Pukekohe railway station
Pukekohe | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Auckland Transport Urban rail | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Looking south from Station Road. | |||||||||||||||||||||
Location | 40 Station Road, Pukekohe, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 37°12′12″S 174°54′36″E / 37.203333°S 174.910000°E | ||||||||||||||||||||
Owned by | KiwiRail (track and platforms) Auckland Transport (buildings) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Line(s) | Southern Line | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance | Wellington 628.86 km (390.76 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Platforms | Island platform | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tracks | Mainline (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Construction | |||||||||||||||||||||
Platform levels | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Parking | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||
Bicycle facilities | No | ||||||||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||||||||
Opened | 20 May 1875 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Rebuilt | 1913 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Electrified | No | ||||||||||||||||||||
Passengers | |||||||||||||||||||||
2018-19 | 269,000[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Services | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Pukekohe railway station in the township of Pukekohe is the southern terminus (but not for electric services) of the Southern Line of the Auckland railway network. The station has an island platform between the main lines and an original wooden station building complete with signal panel.
Pukekohe was 30 mi (48 km) south of Auckland in 1882,[2] or, in 1943, 30 mi 1 ch (48.3 km) via Newmarket, or 32 mi 17 ch (51.8 km) via Orakei and 61 m (200 ft) above sea level.[3] In 1913 the station was rebuilt to the south, away from the town centre and it was converted to an island platform in 1941 and rebuilt again from 2016.
History[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Pukekohe_Hotel_and_railway_station_about_1910.png/220px-Pukekohe_Hotel_and_railway_station_about_1910.png)
The railway from Ōtāhuhu reached West Pukekohe in 1873[4] and the line opened to Mercer on 20 May 1875,[5] though initially there was no goods service.[6] The station caused the town centre to be refocused along King Street.[7] A rimu and kauri[8] 4th class station[9] and stationmaster's house[10] were built in 1875.[11] Additions were made in 1878 and 1883, so that by 1884 it also had a cart approach to the platform, a 60 ft (18 m) by 30 ft (9.1 m) goods shed, loading bank, cattle yards, weighbridge and urinals. In 1902 the station had an iron roof and contained a ladies' waiting room, public vestibule, railway and postal room, and porter's room. There were four sidings in connection with the station, and the staff consisted of the stationmaster, two cadets, a messenger, and a porter.[12] There was a Post Office at the station from 1883 to 1909,[9] though a conflict between the departments in 1883.[13] Further railway houses were added in 1909, 1911 and 1955.[9]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Pukekohe_railway_station_in_1913.jpg/220px-Pukekohe_railway_station_in_1913.jpg)
A wooden section of platform was replaced by bitumen in 1936.[14] In 1978 the platform was 216 m (709 ft) long.[9]
In 1986 the footbridge was shortened and it was proposed to close the station to goods in less than wagon loads and in 1987 tenders were called for removal of the goods shed.[9]
Upgrades[]
Until 1912 the station was in a deep cutting and on a heavy grade, but was then moved about 17 ch (0.34 km) south.[9] A new class B station was built in 1913[15] and part of the old station was used as a goods office.[9]
The 6 mi 11 ch (9.9 km) of track from Paerata, through Pukekohe to Tuakau was doubled from 21 November 1954.[9] Work had started on the doubling in 1938[16] and the station at Pukekohe converted to an island platform in 1941.[17]
Patronage[]
The table and graph below show a slow growth in passenger numbers, with a peak during World War 2. At 269,000,[18] the current numbers far exceed even that 1943 peak of 155,392, but Pukekohe's population has grown from 3,610 in 1947[19] to 11,676 in 2018.[20] However, there were fewer than 100 passengers a day in 2001, but numbers rose rapidly to over 500 by 2011.[21]
year | tickets | season tickets | staff | source | showtitle |
Pukekohe Racecourse[]
Franklin Racecourse station, to the south of Pukekohe, was open from about 1921 to 1955.[11] From 1938 there was a siding at Pukekohe Racecourse and the formation was built up to rail level for about 750 ft (230 m), in place of a platform.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/Chart_of_Pukekohe_railway_station_ticket_sales_1881-1950.jpg/220px-Chart_of_Pukekohe_railway_station_ticket_sales_1881-1950.jpg)
Services[]
In 1875 Pukekohe had two trains a day in each direction taking about 2 hours from Auckland.[23] In 2019 journeys to Auckland took 1hr 11mins, running half hourly.[24]
Since 2000, the country town of Pukekohe has been the southern terminus for the Southern Line. However suburban trains start or terminate at the former terminus at Papakura (18.2 km north of Pukekohe) because network electrification does not extend beyond Papakura. An hourly diesel train shuttle service has operated between Pukekohe and Papakura since July 2015, when EMU electric services were inaugurated for Southern Line services.
