The Dargaville Branch is a branch line railway that leaves the North Auckland Line not far south of Whangarei and runs westward to Dargaville. Construction of this relatively short line took approximately two decades, and when it was completed, it linked the now closed Donnelly's Crossing Section with the national rail network. Although the Dargaville Branch's future is uncertain, it continues to operate today. A branch line is a relatively minor railway line which branches off a more important through route. ... Whangarei (the initial consonant is often prounounced F) is the northernmost city in New Zealand and the regional capital of Northland Region. ... Dargaville is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. ... // National Rail Network The national rail network (currently owned by a State-Owned Enterprise, the New Zealand Railways Corporation) was constructed largely by government entities from 1863 onwards. ...

Construction

The Dargaville Branch was built relatively late in comparison to most railway lines in New Zealand. Construction from Waiotira on the North Auckland Line commenced in 1922. Dargaville, however, would not be reached for another eighteen years. The first twenty-two kilometres through unstable country took six years to build, with the line not opened to Kirikopuni until 15 May 1928. In 1930, the line was open to Tangowahine, sixteen kilometres from Dargaville, but construction ceased for five years due to the Great Depression. In 1940, trains commenced running to Dargaville, but the old railway station (used by the Donnelly's Crossing Section) was closed and a new station built at a different location, delaying the formal opening of the Dargaville Branch until 15 March 1943, over twenty years after construction began. 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... May 15 is the 135th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (136th in leap years). ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1930 (MCMXXX) is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... Dorothea Langes Migrant Mother depicts destitute pea pickers in California, centering on Florence Owens Thompson, a mother of seven children, age twenty-nine, in Nipomo, California, March 1936. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... March 15 is the 74th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (75th in Leap years). ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) is a common year starting on Friday. ...

At one time, there was a proposal to build a railway from Kirikopuni north to Kaikohe, but considering the presence of a line from Whangarei, this proposal was discarded. Some other construction did occur around Kirikopuni, however - the line was initially constructed with a balloon loop into the town, which was two kilometres north of the direct line to Dargaville, but a bypass eliminated the loop in 1943. Kaikohe is the central service area for the Far North District of New Zealand, about 260 km from Auckland, situated on State Highway 12 at 35°27′S 173°49′E. It is the largest inland town and highest community above sea level in the Northland Region. ...

Operation

Dargaville Branch operations have never been spectacular. From its opening until March 1967, "mixed" trains carrying both passengers and freight ran to connect with passenger services on the North Auckland Line. After March 1967, the line carried freight only, and in recent years, its future has been under question. At one point in the first half of the 2000s, it was closed for six months, but traffic has now returned and the line is operated from Whangarei. A daily return train is scheduled from Monday to Friday but it only runs when required. It takes almost three hours both ways. 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000s - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

Motive power

Typical motive power on the Dargaville Branch from its opening until the mid-1960s were steam locomotives of the Ab and J classes. When the line was dieselised, DA class diesel-electrics took over and worked the line until 1988. Nowadays, the DBR class and sometimes the DC class comprise the motive power seen running to Dargaville. The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... A locomotive (from lat. ... Preserved No. ... The DA class was the most prolific class of locomotive to ever run on New Zealands national railway network. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The DC class locomotive is New Zealands most common class of diesel-electric locomotive. ...

Reference

• Churchman, Geoffrey B., and Hurst, Tony; The Railways Of New Zealand: A Journey Through History, HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand), 1991 reprint