Awarua Street railway station

Awarua Street railway station is one of eight stations on the Johnsonville Branch, a branch railway north of Wellington in New Zealand’s North Island, and serves the suburb of Ngaio. It is one of two stations that were added to the line when it was upgraded prior to being reopened as the Johnsonville Branch. It is one of four stations on the line located on a curve; before arrival at the Crofton Downs or Awarua Street stations, the onboard announcement adds Please mind the gap when exiting the train.

Awarua Street
Metlink commuter rail
Location	Awarua Street, Ngaio, Wellington, New Zealand
Coordinates	41°14′47.31″S 174°46′27.27″E
Owned by	Greater Wellington Regional Council
Line(s)	Johnsonville Line
Platforms	Single side
Tracks	Main line (1)
Connections	Bus services
Construction
Parking	No
Bicycle facilities	No
Other information
Fare zone	3[1]
History
Opened	10 January 1938 (some steam trains) 2 July 1938 All trains (EMUs)
Electrified	2 July 1938
Services
Preceding station   Metlink   Following station Simla Crescent toward Johnsonville Johnsonville Line Ngaio toward Wellington

Awarua Street yard layout
to Johnsonville Awarua Street to Wellington

Rail overbridge at the southern end of the station

Electric multiple unit trains are operated under the Metlink brand through this station in both directions to Johnsonville (to the north) and Wellington (to the south).

History

As part of the upgrade of the section of the old Wellington and Manawatu Railway between Wellington and Johnsonville, two new stations were constructed, Awarua Street and Simla Crescent.[2] The newly electrified Johnsonville Branch officially opened on 2 July 1938, with services to all stations from Monday 4 July. The two new stations had been used by some steam trains from 10 January 1938.[3]

Awarua Street Station is entirely overhauled during maintenance to extend the platform to six carriage length, as seen from the northern end of the station

Over the summer of 2008/09, the platform of the station was entirely demolished to be replaced by a brand new platform that could accommodate six carriages, as opposed to four. The replaced platform is twice the length of the old platform.

Services

Trains run in both directions through this station, departing at half-hourly intervals, supplemented by a 13/13/26 schedule at peak times on week days.

The closest bus route is #26, which passes by the end of Awarua Street along Ottawa Road.

Pedestrian access from Awarua Street

Facilities

The station has a single side platform and passenger shelter. Pedestrian access to the station is via a walkway from Awarua Street near the rail bridge over Awarua Street, or from a long flight of steps down from Fox Street to the north end of the platform. There is no dedicated station car park available.

Footnotes

1. "Text description of fare zone boundaries". Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
2. Churchman, Geoffrey B. (1998) [1988]. "Electrified Operations". The Story of The Wellington to Johnsonville Railway (Second ed.). Wellington: IPL Books. ISBN 0-908876-05-X. Two new stations, at Awarua Street and Simla Crescent, were built at the time of electrification; ...
3. "Electrified Operations". The Story of The Wellington to Johnsonville Railway. Work progressed on the electrification of the Johnsonville Line and on 2 July 1938 came the official opening ceremony.

External links

• Train timetables from Metlink.
• "Steam train approaching new Awarua Street Station (photo)". The Evening Post. 2 July 1938.