Fernside Railway Station
Encyclopedia
Fernside railway station was a flag station
that served the small rural community of Fernside, north-east of Featherston
in New Zealand
’s North Island
. It was located on the Wairarapa Line
near the southern bank of the Tauherenikau River
. The station opened to traffic in 1880 and closed nearly a century later in 1975.
Fernside was never considered to be particularly important, but one of the more interesting facets of its history was that the Railways Department
constructed a stone crushing plant there near the south bank of the Tauherenikau River in 1908. Source material was extracted from the riverbed and hauled to the plant in small trucks or skips. In 1912 a siding was laid to the plant and, though the plant ceased operation in the early 1920s, the siding was not lifted until about the late 1930s. With this siding gone it seems that there was little further use for the station for the consignment of freight and it was closed for this purpose in 1940.
A backshunt
that served as a service siding was retained at Fernside for use by the Way and Works bridge maintenance crew as a place where wagons of material and mobile workers huts could be stored. In practice, however, the crews stationed their huts at Featherston and travelled to the bridge on motor velocipedes. Closure of the siding was suggested in a 1953 report on sidings at unattended stations but the District Engineer required it to remain open in connection with work on the bridge. It was finally closed on 30 July 1962.
The Wairarapa Line was completed to its northern terminus at Woodville in 1897 and this enabled the Railways Department to introduce the Napier Mail
to the Wairarapa Line. This train had earlier run as the Napier Express
via the Wellington and Manawatu Railway and the Manawatu Gorge. This arrangement lasted until 1909 when the Napier Mail once again became the Napier Express and reverted to its original route. Thereafter the primary passenger service through the Wairarapa was the Wairarapa Mail
which was essentially the Wellington to Woodville portion of the old Napier Mail.
From 1936 when the NZR RM class Wairarapa-type railcars
were introduced passengers from Fernside had a much faster service to points both north and south. The Wairarapa Mail passenger trains continued to run but in 1944 were reduced from their Monday – Saturday timetable to a thrice weekly service due to a severe coal shortage. It never recovered from this and was withdrawn completely in 1948. Several years later the Rimutaka Tunnel
was opened, bringing an end to the mixed trains that had been plying the Wairarapa Line and the withdrawal of the Wairarapa-type railcars, and ushering in the era of the twin-set railcars
. The private motorcar was already having an effect on smaller railway stations and Fernside was no exception with patronage steadily declining. The 1959 railcar timetable lists Fernside as a "stops if required" station for both northbound and southbound services. In 1963 patronage was considered to be "light" and by 1975 it was no longer sufficient to warrant keeping the station open leading to its closure to all traffic on 30 March.
Request stop
In public transport, a request stop or flag stop describes a stopping point at which trains or buses stop only on an as-need or request basis; that is, only if there are passengers to be picked up or dropped off. In this way, infrequently used stopping points can be served efficiently.Trains save...
that served the small rural community of Fernside, north-east of Featherston
Featherston
Featherston is a name of English origin, at least as old as the 12th century. The link with "Featherstone" is probably not traceable, but people researching both spellings contribute to the collection of pages in the website called "The Featherstone Society".The name is applied to people and...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
’s North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
. It was located on the Wairarapa Line
Wairarapa Line
The Wairarapa Line is a secondary railway line in the south-east of the North Island of New Zealand, connecting the capital city of Wellington with the Wairarapa region. The line ends at Woodville, where it joins the Palmerston North - Gisborne Line...
near the southern bank of the Tauherenikau River
Tauherenikau River
The Tauherenikau River is a river of the Wellington Region of New Zealand's North Island. It flows initially southeast from its sources on the slopes of Mount Hector before turning southwest to run down a long valley in the tararua Range...
. The station opened to traffic in 1880 and closed nearly a century later in 1975.
