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Wellington–Manawatu Line

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206:. It included six tunnels built against a steep cliff face. A temporary tramway was constructed from below No. 13 tunnel to allow goods and passengers to be transhipped to a stagecoach to Foxton. Material for the construction of the tunnels between Paekākāriki and Pukerua Bay were unloaded at a makeshift wharf constructed in Brendan's Bay. Meanwhile, rails were within two miles of Waikanae in the north by 25 September, with a service from 134:
approved the construction of the line, which was included in the Public Works Estimates, reported to the House of Representatives on 27 August 1878. The final details of the survey were completed, and the first construction workers were hired on 21 August 1879. However, Grey's government was defeated
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was formed in May 1881. That year the government passed the Railway Construction and Land Act, which allowed joint stock companies to build and run private railways, so long as they were built to the government's specified gauge and connected with a government line. The company signed a contract to
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elected in its place. Hall had the line removed from the Public Works Estimates and then created a Royal Commission to review the government's public works programme, with a view to reducing government expenditure. The Commission reviewed the Wellington - Manawatu line in March 1880, and concluded
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section, which included the Manawatu River bridge, the longest on the line. Higginson had a special wharf built on the Manawatu River near the bridge site, to allow steamers to offload construction materials for the bridge. In August the Wadestown - Crofton section contract was let, with the
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construct the line in 1882, acquiring the land on which the line was to be built and materials used in the abandoned section of the line. Only one change was made to the Public Works surveys - the line was to connect with the government's line at Longburn, instead of Foxton, leaving the
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No 7 Contract (Wadestown section); the first section from Wellington with three tunnels (No 1,2,3) plus the bridge over the Hutt Road and harbour reclamation for the terminus (22 then 29 acres) for the expanded terminus let to J Sanders (who failed) then Trevor and
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construction of two tunnels. The next contract let was for Johnsonville to Porirua, including the Belmont Viaduct, the highest on the line. The formation reached Paremata by mid-January 1885, with rails being laid over this section six months later.
467: 63:, but land-owning interests in the Wairarapa saw that the latter line was given higher priority. Proposals for a line along the west coast did not resurface until 1878, following the completion of the 183:. Arthur Fulton was given responsibility for the Longburn to Waikanae section, and James the Waikanae to Wellington section. A contract was let in April 1882 for the construction of the Longburn - 210:
connecting the two railheads. The laying of the line from Pukerua Bay to Paekākāriki was completed on 4 October 1886, and on 27 October the lines from Waikanae and Paekākāriki met at
1489: 147:, considered the "father of Wellington", proposed the formation of a private company to build and operate the line. The Wellington Chamber of Commerce supported the move, and the 453: 1513: 1518: 297:
No 6 (Crofton section) Contract with two tunnels before Crofton (No 4,5) and an embankment between them let to P McGrath (who failed) then Trevor and Shields.
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The final option was settled on, as the first two required significant tunnelling, then not feasible (Wellington had a population of just 22,000 in 1878).
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No 9 Contract from Crofton (Ngaio) to Johnsonville with two tunnels (No 6,7) between Khandallah and Johnsonvillle let to Anderson & Co.
