| Matahina Tramway | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Status | Closed |
| Owner | Matahina Tramway Limited |
| Termini |
|
| Service | |
| Operator(s) | Whakatane Board Mills |
| Rolling stock | None |
| History | |
| Opened | 1930 |
| Closed | 1966 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 20 km (12 mi) |
| Number of tracks | Single |
| Character | Bush tramway |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
The Matahina Tramway was a bush tramway in the eastern Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand, connecting to the East Coast Main Trunk at Edgecumbe and terminating at Matahina, near Waiohau. It was owned by Matahina Tramways Limited.[1]
Construction on the tramway began in 1927, just as the East Coast Main Trunk reached Edgecumbe. The tramway opened in 1930 as a means for sawmillers and the Whakatane Board Mill to access plantation forestry. The tramway connected to the Smyth & Co sawmill outside of Edgecumbe, the Smith & Batley Ltd sawmill at Te Teko and Matahina Forests Ltd plantation forest at Matahina. Matahina Forests owned the Whakatane Board Mill.[2] In 1937, the Whakatane Board Mills Line opened, and once the Matahina forests reached maturity in 1943, directly supplied the mill.[3]
The Matahina Tramway closed in 1966.[2]
References
Citations
- ↑ "New Zealand Gazette" (PDF). November 1953. p. 67.
- 1 2 Russell Jnr. 1980, p. 22.
- ↑ Russell Jnr. 1980, p. 23.
Bibliography
- Russell Jnr., John (1980). Bay of Plenty Railways. Railway Enthusiasts Society.
- Yonge, John (1985). New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (Third ed.). Quail Map Company. ISBN 090060932X.