Thames Branch
Encyclopedia
The Thames Branch railway line connected Thames, New Zealand
, with Hamilton
and was originally part of the East Coast Main Trunk Railway. Part of the line between Morrinsville
and Waitoa remains open and is in use as the Waitoa Industrial Line, connecting to the Fonterra
Dairy Factory at Waitoa.
recommended a rail connection to Thames, primarily due to issues associated with barging coal from North Auckland coal mines to Thames to serve the gold mining industry. Surveys were completed in 1878, despite opposition from local Maori, putting the cost of the 54km line at £178,000. Premier
Sir George Grey
turned the first sod of the line at Thames that year, but 18 months later work from Thames was stopped by the 1880 Royal Commission ordered by Grey's successor.
However, construction of the section from Hamilton continued, albeit slowly. The line crossed the Waikato River
and was opened from Morrinsville to Te Aroha
on 1 March 1886, to Paeroa
on 20 December 1895, and finally to Thames on 19 December 1898. The Minister of Railways
, Alfred Cadman
, drove the first train into Thames, headed by an F class
locomotive.
One of the lines first major traffic sources was A & G Price
of Thames, who started producing locomotives for NZGR from 1904. Following the completion of the North Island Main Trunk in 1908, the government began planning the East Coast Main Trunk Railway in 1909, eventually to connect to Gisborne
. Work began in 1911 on a link from Paeroa
through the Karangahake Gorge
to Waihi
. From this stage the Thames Branch was defined as Paeroa to Thames, with the Morrinsville - Paeroa section being designated as part of the East Coast Main Trunk. The opening of the Kaimai Tunnel
in 1979 and the closure of the Paeroa - Katikati
section of the East Coast Main Trunk led to the re-designation of the Morrinsville - Thames section as the Thames Branch.
Scheduled trains to Thames ceased 1985. The line closed on 28 June 1991. The track was lifted during May 1995, between Thames and the dairy factory at Waitoa. In 2004 the section of the line as far as Waitoa (still in place) was re-opened for dairy traffic, as part of Fonterra
's policy of moving more freight by rail.
shunting locomotive.
Thames, New Zealand
Thames is a town at the southwestern end of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand's North Island. It is located on the Firth of Thames close to the mouth of the Waihou River. The town is the seat of the Thames-Coromandel District Council....
, with Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
and was originally part of the East Coast Main Trunk Railway. Part of the line between Morrinsville
Morrinsville
Morrinsville is a town in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. The land for the town and surrounding farmland was purchased from Wirimu Tamehana,the king maker prior to the NZ land wars of the 1860s. The land then was very swampy...
and Waitoa remains open and is in use as the Waitoa Industrial Line, connecting to the Fonterra
Fonterra
Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited is a New Zealand multinational dairy co-operative owned by almost 10,500 New Zealand farmers. The company is responsible for approximately 30% of the world's dairy exports and with revenue exceeding NZ$19.87 billion, is New Zealand's largest company.- History :In...
Dairy Factory at Waitoa.
History
The discovery of gold in the Thames area in 1852 provided the impetus for building a railway line from Auckland to Thames. In 1872 the Auckland Provincial CouncilAuckland Province
The Auckland Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.-Anniversary Day:...
recommended a rail connection to Thames, primarily due to issues associated with barging coal from North Auckland coal mines to Thames to serve the gold mining industry. Surveys were completed in 1878, despite opposition from local Maori, putting the cost of the 54km line at £178,000. Premier
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
Sir George Grey
George Grey
George Grey may refer to:*Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet , British politician*George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent *Sir George Grey , Governor of Cape Colony, South Australia and New Zealand...
turned the first sod of the line at Thames that year, but 18 months later work from Thames was stopped by the 1880 Royal Commission ordered by Grey's successor.
However, construction of the section from Hamilton continued, albeit slowly. The line crossed the Waikato River
Waikato River
The Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand. In the North Island, it runs for 425 kilometres from the eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, joining the Tongariro River system and emptying into Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake. It drains Taupo at the lake's northeastern edge, creates the...
and was opened from Morrinsville to Te Aroha
Te Aroha
Te Aroha is a rural town in the Waikato region of New Zealand with a population of 3,768 . It is 53 km northeast of Hamilton and 50 km south of Thames. It sits at the foot of 952-metre Mount Te Aroha, the highest point in the Kaimai Range....
on 1 March 1886, to Paeroa
Paeroa
Paeroa is a small town in New Zealand, in the northern Waikato region of the Thames Valley. Located at the foot of the Coromandel Peninsula, it is close to the junction of the Waihou and Ohinemuri Rivers, 20 kilometres from the coast at the Firth of Thames...
on 20 December 1895, and finally to Thames on 19 December 1898. The Minister of Railways
Minister of Railways (New Zealand)
The Minister of Railways was the minister in the government responsible for the New Zealand Railways Department 1895–1981, the New Zealand Railways Corporation 1981–1993, and New Zealand Rail Limited 1990–1993...