572: 214:. The first revenue-earning train, a stock train from Longburn to Johnsonville with 355 sheep and 60 head of cattle, was on 30 October. 1331: 563: 679: 518: 867: 281:
No 12 Pukerua Contract from Paremata Bridge with a four-mile climb to the Pukerua Saddle (above the Plimmerton - now Taupo swamp)
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Proposals for a railway line on the west coast of the North Island predated proposals for a railway line from Wellington to the
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The following contracts were let by the WMR for construction of the line in 1882-85; The northern section supervised by
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No 7 Contract Palmerston (actually to Longburn, and including the Manawatu River Bridge) let to the Wilkie Brothers
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The section was officially opened on 3 November 1886, when the last spike was driven at a public ceremony by the
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No 10 Contract from Porirua to (and including) the Paremata (estuary) Bridge let to Henderson and Co of Dunedin
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The next section, the No 13 Contract from Pukerua Bay to Paekākāriki, was the most difficult; see
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Uncommon Carrier - The History of the Wellington & Manawatu Railway Company, 1882-1908
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conducted a number of surveys a concluded there were three possible routes:
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The company immediately let contracts for construction from Wellington to
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No 17 Contract Waikanae (Nos 17, 18 were not called until 14 July 1885)
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No 14 Contract Manawatu let to Seymour of Auckland (on 25 March 1884)
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in 1876. Proposals were based on the line from the Hutt Valley. The
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No 8 Contract beyond Johnsonville to Porirua including the
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No 16 Contract Otaki let to P Campbell & Co of Dunedin
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The Railways of New Zealand: A Journey through History
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No 11 Contract Palmerston let to the Wilkie Brothers
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Manawatu Times in Papers Past. 1883. 1483:indicates lines which are now closed. 416:"The Last Link (proposed timetables)" 7: 1519:Rail transport in Manawatū-Whanganui 1332:New Zealand Midland Railway Company 275:; The most difficult contract; see 263:The southern section supervised by 271:No 13 Contract Paekakariki let to 25: 329:(from Pukerua Bay to Paekakariki) 237:comprised (from North to South): 418:. Papers Past. 29 October 1886. 140:that work should be abandoned. 