Longburn Line open, station closed 6.29 km (3.91 mi)
It is the northern terminus of the Capital Connection long distance commuter train to Wellington and was a major stop on the Northern Explorer service between Auckland and Wellington until 2021.[1]
A new Palmerston North (regional) intermodal freight hub is proposed by KiwiRail for a site to the north-east of Palmerston North. The plan has been developed with a grant of $40 million from the Provincial Growth Fund, as announced by the minister Shane Jones on 15 November 2018. The freight hub would replace the Tremaine Avenue freight yard,[2][3][4] which is to the east of the station[5] and provides mainly for freight to Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.[6]
The original Palmerston North Central railway station was opened on 20 October 1876. Traffic increased with the opening of the line to Napier via Woodville in 1891, and the station was moved 30 chains (603m) south in March 1891. But it was still a bottleneck, and remained the longest-persisting bottleneck on the Main Trunk until the 1960s.
Changes were recommended by Hiley in 1914, a commission in 1916 and the Fay-Raven commission in 1924–25. Construction of the Milson deviation to shift the line and station northwest and away from the centre of Palmerston North started in May 1926,[7] but was delayed by the depression and Second World War, and objections from the local business quarter; when work was suspended in April 1929, the reasons given by Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, included the distance of the new station from the town centre.[8]
Work by the Public Works Department (PWD) was stopped on 18 April 1929, when within 42 ch (840 m) of completion,[9] by Minister of Works Alfred Ransom and restarted in 1938 by Bob Semple but halted by the Second World War. Work finally resumed in 1957 under Minister John McAlpine,[10] the first stage to Milson from the north-east was opened on 22 April 1954. The deviation was opened to Longburn for through goods trains on 27 July 1959.[10] On 21 October 1963 the new station and yards were opened, and all rail traffic removed from the main street and square of Palmerston North. The old line was closed by mid-1965, and the Awapuni railway station south of the main station on the old route was also closed.[10] The new route was 1 mi 4 ch (1.7 km) shorter than the old.[11]
tickets sales 1881–1950 – derived from annual returns to Parliament of "Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended"
Current use
The station currently serves one route – the Capital Connection. This service see the station visited by 1 or 2 trains per weekday – down from >60 when the station was opened.[12] Heritage excursions also occasionally use the station. The main building is used as KiwiRail offices or storage, and the old cafeteria is used as a after-school care centre. The station is not served by a city bus route but has a taxi rank.
Gallery
Official opening of Milson Deviation - 27 July 1959
Milson Deviation Opening Ceremony - 27 July 1959
Milson Deviation
References
Citations
^"Urgent calls for long-distance passenger services to stay as KiwiRail cuts operations". Newshub. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
^"New $40-million rail freight centre for Palmerston North". Stuff (Fairfax). 15 November 2018.
^"Regional Economic Development". The Beehive. 15 November 2018.
^"Palmerston North freight hub (timetable)". KiwiRail. 2019.
^"Palmerston North". KiwiRail. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
^"Rail Freight Timetables". KiwiRail. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
^"PALMERSTON N. DEVIATION TO BE RESUMED. MANAWATU HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 14 January 1938. Retrieved 14 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^"The old station and yards in Palmerston North". Archives New Zealand.
Bibliography
Pierre, Bill, North Island Main Trunk pp. 192–199 (Reed, Wellington, 1981) ISBN0-589-01316-5
Leitch, David; Scott, Brian (1995). Exploring New Zealand's Ghost Railways (1998 ed.). Wellington: Grantham House. ISBN1-86934-048-5.
