Te Aute railway station

Railway station in New Zealand

Te Aute

New Zealand Government Railways (NZGR)
regional rail

Stereograph of NZR J class (1874) at Te Aute Station during a trial run from Napier to Waipukurau in 1887

General information
Coordinates| 39°47′35″S 176°40′37″E﻿ / ﻿39.793°S 176.677°E﻿ / -39.793; 176.677
Elevation| 28 m (92 ft)
Owned by| KiwiRail
Line(s)| Palmerston North–Gisborne Line
Distance| Palmerston North 138.38 km (85.99 mi)
History
Opened| 16 February 1876
Closed| 27 September 1981
Previous names| Opapa
14 September 1913 to 12 June 1997
Te Nahu 1912–1913
Services
| Preceding station  |  | Historical railways  |  | Following station

|
|
|
|

Pukehou
Line open,
station closed
7.09 km (4.41 mi)  |  | Palmerston North–Gisborne Line
KiwiRail |  | Te Hauke
Line open,
station closed
2.2 km (1.4 mi)
JA class on Opapa bank in 2003

Opapa (or Te Aute) railway station is a preserved station on the Palmerston North–Gisborne Line in New Zealand's North Island that closed in 1981.[1] It is in the Hastings District of Hawke's Bay, 23.56 km (14.64 mi) south of Hastings city,[2] in a census meshblock with a population of only 222 in 2018.[3]

Te Aute is unusual in three respects:

* It is one of less than 40 wooden stations remaining on their original sites.[4]
* In 1898 it was one of only 18 stations with a refreshment room.[5]
* An official name change restored its original name of Te Aute,[6] after being known as Opapa from 14 September 1913 to 12 June 1997.[1]

Nearby the railway climbs a steep bank and there is a radio mast, an old shop and a lake.

## History[edit]

### Name[edit]

There has been some confusion around the name of Te Aute. On 8 December 1912 the name of the next station, Pukehou, was changed to Te Aute[5] (Te Aute College is near Pukehou)[7] and Te Aute was changed to Te Nahu. Then, on 14 September 1913 the name was changed to Opapa and Pukehou reverted to its original name.[5] It was reported in 1915 that the new name was still not popular, as it had been defaced 9 times.[8] From the 1930s the address 'Te Aute, Opapa' was sometimes used.[9]

### Construction and alterations[edit]

Te Aute station was first built between 1874 and 1876. It was part of the Paki Paki to Waipukurau contract, tendered on 15 July 1874 for £19,532 by Charles McKirdy, of Wellington, who built the Rimutaka Incline and several other lines.[10] A local contractor tendered £29,173.[11] There were allegations of mismanagement[12] and disputes about the contracts.[13] However, in 1876, the Minister for Public Works, Edward Richardson, attributed delays only to unexpectedly heavy land claims and floods. S Tracey and Allen, of Napier, tendered £7,989 for track for the Paki Paki-Waipawa length in September 1875.[14] Te Aute station was tendered on 12 April 1875, the platform on 17 May and the goods shed on 25 August. Joseph Sowrey got the £195 contract to build the station on 30 August and completed it by 29 October, the £485, 40 ft (12 m) x 30 ft (9.1 m) goods shed by 14 February 1876 and a water tank by 26 May 1876. McLeod & Co built a 5th class stationmaster's house and loading platform by 26 October 1875.[5][15] There was a Post Office at the station from 1885 to 1949, with a telephone from 1914.[5]

On 10 October 1895 a fire started in the refreshment rooms[16] and burnt down the station,[17] but just 6 days later authority was given for a new station. By 1896 Te Aute had a 5th class station, platform, cart approach, loading bank, cattle and sheep yards, fixed signals, stationmaster's house, urinals and a passing loop for 36 wagons.[5] In 1912 an automatic tablet exchanger was added.[5] Railway houses were built in 1926, 1934, 1938 and 1948.[5] In the 1931 earthquake the station was described as badly wrecked.[18] Electric lighting came in 1940.[19]

