Helensville railway station

Helensville South in 1909

Helensville South was the original terminus from Thursday, 28 October 1875,[16] when the 16.5 mi (26.6 km) Kaipara – Riverhead line opened, with a daily train each way from Friday, 29 October.[17] It was near Rimu Street,[18] 0.7 km (0.43 mi) south of the later Helensville station.[2] A Kaipara River wharf, accessible only at high tide,[19] was built in 1872 and a goods shed and station house in 1873. Initially journeys were slow, as there was no ballast, sleepers being held only by clay and fern. On 25 July 1876 Helensville South was described as a temporary station. The town grew up close to the old station, so that there was opposition to closing it. In October 1880 a petition asked for a small platform and in July 1881 another petition opposed closure. Therefore, on 9 February 1881, when the new terminus opened, the old Helensville station became Helensville South flag station. A platform was built later that year, a ticket office in 1884, by which time there was also a cart approach, and a shelter shed in 1887. By 1896 there were also urinals and private sidings for Helensville Timber Co and Waitemata County Council, with a siding for Kaipara Dairy added when their factory opened in 1911, on the site of a sawmill.[20] In 1912 a 20-ton weighbridge was added.[21] A light was added in 1921.[22] The Mill Road level crossing was replaced by a bridge in 1938.[23] By 1978 only a shelter shed remained.[21] Both stations lost their passenger trains to the north from 31 July 1967, general goods traffic from 9 July 1978 and Auckland suburban trains from 30 November 1980.[1]

In 1877 a 5th class stationmaster's house and a gatekeeper's house were built and a manager's house added in 1878. By March 1878 the extension from Helensville (later called Helensville South) to Stewart's Flat (later called Helensville) was completed, about £15,000 being spent to extend the line north and build a less tide dependent wharf, which was finished on 20 February 1880, though it wasn't until 9 February 1881 that the extension opened. On Monday, 18 July 1881 the line through to Auckland opened. A Post Office was at the station from 1 August 1881 to 1887 and from 1 May 1895 to 1 March 1911. The station building was completed by January 1882 and cattle pens and sidings planned. By 1884 there was a special station, platform, cart approach, 60 ft (18 m) x 30 ft (9.1 m) goods shed, crane, coal bunker, engine shed, stationmaster's house, urinals and cattle yards.[21] After 8 years as a terminus, the line was extended 9.36 km (5.82 mi)[2] to Kaukapakapa on Friday, 3 May 1889.[24][25] A verandah was added in 1893, a weighbridge in 1897 and a turntable in 1911,[21] which was replaced by the triangle in 1942.[26] From 1910[27] to the 1940s there was a refreshment room at the station.[28] In 1927 the station, platform and dining room were increased in size[29] and moved east,[26] to ease a curve.[30] In 1964 there was a fire in the locomotive shed.[21] The station building had its chimney stacks removed after the 1970s.[31]