Gracefield Branch

Gracefield Branch
The start of the Gracefield Branch, curving off to the left, just south of Woburn station. The double track curving right is the Wairarapa Line.
Overview
StatusOpen to Hutt Workshops (freight only), remainder mothballed
OwnerONTRACK
Locale Wellington, New Zealand
Termini
Stations1
Service
TypeIndustrial siding
Operator(s)KiwiRail
History
Opened1 April 1929
Technical
Line length1.6 km (0.99 mi)
Number of tracks1
CharacterIndustrial
Track gauge3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Electrification14 September 1953 (1953-09-14)–1966 (Woburn–Hutt Park)
1966–1982 (Woburn–Gracefield)
Route map

Wairarapa Line
0.00
Woburn Station
Whites Line
Wairarapa Line
Workshops entrance (rail)
York St - Awamutu Gr
Elizabeth St workshops entrance (road)
1.62
Hutt Park Station
Waiwhetu Stream
Parkside Road
Hutt Park Road
2.57
Gracefield Freight Terminal
Gibraltor Board siding
Mobil Oil siding
Caltex Oil siding
Goods shed
Europa Oil siding
Seaview Road
Oil siding
Government Stores
Barnes Street
Pacific Scrap siding
3.23
Shell Oil siding
Oil sidings
Oil siding

The Gracefield Branch is a 1.6 km long, 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge industrial line from its junction with the Wairarapa Line at Woburn in the Wellington region of New Zealand's North Island to its terminus at the southern end of the Hutt Workshops yard. The line formerly included an additional kilometre of track to Gracefield Freight Terminal, where it connected to a network of industrial sidings in nearby Seaview. Currently its only function is to provide access to the Hutt Workshops.[1]

The line has been known by several names, including Hutt Park Line (1937), Hutt Industrial Line (1937), Gracefield Branch (1986), Gracefield Industrial Line (2001) and Gracefield Industrial Siding (2006).[2] Its 1937 name led to confusion with the earlier Hutt Park Railway.

Map
Map
  1. ^ Castle, David (18 September 2007). "Woburn & Gracefield". Wellington: Hutt Valley Signals. Retrieved 8 November 2008. On 30 April 2002 the Gracefield Yard was closed and since then the yard and the Seaview sidings have been lifted. The branch is now a glorified siding, serving the Hutt Workshops.
  2. ^ Castle, David (18 September 2007). "Woburn & Gracefield". Wellington: Hutt Valley Signals. Retrieved 8 November 2008. The line to Gracefield has had at least five names - Hutt Park Line, Hutt Industrial Line (both in the 1937 WTT), Gracefield Branch (1986), Gracefield Industrial Line (2001) and Gracefield Industrial Siding (2006).