Trentham Railway Station
Trentham Metlink suburban rail | ||||||||||||||||
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Station statistics | ||||||||||||||||
Address | Ararino Street, Trentham. | |||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 41°08′15.76″S 175°02′19.09″E / 41.1377111°S 175.0386361°E | |||||||||||||||
Line(s) | Wairarapa Line | |||||||||||||||
Platforms | Dual, side | |||||||||||||||
Tracks | Main line (2) | |||||||||||||||
Parking | Yes | |||||||||||||||
Bicycle facilities | Yes | |||||||||||||||
Baggage check | No | |||||||||||||||
Other information | ||||||||||||||||
Opened | 1907 | |||||||||||||||
Station code | TREN | |||||||||||||||
Owned by | Greater Wellington Regional Council | |||||||||||||||
Fare zone | Boundary of 6 & 7[1] | |||||||||||||||
Services | ||||||||||||||||
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to Wallaceville | ||||
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crossover 7 (ex 13) | ||||
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Main platform |
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Racecourse platform | |||
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crossover 3 (ex 19) | ||||
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crossover 1 (ex 18) | ||||
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Sutherland Avenue (CTC limit) | ||||
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to Heretaunga |
Trentham Railway Station is an urban railway station in Trentham, a suburb of the city of Upper Hutt in the Wellington region of New Zealand's North Island. It is on the Hutt Valley Line section of the Wairarapa Line and has two side platforms. The station is served by Tranz Metro's electric multiple unit trains, usually of the EM class.
The double-tracking of the Wairarapa Line ends just north of Trentham station, with the line becoming single track as it continues north. However in normal operation, southbound trains use the Ararino Street (western) platform and switch over to the down line south of the station. The Racecourse Road (eastern) platform is only used during race days and for other special occasions that occur at the adjacent Trentham Racecourse. It also allows the eastern platform track to be used as a passing loop, for example, to allow an express freight train or late-running Wairarapa Connection train to pass a stopping unit to avoid it having to run behind the unit on caution signals into Wellington (There are no passing loops which can be remotely operated between Trentham and the Wellington rail yards).
The 2011 – 2012 Regional Rail Plan (RRP) proposes duplicating the track between Trentham and Upper Hutt in 2012.[2]
Tranz Metro tickets can be purchased from the Racecourse Dairy, opposite the railway station.
History
The station was opened in 1907.[3] It initially was single track station with a loop containing the racecourse platform, which served the recently opened Trentham Racecourse. Double track reached Trentham in June 1955, with electrification following in September.
Trentham was originally controlled from its own signal box on the main platform. Following double tracking of the line to Trentham, the southern crossover points (number 18, now 1) and the associated signals protecting the crossover and the single line north could be controlled from the signal box at Upper Hutt, requiring the Trentham signal box only to be used on race days to operate the other crossovers and signals. On 6 February 2007, the Trentham and Upper Hutt signal boxes were decommissioned and control of both stations was moved to Train Control in central Wellington, and all crossovers and signals were renumbered.[4]
Accidents
On Saturday 22 March 1997, an evening northbound unit approaching Trentham passed the up home (29) signal at danger, which caused the alarms on the Sutherland Avenue level crossing immediately after the signal to only activate at the last second. The train hit a car on the level crossing, severely damaging the car but only causing minor injuries. While it is normal for a level crossing immediately after a signal to not activate if the signal is at danger to prevent needlessly delaying road traffic, the Sutherland Avenue crossing was the only level crossing in New Zealand that was approach-controlled, meaning the up home signal would be held at danger until the barrier arms were down. For an off-peak service when there was usually no conflicting traffic on the single line from Trentham to Upper Hutt, it was normal for the up home signal to change to clear once the barrier arms were down. However, the signalman at Upper Hutt had been distracted sorting out a drunken altercation at that station and had forgot to clear the signal once the last southbound train had cleared Trentham, and the train driver was in the mindset the signal should clear as he approached the level crossing, not realising his mistake until he passed the signal. The approach controlled function was subsequently removed after the accident.[5]
Services
Trentham Railway Station serves the following Metlink bus services:
Previous Stop | Metlink Bus Services | Next Stop |
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Terminus | 114 Poets Block |
Tawai Street towards Upper Hutt |
Stafford Street towards Pinehaven |
115 Pinehaven |
Ararino Street towards Upper Hutt |
References
- ↑ Metlink. "Text description of fare zone boundaries". Greater Wellington Regional Council.
- ↑ "Regional Rail Plan". Greater Wellington Regional Council. November 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
- ↑ Hoy, D.G. Rails out of the Capital p. 93 (NZRLS, 1970)
- ↑ "Trentham History". Valley Signals. 21 December 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
- ↑ "Investigation 97-103 -- Electic Multiple Unit 3656, collision with motor vehicle, Trentham, 22 March 1997". Transport Accident Investigation Commission. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
External links
- Passenger service timetables from Metlink and Tranz Metro.