87-476: The Whanganui River is a major river in the North Island of New Zealand . It is the country's third-longest river, and has special status owing to its importance to the region's Māori people . In March 2017 it became the world's second natural resource (after Te Urewera ) to be given its own legal identity, with the rights, duties and liabilities of a legal person . The Whanganui Treaty settlement brought
174-595: A spiral built to overcome large elevation differences with grades suitable for steam engines, the ruling gradient being 1 in 50. When the first sections of the NIMT were built, there was great uncertainty as to even the route in Waikato , with Cambridge , Kihikihi , Te Awamutu and Alexandra considered as possible destinations in Waikato. The central section was gradually extended to meet up in 1909, 23 years after
261-467: A broadleaf and podocarp forest; understory species include crown fern ( Blechnum discolor ), and a variety of other ferns and shrubs. In 1892 Alexander Hatrick was contracted by Thomas Cook & Son to carry tourists to Pipiriki on the paddle-steamer PS Waimarie , the journey was "The Rhine of Maoriland " tourist route into the interior of New Zealand. The river boat subsequently carried mail, passengers and cargo. PS Waimarie operates on
348-588: A great fish and pulled it right up from the sea. While he was not looking, his brothers fought over the fish and chopped it up. This great fish became the North Island, and thus a Māori name for the North Island is Te Ika-a-Māui ("The Fish of Māui"). The mountains and valleys are believed to have been formed as a result of Māui's brothers' hacking at the fish. During Captain James Cook 's voyage between 1769 and 1770 , Tahitian navigator Tupaia accompanied
435-445: A legal person". He said some people would consider it strange, but it is "no stranger than family trusts, or companies, or incorporated societies." The bill finalised 140-year-old negotiations between Māori and the government. The river will be represented by two officials, one from Māori and the other from the government. Whanga nui is a phrase meaning "big bay" or "big harbour". Some very early maps show that European settlers called
522-554: A modern concrete structure, though the original has been restored as a tourist attraction. In 1980 the 1880s Poro-O-Tarao Tunnel in the King Country was replaced by a tunnel with clearances which allowed for large hicube containers. In 2009–10, the 1.5 km (0.93 mi) section of line between Wellington Junction and Distant Junction was rebuilt from double track to triple track, to ease peak-time congestion. In February 2011, duplication between Paekākāriki and Waikanae
609-725: A new eastern route from Auckland to Westfield via Glen Innes and Hobsons Bay, running into the new Auckland railway station and providing better access to the Port of Auckland. The original section between Auckland and Westfield via Newmarket later ceased to be part of the NIMT: Auckland to Newmarket became the Auckland-Newmarket Line , and Newmarket to Westfield became part of the North Auckland Line (NAL) which runs between Whangarei and Westfield. In
696-783: A technical study carried out with assistance from the Japanese Railway Technical Research Institute . The report stated that track capacity would be increased by electrification because such traction is faster and able to move more freight at once. The report stated, for example, that whereas a diesel locomotive could haul 720-tonne trains at 27 km/h (17 mph) up the Raurimu Spiral , an electric locomotive could haul 1100/1200-tonne trains at 45 km/h (28 mph), cutting 3–5 hours off journey times. Less fuel would be needed and employing regenerative braking in electric locomotives lowers
783-585: A variety of invertebrates such as mayflies, stoneflies and caddis flies. Blue duck (whio) populations can be found at the junction of the Whanganui River and the Mangatepopo and Okupata streams. The Nankeen night heron established roosts along the Whanganui River in the 1990s and is breeding in New Zealand only in this location. Much of the flora in the river basin can be characterised as
870-648: A whole. During the Last Glacial Period when sea levels were over 100 metres lower than present day levels, the North and South islands were connected by a vast coastal plain which formed at the South Taranaki Bight . During this period, most of the North Island was covered in thorn scrubland and forest , while the modern-day Northland Peninsula was a subtropical rainforest . Sea levels began to rise 7,000 years ago, eventually separating
957-518: A year after the last major battle. This line reached Mercer by 20 May 1875, with 29 km (18 mi) from Ngāruawāhia being constructed by the Volunteer Engineer Militia and opened on 13 August 1877. It was extended to Frankton by December 1877, and to Te Awamutu in 1880. An economic downturn stalled construction for the next five years, and Te Awamutu remained the railhead. There were also negotiations with local Māori, and
