Manunui 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 = Manunui railway station

| type =

| image = Railway Station, Manunui.jpg

| image_caption = Railway Station, Manunui between 1904 and 1923

| address =

| country = New Zealand

| coordinates = {{Coord|-38.8911|175.3271|region:NZ-AUK_type:railwaystation|display=inline,title}}

| elevation = {{convert|191|m|abbr=on}}

| owned =

| line = North Island Main Trunk

| distance = Wellington {{convert|391.9|km|abbr=on}}

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| opened = 2 September 1904

| closed = 31 January 1982

| rebuilt =

| electrified = June 1988

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

{{rail line

|previous=Matapuna
Line open, station closed

|next=Piriaka
Line open, station closed

|route=North Island Main Trunk
KiwiRail

}}

| embedded =

}}Manunui station was 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://www.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, serving Manunui. It was {{Convert|2.9|km||abbr=on}} south east of Matapuna and {{Convert|4.63|km||abbr=on}} north of Piriaka. Freight was handled from 2 September 1904, though it wasn't until 16 September 1908 that it was listed as having a station yard, formation and fencing and 10 November 1908, when it was described as a 6th class station, with passenger platform, urinals, cart approach, a {{Convert|30|ft||abbr=on}} x {{Convert|20|ft||abbr=on}} goods shed and loading bank. On 24 July 1913 a request for lighting was added. A passing loop originally provided for trains of up to 26 wagons, but was extended to 100 in 1970 and 123 in 1980. By then Caltex had a siding for 11 wagons and a fertiliser store for 15.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2012|title=Station Archive|url=http://railheritage.org.nz/assets/Station_Archive_4web.xls|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand}}

On 6 April 1909 a Post Office opened at the station. In May 1911 a burglar blew the post office safe.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=1 May 1911|title=TELEGRAPHIC NEWS. WAIKATO ARGUS|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAIGUS19110501.2.26|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-07-29|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} In October 1911 was said to be moved from station. However, in 1912 the Town Board asked for a stationmaster and postmaster to be appointed as the post office was on the station.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=3 Apr 1912|title=COUNTRY NEWS. NEW ZEALAND HERALD|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19120403.2.16|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-07-29|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}

Signalling was interlocked by tablet in 1918.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Railways Statement by the Minister of Railways, The Hon. W. H. Herries. Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1918 Session I-II, D-02|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1918/I-II/1119|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-07-20|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} In 1938 fixed home and distance colour-light signals were installed and it became a switch-out tablet station.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=1938|title=RAILWAYS STATEMENT (BY THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, HON. D. G. SULLIVAN).|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1938/I/1621|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-07-29|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}

Two Railways Department houses were added in 1954, but on 17 February 1978 the goods shed closed, on 31 January 1982 the station closed, except for goods in wagon loads and by 22 January 1989 there was only a concrete block equipment building left.

File:Township_of_Manunui_(21313200120).jpg

Ellis & Burnand built a large timber mill here. It was named Manunui from 24 August 1904, having previously been known as Waimarino.{{Cite web|last=Taonga|first=New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu|title=7. – King Country places – Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand|url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/king-country-places/page-7|access-date=21 May 2018|website=teara.govt.nz|language=en}} Logs were brought by a {{Convert|5|mi||abbr=on}} tramway{{cite news|date=1909|title=REPORT of Commission on the Timber and Timber-Building Industries; together with Minutes of Proceedings and of Evidence.|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1909/II/5302|via=Papers Past}} from Ohotaka,{{Cite news|date=16 February 1905|title=News from Country Districts.|pages=7|work=The New Zealand Herald|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19050216.2.101|access-date=17 February 2018}} with a {{Convert|340|ft||abbr=on}} bridge built over the Whanganui River in 1905.{{Cite news|date=22 July 1905|title=Local and General.|pages=4|work=New Zealand Times|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19050722.2.17|access-date=18 February 2018}} The mill closed in 1942{{Cite web|others=Mccracken, A.E.|title=1953 jubilee year: half a century of progress in the timber industry of New Zealand, 1903–1953. {{!}} National Library of New Zealand|url=https://natlib.govt.nz/records/31196835|access-date=19 May 2018|website=natlib.govt.nz|language=en-NZ}} and burnt down in 1949, but the Ellis Veneer works continued,{{Cite news|date=7 April 1949|title=King Country Mill Destroyed|pages=3|work=Bay of Plenty Times|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/BOPT19490407.2.25|access-date=18 February 2018}} producing about {{Convert|7000000|ft||abbr=on}} of plywood in 1953.

From 1911 Pungapunga Sawmilling Co also had a siding for 5 wagons.