Junction of the Dargaville Branch and North Auckland Line in Waiōtira, 2010. The line to Dargaville branches off to the left, while the main line curves to the right towards Whangārei.
The Dargaville Branch was built relatively late in comparison to most railway lines in New Zealand. Construction from Waiotira on the North Auckland Line commenced in 1922. Dargaville, however, was not reached for another eighteen years. The first twenty-two kilometres through unstable country took six years to build, with the line not opened to Kirikopuni until 15 May 1928. In January 1931, the line was open to Tangowahine,[4] sixteen kilometres from Dargaville, but construction ceased for five years due to the Great Depression. In 1940, trains commenced running to Dargaville, but the old railway station (used by the Donnellys Crossing Section) was closed and a new station built at a different location, delaying the formal opening of the Dargaville Branch until 15 March 1943, over twenty years after construction began.
Initially, a railway from Kirikopuni north to Kaikohe was proposed, but by 1928 when there was a line from Whangarei this proposal was discarded. However the line was initially constructed with a balloon loop into the town of Kirikopuni, two kilometres north of the direct line to Dargaville, as a result of pressure from the local MP and Prime Minister Gordon Coates.[5] A bypass eliminated the loop in 1943.
Operation
From its opening until March 1967, mixed trains carrying both passengers and freight ran to connect with passenger services on the North Auckland Line - the Northland Express (Auckland-Opua and return) until November 1956, and then the 88 seaterrailcars (Auckland-Okaihau and return). After March 1967, the line carried freight only.
In December 1998, a major derailment damaged a major section of the track and closed the line. For the first six months of 1999 the line remained closed while Tranz Rail reviewed the line, as one of the biggest customers (Northland Dairy Company's dairy factory in Dargaville) was also due to close in 2000.[6] Tranz Rail reopened the line in June 1999 with logs being the primary business.[6]
A daily return train was scheduled from Monday to Friday but it only ran when required. It takes roughly three hours both ways; the service to Dargaville arrived in the mid-morning and departed before lunch, arriving in Whangarei in the mid-afternoon.
October 2014 closure
Dargaville railway station in 2018. The structure at left is the 1943 station building; the newer office at right was added for the railcart service.
Dargaville yard in use for tourist railcarts in 2018; in the foreground is a small turntable to turn the railcarts.
In late October 2014 KiwiRail staff were told the line was closed until further notice. The loading contractor responsible for the loading of rail wagons, Forest Loaders, were also informed and all remaining wood stock will be removed by road. Earlier the line was shut for a number of months due to a washout, the line was repaired but the only activity after the repair was the removal of all stranded rail wagons.[7]
In 2015, a tourist railcart service began using the branch line.[3]
Motive power
Typical motive power on the Dargaville Branch from its opening until the mid-1960s were steam locomotives of the AB and J classes. When the line was dieselised, DA class diesel-electrics took over and worked the line until 1988. In 2000 the sole remaining DJ class locomotive was allocated to Whangarei to work the line.[8] The DBR class and DC class locomotives comprised the typical motive power from then until the closure of the line in 2014.
Bromby, Robin (2003). Rails that built a Nation: An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand Railways. Wellington: Grantham House. ISBN1-86934-080-9.
Churchman, Geoffrey B; Hurst, Tony (2001) [1990, 1991]. The Railways of New Zealand: A Journey through History (Second ed.). Transpress New Zealand. ISBN0-908876-20-3.
