Glen Afton Branch

The Glen Afton Branch was a branch railway line of 7.9 km (originally 14.1 km) in the Waikato in New Zealand, built to serve coal mines in the Awaroa district west of Huntly at Rotowaro, Pukemiro and Glen Afton. Rotowaro is Māori for "coal lake".

Glen Afton Branch
then Rotowaro Branch
1955 Glen Afton, showing coal mining area, view to Pukemiro Collieries coal processing plant with railway in valley. Whites Aviation Ltd :Photographs. Ref: WA-38779-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington.
Overview
StatusClosed beyond Rotowaro
OwnerNew Zealand Railways Corporation
TerminiHuntly
Glen Afton
StationsHuntly Town, Huntly West, Weaver's Crossing, Mahuta, Rotowaro, Pukemiro, Glen Afton
Service
Operator(s)New Zealand Railways Department
Rolling stockNone
History
Opened1911
Closed1977
Technical
Line length7.97 km (4.95 mi)
Number of tracksSingle
CharacterRural
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Weavers Crossing in 2020. The station was on the other side of the crossing

When handed over from Public Works to NZR in 1915 it was called the Awaroa Branch,[1] but was also known as the Glen Afton Branch to about 1974, then as the Rotowaro Branch to 3 November 1988, then as the Rotowaro Industrial Line. By 2014 it was again named the Rotowaro Branch.[2]

The first 5 km was authorised in 1910, and required a road-rail bridge over the Waikato River, with an extension which carried the railway over the main highway. The bridge, constructed from 1911 to October 1914, had 10 spans of Australian hardwood (8 of 30.5m and 2 of 12.2m) on steel and reinforced concrete piers. The nearby Wilton Collieries Co complained that they too did not have public money put into building their line and river bridge.[3]

The bridge was damaged by dynamite (see Huntly rail bridge bombing) during the 1951 Waterfront dispute.[4]

In November 1959 a separate road bridge was opened.

The first 5 km of track opened about 1911, and this seems to be confirmed by a 1914 report saying the Huntly-Awaroa line is complete over the first 3 mi (4.8 km) section, "well advanced" by co-operative labour over the next 2 1⁄2 mi (4.0 km) and "fair progress" with 5 small contracts to a proposed station 7 1⁄4 mi (11.7 km) from Huntly, "where coal from the Pukemiro collieries will be delivered for transport. An addition is being made to the combined bridge over the Waikato river to carry it over the Main South road. It is hoped by the end of the ensuing summer to have the rails laid to the junction with the Pukemiro collieries line. As the works now in hand draw to a close, it is proposed to continue operations on this line in the direction of the Burnt bridge. The expenditure upon the railway and bridge during last financial year amounted to £16,503, and for the current year a vote of £30,000 is proposed."[5] In 2015 prices £46,503 would be equivalent to $6.8m.[6]

Glen Afton station tickets sales 1926-1950 - derived from annual returns to Parliament of "Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended"

New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company started mining at Glen Afton in 1921.[7] The 2.5 km extension from Rotowaro to Pukemiro and Glen Afton was built between 1921[8] and 1924, although a further proposed extension beyond Glen Afton did not proceed. The hill section from Rotowaro to Glen Afton was difficult to construct, with a large "summit" cutting just before Glen Afton. Grades on the hill section were up to 1 in 50, with 150m (7.5 chain) radius curves. At the same time as the extension, tablet signalling was introduced between Huntly and Glen Afton.[9]

There were several short private lines to mines at Rotowaro, Pukemiro and Glen Afton. In 1928 the line was operated by Ww Class, carrying about 350 miners a day and monthly coal outputs of 11,000 tons at Rotowaro, 15,000 at Pukemiro and 12,000 at Glen Afton, as well as bringing in supplies such as pit props.[7] Passenger traffic reached a peak in 1947, as shown in the graph and table below -

year tickets season tickets staff source title
1926 10,349 33 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1926/I/1930 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1926
1927 9,064 43 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1927/I/2230 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1927
1928 9,446 54 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1928/I/2628 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1928
1929 8,124 54 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1929/I/2090 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1929
1930 7,924 70 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1930/I/2212 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1930
1931 19,149 61 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1931/I-II/1778 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1931
1932 14,205 45 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1932/I-II/1934 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1932
1933 11,475 58 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1933/I/1388 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1933
1934 12,131 47 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1934/I/2278 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1934
1935 12,101 72 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1935/I/1326 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1935
1936 11,519 31 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1936/I/1552 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1936
1937 13,280 160 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1937/I/1896 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1937
1938 13,783 295 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1938/I/1652 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1938
1939 13,829 446 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1939/I/1970 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1939
1940 15,244 567 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1940/I/1314 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1940
1941 18,425 789 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1941/I/1203 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1941
1942 22,561 712 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1942/I/651 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1942
1943 25,569 504 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1943/I/679 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1943
1944 25,656 699 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1944/I/895 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1944
1945 28,118 737 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1945/I/969 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1945
1946 29,117 906 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1946/I/1548 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1946
1947 29,184 996 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1947/I/2495 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1947
1948 27,236 987 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1948/I/2521 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1948
1949 23,473 1,017 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1949/I/2104 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1949
1950 20,555 698 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1950/I/2366 STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1950

The branch line was dieselised in 1966, with a special NZRLS excursion train on 12 March 1966 to mark the change, hauled by two BB class steam locos. Passenger trains, mainly for miners, ran to 23 June 1972, apart from a special train for railway enthusiasts on 16 December 1972 hauled by a DI class diesel loco. A 1935 schedule allowed 45 minutes for the 8 mi 78 ch (14.4 km)[10] all stations trip from Huntly to Glen Afton.[11] The Rotowaro to Glen Afton section west of Rotowaro was closed from 5 March 1973, as the mines had run out of coal. The line was shortened from 14.10 km to 7.97 km.

From 1977 the section to Rotowaro, Pukemiro and Glen Afton was handed over to the Bush Tramway Club who operate over about 5 km of former NZR line, though the last 2.5 km to Glen Afton is no longer usable. The section to Rotowaro was renamed from Rotowaro Industrial Line to Rotowaro Branch in 2011.[12] Rotowaro station has been moved to the Bush Tramway.[13]

References
  1. "PUKEMIRO RAILWAY. (New Zealand Herald, 1915-12-21)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  2. "Northern Region Rail - KiwiRail". www.kiwirail.co.nz. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  3. "A Waikato railway". Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 72, 21 September 1912, Page 3
  4. "SABOTEURS DYNAMITE RAIL BRIDGE - Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 - 1954) - 1 May 1951". Trove. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  5. "Public Works Statement". Waikato Argus. 21 October 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
  6. "Inflation Calculator". www.rbnz.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
  7. "Coal-Mining and the Railways". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  8. "IMPORTANT NEW COALFIELD. WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 14 January 1921. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  9. "Parliamentary Papers - Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives 1925". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  10. "NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS GEOGRAPHICAL MILEAGE TABLE" (PDF). 1957.
  11. "Page 21 Advertisements Column 6". The New Zealand Herald. 26 January 1935. p. 21. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  12. "Rotowaro Branch". Land Information New Zealand. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  13. "Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand - Rotowaro Station (relocated)". www.railheritage.org.nz. Retrieved 1 June 2017.

Further reading
  • Churchman, Geoffrey B; Hurst, Tony (2001) [1990, 1991]. The Railways of New Zealand: A Journey through History (Second ed.). Transpress New Zealand. ISBN 0-908876-20-3.
  • Hermann, Bruce J (2007). North Island Branch Lines. Wellington: New Zealand Railway & Locomotive Society. pp. 14–16. ISBN 978-0-908573-83-7.

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