User:Johnragla/Maharahara

Maharahara railway station on the Palmerston North–Gisborne line, opened on 22 March 1887, to serve a rural area south of Dannevirke, in the Manawatū-Whanganui region, with  people (2018 census) scattered over two meshblocks, totalling 0 km2. The station closed on. Only a single line now passes through the station site.

Just to the east of the station the railway crosses the Raparapawai Stream over bridge 135.

History
By 1879 10 mi of the line to Oringi was being surveyed and the line beyond, including Maharahara, was being explored and contoured. ''The area was part of the Ngāti Raukawa rohe. In 1877 land was acquired for a railway ballast pit at Kopua. In 1879 Kopua was a clearing of about 1 mi by ¼ mile in the Seventy Mile bush. Sawmills were set up as soon as the line opened. Wilding & Bull had a mill at''

''From 1880 Kopua had 2 trains a day. It was shown in 1891 as a flag station, still with 2 trains a day. It didn't appear in 1897 adverts. ''

''By 1896 there was a shelter shed, platform, urinals and a passing loop for wagons. In 1898 the loop was for wagons and further lengthened in 1911 to  and 1940 to  wagons. Cattle yards were added in and railway houses in  and. ''

''1 December 1884	Reporting extension of Napier line to Tahoraite is ready for opening. Mon, 15 December 1884	Tahoraiti – Matamau Section opened for traffic. '' The line through Maharahara opened on 22 March 1887, when the 15 mi Tahoraiti (later Tapuata) to Woodville section extended the line from Napier.

''A Royal Commissioner reported adversely on the Napier line extension to Woodville, which stopped until the end of 1881, except for a few short lengths for unemployment relief just before the 1881 election. Mangatawainui viaduct, between Makatoko and Matanui, cost about £8,000. In the middle of 1883 tenders were called for this portion of the line, but the contractors failed and the Government took over. Joseph Jay & Henry James Haines had won the Tahoraite contract for £13,615 on 8 June 1883. Haines put the failure down to unusually bad weather. The engineer from Kopua to Tahoraite is Mr J. T. Carr, who has been assisted by Messrs J. Fulton, H. F. Moody, and D. Ross. The principal bridge contractors were Messrs Proudfoot and McKay, of Dunedin, Joseph Saunders, of Wellington, and H. M'Kenzie and Co., of Dunedin. Mr Glendinning, of Napier, was contractor for the permanent way. The excursion train at the opening of the extension carried about 500. On reaching the terminus there was a large assemblage of settlers and Maoris. Several carriages conveyed those who desired it back along the road to Allardice's Hotel which was the nearest place for dinner, 4 coach loads went to Woodville. ''

''1885	Tamaki Timber Coy – asking permission to connect tramway with station. Use of Tamaki Timber Coy's siding by Wilding & Coy who leased the tramway. 1887	Proposal of McKay & Coy to lengthen siding. 1896	Level crossing at Gammon & Coy's sawmill near Tahoratite. 1926 Vacuum Oil Coy's lease of part of railway reserve at Tahoraiti and use of siding. 1943 Proposed private siding and stacking site – Public Works Department.''

''Sat, 29 January 1887	Re: opening line from Tahoraite to Woodville for traffic. 14 May 1887	Goods shed is being removed. When the buildings have been removed Tahoraiti to Dannevirke, recommends Tahoraiti be rated as a flag station. On and from Monday, 13/6/1887, Tahoraiti will be flag station and Dannevirke will be opened as a booking station, with stationmaster. 6 July 1887	Stationmaster's house shifted from Tahoraite to Danevirke recently. 1887	Removal of store. 1888	That cattle yards at Tahoraite be removed to Oringi. By 1896 shelter shed, passenger platform, urinals. Loop 26 wagons, backshunt 15 wagons (north end). 1896	Recommends extension of siding. 1898	Loop 54 wagons, loop 34 wagons, backshunt 11 wagons. 1904 loading bank.''

''Mon, 11 February 1889	Petition in favour of exchanging names of Tamaki and Tahoraiti stations. 5 April 1889	From the same date the present Tahoraiti siding will be called the Tamaki Sawmill Company's siding. On and from April 8th the name of the Tamaki station will be changed to Tahoraiti. Tahoraiti has been an official name since 1939''.

Matahiwi was at the south end of the Seventy Mile bush. Contracts to clear a line, 66 ft wide, through, for what later became SH2, were let in 1871.

Thursday, 15 April 1886	Removal of Matahiwi station from present site to junction of Heretaunga Road.

Tuesday, 13 July 1886	Matahiwi station site – report with plan.

Saturday, 23 November 1889	Application of Danevirke Road Board for a crossing for a new road near Matahiwi.

Saturday, 26 July 1890	Suggests removal of cattle yards and goods shed from Oringi and erection at Matahiwi.

Friday, 31 March 1893	New water service provided.

Friday, 7 July 1893	Land slips near Matahiwi station.

Saturday, 16 December 1893	Lease of right to lay tramway on railway reserve at Matahiwi to N Campbell.

Monday, 28 May 1894	Urging erection of cattle and sheep yards.

Monday, 27 January 1896	Cost of a 30 foot by 15 foot goods shed on piles would be £70.

Friday, 1 May 1896	Approval for the erection of a goods shed, estimated cost £70. Local carpenters will be employed on the work.

Wednesday, 1 July 1896	Accommodation shelter shed, passenger platform, cart access to platform, goods shed 30ft x 15ft, loading bank, water service, urinals.

Wednesday, 1 July 1896	Loop 27 wagons, loop 32 wagons.

