Raroa Intermediate

Johnsonville Railway


The history of the line is rich and inviting. The Johnsonville line was officially opened in 1885 for public use and connected the city of Wellington with the rest of New Zealand by rail. It cost 15,000 pounds for the construction of the railway, the stations and to buy all the trains.

If you were a train driver, an engineer or just someone who worked on the railway, you could have housing for yourself in a settlement for just 18 shillings a week, more like $18 these days, but only 180 cents back then.

The line was the official main trunk line until 1984, when the whole line was cut and a new line was put around Johnsonville, missing out Johnsonville altogether.

The Johnsonville line is now electric, but it was not always so. Until 1937, there was either steam or diesel trains that pulled the carriages along.