North Auckland Line

The North Auckland Line is an important railway line in the North Island of New Zealand. From its junction with the North Iceland Main Trunk Railway in Westfield in the Auckland region it runs today on a total length of 284.13 km via Whangarei to Otiria in the Northland region. The first section was opened in 1868, in 1925 the track was completed.

Two routes are used by the regional train network of Auckland. From Westfield Station to Newmarket, it is used by the Southern Line from Newmarket to Waitakere on the Western Line. Commuter trains from Helensville were used from July 2008.

In the past, the route of Otiria went on to Opua in the Bay of Islands. This section is also referred to as Opua branch line. He now belongs to the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway, but will no longer drive on a regular basis since 2001 except for a short section operated since 2008.

  • 4.1 Highway
  • 4.2 Commuting to Auckland
  • 4.3 freight Transport
  • 4.4 locomotives

In addition distances

Only two secondary roads exist today: The Auckland - Newmarket- section, even Newmarket Branch, connecting the North Auckland Line in Newmarket with the Britomart Transport Centre. Further north in Waiotira branches off the Dargaville branch line. A new branch line, the Marsden Point Branch has been proposed to provide a planned deep -water port in Marsden Point. This will leave the track south of Whangarei in Oakleigh. The Okaihau branch line led earlier by Otiria after Okaihau, the Riverhead branch line went from Kumeu.

Stations and stops

The following stations and stops are or were located along the route. Distances are measured from the junction with the North Iceland Main Trunk in Westfield.

  • Taupaki - 39.81 kilometers
  • Kumeu - 44.88 kilometers
  • Huapai - 47.07 kilometers, also known as Kumeu North
  • Waimauku - 51.19 kilometers
  • Rewiti - 55.35 kilometers
  • Woodhill - 57.92 kilometers
  • Wharepapa - 61.28 kilometers
  • Ohirangi - 63.68 kilometers
  • Helensville South - 65.66 kilometers
  • Helensville - 66.36 kilometers
  • Mount Rex - 69.22 kilometers
  • Punganui - 72.16 kilometers, also known as Pukanui
  • Kaukapakapa - 75.02 kilometers
  • Kanohi - 78.46 kilometers
  • Makarau - 83.24 kilometers
  • Tahekeroa - 88.39 kilometers
  • Ahuroa - 96.13 kilometers
  • Woodcocks - 100.15 kilometers
  • Kaipara Flats - 105.06 kilometers
  • Hoteo - 109.11 km, also known as Tauhoa
  • Wayby - 114.94 kilometers
  • Wellsford - 120.13 kilometers
  • Te Hana - 125.39 kilometers
  • Te Hana Wharf -? km
  • Topuni - 131.91 kilometers
  • Kaiwaka - 139.66 kilometers
  • Ranganui - 143.61 km, also known as Otamatea
  • Ranganui Wharf -? km
  • Bickerstaffe - 148.55 kilometers
  • Maungaturoto - 150.55 kilometers
  • Huarau - 154.37 kilometers
  • Paparoa - 156.81 kilometers
  • Mareretu - 163.68 kilometers
  • Taipuha - 168.49 kilometers
  • Waikiekie - 173.87 kilometers
  • Waiotira - 179.51 kilometers
  • Tauraroa - 188.22 kilometers
  • Mangapai - 195.07 kilometers
  • Oakleigh - 199.8 kilometers
  • Portland - 203.77 kilometers
  • Whangarei - 213.51 kilometers
  • Whangarei Town Hall - 214.63 kilometers
  • Mair - 216.52 kilometers
  • Kamo - 221.14 km, also known as Ruatangata
  • Kauri - 226.42 kilometers
  • Hikurangi - 231.82 kilometers
  • Waro - 233.56 kilometers
  • Otonga - 237.77 kilometers
  • Whakapara - 239.1 kilometers
  • Waiotu - 243.95 kilometers
  • Hukerenui - 246.83 kilometers
  • Akerama - 250.83 kilometers
  • Towai - 253.87 kilometers
  • Maromaku - 258.6 kilometers
  • Taikirau - 261.84 kilometers
  • Motatau - 266.87 kilometers
  • Opahi - 270.24 kilometers
  • Pokapu - 277.02 kilometers
  • Otiria - 281.3 km, also known as Scoria Flat
  • Moerewa - 284.13 km, also known as Waipuna
  • Kawakawa - 287.89 kilometers
  • Taumarere - 291.03 km, 0.77 siding after Taumarere Wharf
  • Te Akeake - 296 km
  • Whangae Bridge - 297.28 kilometers
  • Opua - 298.96 kilometers

