Ōwhango railway station

{{short description|Railway station in New Zealand}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2021}}

{{Infobox station

| name = Ōwhango railway station

| type =

| image = Ōwhango railway station about 1910.jpg

| image_caption = Ōwhango railway station about 1910

| address =

| country = New Zealand

| coordinates = {{Coord|-39.006577|175.376367|region:NZ-AUK_type:railwaystation|display=inline,title}}

| elevation = {{convert|457|m|abbr=on}}

| owned =

| line = North Island Main Trunk

| distance = Wellington {{convert|371.89|km|abbr=on}}

| platform =

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| parking =

| bicycle =

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| opened = 1905

| closed = 2 June 1985

| rebuilt =

| electrified = June 1988

| former =

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| services = {{s-rail|title=Historical railways}}

{{rail line

|previous=Kakahi
Line open, station closed

|next=Oio
Line open, station closed

|route=North Island Main Trunk
KiwiRail

}}

| embedded =

| mapframe =

}}

Ōwhango was a station on the North Island Main Trunk line,{{Cite web|last=Scoble|first=Juliet|date=|title=Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand 1863 to 2010|url=http://railheritage.org.nz/assets/Dates_and_names.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand}} in the Ruapehu District of New Zealand. It served the village of Ōwhango, which lay to the north of the station.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=1928|title=Sheet: WN8|url=http://www.mapspast.org.nz/?zoom=13&x=1806133&y=5679698&layerid=NZMS13%201939|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-16|website=www.mapspast.org.nz}} It was {{Convert|5.64|km||abbr=on}} north of Oio and {{Convert|9.11|km||abbr=on}} south of Kakahi. The Public Works Department transferred the station to NZ Railways on 9 November 1908, though bush had been felled along the railway route in 1904,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=24 Mar 1904|title=MAIN TRUNK LINE. NEW ZEALAND TIMES|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19040324.2.43|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-14|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} by March 1905 a station yard was being formed{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Stations|url=http://railheritage.org.nz/assets/Heritage_listings.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-10|website=NZR Rolling Stock Lists|language=en}} and by August 1905 it was the railhead, with track laid {{Convert|4|mi||abbr=on}} beyond to the south.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=29 Aug 1905|title=PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/AJHR1905-I.2.3.2.1|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-14|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}

By 20 March 1908 there was a {{Convert|225|ft||abbr=on}} x {{Convert|20|ft||abbr=on}} passenger platform, a {{Convert|22|ft||abbr=on}} x {{Convert|9|ft||abbr=on}} shelter shed, with lobby and store, a tablet office, a loading bank, cattle yards and pens, a {{Convert|30|ft||abbr=on}} x {{Convert|20|ft||abbr=on}} goods shed with verandah, privies, urinals and 4 water tanks of {{Convert|2000|impgal|m3|abbr=on}} each, with water supplied by a hydraulic ram. A 6th class station, cart approach to the platform and fixed signals were added by 10 November 1908 and a sheep yard in 1909. In 1912 the platform was enlarged.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=6 Jun 1912|title=TAUMARUNUI. NEW ZEALAND HERALD|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19120606.2.19|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-14|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} In 1964 the timber platform front was renewed, but on 30 January 1965 the station building burnt down. By 21 July 1980 a building, with a brick veneer and a concrete floor, had replaced it.

File:Ōwhango_1958.jpg

By 20 March 1908 there was a passing loop for 48 wagons. In 1980 it was extended to an 82 wagon capacity. In 1910 a large timber mill and siding were built.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=1 Dec 1910|title=THE MARCH OF SETTLEMENT. AUCKLAND STAR|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19101201.2.69|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-14|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} Traffic in 1911 averaged 6 wagon loads a day.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=24 Aug 1911|title=ON THE MAIN TRUNK LINE. NEW ZEALAND HERALD|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19110824.2.40|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-14|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} from 5 nearby sawmills,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=27 Nov 1911|title=ALONG THE MAIN TRUNK. NEW ZEALAND HERALD|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19111127.2.7|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-14|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} which cut matai, rimu and kahikatea.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=9 May 1912|title=ALONG THE MAIN TRUNK. NEW ZEALAND HERALD|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19120509.2.8|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-14|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}

File:Ōwhango_railway_station.jpg

Passenger traffic had ceased by 1976. On 2 June 1985 Ōwhango closed to goods too, though the crossing loop remains in use.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=May 2019|title=2264 SH 4 Owhango|url=https://www.google.com/maps/@-39.0077033,175.3772711,3a,15y,232.58h,87.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sYV620p4e42lIbBCZyCuKqg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-16|website=Google Maps|language=en}}