Beware of trains if you are crossing the tracks at the one designated crossing at the northern end of the platforms. Watch for Muggles at all times. Stealth required as there are houses nearby and it is a popular thoroughfare.
Ngaio Railway Station
History
A line through Johnsonville was first spoken of in 1874, but the proposal did not attract much attention then. In 1877 interest was renewed and a railroad was decided upon to connect Wellington and Foxton, and a contract was let for the first six miles from Wellington to Johnsonville. The work was carried on until 1880, when a Royal Commission condemned the proposal and the work was stopped, after £43,000 had been spent.
The people of Wellington were very indignant and at a “mass” meeting attended by 30 citizens they agitated to complete the line. After this meeting the Manawatu Railway Company was formed in 1881 with capital of £500,000, extended to £850,000. A contract was entered into between the Government and the company in 1882, and the line was laid to Longburn in 1886. It was taken over by the Government in 1908 and a through connection with Auckland was made in 1909 forming the Main Trunk Line.
The steep grades and sharp curves of the Wellington-Johnsonville section had always made operation by steam traffic difficult, and the number of tunnels had been a constant cause of complaint from suburban travellers right from inception to the present date. Trains often have to wait to give way to approaching trains but the curved tunnels are superb early example of Kiwi engineering ingenuity and excellence.
Ngaio was one of three stations constructed by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company. It was opened on 21 September 1885, along with the first section of the company’s line between Wellington and Paramata. The station originally only had a single side platform, with the present-day second side platform and shelter being added at a later date. The points were manually controlled from a signal box at the southern end of the station into the 1960s,with this being one of the last such sections of the line manually operated before complete automation. The area served by this station used to be called Crofton, until the suburb was renamed Ngaio in 1908. With the opening of the Tawa Flat deviation in 1937 the Johnsonville line became a branch line. It was electrified on 2 July 1938. [see photos]
The inaugural ceremony associated with the official changeover from steam to electric traction, and the introduction of the Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) passenger trains on the Wellington-Johnsonville suburban line, took place on Saturday, 2nd July, 1938. Platforms 2 and 3 at Wellington Station were reserved for the opening ceremony, and seats were placed for 600 invited guests.
In the vicinity were the English Electric EMU’s of the new service; the commodious Aotea, the first of the standard rail cars; and the electric locomotive for the Paekakariki line and other modern units. The speakers on the occasion included the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, Minister of Railways, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, Mayor of Wellington, Mr. G. A. Lawrence (Chairman, Johnsonville Town Board), Mr. H. L. Cummings (Chairman, Ngaio Progressive Association), Mr. M. S. Galloway (Chairman, Khandallah Progressive Association), Mr. S. Cory-Wright (Cory-Wright and Salmon Ltd., New Zealand Representatives English Electric Company Ltd.), and Mr. G. H. Mackley (General Manager, New Zealand Railways). The Hon. W. Nash (Minister of Finance) and the Hon. P. Fraser (Minister of Health) were amongst the distinguished guests present. Mr. Nash addressed the gathering at Johnsonville upon arrival of the first electrified service.
Opening his address by expressing the appreciation of the response of the public to his invitation, Mr. Sullivan said that they were that day making national transport service history in respect to the railways. The ceremony ranked among the really important occasions, especially for the residents along the line to Johnsonville and a large number of Ngaio 'identities' turned out in their finery. It had a national significance because it was the first section of railway line in New Zealand to be benefited by the multiple-unit form of transport.
Recent History
In 2006, Ngaio residents were delighted to learn that the Wellington City and Regional Councils had abandoned their bizarre and foolish attempt to rip up the Johnsonville rail track to establish the world's only one-way bus-way in 2006. The Wellington councils tried to blame the government for this fiasco, and for the waste of $400k of ratepayers money consulting on a project that could never get off first base. The fiasco was entirely of their own making, a simple phone call before they began the consultation would have confirmed that the government owns the rail track and had no intention of ripping up a successful suburban rail service.
The line celebrated 70 years of service on July 2 2008 with a commemorative $1 ticket for travel anywhere between Wellington and Johnsonville and a limited edition of retro posters from earlier era. These days, the same English Electric EMU trains are still running on the Wellington commuter lines, albeit models introduced between 1949 to 1954. They are operated by KiwiRail under the Tranz Metro brand
But it was out with the old and in with the new on the Johnsonville Line at about 11.15am on Monday 19 March 2012. As the
first Matangi passenger service arrived at Ngaio Station, it was greeted by the last English Electric to be used on the Johnsonville line, making the last run into Wellington.
The new “Matangi” EMU’s were introduced to Wellington lines in 2010 and extensive work was carried out on the Johnsonville line to accommodate them from 2009 to 2011. This included lowering the floor of the tunnels on the line and extending the platforms of stations including Ngaio.
Trainspotter Stuff
Passenger trains cross at this station as the Up-train platform is on a crossing loop. Runaway sidings are located at both the southern and northern ends of the station for Down and Up trains (respectively). Colour light signals are also located at both ends of the platforms. This station has dual side platforms with a passenger shelter on each. Access between the platforms is by way of at-grade pedestrian level crossings at the northern end of the platforms. There is pedestrian access to Waikowhai Street from the Down train platform, and a car park off Collingwood Street, behind the Up train platform. In the 1920s a Main Trunk express stopped at Ngaio Station (known as "Crofton Station" until 1908 when the suburb was renamed). The signal box survived into the 1960s, and was unusual because the signalling was contrary to the usual colour system and as such amongst signalling buffs the Ngaio configuration was something of a cause celebre or a "conundrum" as they might put it.
When owned by the WMRC the line was operated under Open Section and Line Clear. In 1908 Tablet was installed, the sections being Thorndon - Ngaio and Ngaio - Johnsonville. From 1938 the line was worked under Single Line Automatic (SLA), with left hand running at crossing stations and automatic operation of points and signals. Uphill trains had priority. About 1998 Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) was installed, although usually operation is automatic. [see photos]. On the Johnsonville Line a yellow on a "Distant" signal is ambiguous. If you ride the train off-peak talk to the older drivers and they will explain what all this means and what makes it unique.