dargaville, branch, branch, line, railway, that, leaves, north, auckland, line, south, whangarei, runs, westward, dargaville, construction, this, relatively, short, line, took, approximately, decades, when, completed, linked, closed, donnellys, crossing, secti. The Dargaville Branch is a branch line railway that leaves the North Auckland Line not far south of Whangarei and runs westward to Dargaville Construction of this relatively short line took approximately two decades and when it was completed it linked the now closed Donnellys Crossing Section with the national rail network 1 2 The branch has been closed to all traffic since 2014 and is currently used by a tourist railcart operation 3 Dargaville BranchGoods wagons for logs in Dargaville railway yard 2010 OverviewStatusMothballed closed until further notice OwnerKiwiRailLocaleDargavilleTerminiWaiotira JunctionDargavilleHistoryOpened15 March 1943TechnicalLine length49 60 km 30 82 mi Number of tracksSingleCharacterRuralTrack gauge1 067 mm 3 ft 6 in Map Contents 1 Construction 2 Operation 3 October 2014 closure 4 Motive power 5 References 5 1 Citations 5 2 Bibliography 6 External linksConstruction Edit Junction of the Dargaville Branch and North Auckland Line in Waiōtira 2010 The line to Dargaville branches off to the left while the main line curves to the right towards Whangarei The Dargaville Branch was built relatively late in comparison to most railway lines in New Zealand Construction from Waiotira on the North Auckland Line commenced in 1922 Dargaville however was not reached for another eighteen years The first twenty two kilometres through unstable country took six years to build with the line not opened to Kirikopuni until 15 May 1928 In January 1931 the line was open to Tangowahine 4 sixteen kilometres from Dargaville but construction ceased for five years due to the Great Depression In 1940 trains commenced running to Dargaville but the old railway station used by the Donnellys Crossing Section was closed and a new station built at a different location delaying the formal opening of the Dargaville Branch until 15 March 1943 over twenty years after construction began Initially a railway from Kirikopuni north to Kaikohe was proposed but by 1928 when there was a line from Whangarei this proposal was discarded However the line was initially constructed with a balloon loop into the town of Kirikopuni two kilometres north of the direct line to Dargaville as a result of pressure from the local MP and Prime Minister Gordon Coates 5 A bypass eliminated the loop in 1943 Operation EditFrom its opening until March 1967 mixed trains carrying both passengers and freight ran to connect with passenger services on the North Auckland Line the Northland Express Auckland Opua and return until November 1956 and then the 88 seater railcars Auckland Okaihau and return After March 1967 the line carried freight only In December 1998 a major derailment damaged a major section of the track and closed the line For the first six months of 1999 the line remained closed while Tranz Rail reviewed the line as one of the biggest customers Northland Dairy Company s dairy factory in Dargaville was also due to close in 2000 6 Tranz Rail reopened the line in June 1999 with logs being the primary business 6 A daily return train was scheduled from Monday to Friday but it only ran when required It takes roughly three hours both ways the service to Dargaville arrived in the mid morning and departed before lunch arriving in Whangarei in the mid afternoon October 2014 closure Edit Dargaville railway station in 2018 The structure at left is the 1943 station building the newer office at right was added for the railcart service Dargaville yard in use for tourist railcarts in 2018 in the foreground is a small turntable to turn the railcarts In late October 2014 KiwiRail staff were told the line was closed until further notice The loading contractor responsible for the loading of rail wagons Forest Loaders were also informed and all remaining wood stock will be removed by road Earlier the line was shut for a number of months due to a washout the line was repaired but the only activity after the repair was the removal of all stranded rail wagons 7 In 2015 a tourist railcart service began using the branch line 3 Motive power EditTypical motive power on the Dargaville Branch from its opening until the mid 1960s were steam locomotives of the AB and J classes When the line was dieselised DA class diesel electrics took over and worked the line until 1988 In 2000 the sole remaining DJ class locomotive was allocated to Whangarei to work the line 8 The DBR class and DC class locomotives comprised the typical motive power from then until the closure of the line in 2014 References EditCitations Edit Hermann 2007 p 5 6 Churchman amp Hurst 2001 p 98 99 a b Annette Lamby 2 November 2015 Rail cart venture ready to roll in Dargaville Stuff co nz Retrieved 21 March 2019 Ryburn Wayne 1999 Tall Spars Steamers amp Gum p 186 ISBN 0 473 06176 7 Churchman amp Hurst 2001 p 98 a b Bromby 2003 p 55 North s rail line to be mothballed Northern Advocate 3 March 2016 Retrieved 21 March 2019 Parsons 2002 p 43 Bibliography Edit Bromby Robin 2003 Rails that built a Nation An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand Railways Wellington Grantham House ISBN 1 86934 080 9 Churchman Geoffrey B Hurst Tony 2001 1990 1991 The Railways of New Zealand A Journey through History Second ed Transpress New Zealand ISBN 0 908876 20 3 Hermann Bruce J 2007 North Island Branch Lines Wellington New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society ISBN 978 0 908573 83 7 Parsons David 2002 New Zealand Railway Motive Power 2002 New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society p 64 ISBN 978 0 908573 78 3 External links EditPhotos First train and Pukehuia station in 1927 First train over Wairoa Bridge in 1927 Pukehuia station in 1973 Kirikopuni station in 1973 Tangowahine station in 1973 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dargaville Branch amp oldid 1125885975, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
