Kaitangata Line

The Kaitangata Line, also known as the Kaitangata Branch in its first years of operation, was a railway line in Otago, New Zealand. It was built by a private company and was later acquired by the government's Mines Department, and operated from 1876 until 1970. It provided a link from coal mines to the Main South Line, and was never integrated into the network managed by the New Zealand Railways Department, thus although it could be seen as a branch line of the Main South Line, it officially never was.

In 1873 local residents petitioned the Provincial Government to construct a Branch Line from the South Island Main Trunk to Ropers Creek near Kaitangata to enable coal to be easily transported from the mines. In 1874 the Provincial Government applied for consent to raise a ₤27,750 loan to construct the Branch line with an extension as far as Coal Point. This was unsuccessful and as a result the Kaitangata Rail Company began to investigate constructing its own line.

Legislation was required to allow the construction of the railway by the Company. Initially this took the form of an ordinance by the Provincial Government, but this was disallowed by the Governor. Wishing to pursue this, the company pressed the General Assembly for consent. The ordinance was redrafted into a Bill and passed as the Kaitangata Railway and Coal Company Empowering Act 1875. The legislation was passed some months after construction had commenced. Construction had also commenced before the Main Trunk had been opned to Dunedin.

On Friday, 26 February 1875 the Kaitangata Rail Company merged with the Kaitangata Coal Company to form the Kaitangata Railway and Coal Company. With the route of the railway from its mine in Kaitangata and to the Main South Line at Stirling, having already been agreed to, fencing contracts were agreed to be called. A sod turning ceremony was carried out near the Kaitangata Creek bridge by Sir J L C Richardson on 19 June 1875. Construction of the line began under a contract let in May 1875, using about 40 Chinese labourers and some Europeans under A Jerusalem Smyth. By September they had completed some 4.5 miles of the rail bed.

The sleepers for the line were locally produced, while the rails came from the Darlington Iron Company (England) and the spikes, bolts, and nuts came from Bayliss, Jones, and Bayliss of Wolverhampton. The New Zealand Government Inspector, Mr G B Bruce of Westminster, checked the quality of these products prior to them being shipped on the Mataura. A locomotive and 25 coal trucks were ordered in September or early October from James Davidson and Co of Dunedin.

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