SECTION 10
#17327731428621044-702: Is 682 kilometres (424 mi) long, built to the New Zealand rail gauge of 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) and serves the large cities of Palmerston North and Hamilton . Most of the NIMT is single track with frequent passing loops , but sections at each end also handling suburban commuter traffic are double tracked. The section known as the North-South Junction between Wellington and Waikanae , except for 3.3 km (2.1 mi) of single-track through tunnels between North Junction (35.3 km (21.9 mi) from Wellington) and South Junction, (32 km (20 mi) from Wellington), on
1131-509: Is also normal to use the preposition in rather than on , for example "Hamilton is in the North Island", "my mother lives in the North Island". Maps, headings, tables, and adjectival expressions use North Island without "the". According to Māori mythology , the North and South Islands of New Zealand arose through the actions of the demigod Māui . Māui and his brothers were fishing from their canoe (the South Island) when he caught
1218-435: Is located at the south-west tip of the island. The island has been known internationally as the North Island for many years. The Te Reo Māori name for it, Te Ika-a-Māui , also has official recognition but it remains seldom used by most residents. On some 19th-century maps, the North Island is named New Ulster (named after Ulster province in northern Ireland) which was also a province of New Zealand that included
1305-716: Is now used only by Transdev Wellington for Metlink suburban passenger services on the Kapiti Line , and was extended to Paraparaumu on 7 May 1983 and Waikanae on 20 February 2011. Funded by the Greater Wellington Regional Council , the extension to Waikanae coincided with the delivery of new FP class Matangi electric multiple units . Following the Second World War railway services suffered due to skill and coal shortages. Skilled staff sought employment opportunities elsewhere in
1392-422: Is of special and spiritual importance for Māori, who also refer to it as Te awa tupua . It was the home for a large proportion of Māori villages in pre-European times. As such, it is regarded as taonga , a special treasure. Local iwi first petitioned Parliament in the 1870s, and efforts have since been made to safeguard the river and give it the respect it deserves. For the same reason, the river has been one of
1479-412: Is said that Taumarunui was the highest reach of the Whanganui River that was navigable by river boat. The river flow was managed by the "Wanganui River Trust Board" which built containing walls to direct and deepen the rivers channels for river traffic. Even so, river boats sometimes found it necessary to winch themselves up the more difficult rapids. The River Trust existed from 1891 to 1940. The flow of
1566-639: Is the world's 14th-largest island , constituting 43% of New Zealand's land area. It has a population of 4,077,800 (June 2024), which is 76% of New Zealand's residents, making it the most populous island in Polynesia and the 28th-most-populous island in the world. Twelve main urban areas (half of them officially cities) are in the North Island. From north to south, they are Whangārei , Auckland , Hamilton , Tauranga , Rotorua , Gisborne , New Plymouth , Napier , Hastings , Whanganui , Palmerston North , and New Zealand's capital city Wellington , which
1653-588: The 1843 Wanganui earthquake . In the 1970s a minor eruption from Mount Ruapehu spilled some of the contents from the Ruapehu Crater Lake (the same root cause of the Tangiwai disaster ). This toxic water entered the Whanganui River and had the effect of killing much of the fish life downstream. In the aftermath of the poisoning, eels as large as 8.2 kilograms (18 lb) and trout as large as 2.3 kilograms (5.1 lb) were washed up dead along
1740-551: The King Country was not accessible to Europeans until 1883. The Wellington - Longburn (near Palmerston North ) section was constructed between 1881 and 1886 by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR). The company was acquired by the government and merged with the New Zealand Railways Department in 1908. The Longburn to Marton section had been opened on 18 April 1878, as part of
1827-519: The Matapuna Bridge of 1903-1904 near Taumarunui . North Island The North Island ( Māori : Te Ika-a-Māui [tɛ i.kɐ ɐ mɑː.ʉ.i] , lit. 'the fish of Māui', officially North Island or Te Ika-a-Māui or historically New Ulster ) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand , separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait . With an area of 113,729 km (43,911 sq mi), it
SECTION 20
#17327731428621914-616: The Onehunga Branch . The line was later continued south from Penrose into the Waikato. To support the Invasion of the Waikato , a 3.5 mi (5.6 km) tramway was built from Maungatāwhiri to Meremere in 1864, with a first sod event near Koheroa on Tuesday, 29 March 1864 by Auckland's Chief Superintendent of Roads & Bridges, W R Collett . Turning of the first sod of the Auckland and Drury Railway took place in 1865,