### Refreshment rooms[edit]

Refreshment rooms were added in 1878.[5] In 1882 the station was described as, "utterly miserable and inadequate both in regards office and waiting accommodation, the telegraph wants accommodation, and the refreshment building unsuitable, does not belong to Department, and the owners ask too much for it". Some buildings were moved from Hastings in 1883, but not a refreshment room. In 1885 the refreshment room licensee raised the roof and made improvements.[5] From 22 March 1887 trains stopped for at least 5 minutes at Te Aute.[20] Complaints were made in 1896 that trains didn't stop long enough for refreshments.[21] In 1889 £175 was spent to add a ladies room.[22]

In November 1895 £45 was approved for erecting railway-owned refreshment rooms to replace the burnt ones. From then on they were let by 3-yearly tenders,[23] until at least 1912.[24] A 2010 guide said the rooms were open from 1897 to 1945.[25] The refreshment rooms were at the north end of the platform, separate from the main building.[26] Aerial photos indicate that the rooms were demolished between 1965[27] and 1972.[28]

### Services[edit]

Te Aute had 3 trains in 1885

Initially Te Aute was a temporary terminus, 28 mi (45 km) from Spit. It isn't clear when the extension from Paki Paki opened. It may have been 11,[1] or 12 February,[29] though Parliament was told opening was on 16 February 1876.[30] Whichever, it seems the passenger trains still ran only to Paki Paki, at least until late March 1876[31] and Te Aute continued to be served by a mail coach,[12] the horses being changed at Te Aute.[32] The train/coach journey from Napier to Wellington then took 2½ days.[33] Te Aute remained the terminus until Monday 28 August 1876, when the line was extended to Waipawa.[5] Te Aute then had 3 trains a day in each direction,[34] reduced to 2 in 1881[35] and back to 3 in 1883.[36] From the opening of the link to Wellington in 1891, Te Aute had 4 trains a day in each direction,[37] which continued in 1896.[38] Opapa featured in annual returns from 1895[39] to 1918,[40] when it lost its officered station status.[41] For example, in 1917 Opapa issued 3,077 tickets and loaded 69,137 sheep.[42]

### Closure and restoration[edit]

The station closed to passengers in about 1966 and the goods yard was lifted in 1981.[43] Tablet control ended in 1991.[26]

In 1994 a few people started restoring the station and, in 1996, formed Friends of Opapa Railway Station Incorporated Society. The Society re-piled the station in 1998 and replaced fascias, gutters, wall boards and toilets in 1999,[26] but was dissolved in 2004.[44] Opapa Railway Heritage Trust had replaced it in 2015.[45]

### Te Aute bank[edit]

Te Aute has a 1 in 46 gradient to the south of it,[46] Pukehou being 51 m (167 ft) higher than Te Aute.[2] To give trains a faster run at the bank, the curve at its foot was eased from 10 ch (200 m) to 21 ch (420 m) in 1938.[47]

## Incidents[edit]

A Wellington to Napier express, hauled by A Class 600,[48] derailed on Opapa bank on 22 September 1925[49] in a shallow cutting.[50] It was found to have been exceeding the 25 mph (40 km/h) speed limit on a 7 ch (140 m) bend. The Commission of Inquiry recommended that gas lighting be replaced by electric on express trains, as the Pintsch gas had set fire to 5 of the derailed coaches.[51][52] The conversion of lighting was said to be speeding up,[53] but conversion from Pintsch to coal gas was made as late as 1932.[54] Three people died due to the crash.[51] The driver was imprisoned for 2 years for manslaughter.[55] A freight train had come off the line at the same spot[56] on 21 February 1920, derailing 10 wagons[57] and killing about 200 sheep.[58]

On 25 October 1996 a gangway fell off from between the coaches of a Steam Incorporated excursion, whilst descending the bank.[46]

## Top Opapa/Te Aute Grade Siding[edit]

Top Te Aute Grade Siding opened about June 1877 and was closed by 1993. It too had a name change on 14 September 1913 to Top Te Opapa Grade Siding.[1] The siding was at the top of the 1 in 46 gradient, 3.25 km (2.02 mi) south of Te Aute.[2] An interlocking tablet was installed in 1923.[59]