ADL class DMUs are utilized for the shuttle. The trains are stabled at Pukekohe station and Westfield depot overnight. In December 2014, the SX train (minus locomotives) and an ADK set (both decommissioned from service following the introduction of EMUs on the Auckland network) were relocated to Pukekohe for storage pending disposal. The stored trains were later relocated to Waitakere and Helensville, and then back to Westfield.
In December 2014, service frequency of the shuttle service was increased to hourly on all days, including weekend services for the first time.
Bus routes 391, 392, 393, 394, 396, 398 and 399 serve Pukekohe Station.[25]
Upgrade[]
In 2011, the Auckland Council agreed to fund an upgrade to the station, along with the construction of a Park and ride facility.[26] In 2014 Auckland Transport announced plans to upgrade Pukekohe station in two stages, with the first stage in 2015 to include a bus interchange and a Park and Ride. The upgrade also included replacement of the wooden sections of platform and a new footbridge and lifts.[27]
Auckland Transport also added a proposal to extend railway electrification to Pukekohe to its 10-year plan.[28]
Electrification of the rail line from Papakura to Pukekohe was announced in 2020; with the upgrade then planned to be completed by 2021 (see also New Zealand Upgrade Programme and Auckland railway electrification). [29][30]
Electrification work is to commence in 2020 (with three new stations proposed on the route). [31]
To provide space for stabling trains, Kiwirail plans to remove, or demolish the 1913 station by November 2021.[32] A 2019 report said that relocating the station is impractical and could cost almost $2.7m.[33] It has been described as, "one of Pukekohe’s more important heritage buildings".[34]
Bus station[]
The $15.4 million upgrade, with a new park and ride area, improved bus station facilities and a pedestrian overbridge at the new integrated bus and train station, began construction in July 2017.[35][36] The 6-bay bus station opened on 6 June 2018.[27]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ "2019 Rail Station Boardings". Greater Auckland. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ^ "Page 6 Advertisements Column 3 (New Zealand Herald, 1882-03-31)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
- ^ New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (Fourth ed.). Quail Map Co. 1993. ISBN 0 900609 92 3.
- ^ "THE AUCKLAND AND WAIKATO RAILWAY. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 11 July 1873. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
- ^ "OPENING OF THE Auckland and Mercer Railway FOR TRAFFIC. AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 20 May 1875. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "PUKEKOHE. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2 June 1875. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "Pukekohe Heritage Survey" (PDF). Auckland Council.
- ^ "AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 30 January 1874. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h "Stations" (PDF). NZR Rolling Stock Lists. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "PUKEKOHE. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 14 May 1875. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Scoble, Juliet (2010). "Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations" (PDF). Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ "Pukekohe | NZETC". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
- ^ "SCENE AT PUKEKOHE. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 3 March 1883. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "STATION IMPROVEMENTS. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 16 May 1936. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "Pukekohe Station". railheritage.org.nz. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "Duplication of Main Trunk Line. FRANKLIN TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 8 June 1938. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "LOCAL AND GENERAL. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 8 July 1941. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "2019 Rail Station Boardings". Greater Auckland. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ^ "OFFICIAL YEAR-BOOK, 1947-49". StatsNZ.
- ^ "Story Map Series". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ^ "The case for closing Waitakere Station". Greater Auckland. 22 April 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
- ^ Auckland Transport Board Meeting (20 November 2012) Agenda Item 10(i) "Rail Electrification Extension" Archived 14 December 2012 at the Wayback Machine p. 16
- ^ "Auckland & Mercer Railway time table DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 5 June 1875. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "Southern Line" (PDF). November 2019.
- ^ "Southern Guide – from July 2018" (PDF). Auckland Transport. July 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ^ "Park 'n' ride a priority". Auckland Council. 25 May 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Pukekohe Station project updates". Auckland Transport. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ Mathew Dearnaley (22 May 2012). "Push for electric to Pukekohe". The New Zealand Herald.
- ^ "Pukekohe electrification ahead but questions still remain". Stuff/Fairfax. 7 February 2020.
- ^ "Electric rail link will connect Pukekohe with the rest of Auckland". Stuff/Fairfax. 9 May 2018.
- ^ "Auckland Metro: Papakura to Pukekohe electrification". KiwiRail. 2020.
- ^ "Pukekohe's historical railway station building faces demolition". Stuff. 21 February 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
- ^ "AT report says moving Pukekohe train station impractical and costly". OurAuckland. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
- ^ "Pukekohe Station". railheritage.org.nz. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "Full steam ahead for Pukekohe Station". Auckland Transport. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
- ^ "Pukekohe Station project updates". Auckland Transport. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
External links[]
- Rail transport in the Auckland Region
- Buildings and structures in the Auckland Region
- Railway stations in New Zealand
- Railway stations opened in 1875