The station opened when work started on the eastern end of the Stratford–Okahukura Line. It was served by through trains on that line from 3 September 1933 (though rails were completed by 7 November 1932)[4] to 2009, being 9.65km (6.00mi) east of Tuhua.[2] The Public Works Department operated a limited train service as far as Matiere from 1922.[5] A junction with the NIMT at Ongarue,[6] and even as far north as Puketutu[7] (via Mokauiti and Ohura)[8] had been considered before the Okahukura route was decided in 1911.[9] Work started shortly[10] after Sir Joseph Ward had turned the first sod, including the construction of workshops and 4 railway houses at Okahukura,[11] and the station opened the following year. It seems that the initial service was provided by coaches attached to goods trains.[12]
A cattle yard and goods shed were added in 1915.[13] In 1916 a porter was paid 9 shillings a week.[14]
Patronage
Okahukura railway station passenger use 1928-1950
Passenger numbers peaked in 1934, as shown in the graph and table below -
The concrete foundations of the 260ft (79m)[15]road-rail bridge over the Ongarue River, on the Stratford line had been laid by 1918, but war-time steel shortages delayed further work.[16] The first piles were sunk in 1916[15] and it had been completed by January 1922.[17]
In 2019 reopening of the line was listed as a possible future priority.[18]
Okahakura Road Rail Bridge
Okahukura tunnel
76ch (5,000ft; 1,500m) long Okahukura tunnel, is 2mi (3.2km) up from Okahukura, along the Stratford line, on a 1 in 50 gradient.[6] It was started in February 1914 and completed in December 1920, after digging out 58,000yd3 (44,000m3) of mudstone.[15]
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