The Haywards–Plimmerton Line was a railway development proposed several times between 1879 and the 1960s to connect the Hutt Valley and Porirua areas of Wellington via Haywards .
61-593: The route was one of three options for a "Proposed Hutt Valley-Waikanae Route" which was to be the main route out of Wellington in 1879, although when built by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR) the line that became part of the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) north of Wellington went via Johnsonville (the present Johnsonville Line ). In the 1940s to 1960s a rail link from the Hutt Valley to Porirua
122-519: A rāhui . The earliest people known to have lived in the area around Pukerua Bay were the Ngāti Ira Māori tribe and later the Muaūpoko, who built Waimapihi Pā near today's seaward end of Rawhiti Road. Pukerua Bay was on the main road for Māori travellers going north or south. About 1822, it was invaded from Kapiti Island by Te Rauparaha and his Ngāti Toa people. According to oral tradition,
183-403: A kindergarten . Prominent residents are author Gay Hay , former CEO of Meridian Energy Dr Keith Turner , actor Christopher Winchester , and artist Pauline Morse . Former residents include poets Louis Johnston, Sam Hunt , James K. Baxter , Denis Glover , Meg Campbell , Alistair Campbell , composer Jenny McLeod , film editor John Gilbert , and actress Davina Whitehouse . Pukerua Bay
244-518: A New Zealand Railways Department P class of 1876 . Known as Weka , it was used by the WMR from 1882 until 1898, when it was sold to the Manawatu County Council for use on its Sanson Tramway . Despite the WMR's short history and its disappearance long before the railway preservation movement began, a number of relics have survived. Of the locomotives, only No. 9 (later NZR N 453) is known to exist,
305-444: A convenience store, hairdresser and second-hand bookstore. There is one railway station, Pukerua Bay railway station , on the North Island Main Trunk railway, with suburban services provided by Metlink . The train journey to Wellington takes about 35 minutes, to Paraparaumu 20 minutes. A second station, Muri railway station , 1.2 km by road north of Pukerua Bay station, was closed on 30 April 2011. Pukerua Bay's skatepark
366-661: A height of 1560 feet above sea level, higher even than the Wairarapa Line . The line would have steep gradients of between 1 in 30 and 1 in 40, but was seriously considered, perhaps as there was millable timber in the area. The proposed No 3 line followed the Western Hutt Road , left the Wellington-Masterton Railway 12 miles 55 chains from Wellington (approximately 1.2 km south of the present day SH 2/SH 58 intersection), and climbed Haywards Hill to
427-481: A ladies’ waiting room at the other end, while the 6th class or Flag stations only had an office: The WMR operated 22 locomotives in revenue service, of which 20 were acquired by the government (the original Nos. 3 & 5 were sold to the Timaru Harbour Board). The WMR classified its locomotives by number without class distinction; if a locomotive was withdrawn its number was re-used on a new locomotive. When
488-399: A small school on land donated by Charles Gray, and a few small stores. Electricity was put through from Plimmerton to Pukerua Bay in 1927 and in 1928 the track between Plimmerton and Pukerua Bay was formed into a narrow road. The beach remained the main attraction for weekend visitors from Wellington (by steam train) as there was still no road bridge at Paremata until 1935 and no highway until
549-659: A van bogie and a freight bogie in their collection. Seven 4-wheel wagons survive, most believed to be former L wagons – one owned by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Trust , one at the Ferrymead Railway , one in a private collection in Masterton and three owned by SteamRail Wanganui , in poor condition. The bell at the concourse end of Wellington railway station's platform 6 is believed to be from either WMR locomotive no. 17 or WMR locomotive no. 5. Infrastructure remains include
610-543: Is a mystery. No. 3 or Jumbo ( W class ) banked north out of Wellington for 25 years (to 1927) on the long and steep 1 in 40 grades up to Crofton (Ngaio) and Khandallah. Other steep grades going north were 1 in 66 between Plimmerton and Pukerua Bay; and going south 1 in 66 from Paekākāriki to Pukerua Bay (the North–South Junction ) and up to 1 in 54 from Tawa Flat (Tawa) to Johnsonville. The WMR owned other locomotives for construction and maintenance. These included
