Rapahoe Branch

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The Rapahoe Branch is a branch line railway that formed part of New Zealand's national rail network and was located on the West Coast of the South Island. It has been operating since 1923.

Contents 1 Construction 2 Stations 3 Operation 4 References 5 Further reading

[edit] Construction

The line was built as a sub-branch of the now-closed Rewanui Branch, with the junction in Runanga. Four kilometres in length, it was opened in 1923. When the Rewanui Branch closed on 19 August 1985, the Rapahoe Branch gained the six kilometres from Greymouth to Runanga that was opened 1 December 1904.

[edit] Stations

The only station on the line from Runanga is the terminus at Rapahoe.

[edit] Operation

In the days of steam locomotives, the line was typically worked by members of the A, B, and B^A classes. In 1969, the line was dieselised and members of the DJ and DSC classes became the typical motive power.

The line has recently been slightly abbreviated. The mines served at the terminus have closed, so the Rapahoe terminus has been moved to Rocky Creek, closer to its current source of business. ^[1]

Currently, the only traffic on the line is coal, which is exported via the port of Lyttelton, near Christchurch on the opposite coast of the South Island. Two trains daily run each way between the Rapahoe terminus and Lyttelton.^[2]

[edit] References

• ^  Rapahoe Depot To Close
• ^  New Zealand Train Timetable Guide (accessed 14 October 2006; last update of guide 6 October 2006)

[edit] Further reading

• Churchman, Geoffrey B., and Hurst, Tony; The Railways Of New Zealand: A Journey Through History, HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand), 1991 reprint

New Zealand Railway Lines

v • d • e Main lines v • d • e North Island: East Coast Main Trunk • North Island Main Trunk (inc. Paraparaumu Line) v • d • e South Island: Main North Line and Main South Line, known together as the South Island Main Trunk v • d • e Secondary lines v • d • e North Island: Marton - New Plymouth Line • North Auckland Line • Palmerston North - Gisborne Line • Stratford - Okahukura Line • Wairarapa Line (inc. Hutt Valley Line) v • d • e South Island: Midland Line • Nelson Section • Otago Central Railway • Stillwater - Westport Line • Waimea Plains Railway v • d • e Branch lines v • d • e Upper North Island Cambridge • Dargaville • Donnelly's Crossing • Glen Afton • Kinleith • Kumeu-Riverhead • Mount Maunganui • Murupara • Newmarket • Okaihau • Onehunga • Onerahi • Opua • Rotorua • Taneatua • Thames • Waiuku and Mission Bush v • d • e Lower North Island Ahuriri • Castlecliff and Wanganui • Foxton • Greytown • Johnsonville • Melling • Mount Egmont • Moutohora • Ngatapa • Opunake • Raetihi • Taonui • Te Aro • Waitara v • d • e Upper South Island Blackball and Roa • Cape Foulwind • Conns Creek • Eyreton • Fairlie • Little River • Lyttelton • Methven • Mount Somers • Oxford • Rapahoe • Rewanui • Hokitika/Ross • Seddonville • Southbridge • Waiau • Waimate • Whitecliffs v • d • e Lower South Island Bluff • Catlins River • Dunback and Makareao • Fernhill • Hedgehope • Kingston • Kurow • Moeraki • Mossburn • Ngapara and Tokarahi • Outram • Port Chalmers • Roxburgh • Shag Point • Tapanui • Tokanui • Tuatapere • Waikaia • Waikaka • Wairio • Walton Park • Wyndham v • d • e Private lines Glen Massey Branch • Dunedin Peninsula and Ocean Beach Railway • Dun Mountain Railway • Hutt Park Railway • Kaitangata Line • Sanson Tramway • Wellington and Manawatu Railway v • d • e Significant proposals Canterbury Interior Main Line • Nelson Railway Proposals • Taupo Railway Proposals • Wainuiomata Railway Proposals