2001-484: The Pukerua Bay to Paekākāriki section, Around 460 km (290 mi) (approximately 65%) of the line is electrified in three separate sections: one section at 1500 V DC between Wellington and Waikanae, and two sections at 25 kV AC : 412 km (256 mi) between Palmerston North and Te Rapa (Hamilton) and 34 km (21 mi) between Pukekohe and Auckland Waitematā. The first section of what became
2088-433: The central plateau , close to Lake Rotoaira . It flows to the north-west before turning south-west at Taumarunui . From here it runs through the rough, bush-clad hill country of the King Country before turning south-east and flowing past the small settlements of Pipiriki and Jerusalem , before reaching the coast at the city of Whanganui . It is one of the country's longest navigable rivers. The river valley changed in
2175-691: The war delayed most of these works for over a decade. In 1927, automatic colour-light signalling was installed from Otahuhu to Mercer. In 1930 the signalling was extended 34 mi 72 ch (56.2 km) to Frankton and the 6 mi 55 ch (10.8 km) from there to Horotiu was doubled. The 3 mi 54 ch (5.9 km) north to Ngāruawāhia was doubled from 5 December 1937, followed by 9 mi 12 ch (14.7 km) Ngāruawāhia to Huntly on 4 December 1938 and Huntly to Ohinewai and Papakura to Paerata in December 1939. By then, wartime shortages delayed further double-tracking. Pokeno to Mercer
2262-493: The 'Last Spike' monument is at Manganui-o-te-Ao 39°16.44′S 175°23.37′E / 39.27400°S 175.38950°E / -39.27400; 175.38950 , near Pokaka . A two-day NIMT service started on 9 November, with an overnight stop at Ohakune. On 14 February 1909, the first NIMT express left Auckland for Wellington, an overnight trip scheduled to take 19 hours 15 minutes, with a sleeping car, day cars with reclining seats, and postal/parcels vans. The dining car went on
2349-590: The 2023 census, 63.1% of North Islanders identified as European ( Pākehā ), 19.8% as Māori , 10.6% as Pacific peoples , 19.3% as Asian , 1.9% as Middle Eastern/Latin American/African, and 1.1% as other ethnicities. Percentages add to more than 100% as people can identify with more than one ethnicity. Māori form the majority in three districts of the North Island: Kawerau (63.2%), Ōpōtiki (66.2%) and Wairoa (68.5%). Europeans formed
2436-684: The 230-kilometre (140 mi) stretch between Whanganui and Taumarunui. The complete list of bridges in order from source to sea are: Whanganui – A bridge over the Whanganui to connect Raetihi to Taranaki was to be constructed in the Mangaparua area (where the Bridge to Nowhere ) is located, but this plan was never implemented. The oldest bridges over the river are rail bridges; the Aramoho Rail Bridge of 1876 in Whanganui and
2523-648: The Hatrick boats, MV Wairua , has also been restored and can be seen on the river. During the early 20th century , the Wanganui River, as it was then called, was one of the country's top tourist attractions, its rugged beauty and the Māori kāinga (villages) that dotted the banks attracting thousands of tourists a year. With the completion of the North Island Main Trunk railway, the need for
2610-630: The Minister of Public Works William Hall-Jones instigated a night shift (under kerosene lamps). By the beginning of 1908, there was a 39 km (24 mi) gap between Erua and Ohakune, with a connecting horse-drawn coach service. From Ohakune south to Waiouru, the Public Works Department operated the train, as this section of 27 km (17 mi) had not yet been handed over to the Railways Department. The gap
2697-667: The Ministry of Works, but was too expensive. In 1966 the NZR General Manager Alan Gandell said that the deviation would eliminate five old and narrow tunnels, and that New Zealand topography precluded a fast run , but travel time would be cut from 13½ hours to between 11½ and 12 hours, the best possible without tremendous expense . But two modern express trains were being designed for the NIMT, and should be introduced in three to four years. The central section from Te Rapa near Hamilton to Palmerston North
Whanganui River - Misplaced Pages Continue
2784-629: The NIMT opened in 1873 in Auckland. Construction at the Wellington end began in 1885. The line was completed in 1908 and was fully operational by 1909. It is credited for having been an economic lifeline, and for having opened up the centre of the North Island to European settlement and investment. In the early days, a passenger journey between Wellington and Auckland could take more than 20 hours; today, it takes approximately 11 hours. The NIMT has been described as an "engineering miracle", with numerous engineering feats such as viaducts , tunnels and
2871-479: The NIMT which are electrified: Auckland's urban network and the central section (25 kV AC) from Palmerston North – Te Rapa (north of Hamilton) at 25 kV AC . Wellington's urban network is electrified at 1500 V DC; as formerly used in other sections of the New Zealand network. In Wellington the operating voltage has been increased to 1650V DC, and 1700V DC since the full introduction of the Matangi EMU , to increase
