Middleton Railway Station
Encyclopedia
Middleton railway station was a short-lived rural flag station
in the Wairarapa
region of New Zealand
’s North Island
. It was located on the Wairarapa Line
between the stations of Clareville (to the south) and Waingawa
(to the north) near what was known as West Taratahi Road (now Wiltons Road). It opened in 1880 but was closed just over a decade later in 1891.
in May 1880, construction of the line northwards steadily progressed towards Masterton
. The first train was able to cross the Waingawa River
in late July and a station had been erected at Middleton by the end of August. The station opened to all traffic along with the Woodside – Masterton section of the line on 1 November 1880.
Facilities at Middleton were few and consisted of a platform and passenger shelter. The Working Timetable also lists a loading bank and up to two private sidings were also listed though not after 1884.
Freight traffic didn’t officially begin until 1881 by which time the station had been receiving passenger trains for several months. The station was last listed in the October 1889 Working Timetable and was closed to all traffic about April 1891.
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...
in the Wairarapa
Wairarapa
Wairarapa is a geographical region of New Zealand. It occupies the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service towns, with Masterton being the largest...
region of 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...
between the stations of Clareville (to the south) and Waingawa
Waingawa Railway Station
Waingawa railway station is a station on the Wairarapa Line in the Wairarapa district of New Zealand’s North Island. It is located about south of the Waingawa River and is situated in a heavy industrial area...
(to the north) near what was known as West Taratahi Road (now Wiltons Road). It opened in 1880 but was closed just over a decade later in 1891.
History
Following the opening of the Greytown BranchGreytown Branch
The Greytown Branch was a five-kilometre branch line railway off the Wairarapa Line at Woodside in the Wairarapa district of New Zealand's North Island. It followed an almost straight course over flat terrain...
in May 1880, construction of the line northwards steadily progressed towards Masterton
Masterton
Masterton is a large town and local government district in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. It is the largest town in the Wairarapa, a region separated from Wellington by the Rimutaka ranges...
. The first train was able to cross the Waingawa River
Waingawa River
The Waingawa River is a river of the Wellington and Manawatu-Wanganui Regions of New Zealand's North Island. A major tributary of the Ruamahanga River, it flows generally southeast from its origins close to The Mitre, the highest peak of the Tararua Range...
in late July and a station had been erected at Middleton by the end of August. The station opened to all traffic along with the Woodside – Masterton section of the line on 1 November 1880.
Facilities at Middleton were few and consisted of a platform and passenger shelter. The Working Timetable also lists a loading bank and up to two private sidings were also listed though not after 1884.
Freight traffic didn’t officially begin until 1881 by which time the station had been receiving passenger trains for several months. The station was last listed in the October 1889 Working Timetable and was closed to all traffic about April 1891.