| Greytown Branch | |
 |
|
|---|---|
| The fence line (away from the camera, center) that follows the route of the Greytown Branch into Woodside yard. | |
| Info | |
| Type | Railways Department regional rail |
| Status | Closed |
| Terminals | Woodside Junction Greytown |
| No. The New Zealand Railways Department, abbreviated as NZR or NZGR (New Zealand Government Railways and often known simply as the "Railways" was a government Various terms are used for Passenger rail lines and equipment Woodside railway station is a single-platform rural railway station serving the town of Greytown in the Wairarapa district of New Zealand. Greytown railway station was the terminus of the Greytown Branch railway which connected the Wairarapa town of Greytown in New Zealand ’s North of stations | 2 |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 1880-05-14 |
| Closed | 1953-12-25 |
| Owner | New Zealand Government Railways Department |
| Operator(s) | New Zealand Government Railways Department |
| Character | Rural |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 5 km |
| Gauge | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) |
The Greytown Branch was a five-kilometre 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) narrow gauge branch line railway off the Wairarapa Line at Woodside in the Wairarapa district of New Zealand's North Island. Year 1880 ( MDCCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 1264 - Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 274 - Roman Emperor Aurelian The New Zealand Railways Department, abbreviated as NZR or NZGR (New Zealand Government Railways and often known simply as the "Railways" was a government The New Zealand Railways Department, abbreviated as NZR or NZGR (New Zealand Government Railways and often known simply as the "Railways" was a government For other places with the same name see Greytown. Greytown, population 2001 (as at the 2006 Census) is a town in the A narrow gauge railway (or narrow gauge railroad) is a Railway that has a Track gauge narrower than the of Standard gauge railways A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route usually a main line. "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. |}}|} 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 Woodside railway station is a single-platform rural railway station serving the town of Greytown in the Wairarapa district of New Zealand. for the electorate see Wairarapa (NZ electorate Wairarapa - pronounced "Wy-ra-ra-pa" (often known as "The Wairarapa" is a geographical New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, the other being the South Island. It followed an almost straight course over flat terrain. There were no intermediate stations.
Contents |
History
Construction
On learning that the Wairarapa Line was to bypass Greytown, its residents were upset enough to send several deputations to meet engineers of the Public Works Department in order to persuade them to change the route, but to no avail. 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 In order to placate them, the Public Works Department offered to investigate the possibility of constructing a branch line to connect the town to the main line. A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route usually a main line. Initial investigations concluded costs would be reasonable, and a survey was duly carried out in 1876. However, because of the Department's focus on other projects then underway, no further work on the idea was done at the time.
In 1878, the project was again promoted and this time authorised. A second survey was conducted in January 1879, with design work completed and tenders for the formation and buildings called for in June of that year. The successful contractor for the formation completed the work between 11 November 1879 and 10 January 1880. Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Year 1879 ( MDCCCLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. Year 1880 ( MDCCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Two separate contracts were let for the Greytown station buildings and fencing of the right of way. Both these contracts were completed on time.
Operation
The first scheduled services ran on 14 May 1880, a morning and afternoon mixed return service between Wellington and Greytown, an extension of the existing services between Wellington and Featherston, an extra 35 minutes being allocated for the extra distance. Events 1264 - Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the Year 1880 ( MDCCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Wellington (ˈwælɪŋtən is the Capital of New Zealand, the country's second largest urban area, the Greytown railway station was the terminus of the Greytown Branch railway which connected the Wairarapa town of Greytown in New Zealand ’s North Wellington (ˈwælɪŋtən is the Capital of New Zealand, the country's second largest urban area, the A locomotive, usually a member of the L class, was based at Greytown.
Initial traffic on the branch was reported to be "very satisfactory"; while certainly the case for goods traffic, it is doubtful that this applied to passenger traffic which was seeing an average of four passengers per train.
The first excursion train from Greytown transported picnickers, including many children, to Cross Creek on 29 May 1880. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1880 ( MDCCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year It was found that the destination was not suitable, so a suggestion for the next excursion to take revellers to Kaitoke never went ahead. There were no other excursions.
Four months after opening, tenders were called for the branch to be worked by horsepower. With traffic already declining on the branch, it was considered too expensive for a locomotive to work services over the branch. When no tenders were forthcoming, the department based its smallest locomotive at Greytown.