2958-559: The NIMT, the General Motors G12 export models were ordered, becoming the D class . The 411 km (255 mi) section between Palmerston North and Hamilton was electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz AC , opened on 24 June 1988 as one of the Muldoon National Government's " Think Big " energy development projects. An overall cost in excess of $ 100 million had been projected, with some 40% being for
3045-606: The NIMT. In 1957 when the installation of CTC over the remaining 354 km (220 mi) commenced, it was estimated that using CTC over the 330 km (205 mi) Taumarunui to Otaki section with control centres at Ohakune (which shifted to Taumarunui in 1977), Taihape and Palmerston North would replace 74 men in traffic working duties. The last section converted was Piriaka-Owhango. A 1926 article by "Backblocks" described conditions for staff at these stations where four workers lived in isolated areas, and their efforts to get special trains for transport to special events. In 1913,
3132-568: The North Island is provided by fifteen District Health Boards (DHBs) . Organised around geographical areas of varying population sizes, they are not coterminous with the Local Government Regions . North Island Main Trunk The North Island Main Trunk ( NIMT ) is the main railway line in the North Island of New Zealand, connecting the capital city Wellington with the country's largest city, Auckland . The line
3219-600: The North Island. In 2009 the New Zealand Geographic Board found that, along with the South Island, the North Island had no official name. After a public consultation, the board officially named it North Island, or the aforementioned Te Ika-a-Māui, in October 2013. In prose, the two main islands of New Zealand are called the North Island and the South Island , with the definite article. It
3306-620: The Peka Peka to Otaki section of the Kāpiti Expressway required 1.3 km (0.81 mi) of the NIMT immediately north of Otaki station to be realigned. Construction began in 2017, and trains were switched onto the new alignment over the 2019 Easter long weekend (19–22 April). In the Auckland area, a third main line between Wiri and Westfield is under construction; this will allow freight (or other) trains to bypass stationary passenger trains. There are three independent sections of
3393-437: The South Island, this is solely due to the North Island having higher natural increase (i.e. births minus deaths) and international migration; since the late 1980s, the internal migration flow has been from the North Island to the South Island. In the year to June 2020, the North Island gained 21,950 people from natural increase and 62,710 people from international migration, while losing 3,570 people from internal migration. At
3480-462: The South Island, with the country's largest city, Auckland, and the capital, Wellington, accounting for nearly half of it. There are 30 urban areas in the North Island with a population of 10,000 or more: The sub-national GDP of the North Island was estimated at NZ$ 282.355 billion in 2021 (78% of New Zealand's national GDP). Nine local government regions cover the North Island and its adjacent islands and territorial waters. Healthcare in
3567-525: The banks of the river. The tributary Whakapapa River had fish losses due to a lahar from Ruapehu in April 1975. Possibly this had effects downstream. Māori legend explains the formation of the river in the Mount Taranaki legend . When Mount Taranaki left the central plateau for the coast, the land was split open, and the river filled the rift. Another Māori legend explains that after Māui caught
Whanganui River - Misplaced Pages Continue
3654-411: The circumnavigation of New Zealand. The maps described the North Island as " Ea Heinom Auwe " and " Aeheinomowe ", which recognises the "Fish of Māui" element. Another Māori name that was given to the North Island, but is now used less commonly, is Aotearoa . Use of Aotearoa to describe the North Island fell out of favour in the early 20th century, and it is now a collective Māori name for New Zealand as
3741-532: The coal shortage and prevent heavy expenditure on imported fuels. He commissioned a study into electrification, which concluded that a low-frequency AC system could be cheaper than 1500 V DC, the system in use in Wellington. Aickin sent a technical mission of four senior officers overseas in March 1949 and travelled overseas himself to negotiate a tentative contract with a British construction company. The Chief Mechanical Engineer and Chief Accountant specified and costed
3828-451: The conclusion of the Otago gold rush in the 1860s, New Zealand's European population growth has experienced a steady 'Northern drift' as population centres in the North Island have grown faster than those of New Zealand's South Island. This population trend has continued into the twenty-first century, but at a much slower rate. While the North Island's population continues to grow faster than