671-576: Is a small seaside suburb at the southern end of the Kāpiti Coast , New Zealand . In local government terms it is the northernmost suburb of Porirua City, in the Wellington Region . It is 12 km north of the Porirua City Centre on State Highway 59 , and 30 km north of central Wellington . In Māori , the words puke rua literally mean two hills but it is not clear to which hills
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#1732869395949732-472: Is curious because the railway went through it (1886) for years before there was good road access (1940), so it grew at first on the waterfront as a weekend destination. The original railway station was named "Pukerua" until it was changed briefly to Waimapihi in the 1920s and then to "Pukerua Bay " to avoid confusion with "Pukerau" in the South Island . By the end of the 1920s, Pukerua Bay numbered 100 houses,
793-439: Is fairly steep, with only a few houses nestled in a row behind the two sandy beach areas. The surrounding hills are mainly farm land used for sheep and cattle grazing, providing a rural backdrop to the east and west. The area to the south, along SH 59 , turns into Taupō Swamp towards Plimmerton. Pukerua Bay's main residential areas are along Rawhiti Road, west of SH 59, the central clifftop, Sea Vista Drive east of SH 59 and
854-486: Is pre-European – it was traditionally known as te taua tapu (the sacred war-party). The cycleway is known as Te Ara Harakeke (the flax road). The coastal route goes past Marble Arch (Te Ana Puta) to Wairaka Rock on an uninhabited part of Pukerua Bay, the only mainland home of Whitaker's skink ( Oligosoma whitakeri ), an icon of the bay. According to legend, the rock is the petrified wife of culture hero Haunui-a-Nanaia, who pursued her from Māhia Peninsula , naming places on
915-527: Is still on the map today (1972) as a possible connecting link between the suburban districts of Porirua and the Hutt Valley to serve the new urban developments now taking place". This proposed route would have avoided the difficult Pukerua Bay-Paekākāriki coastal section of the NIMT. The 20th century proposals joined the NIMT further south near Plimmerton or Mana. In 1946 the Haywards–Plimmerton Line (link)
976-671: The 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 66 people (3.5%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 237 people (13.7%) since the 2006 census . There were 705 households, comprising 963 males and 999 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.96 males per female. The median age was 40.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 426 people (21.7%) aged under 15 years, 303 (15.4%) aged 15 to 29, 996 (50.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 234 (11.9%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 91.9% European/ Pākehā , 14.1% Māori , 3.7% Pasifika , 2.3% Asian , and 2.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas
1037-666: The Centennial Highway was completed in 1940. Most of the clifftop development dates from after World War II and Pukerua Bay has its own branch of the Returned Services Association . Pukerua Bay experienced significant growth in the 1950s and 1960s, being connected to Wellington via the Kapiti Line (which was double-tracked to Pukerua Bay and electrified to Paekakariki in 1940) and accessible from north and south via State Highway 1 (which ran through Pukerua Bay at
1098-517: The Escarpment Track , constructed as part of the national Te Araroa Trail , links Pukerua Bay with Paekākāriki . The walk features views to Kapiti Island . Pukerua Bay School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of 165 as of August 2024. Following primary education, most students go to either Aotea College , Mana College , or Kāpiti College for their secondary school education. Pukerua Bay also has
1159-556: The Foxton Branch railway linking Palmerston North and Foxton , and had completed surveys of lines down the west coast to Wellington. The government of Sir George Grey had approved the construction of the line, which was included in the Public Works Estimates of 27 August 1878. The final details of the survey were completed, and the first workers for the construction of the line were hired on 21 August 1879. A short section of
1220-691: The Thorndon terminus it wound up through the hills to Johnsonville , now the Johnsonville Branch . It then proceeded to Tawa , roughly along the line of the State Highway 1 motorway. This section was bypassed by the Tawa Flat deviation from 19 June 1937. From Tawa to Longburn the North Island Main Trunk line generally follows its route, through Porirua , Paekākāriki , Paraparaumu , Otaki , and Shannon . The decision to pass through Shannon meant that
