| Whakatane Board Mills Line | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Status | Closed |
| Owner | Whakatane Board Mills |
| Termini |
|
| Service | |
| Operator(s) | Whakatane Board Mills then Tranz Rail |
| Rolling stock | None |
| History | |
| Opened | 1937 |
| Closed | 2001 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 10 km (6.2 mi) |
| Number of tracks | Single |
| Character | Industrial |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
The Whakatane Board Mills Line of 10 km length was opened in 1937 as a freight-only line, and was sometimes referred to as a "private siding".
The line opened in 1937 as a tramway, connecting to the NZR East Coast Main Trunk at Awakeri. Initially, the line carried materials for constructing the Whakatane Board Mill, which opened in 1939.[1]
Two FA class steam locomotives were purchased from New Zealand Government Railways, No 41 in 1937 and No 250 in 1943. The maximum speed on the line was originally 10 mph, then 20 mph; and trains were piloted over level crossings. As the Matahina plantation forests reached maturity, trains began to run to the board mill from the Matahina Tramway (from Edgecumbe to Matahina).[1]
Later two Drewry diesel shunting locomotives built in 1949 and 1950 were used to haul log wagons from the Whakatane Board Mills timber mill on the western side of the Whakatane River at Whakatane to the Taneatua Branch terminal at Awakeri. The line never had passenger services.[2]
Tranz Rail took over operations from 3 October 1999, and renamed the line the Whakatane Industrial Siding.[3]
The line was closed on 3 December 2001,[2] and the track was lifted in 2006.[3]
See also
References
Citations
- 1 2 Russell Jnr. 1980, p. 23.
- 1 2 Brett & van der Weerden 2021, p. 40.
- 1 2 Hermann 2007, p. 41.
Bibliography
- Brett, André; van der Weerden, Sam (2021). Can't Get There From Here - New Zealand Passenger Rail Since 1920. Otago University Press. ISBN 9781990048098.
- Hermann, Bruce J (2007). North Island Branch Lines. Wellington: NZRLS. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-908573-83-7.
- Russell Jnr., John (1980). Bay of Plenty Railways. Railway Enthusiasts Society.
External links
- "Photos of Line in 2004 (Nos 6,8,10)". NZR Cranes. 25 May 2014.
- "Details of Drewry Locomotive" (PDF). Vulcan. 25 May 2014.