External links
Palmerston North Government offices in the Cyclopaedia of New Zealand (1897)
January 31, 2023
palmerston, north, railway, station, main, station, north, island, main, trunk, serving, city, palmerston, north, manawatū, whanganui, region, zealand, palmerston, northan, electric, class, backing, onto, overlander, palmerston, north, railway, station, 2007, . Palmerston North railway station is a main station on the North Island Main Trunk serving the city of Palmerston North in the Manawatu Whanganui region of New Zealand Palmerston NorthAn electric EF class backing onto the Overlander at Palmerston North Railway Station 2007 General informationLocationMatthews Avenue Palmerston NorthNew ZealandCoordinates40 20 40 S 175 35 40 E 40 3444 S 175 5944 E 40 3444 175 5944 Coordinates 40 20 40 S 175 35 40 E 40 3444 S 175 5944 E 40 3444 175 5944Elevation30 m 98 ft Owned byKiwiRailLine s North Island Main TrunkDistanceWellington 136 23 km 84 65 mi Platforms1 side platformTracks1ConnectionsNapier amp Gisborne line goods only ConstructionParkingYesBicycle facilitiesYesHistoryOpened20 October 1876 146 years ago 1876 10 20 Rebuilt1891 1963Electrified25 kV 50 Hz ACServicesPreceding station KiwiRail Following stationTerminus Capital Connection Shannontowards WellingtonHistoric railwaysPreceding station Historical railways Following stationTerminus Palmerston North Gisborne LineKiwiRail WhakarongoLine open station closed8 75 km 5 44 mi BunnythorpeLine open station closed8 52 km 5 29 mi North Island Main TrunkKiwiRail LongburnLine open station closed6 29 km 3 91 mi It is the northern terminus of the Capital Connection long distance commuter train to Wellington and was a major stop on the Northern Explorer service between Auckland and Wellington until 2021 1 A new Palmerston North regional intermodal freight hub is proposed by KiwiRail for a site to the north east of Palmerston North The plan has been developed with a grant of 40 million from the Provincial Growth Fund as announced by the minister Shane Jones on 15 November 2018 The freight hub would replace the Tremaine Avenue freight yard 2 3 4 which is to the east of the station 5 and provides mainly for freight to Auckland Wellington Christchurch and Dunedin 6 Contents 1 Milson deviation 2 Current use 3 Gallery 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 Bibliography 5 External linksMilson deviation EditThe original Palmerston North Central railway station was opened on 20 October 1876 Traffic increased with the opening of the line to Napier via Woodville in 1891 and the station was moved 30 chains 603m south in March 1891 But it was still a bottleneck and remained the longest persisting bottleneck on the Main Trunk until the 1960s Changes were recommended by Hiley in 1914 a commission in 1916 and the Fay Raven commission in 1924 25 Construction of the Milson deviation to shift the line and station northwest and away from the centre of Palmerston North started in May 1926 7 but was delayed by the depression and Second World War and objections from the local business quarter when work was suspended in April 1929 the reasons given by Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward included the distance of the new station from the town centre 8 Work by the Public Works Department PWD was stopped on 18 April 1929 when within 42 ch 840 m of completion 9 by Minister of Works Alfred Ransom and restarted in 1938 by Bob Semple but halted by the Second World War Work finally resumed in 1957 under Minister John McAlpine 10 the first stage to Milson from the north east was opened on 22 April 1954 The deviation was opened to Longburn for through goods trains on 27 July 1959 10 On 21 October 1963 the new station and yards were opened and all rail traffic removed from the main street and square of Palmerston North The old line was closed by mid 1965 and the Awapuni railway station south of the main station on the old route was also closed 10 The new route was 1 mi 4 ch 1 7 km shorter than the old 11 tickets sales 1881 1950 derived from annual returns to Parliament of Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended Current use EditThe station currently serves one route the Capital Connection This service see the station visited by 1 or 2 trains per weekday down from gt 60 when the station was opened 12 Heritage excursions also occasionally use the station The main building is used as KiwiRail offices or storage and the old cafeteria is used as a after school care centre The station is not served by a city bus route but has a taxi rank Gallery Edit Official opening of Milson Deviation 27 July 1959 Milson Deviation Opening Ceremony 27 July 1959 Milson DeviationReferences EditCitations Edit Urgent calls for long distance passenger services to stay as KiwiRail cuts operations Newshub Retrieved 29 January 2022 New 40 million rail freight centre for Palmerston North Stuff Fairfax 15 November 2018 Regional Economic Development The Beehive 15 November 2018 Palmerston North freight hub timetable KiwiRail 2019 Palmerston North KiwiRail Retrieved 1 May 2021 Rail Freight Timetables KiwiRail Retrieved 1 May 2021 Leitch amp Scott 1995 p 33 SUSPENSION OF WORK MANAWATU STANDARD paperspast natlib govt nz 16 April 1929 Retrieved 14 March 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link PUBLIC WORKS PRESS paperspast natlib govt nz 26 October 1929 Retrieved 14 December 2022 a b c Leitch amp Scott 1995 p 34 PALMERSTON N DEVIATION TO BE RESUMED MANAWATU HERALD paperspast natlib govt nz 14 January 1938 Retrieved 14 March 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link The old station and yards in Palmerston North Archives New Zealand Bibliography Edit Pierre Bill North Island Main Trunk pp 192 199 Reed Wellington 1981 ISBN 0 589 01316 5 Leitch David Scott Brian 1995 Exploring New Zealand s Ghost Railways 1998 ed Wellington Grantham House ISBN 1 86934 048 5 External links EditPalmerston North Government offices in the Cyclopaedia of New Zealand 1897 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Palmerston North railway station amp oldid 1127413681, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