1281-654: The Wellington-Manawatu railway line between Thorndon in Wellington , the capital of New Zealand , and Longburn , near Palmerston North in the Manawatu , between 1881 and 1908, when it was acquired by the New Zealand Government Railways . Its successful operation in private ownership was unusual for early railways in New Zealand. At the time of the company's founding in 1881, the government had built
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#17328693959491342-640: The 53 lb/yard (26 kg/metre) rails on the Wellington-Plimmerton-Paekākāriki section were replaced with 65 lb/yard (32 kg/metre) rails. In 1900–02 the rolling stock was fitted with Westinghouse air brakes. The WMR was bought by the government in 1908 (as soon as it could be purchased without penalty), and was integrated into the New Zealand Railways Department from Monday 7 December 1908. The staff, 123 in 1886–87, grew to 382 by 1908, of whom 324 transferred to
1403-544: The Compansation Court. Construction was completed on 27 October 1886, with the first through train running on 3 November; see Wellington–Manawatu Line The WMR was relatively successful and generated considerable revenue. Its land holdings proved to be a major revenue stream for the company; as sections of the lines opened, the land value around it increased and thus the WMR profited from its own operations. The new line opened up 5 million acres (2 million ha), and as
1464-459: The Haywards side). Options were an electrified double track 9.25 miles long costing $ 23 million with a 3.25 mile tunnel through Haywards, or a spur line with a 12 chain (0.15 mile) tunnel costing $ 2m (2 miles) or $ 3m (3 miles). A Wellington Regional Authority report of December 1971 on a new town at Pauatahanui saw the population of Pauatahanui growing from 4100 (1971) to 45,000 (1986), but said that
1525-746: The Johnsonville Line, a stone plaque on the eastern abutment of the bridge across Hutt Rd in Wellington, the foundations of the Belmont Viaduct near Johnsonville , most of the NIMT north of Tawa, the railway station at Shannon , the former Te Horo station (now at the Tokomaru Steam Museum) and the Forest Lakes rail bridge. A memorial at Otaihanga on the NIMT commemorates the driving of the WMR's last spike. Pukerua Bay Pukerua Bay
1586-531: The Manawatu, who exchanged land along the proposed route for shares in the company. In May 1881 the company signed a contract with the government to purchase the land, formation and materials used for building the line so far (which had already cost £30,000). The government made certain undertakings limiting the company's profitability and dividend payments, and made substantial grants of Crown land (210,500 acres or 85,186 hectares) to prevent land speculation and make
1647-614: The Muaūpoko people fled up the gorge of the Waimapihi stream (on the Ohariu Fault line), abandoning their treasures on the way. The land blocks originally surveyed (Wairaka in the west, Waimapihi and Pukerua in the east) were sold to settlers from Europe for farming in the late 19th century. Charles Gray was the first resident to subdivide and sell residential sections in Pukerua Bay, in the early 20th century. Pukerua Bay's development history
1708-581: The NIMT via the Horokiwi Valley to bypass the existing unstable coastal section and provide a direct connection from the Hutt Valley to the NIMT, though the rail route via Pukerua Bay and Paekākāriki would be retained for commuter services. But by 1978 NZR decided that the project was not expected to proceed, and some land in Acheron Rd, Paremata was transferred to the Porirua City Council , which
1769-575: The NZR&;LS and stored in their shed at the north end of the Silver Stream Railway site. No. 48 is nearing completion of its restoration. No. 52 is currently being disassembled in preparation for a thorough rebuild. Most of a forth carriage 43 ft car No. 35 (NZR A 1113), existed until recently in Auckland, but has since been demolished. No bogie wagons are thought to exist, although Motat hold both
1830-477: The NZR. The NZR also took over 20 locomotives, 56 bogie passenger cars, 14 brake vans, 343 wagons and two 10-ton hand cranes. The company had paid a 6% or 7% annual dividend, a return averaging 13½% per year, and when the company was taken over shareholders got 55 to 60 shillings a share. Of the 633 shareholders on the Wellington register, 307 were "originals". The WMR line ran for about 134 kilometres (83 mi). From
