Pokeno railway station


Pokeno railway station is a former railway station in Pōkeno, New Zealand on the North Island Main Trunk line. It opened for passengers on 20 May 1875, and for goods on 6 April 1879. It was south of Auckland and .
The station closed to passengers on 24 June 1973, and to goods on 30 March 1980.
Work on the proposed Paeroa–Pōkeno Line commenced in 1938, and whilst approximately 13 km of earthworks were completed at each end, the proposal was halted due to the Second World War. Work was still making slow progress in 1950. The line was to be the first part of the East Coast Main Trunk Railway.

History

A 4th class stationmasters house and 5th class Class B station were built in 1878. From 1 December 1879 to 31 October 1924 there was a Post Office at the station. By 1884 there was also a platform, cart approach, by goods shed, loading bank, cattle yards, urinals and a 21 wagon passing loop. In 1914 the goods shed was moved to the other side of the line and in 1939 Marlborough Street level crossing was closed and the station yard was altered. About 1969 $2,600 was spent on half-arm barriers and alarms at the Cameron Street crossing. In 1974 a hand crane was donated to the Museum of Transport & Technology, which also took kauri planks from the closed station at about the same time. After closure in 1980, the goods shed was used as a workshop and storage area for a railway bridge gang, until vandalism and burglary brought about its demolition in 1981. Traffic grew as shown in the graph and table below.
yearticketsseason ticketsstaffref.
18816681
18821,7001
18831,7661
18841,9081
18851,80211
18861,62941
18871,68731
18881,56011
18891,75321
1890
18911,71721
18921,87011
18931,74321
18941,85511
18951,84811
18961,8461
18971,94521
18982,07431
18992,31721
19002,44921
1901
19023,223501
19033,781331
19044,234261
19054,096331
19064,079212
19074,868362
19084,059403
19094,238163
19104,129203
19114,918283
19124,912213
19136,204294
19148,718129
19157,873120
19167,727117
19177,65148
19186,96552
19197,31576
19207,95196
19218,35292
19227,853113
19239,025193
19248,714167
19258,091104
19268,64097
19279,195136
19286,97999
19293,742104
19303,980126
19314,456117
19324,37193
19336,33787
19348,36175
19358,20771
19367,18074
19376,91991
19387,44059
193910,05258
194010,64998
194111,521104
194212,987184
194319,285183
194419,810186
194515,269211
194616,021266
194712,90082
19488,290109
19497,438188
19507,000131

Proposed reopening

In 2020, reopening of the station was put forward as a scheme to help the region recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, at an estimated cost of $10m. In 2022 it was said to be at least 10 years away and planned to be on the old station site, between High and Market Streets.