37:North Island Main Trunk Railway 1359:Taupo Totara Timber Co Railway 680:Palmerston North–Gisborne Line 154:Palmerston North - Foxton Line 65:Palmerston North - Foxton Line 1: 1461:Wainuiomata railway proposals 1421:Canterbury Interior Main Line 1524:Railway lines opened in 1886 1509:Railway lines in New Zealand 29:Wellington and Manawatu Line 18:Wellington and Manawatu Line 1345:Riccarton Racecourse Siding 1540: 1378:Whakatane Board Mills Line 403:Churchman & Hurst 2001 110: 1474: 634:), known together as the 573:New Zealand railway lines 229:List of Railway Contracts 1441:Nelson railway proposals 1426:Haywards–Plimmerton Line 1370:Wellington–Manawatu Line 734:Stillwater–Ngākawau Line 685:Stratford–Okahukura Line 661:Marton–New Plymouth line 530:Rails out of the Capital 486:Cassells, K. R. (1994). 267:(from North to South): 113:Haywards–Plimmerton Line 1456:Taupo railway proposals 1411:Avondale–Southdown Line 868:Waiuku and Mission Bush 636:South Island Main Trunk 600:North Island Main Trunk 259:No 18 Contract Waikanae 219:Governor of New Zealand 69:Public Works Department 265:Arthur Fultoncomprised 93:in the Hutt Valley to 1416:Auckland Airport Line 1404:Significant proposals 740:Waimea Plains Railway 729:Otago Central Railway 594:East Coast Main Trunk 528:Hoy, Douglas (1970). 100:via Johnsonville and 1436:Martinborough Branch 1431:Marsden Point Branch 1300:Dun Mountain Railway 1198:Ngapara and Tokarahi 1149:Dunback and Makareao 468:"West Coast Railway" 454:"West Coast Railway" 327:North–South Junction 277:North–South Junction 204:North–South Junction 674:North Auckland Line 223:Sir William Jervois 1451:Paeroa–Pokeno Line 1388:Under construction 1312:Glen Massey Branch 781:Donnellys Crossing 167:, now part of the 130:The government of 1496: 1495: 1319:Hutt Park Railway 1287: 1286: 1004:Blackball and Roa 749: 748: 642: 641: 443:, pp. 28–31. 431:, pp. 31–32. 317:Johnsonville Line 169:Johnsonville Line 16:(Redirected from 1531: 1446:North Shore Line 758: 697:Hutt Valley Line 651: 584: 566: 559: 552: 543: 537: 524: 505: 472: 471: 464: 458: 457: 450: 444: 438: 432: 426: 420: 419: 412: 406: 400: 394: 388: 382: 376: 370: 364: 358: 352: 291:let to Danaker. 121:Hutt Valley Line 97:via Haywards; or 81:Akatarawa Valley 45:Palmerston North 21: 1539: 1538: 1534: 1533: 1532: 1530: 1529: 1528: 1499: 1498: 1497: 1492: 1484: 1470: 1399: 1383: 1326:Kaitangata Line 1283: 1128: 1122: 995: 989: 878: 872: 813:Mount Maunganui 800:Kumeu–Riverhead 762: 745: 703: 647:Secondary lines 638: 628:Main South Line 623:Main North Line 612: 575: 570: 540: 527: 521: 508: 502: 485: 481: 476: 475: 466: 465: 461: 452: 451: 447: 439: 435: 427: 423: 414: 413: 409: 401: 397: 391:Cassells (1994) 389: 385: 379:Cassells (1994) 377: 373: 367:Cassells (1994) 365: 361: 353: 346: 341: 336: 308: 289:Belmont Viaduct 231: 191:The rails from 173:Harry Higginson 132:Sir George Grey 128: 123: 57: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1537: 1535: 1527: 1526: 1521: 1516: 1511: 1501: 1500: 1494: 1493: 1475: 1472: 1471: 1469: 1468: 1463: 1458: 1453: 1448: 1443: 1438: 1433: 1428: 1423: 1418: 1413: 1407: 1405: 1401: 1400: 1398: 1397: 1395:City Rail Link 1391: 1389: 1385: 1384: 1382: 1381: 1374: 1362: 1355: 1352:Sanson Tramway 1348: 1341: 1329: 1322: 1315: 1308: 1303: 1295: 1293: 1289: 1288: 1285: 1284: 1282: 1281: 1274: 1267: 1262: 1255: 1248: 1241: 1234: 1227: 1220: 1213: 1208: 1201: 1194: 1187: 1180: 1173: 1166: 1159: 1152: 1145: 1138: 1132: 1130: 1124: 1123: 1121: 1120: 1113: 1106: 1099: 1092: 1087: 1082: 1075: 1070: 1063: 1056: 1049: 1042: 1035: 1028: 1021: 1014: 1007: 999: 997: 991: 990: 988: 987: 982: 975: 968: 961: 954: 947: 940: 933: 926: 919: 912: 905: 900: 893: 888: 882: 880: 874: 873: 871: 870: 865: 858: 853: 848: 841: 834: 827: 820: 815: 810: 803: 796: 791: 784: 777: 772: 766: 764: 755: 751: 750: 747: 746: 744: 743: 736: 731: 726: 723:Nelson Section 719: 711: 709: 705: 704: 702: 701: 691:Wairarapa Line 687: 682: 677: 670: 667:Newmarket Line 663: 657: 655: 648: 644: 643: 640: 639: 632:Lyttelton Line 620: 618: 614: 613: 611: 610: 596: 590: 588: 581: 577: 576: 571: 569: 568: 561: 554: 546: 539: 538: 525: 519: 506: 500: 482: 480: 477: 474: 473: 459: 445: 433: 421: 407: 405:, p. 165. 