1891-478: The Plimmerton-Taita Railway or Taita-Plimmerton-Pauatahanui Railway. Other names were Dolly Varden-Haywards; Manor Park-Paremata, Mana-Haywards or Manor Park-Plimmerton railway (Dolly Varden was the earlier name for Mana). Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company The Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company ( WMR or W&MR ) was a private railway company that built, owned and operated
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1952-430: The WMR was acquired by the government, some locomotives joined existing classes (N and V), while others had new class designations established for them. These classes contained few locomotives, so all were withdrawn by 1931 during the 1925–35 standardisation programme. Seven engines were Vauclain compounds from Baldwin . WMR No. 13, built in 1894, was the first compound in New Zealand and the first narrow-gauge compound in
2013-578: The Wellington-Manawatu line in March 1880, and concluded that work should be abandoned. Backed by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, a group of prominent Wellington businessmen decided to form a company to fund the railway's construction. They did so on 15 February 1881, issuing 100,000 shares at £5 each. By May 1881 43,000 shares had been sold, including a substantial package to Māori landowners in
2074-423: The beach frontage extending east (Brendan Beach) and west of Beach Road. There is a pedestrian bridge over SH 59 near Wairaka Road's Kindergarten and pre-school and the school's back entrance (the main entrance is on Rawhiti Road). There are two walks between Pukerua Bay and Plimmerton (5 km south), one around the rocky coast, and one inland (part of a longer cycleway) parallel to the railway. The inland route
2135-545: The company was raising money by selling shares, William Fox said that the terminus had not yet been decided and that Travers was not authorised to make an announcement, and consideration of engineering difficulties and cost would be required (although the company directors would then choose the shorter route!). In August 1881 the Railways Construction and Land Act was passed, allowing joint-stock companies to build and run private railways, as long as they were built to
2196-411: The company. The WMR used simple unprepossessing stations, stating in 1893 that it does not build stations for future generations of travellers as our Government seems to – but adapts expenditure to actual requirements leaving additions to be made as wanted. Wellington ( Thorndon ) and Longburn station buildings were provisional, as the government procrastinated in building joint stations (and as it
2257-430: The existing Whitby development could be seen as an extension of the existing Paremata-Plimmerton development rather than the start of a new Pauatahanui development. Two NZR estimates in 1974 were (1) $ 73½ to $ 75½ million for a double track electrified line and tunnel or (2) $ 15 to $ 40½ million for a non-electrified single track line and tunnel and a small goods yard. In 1976 the proposals included an alternative route for
2318-530: The government's standard rail gauge of 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) and connected with the government railway lines. The Act had the effect of authorising the WMR (and also the New Zealand Midland Railway Company ). Construction of the line recommenced on 25 September 1882. A list of land purchase in the Tawa area includes 17 names, including 6 for which the amount was decided by
2379-403: The grants were made, the value of the land had appreciated by £6,369,837, and land sales raised money to complete the railway. The railway's operations were advanced by standards of the time, having comfortable carriages, dining cars, electric lighting, and telephone communication between stations. By comparison, the government-operated network did not introduce dining cars until 1902. From 1895
2440-431: The land from Māori. So the government offered in settlement with WMR only £5,339 worth of land in 1894, knowing the company could not afford a lawsuit. The company had paid the government and local bodies £118,550, amounting to two-thirds of its paid-up capital and 20% more than the total value of the land grants. The cost of the railway and equipment to February 1905 was £1,010,197 with land grants amounting to £98,644. Since
2501-461: The line joined the Foxton Branch in the middle, terminating at Longburn , rather than at Foxton — the routing was strongly debated, and was chosen as being more direct. A number of new towns were established along the route, notably Plimmerton , named after company director and "Father of Wellington" John Plimmer . Levin , named after William Hort Levin , and Shannon , named after George Vance Shannon (1842–1920), were also named after directors of