3915-570: The cost of buying bulk electrical energy generated substantially from New Zealand resources and the cost of generating electricity in a small plant using imported diesel fuel. The Royal Commission on Railways created following Aickin's tenure rejected the report's findings. Aickin's successor Horace Lusty , revised the contract with English Electric to specify D class diesel-electric locomotives . They were later found to be unreliable, and only ten were supplied. 42 D class locomotives were supplied instead for secondary lines. For main lines including
4002-571: The economy. From 1948 to 1951 the General Manager of the Railways Department , Frank Aickin advocated electrification of the entire line, despite protests from his engineering staff. Aickin had previously been Staff Superintendent and Chief Legal Advisor to the Department and considered using diesel locomotives for trains on the NIMT to be too expensive. He turned his attention to electrification, mainly because he saw that it could relieve
4089-533: The edge of the city. Between 1973 and 1981, the major Mangaweka deviation in the central section between Mangaweka and Utiku was built, with three viaducts, all over 70m tall, crossing the Rangitīkei and Kawhatau rivers. The viaducts were at the end of their economic lives. The deviation removed a number of tunnels, many of which were built in unstable country, and eliminated a number of steep gradients. A combined road and rail deviation had bean considered with
4176-525: The eventual route. Four options were considered before the Minister of Public Works decided on the present route in 1884, but, when it was realised just how difficult that route was, further surveys considered two other options in 1888. Routes via Napier and Waitara were also considered, with surveying in Taranaki from 1883 to 1889. Construction of the final central section began on 15 April 1885, when paramount chief Wahanui of Ngāti Maniapoto turned
4263-676: The first sod outside Te Awamutu . It was 23 years before the two lines met, as the central section was difficult to survey and construct. The crossing of the North Island Volcanic Plateau with deep ravines required nine viaducts and the world-famous Raurimu Spiral . Richard Seddon ’s Liberal Government pledged in 1903 that the whole route would be open in 1908. In 1904, the railheads were still 146 km (91 mi) apart, and contracts for three massive viaducts (Makatote, Hapuawhenua and Taonui) were not let until 1905. The government committed 2500 workmen, and in 1907,
4350-431: The fuel consumption further. Electrification's advantages were reflected in the economic evaluation in the report, which showed a rate of return of 18%. Sensitivity analysis showed that this high rate of return gave the project robustness against lower traffic volumes than expected (the return remained positive even if traffic fell), against significant increases in construction cost, and against lower than expected rises in
4437-444: The giant fish that was to become the North Island of New Zealand, known as Te Ika-a-Māui, he prayed to Ranginui who then sent two tear drops to land on Māui's fish. These two tear drops then became the rivers Whanganui and Waikato . According to Māori tradition, the river was first explored by Tamatea, one of the leaders of the original migration to the new land, who travelled up the river and on to Lake Taupō . Many places along
SECTION 50
#17327731428624524-401: The heavy X class locomotives used on the central mountainous section from 1908. Some 10 bridges between Frankton and Taumarunui had to be strengthened, and in 1914 there was still 129 km (80 mi) of 53 lb/yd rail to be replaced. In the 1930s 85 lb/yd (42.2 kg/m) was adopted, then 91 lb/yd (45.1 kg/m), and from 1974 100 lb/yd (50 kg/m). Signalling on
4611-660: The islands and linking the Cook Strait to the Tasman Sea . The North Island has an estimated population of 4,077,800 as of June 2024. The North Island had a population of 3,808,005 at the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 213,453 people (5.9%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 570,957 people (17.6%) since the 2013 census . Of the total population, 733,893 people (19.3%) were aged under 15 years, 743,154 (19.5%) were 15 to 29, 1,721,427 (45.2%) were 30 to 64, and 609,534 (16.0%) were 65 or older. Ever since
4698-400: The last of the northern and southern sections of NIMT had been opened. Auckland's first railway was the 13 km (8.1 mi) line between Point Britomart and Onehunga via Penrose, opened in 1873. It was built by Brogdens , as was the rest of the Auckland & Mercer Railway, for £166,000 for the 41 mi (66 km) to Mercer . The section from Penrose to Onehunga is now called
4785-411: The late 1930s, bridges replaced level crossings at Ohinewai, Taupiri and Hopuhopu . The double track Tawa Flat deviation opened to goods trains on 22 July 1935 and to passenger trains on 19 June 1937, bypassing the original single track WMR line between Wellington and Tawa . With a pair of tunnels under the Wellington hills, the deviation alleviated issues with more and heavier freight traffic on
