User:Johnragla/Tahoraiti railway station

Tahoraiti has, since 1939, been the official name of a locality, which has also been known as Tahoraite. It is now a sparsely populated area in the Manawatū-Whanganui region, with 354 people (2018 census) scattered over two meshblocks, totalling 56 km2. For two years it briefly flourished as a village, centred on a railway station on the Palmerston North–Gisborne line, opened on 1 December 1884, when it became the southern terminus of the line from Napier and Spit. However, it wasn't until 16 December that the line was opened with a special excursion train. Building to the south was delayed by the need to erect 3 large viaducts over the Manawatū River and its tributaries, so the extension to Makotuku didn't open until 9 August 1880. Kopua then declined until the station closed on 8 May 1977. Only a single line now passes through the station site.

Closed goods 1/2/1971 passengers 22/3/1970 8/4/1889 – ex Tamaki Station, Tahoraite.

History
school

Tahoraiti marae photographs, probably around 1900

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

By 1884 Tahoraiti had 4 houses, a station building and an engine shed. a 2nd class stationmaster's house was built by Donald McLeod, a Waipukurau carpenter. Angus McKay built the station buildings

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.

1883	Estimate of cost and plan of proposed station building. Contract let for station buildings to Alexander & McFarlane, amount £2710.8.0. 1884 Contract let for station buildings to Alexander & McFarlane, amount £516.9.0. Requesting authority £80 for fencing stationmaster's house and cottages. Enquiring class of Tahoraiti station, and stating stationmaster will be required. road to station should be metalled. Requesting authority £108.2.6 for furniture and fittings, etc, for station. Requesting authority £180 for extra cottage. 1885	Extra cottage at Tahoraite – five in all.

1 December 1884	Reporting extension of Napier line to Tahoraite is ready for opening. Mon, 15 December 1884	Tahoraiti – Matamau Section opened for traffic. Tahoraite 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.

1890	As to allowing passengers to travel by goods train between Waipukurau and Tahoraite. 1895	Arrangements for stoppage of express trains at station.

1896 80 miles 59 chains from Napier. 1904 31 miles 10 chains from Palmerston North. 1943 31 miles 9 chains from Palmerston North.

1913	Taking additional land for railway purposes.

Bridge Number 140 Tamaki River, about a kilometre east of the station, is 69 m long. 1931	Fire on bridge No 140, near Tahoraiti, on 20/11/1931. 1933	Fire on bridge near Tahoraiti, on 19/10/1933.

In 1954 a railcar with 34 passengers caught fire whilst climbing from Oringi to Tahoraiti.

Mon, 13 January 1958	The station buildings may be handed over to the District Engineer for Way & Works Branch Shelter sheds

Sun, 22 March 1970	Closed to all traffic except goods in wagon lots. Mon, 1 February 1971	Closed to all traffic.