traffic from near Gisborne. Freight is also conveyed to the Port of Napier; it is located near the PNGL and accessed via the short Ahuriri Branch
Ahuriri Branch
The Ahuriri Branch, now known as the Napier Port Branch, is a 2km railway branch line off the secondary Palmerston North - Gisborne Line, in Napier, New Zealand. The branch serves the Port of Napier, and terminates in a stockyard....
. Presently, two trains each way operate weekdays between Palmerston North and Napier, with a third service one or both ways operating if required. A service previously existed direct between Wellington and Napier using 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...
from Woodville, but this has been discontinued.
The line also sees services between Oringi and Palmerston North hauling milk wagons that then form part of the consists to Fonterra's Whareroa plant near Hawera on the MNPL. The number services depends on the time of year but at peak is usually two each way. The Palmerston North to Woodville section of the PNGL is also utilised for two daily trains between Palmerston North and Pahiatua
Pahiatua
Pahiatua is a rural service town in the south-eastern North Island of New Zealand with an urban and rural population of over 4,000. It is between Masterton and Woodville on State Highway 2 and the Wairarapa Line railway, north of Masterton and east of Palmerston North...
in the northern 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...
, and two shunts operate between Napier and Hastings, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
North of Napier, one return freight to Gisborne operates on Mondays and Wednesdays; on Thursdays, a service operates from Napier to Gisborne and returns the following day. On weekends, there is a significantly reduced timetable, with no services at all north of Napier. Tunnels Nos. 3,4,5 near Woodville at the east end of the Manawatu Gorge were "daylighted" or opened out in May–November 2008 to allow the use of “hi-cube” containers on the line. The work was carried out by HRS a subsidiary of Downers.
Motive power
Steam locomotiveSteam 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...
s operated most trains on the PNGL until the 1960s, when all passenger duties were taken by railcars and remaining trains were dieselised
Dieselisation
Dieselisation or dieselization is a term generally used for the increasingly common use of diesel fuel in vehicles, as opposed to gasoline or steam engines.-Water Transport:...
. The earliest motive power was provided by F class
NZR F class
The NZR F class was the first important class of steam locomotive built to operate on New Zealand's railway network after the national gauge of 1067 millimetres was adopted. The first locomotives built for the new 1067 mm railways were two E class double Fairlies for the Dunedin and Port Chalmers...
tank locomotive
Tank locomotive
A tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. It will most likely also have some kind of bunker to hold the fuel. There are several different types of tank locomotive dependent upon...
s. J class
NZR J class (1874)
The J class were steam locomotives with the wheel arrangement of 2-6-0 that were built in 1874 to operate on the railway network of New Zealand. They should not be confused with the more famous J class of 1939...
tender locomotive
Tender locomotive
A tender or coal-car is a special rail vehicle hauled by a steam locomotive containing the locomotive's fuel and water. Steam locomotives consume large quantities of water compared to the quantity of fuel, so tenders are necessary to keep the locomotive running over long distances. A locomotive...
s were introduced for the Napier Express upon its commencement, and were later augmented by N
NZR N class
The N class were 12 steam locomotives that operated on the national rail network of New Zealand. They were built in three batches, including one batch of two engines for the private Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company, the WMR, by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1885, 1891, and 1901...
class locomotives. The Ns sometimes worked in conjunction with members of the M class, and after the acquisition of the WMR, the UD class
NZR UD class
The NZR UD class was a class of two 4-6-0 steam locomotivesbuilt by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1904 for the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company...
also saw some use on the PNGL, especially on the Napier Express. The use of A class
NZR A class (1906)
The A class were steam locomotives built in 1906 with a 4-6-2 wheel arrangement for New Zealand's national railway network, and described by some as the most handsome engines to run on New Zealand rails. The class should not be confused with the older and more obscure A class of 1873. They were...
locomotives allowed timetables to be quickened in 1914; this again occurred with the introduction of the AB class
NZR Ab class
The NZR AB class was a class of 4-6-2 Pacific tender steam locomotive that operated on New Zealand's national railway system. Originally an improvement on the 1906 A class, 141 were built between 1915 and 1927 by NZR's Addington Workshops, A & G Price Limited of Thames, New Zealand, and North...
in 1925 and the K
NZR K class (1932)
The NZR K class of 1932 was a class of mixed traffic 4-8-4 steam locomotives that operated on New Zealand's railway network. The locomotives were developed following the failure of the G class Garratts...
and JA
NZR Ja class
The NZR JA class were a type of 4-8-2 steam locomotive used on the New Zealand railway network. The class was built in two batches, with the second batch possessing some differences from the first...
classes after World War II. BB class
NZR Bb class
The BB class of steam locomotives comprised 30 engines operated by New Zealand Railways in the North Island of New Zealand. Similar in design and appearance to the preceding B and BA classes, the first BB class locomotive entered service in February 1915, with the last to commence operations doing...
locomotives were employed on the Manawatu Gorge stretch during the 1930s. On line to Gisborne, locomotives of the AA
NZR Aa class
The AA class consisted of ten steam locomotives built to operate on New Zealand's national rail network. Built to a similar design to the A class of 1906, they had a wheel arrangement of 4-6-2 and were suited to hauling freight services. Ordered and built in 1914, all ten entered service in New...
, JB
NZR JB class
The NZR JB class steam locomotives were all originally members of the J class of 1939. Built by North British Locomotive Works, Scotland, they all initially burned coal and wore distinctive bullet-like streamlining.- Conversion to oil burning :...
, and X
NZR X class
The NZR X class was a pioneering class of eighteen 4-8-2 steam locomotives designed by A. L. Beattie that operated on the national rail network of New Zealand...
classes were also employed.
Steam was fully replaced by diesel motive power in 1966, with DA class
NZR DA class
The NZR Da diesel-electric mainline locomotive class ran on the New Zealand railway system between 1955 and 1989. With 146 locomotives, it was the most numerous class to operate in New Zealand, just five more than the AB class steam locomotive....
locomotives predominant. By the 1980s, the DF class
NZR DF class (1979)
The NZR DF class of 1979 is a class of 30 Co-Co diesel-electric locomotives built by General Motors Diesel of Canada between 1979 and 1981. Between 1992 and 1997, all the locomotives were rebuilt as the DFT class, a turbocharged version of the DF....
had been introduced, the use of the underpowered DBR class had caused some tardy operation of the Endeavour, and the DA class was withdrawn by the latter years of the decade. DX
NZR DX class
The NZR DX class is a class of 49 Co-Co diesel-electric locomotives that currently operates on New Zealand's national railway network.Built by General Electric in Erie, Pennsylvania, United States, they were introduced to New Zealand between 1972 and 1976. The class is based on the General Electric...
and DC
NZR DC class
The NZR DC class locomotive is the most common class of locomotive currently in operation on the New Zealand rail network. Primarily employed to haul freight trains operated by KiwiRail, the class is also used for long-distance passenger trains operated by Tranz Scenic and suburban passenger trains...
class locomotives are also regularly used on the PNGL; the damage caused by Cyclone Bola meant that when repair work was undertaken, clearances were improved and the DX class were authorised to operate to Gisborne from September 1988.