395: 383: 371: 359: 343: 342: 340: 337: 335: 332: 331: 330: 324: 319: 314: 307: 304: 303: 302: 298: 295: 292: 285: 282: 279: 261: 260: 257: 254: 251: 248: 245: 242: 230: 227: 185:Manawatu River 127: 124: 117:Wairarapa Line 106: 105: 98: 87: 56: 53: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1536: 1525: 1522: 1520: 1517: 1515: 1512: 1510: 1507: 1506: 1504: 1491: 1487: 1482: 1478: 1473: 1467: 1464: 1462: 1459: 1457: 1454: 1452: 1449: 1447: 1444: 1442: 1439: 1437: 1434: 1432: 1429: 1427: 1424: 1422: 1419: 1417: 1414: 1412: 1409: 1408: 1406: 1402: 1396: 1393: 1392: 1390: 1386: 1380: 1379: 1375: 1372: 1371: 1366: 1363: 1361: 1360: 1356: 1354: 1353: 1349: 1347: 1346: 1342: 1339: 1338: 1333: 1330: 1328: 1327: 1323: 1321: 1320: 1316: 1314: 1313: 1309: 1307: 1304: 1302: 1301: 1297: 1296: 1294: 1292:Private lines 1290: 1280: 1279: 1275: 1273: 1272: 1268: 1266: 1263: 1261: 1260: 1256: 1254: 1253: 1249: 1247: 1246: 1242: 1240: 1239: 1235: 1233: 1232: 1228: 1226: 1225: 1221: 1219: 1218: 1214: 1212: 1211:Port Chalmers 1209: 1207: 1206: 1202: 1200: 1199: 1195: 1193: 1192: 1188: 1186: 1185: 1181: 1179: 1178: 1174: 1172: 1171: 1167: 1165: 1164: 1160: 1158: 1157: 1153: 1151: 1150: 1146: 1144: 1143: 1142:Catlins River 1139: 1137: 1134: 1133: 1131: 1125: 1119: 1118: 1114: 1112: 1111: 1107: 1105: 1104: 1100: 1098: 1097: 1093: 1091: 1088: 1086: 1085:Hokitika/Ross 1083: 1081: 1080: 1076: 1074: 1071: 1069: 1068: 1064: 1062: 1061: 1057: 1055: 1054: 1050: 1048: 1047: 1043: 1041: 1040: 1036: 1034: 1033: 1029: 1027: 1026: 1022: 1020: 1019: 1015: 1013: 1012: 1011:Cape Foulwind 1008: 1006: 1005: 1001: 1000: 998: 992: 986: 983: 981: 980: 976: 974: 973: 969: 967: 966: 962: 960: 959: 955: 953: 952: 948: 946: 945: 941: 939: 938: 934: 932: 931: 927: 925: 924: 920: 918: 917: 913: 911: 910: 906: 904: 901: 899: 898: 894: 892: 889: 887: 884: 883: 881: 875: 869: 866: 864: 863: 859: 857: 854: 852: 849: 847: 846: 842: 840: 839: 835: 833: 832: 828: 826: 825: 821: 819: 816: 814: 811: 809: 808: 804: 802: 801: 797: 795: 792: 790: 789: 785: 783: 782: 778: 776: 773: 771: 768: 767: 765: 759: 756: 752: 742: 741: 737: 735: 732: 730: 727: 725: 724: 720: 718: 717: 713: 712: 710: 706: 699: 698: 693: 692: 688: 686: 683: 681: 678: 676: 675: 671: 669: 668: 664: 662: 659: 658: 656: 652: 649: 645: 637: 633: 629: 625: 624: 619: 615: 608: 607: 602: 601: 597: 595: 592: 591: 589: 585: 582: 578: 574: 567: 562: 560: 555: 553: 548: 547: 544: 535: 531: 526: 522: 520:0-908876-20-3 516: 512: 507: 503: 497: 493: 489: 484: 483: 478: 469: 463: 460: 455: 449: 446: 442: 441:Cassells 1994 437: 434: 430: 429:Cassells 1994 425: 422: 417: 411: 408: 404: 399: 396: 393:, p. 44. 392: 387: 384: 381:, p. 21. 380: 375: 372: 369:, p. 17. 368: 363: 360: 357:, p. 11. 