The Story of the …
Napier-Wairoa Railway

By William John Hay (Railway Publicity photos.)

A railcar crossing the Mohaka Viaduct, on the Napier-Wairoa Railway.

In many respects the story of the Napier-Wairoa railway is an epic one. Probably no road or rail construction in New Zealand has had more setbacks before reaching completion. Many adversities had to be overcome, some due to the nature of the country, some to the perversities of man, and some to the eccentricities of malignant Fate.

There is drama in the story, the tragic drama of devastating earthquakes and disastrous floods; and there is heroism, too—the type of heroism that toils courageously in the face of difficulties, combats them and surmounts them. Not least in the story, especially in its final stages, are the factors of leadership and loyalty, of vigorous endeavour and of no less brilliant achievement by New Zealand engineers and by the men under them. Moreover, the last part of the story shows clearly that men can still plan and toil enthusiastically for the public weal.

When the East Coast Railway is completed, it will carry on right through from Napier to Gisborne. The WairoaGisborne section is well under way and is open for use as far as Waikokopu, nearly 25 miles north of Wairoa. It is with the Napier-Wairoa section, however, that this article is chiefly concerned.

The construction of the railway, perhaps, means most to Wairoa which, at the extreme north of the Hawke's Bay province, has always suffered severely because of its isolation. Even as late as the beginning of this century, the town of Wairoa was often cut off from the rest of the world for weeks at a time. The roads from Napier in the south and from Gisborne in the north were little better than saddle-tracks, impassable in bad weather.

Again, although situated on the sea coast at the mouth of the Wairoa River, the town's sea communications were, and still are to a large extent, at the mercy of a treacherous bar at the mouth of the river. For days, weeks and even months, it was sometimes impossible for the smallest of coastal vessels to get in or out of Wairoa.

Another factor that led to Wairoa's isolation was that, with the possible exception of the Waikato, the Maoris of this East Coast area were more reluctant than any others to dispose of their ancestral lands to the pakehas. They held aloof from the invasion of the white man until nearly the turn of this century. Those white settlers who did procure land were not sufficiently numerous or influential to be able to persuade the Governments of those times to do anything about Wairoa's means of communication.

Consequently they were poor and not always at ease among the proud, haughty and fierce Maoris of the district. Such events as the “King” movement and the Hau Hau troubles made life more exciting than pleasant along this part of the East Coast. The settlers were not only cut off from the rest of the colony; they were also constantly in danger of attacks by raiding parties of Maoris.

When the native unrest eventually died down, many more of the Maoris were persuaded to sell their lands–often, it is to be feared, under the pressure of threats, confiscations or empty promises. Civilisation had come to the district! As soon as larger portions of the country came under pakeha domination, the agitation for the East Coast railway began in earnest. The chief demand, naturally, came from the Wairoa and Gisborne end. Napier was somewhat apathetic at first. She was prospering reasonably well!

Despite continual petitions, pleadings and agitations, it was not until 1911 that the Government authorised the construction of the East Coast Railway. page 29

A scene at the official opening at Wairoa of the Napier-Wairoa railway on 1st July, 1939.

Early in 1912, Sir Joseph Ward, the Prime Minister, ‘turned the first sod at Westshore, at the Napier end. Work was also commenced from the Gisborne end on the Ngatapa inland route. This, however, has since been abandoned in favour of the present coastal route between Wairoa and Gisborne.

Very little headway had been made before the Great War interfered with the work. After the war, progress was steady but rather slow. The first portion to be opened was the section from Wairoa to Waikokopu, 25 miles to the north.

Gradually, other small sections became ready for use. By the end of 1930 the Railway Department had taken control of a completed section of 39 miles linking Napier with Putorino. Other parts of the line were being pushed ahead with and the prospects seemed bright for a reasonably early opening of the whole of the East Coast Railway.

This hope was dissipated by the terrible earthquakes which, in February, 1931, shattered Hawke's Bay. The Napier-Putorino line was very badly damaged and all traffic on it was at an end. Other more or less finished parts of the line also suffered severely, especially south of Wairoa.

Nevertheless, work on repairs and new construction was carried on until the end of 1931 when work on the East Coast Railway was closed down.

Construction work was recommenced, however, in 1936, and the previously finished portions of the line were restored. Meanwhile, construction of the Mohaka Viaduct was rapidly taken in hand. An indication of the speed with which this vast enterprise was carried out is given by the fact that, although a year was allowed for the building of the viaduct, it was actually finished in eleven months.

The Mohaka Viaduct is an immense structure. Undoubtedly it is the highlight of the East Coast Railway, a credit to New Zealand engineers and workmen. Rearing 315 feet above the riverbed, it is the highest in the Southern Hemisphere. It is 911 feet long and contains 1,900 tons of steel. To a layman, looking at the viaduct from underneath, it seems incredible that so much could be accomplished in so little time. The thousands and thousands of rivets alone would seem a year's work. It is also pleasing to remark that, during the construction of the Mohaka Viaduct, no life was lost and no major injury sustained by any workman. Considering the great height at which they worked this was a remarkable record.

