Platforms Island Parking Yes | Tracks Mainline (2) Owner KiwiRail | |
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Location Melville Street, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand Owned by Greater Wellington Regional Council (buildings)
KiwiRail (platform, track Line(s) North Island Main Trunk Address Tawa, Wellington 5028, New Zealand Similar Redwood Railway Station, Linden Railway Station, Takapu Road Railway, Kenepuru Railway Station, Porirua Railway Station | ||
Tawa Railway Station, originally called Tawa Flat, is on the North Island Main Trunk Railway (NIMT) and is part of the suburban rail network of Wellington, New Zealand. It is double tracked with an island platform, and is 13.75 kilometres (8.54 mi) from Wellington Railway Station, the southern terminus of the NIMT.
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Services
Tawa is served by Metlink Kapiti Line commuter trains operated by Tranz Metro. Trains run every 30 minutes off-peak, and more frequently during peak periods. A number of peak services run express between Porirua and Wellington and do not stop at Tawa.
Services are operated by electric multiple units of the EM/ET class and FT/FP class (Matangi). Two diesel-hauled carriage trains, the Capital Connection and the Northern Explorer, both pass through the station but do not stop.
History
The original line through Tawa was built by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR) and the station opened on 24 September 1885. At this time, the railway followed a circuitous route via Johnsonville to reach Wellington, and Tawa was 16.48 km from the terminus. The original station was a flag stop near the junction of Duncan Street and Tawa Street close to the present Redwood Railway Station, at which trains would only stop if signalled to do so by passengers wishing to board or alight.
The WMR was purchased and incorporated into the network of the New Zealand Railways Department in December 1908. In June 1909, the government approved ₤500 to upgrade the station.
In the 1930s, the Johnsonville route was truncated as the Johnsonville Branch, bypassed by the Tawa Flat deviation. This deviation offered a quicker route to Wellington; it was 3 km shorter, avoided the steep grades and sharp curvature of the Johnsonville route, and rejoined the original route north of the new Tawa station. The old station building was used as an addition to a local church.
Freight services began using the deviation from 24 July 1935, passenger services on 19 June 1937. On the latter date, the connection between Tawa and Johnsonville was severed and double track via the deviation with the new station entered service, allowing shorter journey times and a more intensive timetable. The line through Tawa was electrified in June 1940, and on 15 December 1957, the single track north of Tawa was duplicated as far as Porirua.
Replacement of station building
In 2012 the station building was found to have a 10 cm lean, and to be in poor condition due to major roof leaks affecting the structure. The building was closed after an inspection in January while the work needed to repair or replace the building was assessed.
The Greater Wellington Regional Council decided to replace the station building in June 2012; at an estimated cost for an erecting a new shelter in three months of about $600,000. The existing building would require earthquake strengthening and replacement of 80% of the structure, costing possibly $2 million and taking 18 months.
Tawa Station closed from 26 December 2012 to 20 May 2013 for replacing the station building and upgrading the platform and pedestrian overbridge. A shuttle bus service from the Tawa Junction temporary car park to an adjacent station, and a Rail Replacement Bus Stop on Duncan Street were provided. The pedestrian overbridge remained open, apart from short term closures. The new station building opened on 20 May 2013. The new building has a series of decorative panels of the station history.