Shortly after Opua the route ended at the wharf and offered a connection to the waterway.

Construction

The construction of the entire route took place in several sections. Initially single isolated railway lines were built in the Northland region. Finally, it became clear that we needed a main line to connect these isolated sections, thus creating the conditions for economic development of the region.

Kawakawa - Taumarere

The first section of the future North Auckland Line was opened as a private industrial railway between Kawakawa and a quay in Taumarere on March 2, 1868. This route was not then as a railway, but as a bush tramway with wooden rails to bring coal for export jetty. It was built to standard gauge ( 1435 mm). The now common in New Zealand with Cape gauge 1,067 mm came on later. As the track Kawakawa - Taumarere received 1870 metal rails, the standard gauge was retained only after the government bought the track in 1875, it was 1877 umgespurt on Kapspuir.

Kaipara - Riverhead

The Kumeu - Riverhead Section, the second part of today's route was built as a temporary. The loggers around the Kaipara Harbour had poor access to markets in Auckland, so they built a distance from the Kaipara Harbour to a jetty in Riverhead for the shipment. The Provincial Council of the Province of Auckland began on August 31, 1871 with the work. On January 1, 1872, the New Zealand government took over the work. Due to delays in the procurement of rails delayed the work and the route opened only on 29 October 1875. The section from the shores of the Kaipara Harbour with a station called Helensville South to Kumeu became part of the North Auckland Line, the remainder after Riverhead a branch line. This short distance reduced transport costs and transport time against teams of oxen or the time-consuming coastal shipping.

Whangarei - Kamo

When he was found coal in Kamo area, there was a need for a means of transport from the mines to loading docks by the sea. The first mine began operations in 1872. In the 1870s, there were growing mining activities and thus the pressure to build a railroad. 1877 authorized the government to build a mine train. A preliminary exploration of the following year, however, revealed that this would not do justice to the needs and therefore approved the construction of a railway line from Kamo to Whangarei. Construction began on 10 March 1879 but quickly fell behind schedule because the terrain proved to be unstable and there were landslides. On October 28, 1880, the first 7.3 kilometers were opened, this included a 1 km branch line to an alternative loading bay. The entire line 10.64 km long route was opened on November 30, 1882.

Auckland - Helensville

The earliest Auckländer part of the distance between the stations Newmarket and Westfield was actually built in 1973 as part of the Onehunga branch line and later part of the North Auckland Line. Initial work on a route north of Auckland began officially until later this decade and found place in parallel with the work on the section Whangarei - Kamo. The first part of Newmarket to Glen Eden railway station opened without ceremony on 29 March 1880. On December 21, 1880 was the route to Henderson, completed to Helensville on July 13, 1881. Thus, the track was connected to the sections Kaipara - Riverhead. The northern endpoint of Helensville South moved to a more central railway station in Helensville. The section of Kumeu Riverhead was now redundant, since it was easier to transport the goods directly by train to Auckland than to take the detour over the lake. The section was therefore concluded on 18 July of the same year.

Taumerere - Opua

Mid-1870s the wharf was found in Taumarere inadequate. 1876 ​​, therefore, the plan was a dock in deep water and an associated village called " Newport ", later Opua. They built a railway from Kawakawa to Opua. This opened on 7 April 1884., The short stretch to the quay in Taumarere thus became a feeder route. Both the investor and the railway line there were closed to Opua on the date of commissioning of the track.