A recent view of Wairoa.

Other notable engineering feats on the line are the Waikoau Viaduct (490 feet long, 235 feet high, 610 tons of steel); the Matahoura Viaduct (450 feet long, 200 feet high, 500 tons of steel); the Waikare Viaduct (610 feet long, 255 feet high, 900 tons of steel); the Maungaturanga Viaduct (800 feet long, 220 feet high, 1,100 tons of steel); and the Wairoa River bridge (460 feet long on cylinder piers, containing 310 tons of steel).

All told there are 28 viaducts and bridges between Napier and Waikokopu, and 483 culverts of all sizes. There are also nine tunnels, the principal ones being at Kotemaori, 41 chains, and at Mohaka, 33 chains.

So speedily was the work accomplished that before the end of 1937 it was possible to inaugurate a goodstraffic service between Napier and Wairoa. This service was short-lived, for once again fate took a hand. In April, 1938, disastrous floods swept the East Coast, causing hundreds of slips, some enormous, and carrying away many bridges and culverts.

Evidence of these floods can still be noted by travellers on the NapierWairoa railway. All through the Esk Valley, near Napier, piles of silt are still visible, much of it not yet back into cultivation of any kind. The hills, too, which can be seen from the railcar, are all scarred by hundreds of landslides, some large and some small.

No time was wasted over the restoration of the line and by the end of 1938 it was again open for traffic. Goods-trains ran through and from time to time passenger excursion trains were run. It was not until 1st July of last vear, however, that Wairoa people felt that they were properly linked up with New Zealand's railway system. On that page 30 page 31 date the whole of the line from Napier to Waikokopu came under the control of the Railways Department, and on 3rd July a railcar service was commenced between Napier and Wairoa.

Two railcars of the latest type—fast, clean and efficient—have since then been used to provide a twice daily service in each direction, with a special trip each week-end right through from Wairoa to Wellington and back. Thus the residents of Wairoa and district are at last well-provided for. Instead of having to spend nearly four hours on the tedious hilly road route they are able to make the 72-mile journey to Napier in these comfortable railcars in two hours ten minutes.

The first cars used on the new service were named Tainui and Takitimu after two of the fleet of Maori canoes which made the great migration from Hawaiki to New Zealand about 600 years ago. The latter is especially apposite, for Takitimu was the canoe commanded by Tamatea, ancestor of the noble chief Kahungunu from whom the East Coast Maoris take their tribal name of Ngati-Kahungunu.

Apart from the benefit to travellers, the whole East Coast district gains immensely from the railway. It is estimated that about half-a-million acres of new country are directly served by it. Thousands of acres are still in their native state of scrub and fern. Other large tracts had been partially broken in but were allowed to drift back because of the then exorbitant cost of transport for stock and fertilisers. Most of the land is of a pumice nature which yields readily to cultivation by the use of fertilisers.

“No; chewing is not a refined habit,” said the wholesaler to the reporter, with a laugh, “but it's going out. 'Most everybody smokes now. Where does all the tobacco come from? Why, chiefly from America, of course. But other countries contribute, and it's astonishing what a lot of toasted New Zealand tobacco goes up in smoke! The true toasted, of course, I mean. The manufacturers turn it out by the ton, and the bigger the output the greater the demand seemingly. Why so popular? Well, to begin with, the quality's O.K. There's nothing like it! Secondly, the toasting purifies—eliminates the nicotine, and makes these blends perfectly safe to smoke. You can't overdo it with the genuine toasted—Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullshead), Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog), Cavendish, Riverhead Gold and Desert Gold. How is the toasting done? Sorry, but I can't tell you. That's the manufacturer's secret. But I've seen the process at the factory. Wonderfully ingenious!” The scribe, well satisfied with his “story,” shut up his note-book and vanished.^*

The farmers are now able to obtain these essential fertilisers quickly and cheaply, and they have also a direct means of getting their stock to markets, to the freezing-works and to the ships for loading for overseas. This is bound to have a rapid and beneficial effect on the productivity of the country and, ultimately, on the real wealth of New Zealand.

Moreover, the general public and tourist traffic of the Dominion benefit from the railway. A vast new holidaying district is opened up by it.

(Photo., Christchurch “Star-Sun”).
The elimination of level crossings. Construction work on a traffic overbridge in Canterbury.

Wairoa and Waikokopu are both interesting places to visit. Hospitable Gisborne is made more easily accessible; so too are the tourist resorts at beautiful Lake Waikaremoana and Morere Hot Springs.

The railway to Wairoa has therefore already opened up much that is new and novel, and this will be even more the case when the final East Coast section, between Waikokopu and Gisborne, is completed. This will not take long and, when railcars and goods-trains regularly connect Napier and Gisborne, the full wisdom of the Government in taking up the abandoned work will be thoroughly appreciated by the people of New Zealand, and especially by those who live in East Coast districts.