4872-701: The line linking the ports of Foxton and Whanganui . In 1882, the Whitaker Ministry passed the North Island Main Trunk Railway Loan Act , to expedite construction of the North Island Main Trunk south of Te Awamutu by authorising the overseas borrowing of a million pounds (probably in London) for the work. From Te Awamutu, it was proposed that the line be built via Taupo or via Taumarunui ,
4959-555: The locomotives, but the final cost was about $ 250 million. The economics of the project was greatly undermined by the fall of the price of oil in the 1980s and the deregulation of land transport, which removed the long-distance monopoly NZR held when the cost-benefit report was written. The electrification of the section, which had its genesis in a study group set up in June 1974 to report on measures to be taken to cope with increasing rail traffic volumes, received approval in 1980. This led to
5046-484: The longest-running litigation in New Zealand history to an end. With a length of 290 kilometres (180 mi), the Whanganui is the country's third-longest river. Much of the land to either side of the upper reaches is part of the Whanganui National Park , though the river itself is not part of the park. The river rises on the northern slopes of Mount Tongariro , one of the three active volcanoes of
5133-487: The lower stretches of the river, including dinner cruises to Avoca Hotel at Upokongaro and trips to Hipango Park for overnight camping. On 18 June 2010 the Adventurer 2 river boat embarked, attempting to make the 230-kilometre (140 mi) voyage to Taumarunui . The first voyage to Taumarunui in 82 years. The Adventurer 2 now offers this trip to tourist as an historic alternative to jet boating and canoeing
5220-542: The maximum speed limit on the NIMT was raised to 45 mph (72 km/h), reducing the journey time by 1 hour 25 minutes Auckland-Wellington or to 17 hours and between 30 and 45 minutes. Under Thomas Ronayne , the New Zealand Railways Department general manager from 1895 to 1913, the section south to Parnell was duplicated and improvements made to the worst gradients and tight curves between Auckland and Mercer. Under his successor E. H. Hiley
5307-519: The most fiercely contested regions of the country in claims before the Waitangi Tribunal for the return of tribal lands. The Whanganui River claim is heralded as the longest-running legal case in New Zealand history with petitions and court action in the 1930s, Waitangi Tribunal hearings in the 1990s, the ongoing Tieke Marae land occupation since 1993, and the highly publicised Moutoa Gardens occupation in 1995. On 30 August 2012 agreement
SECTION 60
#17327731428625394-757: The need to relieve the steep (1 in 57) gradients from Plimmerton to the Pukerua Bay summit by a deviation to the east and allowed more frequent suburban passenger trains (and allowed suburban electric multiple units to run on this section from September 1949). The difficult section down the Paekakariki Escarpment from Pukerua Bay to Paekākāriki with five tunnels between South and North Junctions remains single track. Duplication from Tawa to Porirua opened on 15 December 1957, from Porirua to Paremata on 7 November 1960, and Paremata to Plimmerton on 16 October 1961. The section between Porirua and Plimmerton
5481-500: The north express from Wellington to Ohakune, then transferred to the southbound express, so avoiding the heavy gradients of the central section. The rails and signalling have been upgraded over the years, and many sections of the line have been deviated: The original 1870s Vogel Era track had rails of 40 lb/yd (19.9 kg/m), some were iron not steel; later rails were 53 lb/yd (26.3 kg/m); and from 1901 70 lb/yd (34.8 kg/m), e.g. between Taumarunui and Taihape for
5568-414: The plurality in the Auckland region (49.8%) and are the majority in the remaining 39 districts. The proportion of North Islanders born overseas at the 2018 census were 29.3%. The most common foreign countries of birth were England (15.4% of overseas-born residents), Mainland China (11.3%), India (10.1%), South Africa (5.9%), Australia (5.5%) and Samoa (5.3%). The North Island has a larger population than
5655-553: The power available. Electrification of the NIMT was mooted by electrical engineer Evan Parry in the first volume of the New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology in November 1918. In light of a national coal shortage following World War I , Parry argued that the network was under great strain due to ever-increasing volumes of freight, and the use of steam traction was partly to blame. Parry also noted that there
