Overton railway station, New Zealand

{{Infobox station

| name = Overton railway station

| type =

| image = Overton 30-8-1942 Survey SN215 photo 33.jpg

| image_caption = Overton House and railway station in 1942

| address =

| country = New Zealand

| coordinates = {{Coord|-40.039001|175.454322|region:NZ-AUK_type:railwaystation|display=inline,title}}

| elevation = {{convert|93|m|abbr=on}}

| owned =

| line = North Island Main Trunk

| distance = Wellington {{convert|188.69|km|abbr=on}}

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| opened = 2 June 1888

| closed = 10 August 1959

| rebuilt =

| electrified = June 1988

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

{{rail line

|previous=Porewa
Line open, station closed
{{convert|1.84 |km|abbr=on}}

|next=Cliff Road
Line open, station closed
{{convert|5.11|km|abbr=on}}

|route=North Island Main Trunk
KiwiRail

}}

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}}Overton railway station was a very small flag station on the North Island Main Trunk and in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand.{{cite book|title=New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas|year=1965|publisher=Quail Map Co.|pages=3 & 4|edition=First}}{{cite book|last=Pierre|first=Bill|title=North Island Main Trunk|year=1981|publisher=A.H&A.W Reed|location=Wellington|isbn=0589013165|pages=289–290}}

It was {{Convert|5|mi|28|ch||abbr=on}} from Marton,{{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}} opened on 2 June 1888 and closed on 10 August 1959.[http://www.railheritage.org.nz/assets/dates_and_names.pdf Juliet Scoble: Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124135845/http://railheritage.org.nz/assets/Dates_and_names.pdf |date=24 January 2018 }} (page 95)

History

The route of the Hunterville branch (later incorporated into the NIMT) was inspected on foot in 1884{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=19 Dec 1884|title=MANAWATU TIMES|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MT18841219.2.22|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-18|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} and officially opened on Saturday 2 June 1888, when the station was served by two trains a week.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2 Jun 1888|title=INTERPROVINCIAL. EVENING STAR|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18880602.2.16|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-16|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} By 1894 the branch had two trains a day.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=25 Oct 1894|title=LOCAL AND GENERAL. WANGANUI CHRONICLE|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WC18941025.2.6|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-18|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}

Overton was first noted on 1 May 1888 and a 1 August 1895 note considered the necessity for a flag station. It seems to have had only a plain line until 1897, when it had a passing loop for 6 wagons. In 1898 it had a platform and by 1904 also a shelter shed. The loop was removed in October 1953 and the station closed to all traffic on Monday, 10 August 1959.

= Overton House =

File:Overton_House_1884.jpg

In June 1959 it was noted that the station was retained following negotiations with Mr N F Arkwright. Until 1926 the station was surrounded by the Overton estate.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Sale Plan: Subdivision of part of Overton Estate|url=http://archivescentral.org.nz/rangitikei-dc/record/sale-plan-subdivision-part-overton-estate-0|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-19|website=archivescentral.org.nz|language=en}} The estate was bought about 1882 by Francis Arkwright, who stood as a Member of Parliament for the seat of Rangitīkei, but was defeated in 1887 and 1890. He had a large Tudor revival house built in 1884. In 1990 the House was registered by Heritage New Zealand as a Category I heritage item, with registration number 187.{{NZHPT|187|Overton|22 January 2012}}

References

Category:Defunct railway stations in New Zealand

Category:Buildings and structures in Manawatū-Whanganui

Category:Rail transport in Manawatū-Whanganui

Category:Railway stations in New Zealand opened in 1888

Category:Railway stations in New Zealand closed in 1959