Facilities
At around the time the station opened it had a passenger shelter and a cottage. At some point a wooden-fronted platform was also constructed as the Masterton-based Inspector of the Permanent Way reported in 1953 that this had rotted and required replacement. An inspection of the passenger shelter in 1963 revealed that it was in such a poor state that it was not economical to repair it and its replacement with a smaller structure was recommended. In response it was noted that the station handled passengers only and patronage of the station was light. It was considered that a new building was not warranted and instructions were issued for no work to be carried out on the building until further notice. In 1965 minor repairs and a repaint were authorised.Fernside was never considered to be particularly important, but one of the more interesting facets of its history was that the Railways Department
New Zealand Railways Department
The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's railway infrastructure and operating the railway system. The Department was created in 1880 and was reformed in 1981 into the New...
constructed a stone crushing plant there near the south bank of the Tauherenikau River in 1908. Source material was extracted from the riverbed and hauled to the plant in small trucks or skips. In 1912 a siding was laid to the plant and, though the plant ceased operation in the early 1920s, the siding was not lifted until about the late 1930s. With this siding gone it seems that there was little further use for the station for the consignment of freight and it was closed for this purpose in 1940.
A backshunt
Backshunt
* A backshunt is a railway track configuration in situations where a change in direction is required and a traditional curve cannot fit.There are two main applications of a backshunt....
that served as a service siding was retained at Fernside for use by the Way and Works bridge maintenance crew as a place where wagons of material and mobile workers huts could be stored. In practice, however, the crews stationed their huts at Featherston and travelled to the bridge on motor velocipedes. Closure of the siding was suggested in a 1953 report on sidings at unattended stations but the District Engineer required it to remain open in connection with work on the bridge. It was finally closed on 30 July 1962.
Services
The first trains to stop at Fernside were the mixed services that ran from Wellington to Greytown when the Featherston – Greytown section of the line opened in May 1880. These services had earlier terminated at Featherston and were simply extended to run to the new railhead. Later that year the line was opened to Masterton and in 1884 there were two return weekday mixed trains. No regular passenger-only workings were provided save for the occasional holiday excursion trains. As was typically the case for flag stations, trains only stopped to pick up or set down passengers and wagons if required to do so.The Wairarapa Line was completed to its northern terminus at Woodville in 1897 and this enabled the Railways Department to introduce the Napier Mail
Napier Express
The Napier Express was a passenger express train operated by the New Zealand Railways Department initially between Napier and Palmerston North and later between Napier and Wellington. It ran from 1891 until 1954.-Introduction:...
to the Wairarapa Line. This train had earlier run as the Napier Express
Napier Express
The Napier Express was a passenger express train operated by the New Zealand Railways Department initially between Napier and Palmerston North and later between Napier and Wellington. It ran from 1891 until 1954.-Introduction:...
via the Wellington and Manawatu Railway and the Manawatu Gorge. This arrangement lasted until 1909 when the Napier Mail once again became the Napier Express and reverted to its original route. Thereafter the primary passenger service through the Wairarapa was the Wairarapa Mail
Wairarapa Mail
The Wairarapa Mail was a passenger train operated by the New Zealand Railways Department between Wellington and Woodville, continuing on to Palmerston North as a mixed train...
which was essentially the Wellington to Woodville portion of the old Napier Mail.
From 1936 when the NZR RM class Wairarapa-type railcars
NZR RM class (Wairarapa)
The NZR RM class Wairarapa railcar was the first truly successful class of railcars to operate on New Zealand's national rail network...
were introduced passengers from Fernside had a much faster service to points both north and south. The Wairarapa Mail passenger trains continued to run but in 1944 were reduced from their Monday – Saturday timetable to a thrice weekly service due to a severe coal shortage. It never recovered from this and was withdrawn completely in 1948. Several years later the Rimutaka Tunnel
Rimutaka Tunnel
The Rimutaka Tunnel is a railway tunnel through New Zealand's Rimutaka Ranges, between Maymorn, near Upper Hutt, and Featherston, on the Wairarapa Line.The tunnel, which was opened to traffic on 3 November 1955, is long...
was opened, bringing an end to the mixed trains that had been plying the Wairarapa Line and the withdrawal of the Wairarapa-type railcars, and ushering in the era of the twin-set railcars
NZR RM class (88 seater)
The NZR RM class 88-seaters were a class of railcar used in New Zealand, known unofficially as 'articulateds', 'twinsets', 'Drewrys' and 'Fiats'. They were purchased to replace steam-hauled provincial passenger trains and mixed trains...
. The private motorcar was already having an effect on smaller railway stations and Fernside was no exception with patronage steadily declining. The 1959 railcar timetable lists Fernside as a "stops if required" station for both northbound and southbound services. In 1963 patronage was considered to be "light" and by 1975 it was no longer sufficient to warrant keeping the station open leading to its closure to all traffic on 30 March.