Tironui railway station

{{short description|Defunct railway station in New Zealand}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2015}}

{{Infobox station

| name = Tironui

| type =

| image = Tironui in 1950.jpg

| image_caption = Tironui in 1950 - the station was a large shelter shed

| address =

| country = New Zealand

| coordinates = {{coord|-37.054318|174.937602|region:NZ|display=inline,title}}

| elevation = {{convert|16|m|abbr=on}}

| owned =

| line = North Island Main Trunk

| distance = Wellington {{convert|648.95|km|abbr=on}}

| platform =

| tracks = Doubled 29 March 1931

| other =

| structure =

| levels =

| parking =

| bicycle =

| code =

| zone =

| opened = 10 May 1926

| closed = 13 August 1983

| rebuilt =

| electrified = 25 kV AC from 15 January 2015

| former =

| mpassengers =

| passengers =

| pass_system =

| pass_year =

| pass_percent =

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

{{rail line

|previous = Takanini
Line open,
station open
{{convert|1.93|km|abbr=on}}

|next = Papakura
Line open,
station open
{{convert|1.69|km|abbr=on}}

|route = North Island Main Trunk
KiwiRail

}}

}}

Tironui railway station was a station on the North Island Main Trunk in New Zealand, south of Auckland between Takanini railway station and Papakura railway station.{{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 had a station building and a {{Convert|92|m|abbr=on}} long, {{Convert|42|cm|abbr=on}} high platform.{{Cite web|date=2012|title=Station Archive|url=http://railheritage.org.nz/assets/Station_Archive_4web.xls|website=Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand}} Electric light was added in 1933.{{Cite web|date=10 May 1933|title=LOCAL AND GENERAL. FRANKLIN TIMES|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/FRTIM19330510.2.28.2|access-date=2021-05-02|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} According to Scoble, it was opened on 10 May 1926 and closed on 13 August 1983.{{cite web|url=http://www.railheritage.org.nz/assets/dates_and_names.pdf|title=Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations|last=Scoble|first=Juliet|date=2010|website=Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand|accessdate=10 October 2019}}

The opening of the station added 2 minutes to the schedules of Auckland-Papakura trains.{{Cite web|date=7 May 1926|title=AUCKLAND STAR|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19260507.2.116.1|access-date=2021-05-02|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} Puhinui, Homai and Te Mahia all opened at about the same time as Tironui, to cater for the expansion of Auckland's southern suburbs.{{Cite web|date=13 Jul 1926|title=NEW STATION ON PAPAKURA LINE. AUCKLAND STAR|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19260713.2.142.3|access-date=2021-05-02|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}

The railway through Tironui was opened on 20 May 1875, as part of the Auckland and Mercer Railway, built by Brogden & Co,{{Cite web|date=20 May 1875|title=OPENING OF THE Auckland and Mercer Railway FOR TRAFFIC. AUCKLAND STAR|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18750520.2.12|access-date=2021-04-06|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} who extended it from Penrose.{{Cite web|date=20 May 1875|title=DISTRICTS OPENED BY THE RAILWAY—APPEARANCE OF THE COUNTRY. AUCKLAND STAR|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18750520.2.13|access-date=2021-04-06|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} Duplication of the tracks between Papatoetoe and Papakura, through Tironui, started in 1929 as an employment relief scheme{{Cite web|date=11 Oct 1929|title=work started on the duplication of the Papatoetoe to Papakura railway line. AUCKLAND STAR|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19291011.2.87.7|access-date=2021-05-01|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} and was completed on 29 March 1931. It was electrified in 2015.{{Cite web|date=2015-01-16|title=Electric trains now from Papakura|url=https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2015/01/16/electric-trains-now-from-papakura/|access-date=2021-05-02|website=Greater Auckland|language=en-NZ}}

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "expansive view" for {{lang|mi|Tironui}}.{{Cite web |date=6 August 2019 |title=1000 Māori place names |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/maori-language-week/1000-maori-place-names |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |publisher=New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage}}

In 2015 Auckland Transport agreed to investigation of a potential station site at Tironui, which could be opened if growth requires it.{{Cite web |date=18 February 2015 |title=Southern Rail Stations Information for release |url=https://at.govt.nz/media/990442/Southern-Rail-Stations-Information-for-release-18-February-2015.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/southern-rail-stations-information-for-release-18-february-2015 |archive-date=1 September 2022 |website=Auckland Transport}} Other potential new rail stations looked at were Paerātā, Drury and Drury West.{{Cite web|date=2018-12-20|title=High density housing coming to rural Auckland|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/property/109500752/high-density-housing-coming-to-rural-auckland|access-date=2021-05-02|website=Stuff|language=en}}