Kamo- Kawakawa

In the second half of the 1880s, new aspirations for a distance between Kamo and Kawakawa began to develop. They had hired in 1879 and 1883 studies to that time, however, the government did not agree to the construction. The dispute over the forest in the distance Puhipuhi brought into existence eventually. The most logging interested meant to fell the forest, but had no adequate means of transport to bring the wood for export to Whangarei. Others wanted to burn down the forest in order to use the land for agriculture. Arson in 1888 made ​​it clear that wood would be lost to a large value, the railway should not be built soon. Although the local Member of Parliament announced on 7 August 1889 to build a tram, but was rejected two years from the Public Works Department (PWD ). 1891, formed a consortium to extend the line to the Railway Construction Act 1881 and their detailed offer prompted the newly elected government to act. The Railway Authorization Act of 1891 made ​​free the resources needed by withdrew from a planned two-lane extension of the line from the center of Auckland to Penrose Station.

The interest group was not initially pleased with the progress of the government. The work began because of labor shortages only März 1892. On 2 July 1894, the track was released to Waro. The residents believed that it was the first part of a compound according to Kawakawa, but Richard Seddon had not the entire project, but only the extension released to the forest of Puhipuhi. The track was originally supposed to end in Whakapara. An extension to Waiotu was required for better access to the forest and opened on 28 December 1898. Was called for a further extension until Hukerenui, but this was delayed until the Railway Authorization Act of 1898 was not approved by Parliament. There was considerable political pressure to close the gap between Kawakawa and Whangarei, as the road between the end points of both sections was muddy and in poor condition. The Railway Authorization Act of 1899, therefore, was the construction of the line Waiotu - Hukerenui and 8 km route free south of Kawakawa. The Railways Act of the following year were free to build the last 24 km, to complete the line over Otiria.

On March 1, 1901, the track was released to Hukerenui. 1904 could let go to 12.8 km south of Kawakawa the PWD trains. A lack of detailed exploration, poor funding, unstable terrain and the overloading of the PWD with various tasks contributed to the slow progress of the work. In May 1910, the 7 km long section of Hukerenui was released after Towai. The entire section was completed the following year. On April 13, 1911, he was handed over by the PWD to the New Zealand Railways Department. This Whangarei was connected to the Bay of Iceland.

Helensville - Whangarei

With the completion of the line from Whangarei to Opua was now only a gap between Helensville and Whangarei. The initial work on Schließeung this large gap began in the 1880s as on May 3, 1889 Extension of Helensville after Kanohi opened. Behind Kanohi, the building proved to be extremely difficult and tedious due to the soft clay soil. The 4.5 km between Kanohi and Makarau were therefore only on June 12, 1897 completed, followed by a further 5 km to Tahekeroa on 17 December 1900. Additional sections were completed in the coming decades. On April 1, 1909 Wellsford, was reached on May 16 of the following year Te Hana. In Wellsford a small locomotive depot was established, Te Hana was north to the completion of the total distance end point of the passenger traffic.

After completion of the North Iceland Main Trunk Railway 1908, the workers could be employed in the north. This accelerated the construction for several years. 1914 was the longest with 313 m long bridge in the distance, the Otamatea Bridge, completed. The outbreak of World War I slowed construction. On March 13, 1913, the track reached Kaiwaka. The next part to Huarau, including Otamatea Bridge was officially inaugurated on March 1, 1920. At this time we had begun to push the track at the same time from Whangarei to the south. The section of Whanrarei to Portland went on 3 April 1920 in operation. The work proceeded from both ends to connect Huarau and Portland over Waiotira. However, this was not without controversy with local stakeholders, the alternative routes 's preferred. There was discussion about whether the route should be built only to Whangarei or up to Kaitaia and the Far North as the main route. When should the construction of the line was approved north of Otamatea Bridge, it was planned to build them over via Waiotira and Kirikopuni as part of a main line in the Far North, added a branch line from Waiotira to Whangarei. The government was, however, first free the construction of the branch line. The " main line " on Kirikopuni was officially approved in 1919, but never built. The PWD offered from 1923 to a freight transport between Huarau and Portland, some parts could only be used temporarily because of the difficult soil conditions, however. The track was the Railways Department handed over to 29 November 1925. Thus, the construction of the North Auckland Line was finally finished.