, Alfred Cadman
Alfred Cadman
Sir Alfred Jerome Cadman was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party. He was the Minister of Railways from 1895 to 1899 in the First Liberal Government.-Early life:Cadman was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1847...
, drove the first train into Thames, headed by an F class
NZR F class
The NZR F class was the first important class of steam locomotive built to operate on New Zealand's railway network after the national gauge of 1067 millimetres was adopted. The first locomotives built for the new 1067 mm railways were two E class double Fairlies for the Dunedin and Port Chalmers...
locomotive.
One of the lines first major traffic sources was A & G Price
A & G Price
A & G Price Limited is an engineering firm and locomotive manufacturer in Thames, New Zealand, established in 1868. In 2004 a precision formed yacht keel division was formed to make the Maximus canting keel...
of Thames, who started producing locomotives for NZGR from 1904. Following the completion of the North Island Main Trunk in 1908, the government began planning the East Coast Main Trunk Railway in 1909, eventually to connect to Gisborne
Gisborne, New Zealand
-Economy:The harbour was host to many ships in the past and had developed as a river port to provide a more secure location for shipping compared with the open roadstead of Poverty Bay which can be exposed to southerly swells. A meat works was sited beside the harbour and meat and wool was shipped...
. Work began in 1911 on a link from Paeroa
Paeroa
Paeroa is a small town in New Zealand, in the northern Waikato region of the Thames Valley. Located at the foot of the Coromandel Peninsula, it is close to the junction of the Waihou and Ohinemuri Rivers, 20 kilometres from the coast at the Firth of Thames...
through the Karangahake Gorge
Karangahake Gorge
The Karangahake Gorge lies between the Coromandel and Kaimai ranges, at the southern end of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand's North Island. A sharply winding canyon, it was formed by the Ohinemuri River. State Highway 2 passes through this gorge between the towns of Paeroa, Waikino and Waihi...
to Waihi
Waihi
Waihi is a town in Hauraki District in the North Island of New Zealand, especially notable for its history as a gold mine town. It had a population of 4,503 at the 2006 census....
. From this stage the Thames Branch was defined as Paeroa to Thames, with the Morrinsville - Paeroa section being designated as part of the East Coast Main Trunk. The opening of the Kaimai Tunnel
Kaimai Tunnel
The Kaimai Tunnel is a railway tunnel through the Kaimai Range in the North Island of New Zealand. Since it was opened in 1978, it has held the title of longest tunnel in New Zealand, assuming this distinction from the previous title holder, the Rimutaka Tunnel...
in 1979 and the closure of the Paeroa - Katikati
Katikati
Katikati is a town located on the Uretara Stream near the tidal inlet opened by Matakana Island in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. The nearest city is Tauranga, which is 40 kilometres to the southeast. Katikati lies 28 kilometres south of Waihi.Katikati was settled in 1875 by settlers from County...
section of the East Coast Main Trunk led to the re-designation of the Morrinsville - Thames section as the Thames Branch.
Scheduled trains to Thames ceased 1985. The line closed on 28 June 1991. The track was lifted during May 1995, between Thames and the dairy factory at Waitoa. In 2004 the section of the line as far as Waitoa (still in place) was re-opened for dairy traffic, as part of Fonterra
Fonterra
Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited is a New Zealand multinational dairy co-operative owned by almost 10,500 New Zealand farmers. The company is responsible for approximately 30% of the world's dairy exports and with revenue exceeding NZ$19.87 billion, is New Zealand's largest company.- History :In...
's policy of moving more freight by rail.
Services
Currently services to Waitoa consist of unscheduled shunts to Morrinsville carrying dairy products, usually powered by a DSJ classNZR DSJ class
The NZR DSJ class is a class of diesel-electric shunting locomotive used on the New Zealand rail network. The class has a very similar overall design to the DSG class, but is instead single-engined, has a cab that is offset from the centre, and is both shorter and lighter than its twin-engined...
shunting locomotive.