Despite traffic not meeting expectations, Greytown handled around 6,000 outward passengers and 2,000 tons of freight annually for many years. With the erection of stock yards, livestock traffic started at 160 pigs and 15 sheep, and these numbers grew substantially. Beef cattle were not conveyed in notable numbers until many years later.
In the fiscal year ended 31 March 1884, 6,386 passenger fares were issued at Greytown, while freight traffic had risen to 4,721 tons outward and 1,051 tons inward. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 1884 ( MDCCCLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Consigned livestock rose gradually at first, but increased rapidly in the early 1900s to peak at more than 13,000 head in 1909-1910. Year 1909 ( MCMIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting This traffic remained high until the introduction of lorry transport in the 1920s, but was always a minor player in the livestock trade compared with Masterton, Carterton and Featherston. The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the " Jazz Age " or the " Roaring Twenties " when speaking about the United States and Canada
Passenger traffic never reached expectations. The population of the town grew rapidly in the 1870s, but the extension of the railway to Masterton in 1880 meant that Masterton became the dominant town in the district. Events and Trends Technology The invention of the prototype telephone by Alexander G For the period 1905 to 1915, services between Greytown and Woodside were increased to six return trains daily, Monday to Saturday. Thereafter the number of services fluctuated, and in 1946 five were still scheduled. However, by 1952 this had been cut to two return services. Though by this time there was still a passenger car attached to the train, few passengers availed themselves of the service (often none), and the trains only infrequently hauled freight wagons. The last train ran on 24 December 1953. Events 563 - The Byzantine church Hagia Sophia in Constantinople is dedicated for the second time after being destroyed by Earthquakes Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
A single-stall engine shed was the home for the locomotive that worked the branch, with a variety of locomotives serving in this capacity over the life of the line. In the early years, the job was handled by an L or D class 2-4-0T, and occasionally by a C class. The NZR D class was a class of tank Steam locomotives that operated on New Zealand 's national railway network. In Whyte notation, a 2-4-0 is a Railroad Steam locomotive that has two Leading wheels followed by two coupled Driving wheels with The C class consists of a number of Tank locomotives built to operate on New Zealand 's national rail network during its infancy Later, two rebuilt L class 4-4-2T locomotives were allocated to the branch, each alternately based at Greytown and Cross Creek, being swapped as required. In the Whyte notation a 4-4-2 is a Steam locomotive that has a two-axle Leading truck, two powered Driving axles and a one-axle Trailing In the 1930s, they were replaced by WF class 2-6-4T locomotives, at least one of which was converted for one man operation in 1931. The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression. The NZR WF class were Steam locomotives designed built and used by New Zealand Railways Department. Under the Whyte notation for the classification of Steam locomotives, a 2-6-4 Locomotive has two Leading wheels six coupled Driving In its heyday, the branch had six staff, but the reductions in 1931 pared this back to one, who was stationmaster, porter, shunter, guard, and general factotum. As the branch had only one locomotive in steam at any time, the only signal was a home signal protecting Woodside.
Demise
The branch narrowly avoided closure after the 1931 Royal Commission, and despite attempts by railway officials to encourage more trade on the line, traffic continued to decline. During its last years, it received little in the way of maintenance. The end for the branch came after the 1952 Royal Commission. With revenue gained from trade on the branch not even covering a tenth of the costs of running it, the decision to close was made after 73 years of operation. The rails were lifted and sold in 1954. The locomotive shed was scrapped and sold and the station building moved to Woodside to begin its new life as a goods shed. The only remaining remnants of the terminus are the goods shed and loading bank. For much of its length the formation is marked by fences and rows of trees.
External links
- Aerial view of the branch.
Gallery
 The approach into Woodside yard from the Greytown Branch. |
 Some railway remnants near where the branch line entered Woodside yard. |
 A South Wairarapa District Council recycling station is now on the formation at the edge of Greytown. |
 A shed has been erected on the formation near Woodside Road, where the line was closest to the road. |
 A row of trees beside Woodside Road marks the formation at its closest point to the road. |
References
- Cameron, Walter Norman (1976). A Line Of Railway: The Railway Conquest of the Rimutakas. Wellington: New Zealand Railway And Locomotive Society. ISBN 0-908573-00-6.
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic