Main North Line, New Zealand

Main North Line
Start of the Main North Line, heading north under the old Blenheim Road overpass in the distance, and to the left under the new Blenheim Road overpass to Christchurch railway station. The original route of the line was just to the right of the photographer.
Overview
StatusOperational
LocaleSouth Island, New Zealand
Termini
  • Addington, Christchurch
  • Picton, Marlborough
Stations65 (total)
18 (operational)
Service
TypeRegional rail
SystemKiwiRail
Operator(s)KiwiRail
History
Opened1872-04-29
Technical
Line length348.04 km
Number of tracksSingle
CharacterMain Line
Track gauge3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Route map

km0
length
in m
Interisland Ferry
Picton Wharf
347.98
Picton
Waitohi Viaduct
129 ×
16 m high
344.87
Elevation
341.85
Mount Pleasant
338.66
Koromiko
336.18
Para
No. 24 Tunnel (cut and cover)
328.57
Tuamarina
293.00
Wairau River
new bridge
1974
325.41
Spring Creek
Blenheim
Freight Centre
322.83
Grovetown
(Grove Town)
319.50
Blenheim
Riverlands
Vernon loop
No. 23 Tunnel
daylighted
1979
50
No. 22 Tunnel
daylighted
1981
70
298.00
Dashwood
Awatere River
294.40
Seddon
287.94
Blind River
284.21
Lake Grassmere
(Kaparu)
281.00
Hauwai
276.82
Taimate
270.95
Ward
263.39
Mirza
No. 21 Tunnel (Tar Barrel)
deviated
2021
164
Waima River
256.17
Wharanui
246.92
Kekerengu
236.82
Parikawa
226.34
Clarence
Papatea loop
No. 20 Tunnel
130
No. 19 Tunnel
642
No. 18 Tunnel
209
209.61
Rakautara
(Aniseed)
No. 17 Tunnel
187
No. 16 Tunnel
123
No. 15 Tunnel
217
Mangamaunu
201.02
Hapuku
Hapuku River
191.12
Kaikōura
Kowhai River
184.18
Kowhai
180.67
Puketa
Kahutara River
No. 14 Tunnel (Rileys Hill)
452
No. 13 Tunnel
116
No. 12 Tunnel (Parititahi)
897
No. 11 Tunnel (Kowhai)
313
No. 10 Tunnel
100
No. 9 Tunnel
253
No. 8 Tunnel
154
No. 7 Tunnel (
Raramai
Road
)
114
No. 6 Tunnel
126
172.28
Goose Bay
No. 5 Tunnel
208
168.35
Oaro
No. 4 Tunnel deviated
188
No. 3 Tunnel (Amuri Bluff)
975
Okarahia Viaduct
21 m
high
No. 2 Tunnel
51
No. 1 Tunnel
76
157.98
Claverley
152.27
Hundalee
Conway River
143.48
Ferniehurst
Mendip Section
(formation only)
133.19
Parnassus
Waiau River
129.18
Spotswood
125.92
Phoebe
119.57
Mina
Nonoti
113.54
Domett
105.43
Tormore
100.02
Ethelton
Hurunui River
93.15
Greta
86.09
Scargill
76.98
Spye
72.32
Omihi
62.88
Waipara
Waipara River
58.25
Glasnevin
55.91
Greneys Road
(
Greeneys
Road
)
51.57
Amberley
49.92
Grays Road
Kowhai River
44.90
Balcairn
39.53
Sefton
32.87
Ashley
Ashley River
deviation
18 Dec. 1961
30.11
Rangiora
27.15
Southbrook
23.29
Flaxton
18.93
Kaiapoi
Waimakariri
River
deviation
1 Sep. 1958
293
15.22
Kainga
(Stewarts Gully)
12.41
Chaneys
11.32
Belfast
8.58
Styx
5.33
Papanui
3.79
Bryndwr
(Bryndwyr)
2.03
Riccarton
Addington saleyards
0.51
Christchurch (Addington)
km0
distances from Addington
Map
Map

The Main North Line, sometimes referred to as part of the South Island Main Trunk railway, is a railway line that runs north from Christchurch in New Zealand up the east coast of the South Island through Kaikōura and Blenheim to Picton. It is a major link in New Zealand's national rail network and offers a connection with roll-on roll-off ferries from Picton to Wellington. It was also the longest railway construction project in New Zealand's history, with the first stages built in the 1870s and not completed until 1945.