Eighty years ago Main Trunk Line joined

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 262, 8 November 1988, Page 6

Eighty years ago Main Trunk Line joined

It is exactly 80 years ago that the North Island's Main Trunk railway line was completed. The north and south sections met between Horopito and Makatote just north of the Manganui-a-Te-Ao River near Pokaka where the last spike was driven and where a memorial has been erected to commemorate that event. It is both interesting vice which is to be in-

and sad to compare the hopes and aspirations and sense of enthusiasm of those pioneer railwaymen and early settlers who saw the completion of the Main Trunk line as "a very important event in the history of the Dominion" with the present sense of despair and cynicism about the future o f railways in N e w Zealand. The following is a report reflecting the optimistic mood of the times as it appeared to the editor of the Waimarino County Call in October 1908. The Main Trunk Line "A further section of the Main Trunk line from Taumarunui to Pukati is to be taken over (by the Railways Department) about the November 10. It is also reported that the section between Waiouru and Rangataua will also be taken over about the same date. The mail train ser-

augurated from the first day of next month (November 1908) is, as far as can be leamed at present, to be a twoday service between Wellington and Auckland, the train from Wellington making Ohakune the first day's terminus while Taumarunui will be the overnight stopping place for the train from Auckland. Last Monday our reporter, with the permission of the President Engineer, made a trip over the unfinished portion of the Main Trunk line between Ohakune and Makatote. Great progress has been made with the taking down of the cuttings and ballasting and even now the cars run fairly smoothly over what will be a first class track. Much yet remains to be done in the way of buildings but as gangs of men are now working everywhere along the line these buildings

should be finished by the new year. At Kakahi station, the other side of Makatote, great alterations are being made. Examinations are being made for a large siding and the Kakahi bridge is to be altered at one end to allow a .set of points to be put in. Driving the last spike Under the above heading some months ago we embraced the suggestion first mooted

by Mr A. E. Pennington, M.P., in a speech at Raetihi that some appropriate event should mark the conclusion of the Main

Trunk line construction. Since then more or less has been heard of the project in the press, the venue and method of celebration being considerably discussed. The latest proposition contains similar

features to the original proposal and is likely to be taken up by the authorities. It is a s follows: Before the end of the present month or early in November, the Ministry should be entertained at a luncheon in Wellington by the

Chamber of Commerce and that, at the conclusion of the luncheon, representative members of the Chamber take a trip to Auckland over the new line as guests of the government. It is also probable that the Auckland T urn page 9

Main tiunk joined

From page 6 Railway League will arrange somc function to mark ihe completion of the line and it has been suggested that the members of the League should meet the guests of the government at some spot half way

where possibly a 'driving of the last spike' function could be held and so mark a very important event in the history of the Dominion." Waimarino County Call Friday, October 9, 1908