Operation

The route from Westfield Junction to Junction Otiria now belongs to the railway infrastructure company Ontrack. On the section Westfield Junction to Waitakere of suburban Auckland passenger rail service is operated by Veolia under. Furthermore, use of Kiwi Rail freight trains operated the section also Waitakere addition to Otiria Junction. The Bay of Islands Vintage Railway owns and operates the Kawakawa section to Taumarere.

Long-distance traffic

In the early years of the track the services were locally aligned and satisfied more local than national needs. When the track was finished, was a through express train between Auckland and Opua, Northland Express, furnished. In the 1950s, he went three times a week and needed 5 hours, and 20 minutes from Auckland to Whangarei. However, due to the tortuous route the passenger trains were slow and were in competition with the private transport.

In November 1956, the wagon train of the Northland Express was replaced by railcars of the type NZR RM with 88 seats. The connection was indeed popular, the railcars were however taken because of mechanical unreliability already in July 1967 again out of service. As the Auckland Harbour Bridge was opened in 1959 and the journey times reduced drastically by road to the north, the railway was therefore in increased competition and the railcars were not replaced by another passenger train operation. Instead, they hanged cars at some freight trains. These mixed trains ran between Whangarei and Auckland, and between Whangarei and Opua Okaihau respectively. As they followed the schedules of freight trains, the mixed trains were much slower than the railcars. This made them increasingly unpopular, so the mixing operation was abandoned in 1976. Since then drive passenger trains only within the Auckländer transport network.

Commutes for Auckland

Commutes between Auckland and its western suburbs from the beginning was one of the mainstays of the North Auckland Line. Currently, the links between the Britomart Transport Centre in downtown Auckland and Waitakere part of the Western Line of the transport network MAXX. Behind Waitakere persons traveling between Auckland and Helensville was tentatively recorded 2008. At least 40 passengers per day be regarded as the minimum for a permanent connection. If the Marsden Point Branch Line of Oakleigh is built, even commuter trains between Ruakaka and Whangarei can be operated, the North Auckland Line navigate between Whangarei and Oakleigh, and then follow the side road to Ruakaka.

Freight traffic

In the early years of the freight was operated on a local basis, which continued also on the completion of the line addition. The traffic was usually operated in sections Auckland to Whangarei and north of Whangarei. Currently run two freight trains per day between Auckland and Whangarei. The route north of Whangarei is served by a train to Otiria and two trains to Kauri, a third is used when needed. South of Whangarei is working day a tensile member to Portland, available when needed, a second after Wellsford. At the weekend, no freight trains except a train from Auckland to Whangarei; the opposite direction is operated only when needed. Between Whangarei and Waiotira the route is also used by the Dargaville - side route for freight traffic. This is offered on weekdays when needed.

2007 extension of the line from the Chairman of the Northland Regional Council, Mark Farnsworth, as an important step for the construction of the proposed Marsden Point Branch Line was described. The expansion of the tunnel dimensions would allow the transport of large containers between Marsden Point and Auckland.

Locomotives

When the railway was operated near Whangarei isolated from the national rail network, the WB class were operated here until the half of the locomotives. Diesel-electric locomotives were used from 1966, when the locomotives of DB and DG- class steam locomotives of the AB - and J -Class replaced the previously sailed the route several decades. 1968 Makarau tunnel has been extended to allow the use of locomotives of the DA. Locomotives of this series were dominant until well into the 1980s. Although the DA class was found in many other parts of the New Zealand rail network out of service, they were, as the DC series did not fit on this route until February 1989 in use by the Makarau tunnel. Then locomotives of the DF and DX series were used to Whangarei. Today, the DC series can Makarau the tunnel happen.

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