Runciman railway station

Runciman railway station was a station on the North Island Main Trunk in New Zealand,^[2][3] serving an area which had been sold by James Runciman in 1864, with plots near the proposed railway gaining higher prices.^[4] It was initially planned for the terminal of the Auckland and Drury Railway to be north of the settlement,^[5] but an offer of the later station site was made in 1864.^[6]

There was debate about the location of the station as early as 1874.^[7] Although the line was complete by late 1873,^[8] the first passenger train didn't run until 7 October 1874^[9] and complaint continued about delays in opening the line.^[10] Possibly the delay was due to threats to blockade the line to force trains to stop at Runciman.^[11] Drury became a crossing point for trains on the official opening to Mercer on 20 May 1875.^[12] It seems Drury station was known as Runciman,^[13] though the name didn't become official until July 1879.^[14] The disputes over location seem to have continued throughout the station's existence.^[15] By 1895 it had cattle loading facilities.^[16] The name was briefly changed to Oira in 1909.^[17]

Until 1917 Runciman station was next to a level crossing on the Great South Rd. Work then began to replace the crossing with a bridge, ease the gradient and build a new Drury station between Runciman and Drury,^[18] despite a protest petition^[19] about the move a few chains away.^[20]

References