Wednesday, 1 July 1896	Mileage 85 miles 50 chains from Napier.

Thursday, 23 September 1897	Accommodation shelter shed, passenger platform, cart approach to platform, goods shed 30ft x 15ft, water service, urinals.

Thursday, 23 September 1897	Loop 27 wagons, loop 32 wagons.

Thursday, 2 December 1897	Authority for £45 for cattle yards.

Saturday, 7 May 1898	Cattle and sheep yards have been erected and are now ready for use.

Monday, 15 August 1898	Stockyards have been erected. Settlers have contributed £30 towards the cost.

Thursday, 1 December 1898	Accommodation shelter shed, passenger platform (left side), cart approach to platform, goods shed 30ft x 15ft, cattle and sheep yards, water service.

Thursday, 1 December 1898	Loop 30 wagons, loop 31 wagons.

Wednesday, 31 May 1899	Palmerston North Sash, Door, & Timber Coy Ltd's tramway crossing over the railway near Matahiwi. The cost of semaphore signals to protect this crossing would be £70 and the wages of a signalman 7/- per day, or £109.11.0 per annum.

Saturday, 1 December 1900	Loop 30 wagons, loop 31 wagons.

Monday, 2 May 1904	Name of Matahiwi station changed to Maharahara.

Monday, 2 May 1904	Name of Matahiwi station changed to Maharahara.

Thursday, 1 September 1904	Estimate for a loading bank 20 feet long is £20.

Wednesday, 21 September 1904	Please arrange to erect a loading bank.

Tuesday, 1 November 1904	Accommodation shelter shed, passenger platform (left side), cart approach to platform, goods shed 30ft x 15ft, loading bank, water service, urinals.

Tuesday, 1 November 1904	Loop 30 wagons, loop 31 wagons.

Tuesday, 1 November 1904	Mileage 26 miles 19 chains from Palmerston North.

Monday, 29 October 1906	Accommodation shelter shed, passenger platform (left side), cart approach to platform, goods shed 30ft x 15ft, loading bank, water service, urinals.

Monday, 29 October 1906	Loop 30 wagons, loop 31 wagons.

Tuesday, 11 April 1911	Giving up land at Maharahara to Woodville County Council for road purposes.

Friday, 1 December 1911	Accommodation shelter shed, passenger platform (left side), cart approach to platform, goods shed 30ft x 15ft, loading bank, cattle and sheep yards.

Friday, 1 December 1911	Loop 30 wagons, loop 31 wagons.

Friday, 9 August 1912	Complaint re lodging hut placed on loading bank.

Friday, 3 September 1926	Crossing loop, goods shed loop.

Friday, 3 September 1926	Station building, passenger platform, stockyards, goods shed, loading bank, approach roads to platform and goods yard.

Wednesday, 22 September 1926	Approval for improvements to stockyards, estimated cost £54.

Tuesday, 21 December 1926	The improvements to the stock yards have been carried out.

Thursday, 5 December 1935	Windmill to be shifted from Maharahara to Linton, at an estimated cost of £40, approved. To provide a water service for the stockyards.

Tuesday, 22 September 1936	Water service has now been removed.

Tuesday, 25 January 1938	Application for stacking site – Public Works Department.

Sunday, 5 December 1943	Mileage 26 miles 18 chains from Palmerston North.

Friday, 4 May 1945	Approval to rebuilt lavatory convenience, estimated cost £100.

Friday, 4 May 1945	The lavatory convenience was destroyed by fire on 24/2/1945.

Wednesday, 21 December 1949	Station building is 16 feet by 7 feet.

Friday, 11 August 1950	Approval for new goods shed, estimated cost £600.

Tuesday, 22 August 1950	Approval for the construction of a new goods shed approximately 25 feet by 14 feet.

Tuesday, 22 August 1950	Existing goods shed is to be demolished.

Tuesday, 9 January 1951	The existing goods shed is beyond repair. Size 25 feet by 14 feet.

Thursday, 23 August 1951	A tender in the sum of £699 has been received for construction of new goods shed. Requesting additional authority £99.

Monday, 13 January 1958	The station buildings at Maharahara and Tahoraiti may be handed over to the District Engineer for use by the members of the Way & Works Branch. [Shelter sheds]

Monday, 2 March 1959	Loop 38 wagons, loop 27 wagons (goods shed).

Monday, 2 March 1959	The loop at Maharahara was provided mainly for dealing with stalled trains on the ascending gradient of 1 in 53 between Papatawa and Maharahara (Matahiwi bank) but consequent upon the use of higher powered locomotives (J and K classes) in the area the incidence of trains stalling on the grade referred to has decreased and is now an uncommon occurrence.

Saturday, 16 May 1959	Removal of loop approved.

Monday, 19 July 1965	Existing lighting – nil.

Saturday, 28 November 1970	Goods shed is of the lean-to type.

Tuesday, 3 October 1972	Tenders to be called for the sale and removal of the goods shed.

Wednesday, 8 November 1972	Closed to all traffic except goods in wagon lots on 15/10/1972.

Monday, 25 November 1974	Loop siding, passenger platform, stockyards, goods shed, loading bank.

Monday, 25 November 1974	North end of platform is near 26¼ miles.

Monday, 25 November 1974	The tablet locked siding was closed to traffic except goods in wagon lots, on 15/10/1972.

Monday, 25 November 1974	There are no passenger services scheduled to stop at Maharahara.

Wednesday, 5 March 1975	Maharahara will be closed to all traffic from 30/3/1975.

Thursday, 19 June 1975	The tender of Mr F R Souncess, Dannevirke, for $205 accepted for the removal of the stockyards.