5742-426: The river are named in his honour. The Whanganui River was an important communication route to the central North Island, both for Māori and for settlers, despite many stretches of white water and over 200 rapids. Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the area around the Whanganui was densely inhabited and with the arrival of the colonial settlers, the area near the river's mouth became a major trading post. Although it
5829-496: The river has been altered with the diversion of water from the headwaters by the Tongariro Power Scheme and into Lake Taupō . This may have been a contributing factor to the demise of the raft race and means river boats can no longer make the entire trip to Taumarunui during the drier months (see below). Despite being New Zealand's longest navigable river, the Whanganui has few bridges. Only two are located on
5916-598: The river the Knowsley River , however it was known as the Wanganui River until its name was officially changed to Whanganui in 1991, respecting the wishes of local iwi. Part of the reason for this change was also to avoid confusion with the Wanganui River in the South Island . The city at the river's mouth was called Wanganui until December 2009, when the government decided that while either spelling
6003-485: The river, calling it the Rhine of New Zealand . The settlement of Jerusalem is of particular note. Jerusalem was home to two famous New Zealanders, Mother Mary Joseph Aubert , whose Catholic mission is still located at Jerusalem, and New Zealand poet James K. Baxter , who established a commune at the settlement in 1970 . Other settlements are Tieke Kāinga , Pipiriki , Rānana , Matahiwi , and Koriniti . The river
6090-664: The river. Though in low water flows it cannot make it all the way to Taumarunui. The Whanganui River was the supply artery for the early communities along its banks. River boats used to ply the river, and also into the Ohura River and Ongarue Rivers unless these routes were log jammed after floods. Between 1891 and 1958 the Alexander Hatrick Riverboat service operated on the Whanganui River. The paddle-steamer Wairere ordered from London and shipped in sections then assembled in Whanganui in late 1891. It
6177-741: The second Parnell Tunnel with two tracks and an easier gradient was completed in 1915–1916. On the Kakariki bank between Halcombe and Marton a deviation reduced the 1 in 53 grade to 1 in 70 in 1915. Similar work was done to ease the gradient to Greatford, on the other side of the Rangitīkei River, in 1939. A 1914 Act authorised spending on the Westfield Deviation , new stations at Auckland and Wellington, track doubling (Penrose-Papakura, Ohinewai-Huntly, Horotiu-Frankton, Newmarket-New Lynn), and grade easements from Penrose to Te Kuiti, but
6264-676: The single-track sections (most of the line) was controlled by Tyer's Electric Train Tablet No 7 system; with each of the stations for the 94 tablet sections staffed by three tablet porters each working a 56-hour week for continuous coverage; hence each station required at least four houses for the stationmaster and three porters. Pierre noticed that with CTC station buildings and even platforms had been removed as there were no longer any staffed stations between Ohakune and National Park. The Train Control system introduced from 1928 to 1932 supplemented
6351-565: The southern section of the NIMT from Wellington to Paekākāriki was completed. The Tawa Flat deviation has a long tunnel (Tawa No 2) not suitable for steam operation because of excessive smoke (although steam trains were temporarily operated in the new deviation from 1935). A Centralised Train Control (CTC) system was installed in 1940, so that new signal boxes were not required and five stations between Tawa and Pukerua Bay no longer had to be continually staffed for Tablet operation; see Kapiti Line and North–South Junction . Electrification eliminated
6438-510: The steamboat route to the north greatly diminished, and the main economic activity of the river area became forestry . During the 1930s , attempts were made to open the river valley up as farmland, but they were not successful. One legacy of that time is the Bridge to Nowhere , built to provide access to settlements long since abandoned. In 1912–13 the French filmmaker Gaston Méliès shot a (now lost) documentary film The River Wanganui about
6525-587: The steep and twisting original route where long sections at 1 in 60 gradient required banker engines. The Wellington to Johnsonville section of the original line was retained as the Johnsonville Line and the Johnsonville to Tawa section closed. The North-South Junction section from Plimmerton to South Junction, north of Pukerua Bay and Muri, and North Junction to Paekākāriki were duplicated in 1940. From 24 July 1940 electrification at 1500 V DC of
6612-535: The system and Aickin was able to complete a substantial report justifying the NIMT electrification and submit it to the Government. Officers from New Zealand Treasury and the Ministry of Works and two experts from Sweden (Thelander and Edenius) commented on the proposal and in December 1950 the Government granted approval in principle and agreed to appoint Thelander as a consultant. Aickin later fell out with
