Rata railway station

Rata railway station was a station on the North Island Main Trunk in New Zealand, between Marton and Hunterville,[1][2] 9 mi 46 ch (15.4 km) from Marton. There is now just a single track through the station site,[3] a new crossing loop having replaced those at Rata and Porewa from 14 December 1983,[4] 3.04 km (1.89 mi) to the west of Rata.[1] The realignment of State Highway 1 alongside the railway in 2006 took some former railway land.

Rata railway station
Rata railway station in 1971
General information
LocationNew Zealand
Coordinates39.996432°S 175.514206°E / -39.996432; 175.514206
Elevation194 m (636 ft)
Line(s)North Island Main Trunk
DistanceWellington 195.46 km (121.45 mi)
History
Opened2 June 1888
ClosedTo passengers by December 1975
To goods 14 December 1983
ElectrifiedJune 1988
Services
Preceding station   Historical railways   Following station
Silverhope
Line open, station closed
4.82 km (3.00 mi)		   North Island Main Trunk
KiwiRail		   Porewa
Line open, station closed
4.93 km (3.06 mi)

History

The line was inspected in 1884[5] and the official opening of the 15 mi 57 ch (25.3 km) Marton to Hunterville branch (later incorporated into the NIMT) was on Saturday 2 June 1888, when the station was served by two trains a week.[6] By 1894 the branch had two trains a day.[7]

Rata had a population of 210 in 1901,[8] which had declined to 170 by 1911.[9] In 1888 and 1889 Bailey Brothers asked for a private siding at Rata station.[10] They had one by 1891,[11] by which time there was another sawmill, both largely cutting totara.[12] The last sawmill moved north in 1905.[13] Rata had a butter factory in 1904.[14] Floods affected the area in 1913.[15]

By 1896 Rata had a shelter shed, passenger platform, cattle yards, water service, urinals and a passing loop for 19 wagons. Sheep and cattle yards were added in 1898.[10] A cart approach was built and a railway cottage moved from Mangaonoho in 1904.[16] A loading platform was built in 1907 and a shed from Utiku was used for the tablet equipment.[17] The station was enlarged in 1908,[18] a post office provided in 1910 and fixed signals added in 1911.[10] In 1913 a request was made for a goods shed,[10] which was rejected in 1916.[19]

Rata was an unattended flag station from 13 August 1978. Removal of the station building was approved in 1979, but it remained in 1980, together with a goods shed and loading bank used by Rangitikei Farm Products. On Sunday, 31 January 1982 Rata closed to all but private siding traffic and to all traffic on 14 December 1983.[10]

State Highway 1 was straightened between Silverhope and Rata[20][21] in 2006, taking some former railway land.[22]

References
  1. New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (1st ed.). Quail Map Co. 1965. pp. 3 & 4.
  2. Pierre, Bill (1981). North Island Main Trunk. Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed. pp. 289–290. ISBN 0589013165.
  3. "2681 State Hwy 1". Google Maps. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  4. "Juliet Scoble: Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  5. "MANAWATU TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 19 December 1884. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  6. "INTERPROVINCIAL. EVENING STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2 June 1888. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  7. "LOCAL AND GENERAL. WANGANUI CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 25 October 1894. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  8. "Results of the Census of New Zealand, taken for the night of the 31st March, 1901".
  9. "Report on the results of a census of the Dominion of New Zealand, taken for the night of the 2nd April, 1911".
  10. "Stations" (PDF). NZR Rolling Stock Lists. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  11. "Railway Report. FEILDING STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 27 June 1891. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  12. "WAYSIDE JOTTINGS. WANGANUI HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 29 January 1891. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  13. "RATA NOTES. WANGANUI CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1 September 1905. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  14. "RATA NOTES. WANGANUI CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 3 September 1904. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  15. "THE FLOOD WATERS OF THE RANGITIKEI AT RATA. (Photos by J. Logan.) OTAGO WITNESS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 5 November 1913. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  16. "RATA NOTES. WANGANUI CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 7 May 1904. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  17. "RANGITIKEI ADVOCATE AND MANAWATU ARGUS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 12 November 1907. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  18. "RATA NOTES. WANGANUI CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 8 January 1908. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  19. "RANGITIKEI ADVOCATE AND MANAWATU ARGUS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 10 July 1916. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  20. "1:50000 map Sheet: S22 Whangaehu". www.mapspast.org.nz. 1987. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  21. "1:50000 map Sheet: BL34 Hunterville". www.mapspast.org.nz. 2009. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  22. "Road Realignment—State Highway No. 1, - 2006-ln1352 - New Zealand Gazette". gazette.govt.nz. Retrieved 20 January 2021.


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