## Te Aute Store[edit]

About 1.6 km (0.99 mi) to the south, beside SH2, Te Aute Store was in business from 1858 to 1982. It was registered as a Category I 'Historic Place' with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust on 28 June 1990, who suggest it may have been the longest continuing single business in a wooden building in the country.[60] However, that assessment doesn't mention that a store next to Te Aute Hotel burnt down in 1883.[61] The Hotel burnt down in 1880[62] and 1936,[63] when the current hotel was rebuilt.[64]

## Opapa Broadcasting Station[edit]

Also to the south, a 600 ft (180 m) high radio transmitter and Art Deco broadcasting station were built in 1938.[65] 2YH began broadcasting on 17 November 1938[66] and became 2YZ in 1948.[67][68] The manager's house[69] has gone, but the aerials and hall remain.[70]

## See also[edit]

* Lake Poukawa
* List of radio stations in Hawke's Bay
* RNZ National

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand by Juliet Scoble (2012)
2. ^ a b c New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (First ed.). Quail Map Co. 1965. pp. 3 & 4.
3. ^ "SA1 | Census | 2018 | SA1 Dataset | GIS Map Data". datafinder.stats.govt.nz. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
4. ^ "The changing rail landscape". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Station Archive". NZR Rolling Stock Lists. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
6. ^ "NZGB Gazetteer". gazetteer.linz.govt.nz. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
7. ^ "Contact". TE AUTE COLLEGE. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
8. ^ "WAIPAWA MAIL". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 24 July 1915. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
9. ^ "WAIPAWA MAIL". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 6 May 1931. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
10. ^ "Mr. A. Brogden's letter of 8th August, 1881. Statement showing the Works Tendered for by Public Competition by Messrs. John Brogden and Sons, and the Difference between their Tenders and the Prices at which the Work was let". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
11. ^ "NEW ZEALAND NEWS. NEW ZEALAND TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 31 July 1874. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
12. ^ a b "General Government Mismanagement. CLUTHA LEADER". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2 March 1876. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
13. ^ "NAPIER. EVENING POST". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 26 May 1876. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
14. ^ "NEW ZEALAND TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 17 September 1875. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
15. ^ "SCHEDULE of CONTRACTS for the CONSTRUCTION of RAILWAYS under " The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1870," from 1st July, 1875, to 30th June, 1876". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
16. ^ "FIRE AT TE AUTE. WAIPAWA MAIL". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 10 October 1895. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
17. ^ "Magistrate's Court. WAIPAWA MAIL". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 24 October 1895. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
18. ^ "Appalling Scenes in Hastings. HOROWHENUA CHRONICLE". Horowhenua Chronicle. 4 February 1931. p. 8. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
19. ^ "RAILWAYS STATEMENT (BY THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, HON. D. G. SULLIVAN). APPENDIX TO THE JOURNALS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 1940". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
20. ^ "HAWKE'S BAY HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 29 March 1887. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
21. ^ "AUSTRALASIA'S NAVAL DEFENCE. HAWKE'S BAY HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 16 January 1896. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
22. ^ "WAIPAWA MAIL". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 16 November 1895. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
23. ^ "HAWKE'S BAY HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 21 November 1895. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
24. ^ "WOODVILLE EXAMINER". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 4 March 1912. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
25. ^ "Heritage Trails Middle Road – Poukawa Valley" (PDF). Hastings District Council. 2010.
26. ^ a b c "Opapa Station History". www.geocities.ws. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
27. ^ "Survey: SN1655 Run: 3828 Photo: 13". Retrolens. 2 April 1965.
28. ^ "Survey: SN3577 Run: 4721 Photo: 22". Retrolens. 12 September 1972.
29. ^ "Napier-Palmerston North Railway" (PDF). 1987.
30. ^ "APPENDIX D. REPORT ON CONSTRUCTED RAILWAYS BY THE SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1876. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
31. ^ "NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS. SATURDAY ADVERTISER". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 25 March 1876. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
32. ^ "A TRIP TO THE MANAWATU GORGE AND BACK. NEW ZEALAND TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 25 March 1875. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
33. ^ "POVERTY BAY HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 29 May 1901. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
34. ^ "HAWKE'S BAY HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 21 April 1877. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