6699-402: The tablet system by operators at the four sections (Auckland, Frankton, Te Kuiti, Ohakune, Marton and Wellington) to expedite operation of trains over several tablet sections; the 1925 Fay-Raven report urged its adoption because of the fitful progress of mixed trains, with locomotives often kept waiting. From 1938 to 1966 Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) gradually replaced the tablet system on
6786-462: The then National Government and retired as General Manager in July 1951. With the change in regime, the electrification proposal disappeared. A key assumption of Aickin's report was that traffic on the NIMT would grow by 50% from 1948 to 1961. Since a diesel-electric locomotive is a travelling power station, the savings through electrification compared to diesel could be regarded as the difference between
6873-466: Was electrified between 1984 and 1988 as part of the Think Big government energy program. Some tunnels were opened out or bypassed by deviations while in others clearances were increased, and curves eased. The section between Ohakune and Horopito was realigned with three viaducts replaced to handle higher loads and speeds. The most notable bridge replaced was the curved metal viaduct at Hapuawhenua by
6960-677: Was acceptable, Crown agencies would use the Whanganui spelling. See Controversy over Wanganui/Whanganui spelling Native fish species in the river include Cran's bully , upland bully , climbing galaxias (kōaro), longfin and short-finned eels , pouched lamprey , shortjaw kokopu , torrentfish , New Zealand smelt and black flounder. Introduced brown and rainbow trout are found, although not in high numbers, and there have been reports of catfish. Other native aquatic species include koura and declining numbers of New Zealand freshwater mussels . The river and its tributaries are home to
7047-426: Was already a significant route to the interior, the major development of the river as a trade route was by Alexander Hatrick , who started the first regular steam-boat service in 1892 . The service eventually ran to Taumarunui where rail and coach services connected with points north. One of Hatrick's original boats, paddle-steamer PS Waimarie , has been restored and runs scheduled sailings in Whanganui. Another of
7134-600: Was closed on 7 August 1908 for the first through passenger train, the 11-car Parliamentary Special carrying the Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward and other parliamentarians north to see the American Great White Fleet at Auckland. But much of the new section was temporary, with some cuttings north of Taonui having vertical batters and unballasted track from Horopito to Makatote. Ward drove the last spike on 6 November 1908, and
7221-603: Was completed as part of the upgrade and expansion of the Wellington suburban network; see Kapiti Line for more information. In 2012–13, four bridges near Rangiriri between Auckland and Hamilton were replaced. The bridges were all over 100 years old with steel spans and timber piers, and were replaced by modern low-maintenance concrete ballast deck bridges. Bridges 479, 480, 481 & 482 were replaced, with lengths of 40 metres (131 ft 3 in), 40 metres (131 ft 3 in), 30 metres (98 ft 5 in) and 18 metres (59 ft 1 in) respectively. The construction of
7308-472: Was doubled from 11 November 1951, Pukekohe to Pokeno 21 November 1954, Mercer to Amokura 1 July 1956 and Ohinewai to Te Kauwhata 14 December 1958. The 13 km (8.1 mi) between Amokura and Te Kauwhata remain single track, as does Ngāruawāhia bridge. Doubling of the section south of Amokura is being investigated in a business case from July 2021. In 1930, the Westfield deviation was opened, creating
7395-564: Was great potential for cheap hydro-electricity generation in the central North Island to power electrification. The first part of the NIMT to be electrified was the Wellington – Paekakariki section via the Tawa Flat deviation that was completed on 24 July 1940. This was largely to prevent smoke nuisance in the 4.3 km No. 2 tunnel, and to provide for banking on the Paekakariki to Pukerua Bay section. Electric traction in this section
7482-491: Was reached that entitled the Whanganui River to a legal identity , a first in the world, and on 15 March 2017 the relevant settlement was passed into law (Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Act 2017) by the New Zealand Parliament . Chris Finlayson , the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, said the river would have an identity "with all the corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of
7569-462: Was straightened in conjunction with the duplication by reclaiming land along the eastern shore of Porirua Harbour. In 1967, the floors of the tunnels on the former WMR section between Paekākāriki and Pukerua Bay were lowered to enable the D class locomotives to travel all the way to Wellington. Between 1964 and 1966, a deviation away from the centre of Palmerston North via the Milson deviation on
#861138