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2562-485: The line length was 84.5 miles the company was entitled to £126,375 of land. The government allocated £96,570 of land within a 15-mile radius from the line and agreed to allocate £29,805 more of land from land acquired in the next five years. But while the company gained agreement from Māori land owners to sell the Horowhenua Block, the government did not act within five years and ignored petitions to parliament to acquire
2623-550: The line, from Wellington to Wadestown , was partially constructed. However, Grey's government was defeated at the September 1879 general election and left office in October 1879. The government of Sir John Hall took office and he had the line removed from the Public Works Estimates. Hall then created a Royal Commission to review the government's public works programme, with a view to reducing government expenditure. The Commission reviewed
2684-466: The name refers. The majority of Pukerua Bay is situated in a saddle between hills, about 60-90m above sea level, offering sea views (and views of Kapiti Island and occasionally Mounts Taranaki and Ruapehu to the north) from many houses. The Kaikoura range on the South Island including Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku can be seen from some places at the southern end of the township. The coast around Pukerua Bay
2745-489: The new "West Coast" line would go via Foxton , but the new company ( William Travers ) said in February 1881 that the route would to follow the most direct route to Palmerston North (via Fitzherbert, connecting with the NZR at Longburn), so bypassing Foxton. This was a shorter and more direct route to Napier and Auckland (72 not 82 miles), and avoided "unproductive country" in favour of a route with potentially better hinterland. As
2806-492: The pedestrian crossing to hold up traffic. The SH 1 route through Pukerua Bay was renumbered SH 59 on 7 December 2021, due to SH 1 being shifted to the Transmission Gully Motorway . The Pukerua Bay statistical area covers 8.17 km (3.15 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 2,070 as of June 2024, with a population density of 253 people per km . Pukerua Bay had a population of 1,962 at
2867-404: The railway a viable entity. The total land grants were valued at £96,000.00. The contract stipulated the line was to be built within five years of commencement; it took four years and two months to build. The contract also included a clause for the government to purchase the company in the future at a "fair value", something that was later to prove contentious. The government had proposed that
2928-701: The remains of which were recovered in 2003 by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Trust . It is under active restoration at Steam Incorporated , Paekākāriki. Sister locomotive No. 10 is believed to have been dumped complete along the Midland Line , but has yet to be discovered. Railway archaeologist Tony Batchelor believes he may have found No. 7 (later NZR V 451) in Southland, but this has yet to be proven. A number of items of rolling stock survive, including three passenger carriages – 50 ft cars No. 42 (NZR A 1120), No. 48 (NZR A 1126) and No. 52 (NZR A 1130), are owned by
2989-584: The saddle. It followed the road route to the "noteworthy" settlement of Pauatahanui , then climbed the left bank of the Horokiri Stream valley (what is now the Transmission Gully route), went under the saddle with a 27 chain (540 m) tunnel, and at 23 miles reached the existing route of the NIMT at McKay’s Homestead (now McKay’s Crossing of the NIMT). "The Haywards route .... was quickly dropped, although it
3050-561: The time). In 1973, Pukerua Bay joined Porirua City Council to get the issues of water and sewerage connection addressed. Growth continued in the 1970s with the Sea Vista Drive subdivision and soon the fact that the SH 1 route, with increasing traffic, was going through the middle of Pukerua Bay became an issue. In 1989, an over-bridge over the SH 1 route was opened, after continued lobbying by local residents, which included continually walking across
3111-417: The way including Manawatū , Ōhau and Turakina . The escarpment track between Pukerua Bay and Paekākāriki is exposed and prone to slips from significant rain events affecting SH 59 north of Pukerua Bay. The coastal road was closed three times within a year in 2022. The waters around Pukerua Bay, from a point north halfway to Paekākāriki to Wairaka Point south of Pukerua Bay, are currently protected by