35. ^ "DAILY TELEGRAPH". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 13 June 1881. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
36. ^ "DAILY TELEGRAPH". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 9 January 1883. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
37. ^ "NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS. WAIPAWA MAIL". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 26 March 1891. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
38. ^ "RAILWAY TIME-TABLE. HASTINGS STANDARD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 28 April 1896. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
39. ^ "RAILWAYS STATEMENT. (2nd August, 1895.) BY THE MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS, THE HON A.J. CADMAN". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
40. ^ "RAILWAYS STATEMENT. BY THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, HON. W. H. HERRIES. APPENDIX TO THE JOURNALS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 1918". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
41. ^ "HASTINGS STANDARD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 16 March 1918. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
42. ^ "RAILWAYS STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, THE HON. W. H. HERRIES. RETURN No. 12 —Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1917".
43. ^ "Stations – NZR Rolling Stock Lists". 20 October 2020. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
44. ^ "Dissolution of Incorporated Societies – 2004". gazette.govt.nz. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
45. ^ "THE LION FOUNDATION COMMUNITY GRANTS APRIL 2014–MARCH 2015" (PDF).
46. ^ a b "Report 96 – 116 Train B02 loss of gangway near Opapa" (PDF). TAIC. 25 October 1996.
47. ^ "RAIL DEVIATIONS. PAHIATUA HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 26 April 1938. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
48. ^ "READY FOR THE TRACK. MANAWATU STANDARD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 28 June 1926. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
49. ^ "RAILWAYS STATEMENT. NELSON EVENING MAIL". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 6 August 1926. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
50. ^ "Train Derailment at Opapa 1925". knowledgebank.org.nz. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
51. ^ a b "AtoJs Online — Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives — 1926 Session I — D-02 RAILWAYS STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, THE RIGHT HON. J. G. COATES". atojs.natlib.govt.nz. 1926. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
52. ^ "RECENT TRAIN DISASTER. MANAWATU STANDARD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 15 May 1926. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
53. ^ "RAILWAY CARRIAGE LIGHTING. EVENING STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 21 May 1926. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
54. ^ "A RAILWAYS ECONOMY. NORTHERN ADVOCATE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 5 April 1932. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
55. ^ "TWO YEARS' GAOL. HAWERA STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1 March 1926. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
56. ^ "Railway Disaster. WAIPAWA MAIL". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 23 September 1925. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
57. ^ "RAILWAYS STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, RIGHT HON. W. F. MASSEY. APPENDIX TO THE JOURNALS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 1920". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
58. ^ "The Railway Smash. HASTINGS STANDARD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 23 February 1920. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
59. ^ "RAILWAYS STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, HON. J. G. COATES. APPENDIX TO THE JOURNALS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 1923". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
60. ^ "Search the List | Te Aute Store (Former)". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
61. ^ "HAWKE'S BAY HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 11 August 1883. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
62. ^ "TELEGRAPHIC NEWS. NEW ZEALAND TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 26 November 1880. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
63. ^ "EARLY MORNING BLAZE. WAIPAWA MAIL". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 27 January 1936. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
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65. ^ "BROADCASTING STATION. WAIPAWA MAIL". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 18 March 1938. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
66. ^ "OVER THE AERIAL. AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 18 November 1938. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
67. ^ "Historic NZ Radio Stations". New Zealand Vintage Radio Society. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
68. ^ "New Zealand Broadcasting Service. Head Office. Engineering Section :Offices & studios, Napier. 1958". National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
69. ^ "Radio Aerials". knowledgebank.org.nz. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
70. ^ "2179 State Hwy 2". Google Maps. July 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2021.

## External links[edit]

* 1887 photo
* around 1900 photo of Te Rotookiwa and railway
* Photo of two railcars at Opapa
* 2013 video of freight train passing through station
* 2014 photo of station and platform
* 2016 photos of trains at the station
* Google Street View of station in July 2020