Raroa Railway Station

Infobox Station
name=Raroa
type=Metlink commuter rail


image_size=
image_caption=
address=Fraser Avenue, Raroa, Wellington, New Zealand
coordinates= coord|41|13|56.34|S|174|48|6.27|E|type:railwaystation_region:NZ|
line=Johnsonville Branch
other=
structure=
platform=Single side
depth=
levels=
tracks=Main line (1)
parking=Yes
bicycle=No
baggage_check=No
passengers=
pass_year=
pass_percent=
pass_system=
opened=1940
closed=
rebuilt=
electrified=
ADA=
code=
owned=Tranz Metro
zone=3 [cite web |url=http://www.metlink.org.nz/story21116.php? |title=Text description of fare zone boundaries |accessdate=2008-01-02 |format= |work= ]
former=
services=
mpassengers=

Raroa railway station is one of eight stations on the Johnsonville Branch, a commuter branch railway north of Wellington in New Zealand's North Island. It serves the suburbs of Raroa and Broadmeadows, and is one of four stations on the line to be located on a curve.

Electric multiple unit trains are operated by Tranz Metro under the Metlink brand through this station in both directions to Johnsonville (to the north) and Wellington (to the south).

History

Raroa came into existence subsequent to electrification to serve the needs of the expanding population north of Wellington, and was opened in 1940. [cite book |last=Hoy |first=Douglas G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Rails Out Of The Capital |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year=1970 |month= |publisher=The New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society |location=Wellington |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=93-95 |chapter=Appendix A: Stations and Stopping Places |chapterurl= |quote= ]

One of the things for which Raroa is most notable is the fact that it was the terminus for the last of the freight traffic on the Johnsonville Branch. Because of transport licensing regulations under a 1931 Act of parliament that required rail to be used in preference to road to cart goods over certain distances if there was a rail option, livestock trains were run on the Johnsonville Branch to transport livestock to abattoirs in the Ngauranga Gorge. Though the provision relating to the transport of livestock was repealed in 1962, the trains continued to run until about 1973. The terminus of this service used to be the stockyards at Johnsonville station, but public pressure in the 1950s caused the stockyards to be relocated to Raroa in 1958. From the stockyards, the livestock went by road to their final destination. [cite book |last=Churchman |first=Geoffrey B. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=The Story of The Wellington to Johnsonville Railway |origdate= |origyear=1988 |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition=Second Edition |series= |date= |year=1998 |month= |publisher=IPL Books |location=Wellington |language= |isbn=0-908876-05-X |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages= |chapter=Electrified Operations |chapterurl= |quote=... This was a train bringing livestock for sale at the yards in Johnsonville, after which it was driven by road to the abattoirs in the Ngauranga Gorge. ... In the 1950s, local pressure saw the stock yards transferred to Raroa. The transportation of livestock on the line was due to transport licensing regulations which prevented the transport of goods by road for more than specified distances if rail transport between the localities existed. With the repeal of the particular provision relating to livestock in 1962, the way was open for the railing of livestock on the Johnsonville Line to be replaced by road. Stock trains in fact lingered on and ceased about 1973. ]

Services

Trains run in both directions through this station, departing at half-hourly intervals, supplemented by a 13/13/26 schedule at peak times on week days.

There are no bus connections with this station.

Facilities

This station has a single side platform and passenger shelter. Access to the station is from Fraser Avenue, with pedestrian access from Haumia Street via a walkway, and from Burma Road (Onslow College and Raroa Intermediate School), Raroa Park and Tuapapa Street via a footbridge. Station car parking is off Fraser Avenue.

Footnotes

External links

* Train timetables from [http://www.metlink.org.nz/section10.php Metlink] and [http://www.tranzmetro.co.nz/ Tranz Metro] .
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