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#17328693959493172-486: The world. No. 10 became particularly famous when, on 20 July 1892, it achieved 64.4 mph (103.6 km/h) hauling a test train along the level stretch of line between Levin and Shannon , at the time the world speed record for the 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) gauge. The locomotive was withdrawn in 1928 and dumped in the Waimakariri River to help stabilise the riverbank, and its final resting place
3233-460: Was $ 44,800, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 447 people (29.1%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 891 (58.0%) people were employed full-time, 255 (16.6%) were part-time, and 48 (3.1%) were unemployed. Pukerua Bay has a branch of Porirua Library, a Returned Servicemen's Association, tennis club, scout hall, sports field, and several nature reserves and trails. Retail facilities include
3294-427: Was 22.9, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 60.1% had no religion, 29.4% were Christian , 0.3% had Māori religious beliefs , 0.5% were Buddhist and 2.9% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 537 (35.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 138 (9.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income
3355-421: Was already using it for a children’s park. While subdivision at Whitby was advancing towards Pauatahanui and Judgeford, the scale of development was less than predicted. And industrial development in the Hutt Valley decreased with New Zealand's decreasing barriers to trade , as did industrial rail traffic with the removal of protection of rail freight from road competition. The project was originally (1946) called
3416-632: Was included in Public Works Department estimates, so in 1879 PWD surveyors ran three trial lines for the Wellington-Foxton railway. No 2 line surveyed by Climie via Johnsonville followed the coach route, and was eventually chosen. No 1 line surveyed by Wink and Hales which went from Upper Hutt to Waikanae via Akatarawa required two tunnels, a bridge over the Hutt River , a horseshoe curve to Bluff Creek Valley (now Reikorangi ), and reached
3477-594: Was included in a 10-year plan for public works, and was allowed for in the rerouting of the Taita-Silverstream section of the Hutt Valley Line . Justification was expected large-scale development in the Pauatahanui-Judgeford area, with a new town, and expected industrial development to rival the Hutt Valley, possibly requiring a two or three mile spur line from Plimmerton. In 1957 a new line via Haywards
3538-417: Was not expected to be built in 20–30 years. But in 1967 there were proposals for a new city at Pauatahanui , including a Horokiwi Valley Industrial Area requiring a new 2 mile (industrial) spur line. By 1969 the New Zealand Railways Department (NZR) projects committee was considering rail proposals for a new town with a population of 75,000 and two industrial areas (400 acres near Plimmerton and 300 acres on
3599-548: Was proposed for expected residential and industrial development in the Pauatahanui-Judgeford area at the head of the Pauatahanui Arm of the Porirua Harbour. This link was to follow the route of the present Paremata to Haywards Road ( SH58 ) and required a tunnel. This proposed link was regarded a long-term project not justified in the immediate future and was abandoned in the 1970s. In 1878 a 61-mile Wellington-Foxton railway
3660-843: Was rebuilt in 2009 in a collaborative venture between the Porirua City Council, the Residents Association, and PKBSK8 Inc. Funding was also provided by the Caversham Foundation and the Mana Community Grants Foundation. The park is adjacent to the Pukerua Bay railway station, and replaces an old asphalt bowl which the City Council claims was the only purpose-built skatepark in the Southern Hemisphere when it opened in 1976. A popular 10-kilometre walkway,
3721-493: Was suggested that WMR trains could run to Palmerston North over the NZR line, at a cost. WMR passenger trains eventually ran to Palmerston North Central railway station .) Other stations were based on PWD designs for 4th, 5th & 6th class stations, They all had a central waiting area open at the front with seating along the rear and one side, and a simple sloped roof dropping to the rear but no verandah. The 4th & 5th class stations had an office with ticket slide at one end and
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