356: 355:Cassells 1994 351: 349: 345: 338: 333: 328: 325: 323: 320: 318: 315: 313: 310: 309: 305: 299: 296: 293: 290: 286: 283: 280: 278: 274: 270: 269: 268: 266: 258: 255: 252: 249: 246: 243: 240: 239: 238: 236: 228: 226: 224: 220: 215: 213: 209: 205: 200: 198: 194: 189: 186: 182: 178: 174: 171:. They hired 170: 166: 161: 159: 155: 150: 146: 143:In response, 141: 138: 137:Sir John Hall 133: 125: 122: 118: 114: 109: 103: 99: 96: 92: 88: 86: 82: 78: 74: 73: 72: 70: 66: 62: 54: 52: 50: 46: 42: 38: 34: 30: 19: 1485: 1480: 1476: 1466:Waipu Branch 1376: 1369: 1368: 1357: 1350: 1343: 1337:Midland Line 1335: 1324: 1317: 1310: 1298: 1276: 1269: 1257: 1250: 1243: 1236: 1229: 1222: 1215: 1203: 1196: 1189: 1182: 1175: 1168: 1161: 1154: 1147: 1140: 1129:South Island 1115: 1108: 1101: 1094: 1077: 1065: 1060:Mount Somers 1058: 1051: 1046:Little River 1044: 1037: 1030: 1023: 1016: 1009: 1002: 996:South Island 977: 970: 963: 956: 949: 942: 935: 930:Mount Egmont 928: 921: 916:Johnsonville 914: 907: 895: 879:North Island 860: 843: 836: 829: 822: 805: 798: 786: 779: 763:North Island 754:Branch lines 738: 721: 716:Midland Line 714: 708:South Island 695: 689: 672: 665: 654:North Island 621: 617:South Island 604: 598: 587:North Island 529: 510: 487: 479:Bibliography 462: 448: 436: 424: 410: 398: 386: 374: 362: 273:Samuel Brown 262: 235:James Fulton 232: 216: 201: 190: 181:James Fulton 162: 145:John Plimmer 142: 129: 126:Construction 107: 58: 28: 26: 1271:Walton Park 1117:Whitecliffs 1096:Southbridge 1090:Seddonville 1018:Conns Creek 891:Castlecliff 606:Kapiti Line 322:Kapiti Line 197:Pukerua Bay 158:branch line 95:Paekākāriki 33:New Zealand 1503:Categories 1224:Shag Point 903:Gracefield 788:Glen Afton 775:Dargaville 580:Main lines 501:0908573634 334:References 111:See also: 77:Upper Hutt 41:Wellington 1245:Tuatapere 1163:Hedgehope 1039:Ferrymead 937:Moutohora 770:Cambridge 339:Citations 212:Otaihanga 165:Wadestown 61:Wairarapa 55:Proposals 1486:See also 1217:Roxburgh 1191:Mossburn 1170:Kingston 1156:Fernhill 985:Wanganui 909:Greytown 856:Tāneatua 831:Onehunga 818:Murupara 794:Kinleith 306:See also 195:reached 193:Paremata 85:Waikanae 79:via the 39:between 1481:Italics 1278:Wyndham 1259:Waikaka 1252:Waikaia 1238:Tokanui 1231:Tapanui 1184:Moeraki 1110:Waimate 1079:Rewanui 1073:Rapahoe 1053:Methven 1032:Fairlie 1025:Eyreton 979:Waitara 958:Raetihi 951:Opunake 944:Ngatapa 923:Melling 886:Ahuriri 851:Rotorua 838:Onerahi 824:Okaihau 807:Manukau 301:Shields 102:Porirua 1265:Wairio 1205:Outram 1067:Oxford 972:Te Aro 965:Taonui 897:Foxton 862:Thames 694:(inc. 630:(inc. 603:(inc. 517:  498:  177:Arthur 119:, and 1177:Kurow 1136:Bluff 1127:Lower 1103:Waiau 994:Upper 877:Lower 761:Upper 208:Otaki 91:Taitā 89:from 75:from 1477:Bold 845:Opua 626:and 515:ISBN 496:ISBN 179:and 43:and 27:The 83:to 35:'s 1505:: 1488:: 532:. 494:. 490:. 347:^ 221:, 160:. 156:a 115:, 1373:) 1367:( 1340:) 1334:( 700:) 609:) 565:e 558:t 551:v 536:. 523:. 504:. 104:. 20:)

Index

Wellington and Manawatu Line
New Zealand
North Island Main Trunk Railway
Wellington
Palmerston North
Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company
Wairarapa
Palmerston North - Foxton Line
Public Works Department
Upper Hutt
Akatarawa Valley
Waikanae
Taitā
Paekākāriki
Porirua
Haywards–Plimmerton Line
Wairarapa Line
Hutt Valley Line
Sir George Grey
Sir John Hall
John Plimmer
Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company
Palmerston North - Foxton Line
branch line
Wadestown
Johnsonville Line
Harry Higginson
Arthur
James Fulton
Manawatu River

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