Southern Line, Auckland
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The Southern Line in Auckland, New Zealand is the name given to suburban train services that operate between Britomart and Pukekohe via Newmarket.
Routing
From Britomart to Newmarket, it uses the Newmarket Line, then follows the North Auckland Line to Westfield, where it meets the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT). It then follows the NIMT to the terminus of the Southern Line at Pukekohe. In its entirety, this line follows the original 1875 North Island Main Trunk route between central Auckland and Pukekohe. In 1915, the original single-track Parnell tunnel was bypassed by a twin-track tunnel. The old tunnel can be seen beside the current tunnel, between Parnell and Newmarket Junction. The line was duplicated, piecemeal, between 1909 and 1939.
History
In 1930 the Westfield deviation opened a new eastern route from Auckland to Westfield via Glen Innes. The route between Auckland to Westfield via Newmarket then ceased to be part of the NIMT. The route between Westfield and Newmarket then became part of the North Auckland Line (NAL) between Westfield to Whangarei.
The Southern Line suburban services continued to run on the old route. A new line, called the Eastern Line, was introduced for services on the new route. In December 2014 Eastern Line ceased to operate to Papakura and Pukekohe, with all Eastern Line services instead terminating at Manukau on the Manukau Branch Line. While the Eastern and Southern Line have a different route between Auckland and Westfield, they still share the same tracks from Westfield to Puhinui.
Extension
The Manukau Branch, a new branch line was built between 2011-2012 and opened for revenue service on 15 April 2012.[1] Services run via the Eastern Line.
New stations
New stations have been proposed at Walters Road and Drury, and are currently being sought by the Papakura Local Board.
Services
Suburban services are operated by Transdev under the AT brand.
Stations on the line
| Station | Km from Auckland[2] | Height above sea level (m) | Current status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point Britomart | 0 km | 2.7 | Located near current Kings Wharf. Opened 24-12-1873. Closed 29-11-1885 |
| Queen Street | 0 km | 2.7 | Located at the current Britomart Transport Centre site, albeit at ground level. Opened 30-11-1885. Closed 16-11-1930. |
| Auckland | 0 km | 3 | Located on Beach Road, Parnell. Opened 17-12-1930. Closed July 2003. Former Platform 7 renamed Strand Railway Station and retained for steam services. |
| Britomart Transport Centre | 0 km | 4m below sea level | Located beneath the site of the 1885-1930 Queen Street station. Open. New Zealand's second underground station. New Zealand's lowest public point.[3] |
| Parnell | New station nearing completion. | ||
| Newmarket | 2.53 | 53 | Open (Four platform junction station). |
| Remuera | 4.04 | 81 | Open. Uses 1902-era Troup-designed station and signal box. |
| Green Lane | 5.53 | 57 | Open |
| Ellerslie Racecourse Platform | 5.8 | 50 | Closed. Platforms still exist. |
| Ellerslie | 6.96 | 31 | Open |
| Penrose | 8.44 | 23 | Open |
| Southdown | 10.26 | 4.2 | Closed 2004 |
| Westfield | 11.27 | 7.6 | Open. Proposed for closure. |
| Otahuhu | 12.51 | 9.44 | Open |
| Mangere | 13.28 | 10.66 | Closed |
| Middlemore | 14.33 | 8.8 | Open |
| Papatoetoe | 16.13 | 18 | Open |
| Papatoitoi | 16.95 | 18.9 | Closed 1904 |
| Puhinui | 17.66 | 19.8 | Open |
| Wiri | 19.04 | 22.25 | Closed 2005 |
| Homai | 20.88 | 30.78 | Open |
| Manurewa | 22.49 | 28.34 | Closed |
| Manurewa | 22.77 | 17 | Open |
| Te Mahia | 24.29 | 14.9 | Open. Proposed for Closure. |
| Takanini | 25.9 | 15.2 | Open |
| Tironui | 27.56 | 15.5 | Closed 1980. Proposal for new station nearby at Walters Road lodged 2012. |
| Papakura | 29.42 | 19.2 | Open |
| Opaheke | 31.92 | 14.5 | Known as "Hunua" until 1939. Closed 1955. |
| Drury | 34.81 | 9 | Closed 1980. Proposal to re-open lodged 2012. |
| Runciman | 36 | 8 | Closed 1918 |
| Paerata | 43.31 | 45.1 | Closed 1980 |
| Pukekohe | 47.8 | 60.65 | Open |
See also
References
- ↑ "City's new rail line set to open". Auckland Now. 22 March 2012.
- ↑ New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (First ed.). Quail Map Co. 1965. pp. 3 & 4.
- ↑ "Britomart Transport Interchange, Auckland: Alterations and strengthening of the former Chief Post Office" (PDF). Opus International Consultants. Retrieved 24 January 2013.