Paraparaumu Railway Station
Encyclopedia
Paraparaumu Railway Station in Paraparaumu
on the Kapiti Coast
, New Zealand
is an intermediate station on the Kapiti Line for Tranz Metro
's electric multiple unit
commuter trains from Wellington
. Paraparaumu was the terminal station of the commuter service from 1983 to 2011, when the service was extended to Waikanae
.
) and services run all stations to or from Porirua and express between Porirua and Wellington. Off peak services stop at all stations.
The station is also served by the Capital Connection in both directions, which runs express between Paraparaumu and Wellington. It is also a stop on the Overlander between Auckland and Wellington.
The station also serves as a major interchange point with Metlink
bus services, and the following bus routes serve Paraparaumu station:
The original station building, a WMR Class Six or Flag Station, was replaced by the Class Four building from Shannon
in 1893 (Hoy says early 1900s). After the WMR line was acquired by the Government in 1908 the station continued to serve passengers on NIMT services.
During the 1970's Wellington commuter services began to serve the station. Services were hauled by diesel locomotives (often the DA Class
) from Paekakariki which was the then terminus of the electrification. Some of these services were DM/D class EMU's under tow.
The electrification was subsequently extended to Paraparaumu and opened on 7 May 1983, with services since then operated mainly by the Ganz-Mavag EM/ET class EMU's. The commuter service was extended to Waikanae on 20 February 2011.http://www.metlink.org.nz/train-and-bus-changes-20-february/
The station layout itself has changed over the years. Prior to the electrification being extended to Waikanae (along with the double-tracking from Mackay's Crossing) the station had a bay platform west of the mainline, a side platform on the mainline (effectively forming an island platform) and a loop line on the eastern side. The upgrade works have seen a new side platform constructed on the new down main (the former loop line) and a pedestrian underpass built to connect the two platforms, replacing an earlier overbridge connecting the platforms to a car park. The bay platform has been retained but does not see regular usage.
Paraparaumu
Paraparaumu is a town in the south-western North Island of New Zealand. It lies in the Kapiti Coast, 50 kilometres north of the nation's capital city, Wellington....
on the Kapiti Coast
Kapiti Coast
The Kapiti Coast is the name of the section of the coast of the south-western North Island of New Zealand that is north of Wellington and opposite Kapiti Island. It falls under the jurisdiction of the Wellington Regional Council...
, 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...
is an intermediate station on the Kapiti Line for Tranz Metro
Tranz Metro
Tranz Metro, part of KiwiRail, is the operator of Metlink suburban trains owned by the Greater Wellington Regional Council in the Wellington Region of New Zealand....
's electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
commuter trains from Wellington
Wellington Railway Station
Wellington Railway Station is the southern terminus of New Zealand's North Island Main Trunk railway, Wairarapa Line and Johnsonville Line. In terms of number of services and in passenger numbers, it is New Zealand's busiest railway station.-Development:...
. Paraparaumu was the terminal station of the commuter service from 1983 to 2011, when the service was extended to Waikanae
Waikanae
Waikanae is a small town on New Zealand's Kapiti Coast. The name is a Māori word meaning "The waters of the yellow eyed mullet". Another settlement called Waikanae Beach exists near Gisborne on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand....
.
Services
With the opening of the extension of commuter services to Waikanae Paraparaumu station is no longer the terminus of Kapiti Line services. In morning and evening peak the station sits in the outer section (north of Porirua stationPorirua Railway Station
Porirua Railway Station is an important intermediate station in New Zealand on the Kapiti Line from Wellington and is part of Wellington's Metlink suburban rail network operated by Tranz Metro....
) and services run all stations to or from Porirua and express between Porirua and Wellington. Off peak services stop at all stations.
The station is also served by the Capital Connection in both directions, which runs express between Paraparaumu and Wellington. It is also a stop on the Overlander between Auckland and Wellington.
The station also serves as a major interchange point with Metlink
Public transport in Wellington
Public transport in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, is well developed compared to other parts of the country. The system covers the Greater Wellington region, including Wellington city, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, Porirua, the Kapiti Coast and the Wairarapa.-Administration:Public transport in...
bus services, and the following bus routes serve Paraparaumu station:
- 250: Raumati South
- 260: Raumati Beach
- 261: Paraparaumu
- 262: Paraparaumu North
- 270: Paraparaumu East
- 271: Lindale Tourist Centre
- 285: Kapiti Commuter service to Wellington (commercially operated)
History
The station was opened on 2 August 1886 (Hoy says c1886), and was on the Wellington-Manawatu Line from Wellington to Longburn built by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR). The section was opened on 3 November 1886 at Otaihanga.The original station building, a WMR Class Six or Flag Station, was replaced by the Class Four building from Shannon
Shannon Railway Station
Shannon Railway Station is a station on the North Island Main Trunk serving Shannon in the Horowhenua District of New Zealand. It is served by the Capital Connection long distance commuter train between Wellington and Palmerston North.- History:...
in 1893 (Hoy says early 1900s). After the WMR line was acquired by the Government in 1908 the station continued to serve passengers on NIMT services.
During the 1970's Wellington commuter services began to serve the station. Services were hauled by diesel locomotives (often the 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....
) from Paekakariki which was the then terminus of the electrification. Some of these services were DM/D class EMU's under tow.
The electrification was subsequently extended to Paraparaumu and opened on 7 May 1983, with services since then operated mainly by the Ganz-Mavag EM/ET class EMU's. The commuter service was extended to Waikanae on 20 February 2011.http://www.metlink.org.nz/train-and-bus-changes-20-february/
The station layout itself has changed over the years. Prior to the electrification being extended to Waikanae (along with the double-tracking from Mackay's Crossing) the station had a bay platform west of the mainline, a side platform on the mainline (effectively forming an island platform) and a loop line on the eastern side. The upgrade works have seen a new side platform constructed on the new down main (the former loop line) and a pedestrian underpass built to connect the two platforms, replacing an earlier overbridge connecting the platforms to a car park. The bay platform has been retained but does not see regular usage.
External links
- Photo of train at Paraparaumu station, 1900s
- Photo of trains at Paraparaumu station, c1910
- Photo Paraparaumu station and bus depot, 1938 photo
- Photo Paraparaumu station bus depot and buses, c1938 photo
- Photo Paraparaumu station and car park, photo taken before upgrading in 2010-2011
- Ontrack: Improvements to Paraparaumu, Waikanae stations 2010-11