| Main North Line |
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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. |
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| Status | Operational |
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| Locale | South Island, New Zealand |
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| Termini | - Addington, Christchurch
- Picton, Marlborough
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| Stations | 65 (total)
18 (operational) |
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| Type | Regional rail |
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| System | KiwiRail |
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| Operator(s) | KiwiRail |
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| Opened | 1872-04-29 |
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| Line length | 348.04 km |
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| Number of tracks | Single |
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| Character | Main Line |
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| Track gauge | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) |
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km0 |
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Interisland Ferry |
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Picton Wharf |
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347.98 |
Picton |
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344.87 |
Elevation |
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341.85 |
Mount Pleasant |
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338.66 |
Koromiko |
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336.18 |
Para |
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328.57 |
Tuamarina |
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293.00 |
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325.41 |
Spring Creek |
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322.83 |
Grovetown (Grove Town) |
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Opaoa River |
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319.50 |
Blenheim |
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Taylor River |
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Riverlands |
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50 |
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70 |
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298.00 |
Dashwood |
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Awatere River |
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294.40 |
Seddon |
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287.94 |
Blind River |
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284.21 |
Lake Grassmere (Kaparu) |
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281.00 |
Hauwai |
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276.82 |
Taimate |
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270.95 |
Ward |
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263.39 |
Mirza |
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No. 21 Tunnel (Tar Barrel) |
164 |
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Waima River |
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256.17 |
Wharanui |
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246.92 |
Kekerengu |
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236.82 |
Parikawa |
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226.34 |
Clarence |
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Clarence River |
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No. 20 Tunnel |
130 |
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No. 19 Tunnel |
642 |
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No. 18 Tunnel |
209 |
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209.61 |
Rakautara (Aniseed) |
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No. 17 Tunnel |
187 |
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No. 16 Tunnel |
123 |
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No. 15 Tunnel |
217 |
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Mangamaunu |
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201.02 |
Hapuku |
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Hapuku River |
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191.12 |
Kaikōura |
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Kaikoura Viaduct |
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Kowhai River |
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184.18 |
Kowhai |
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180.67 |
Puketa |
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Kahutara River |
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No. 14 Tunnel (Rileys Hill) |
452 |
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No. 13 Tunnel |
116 |
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No. 12 Tunnel (Parititahi) |
897 |
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No. 11 Tunnel (Kowhai) |
313 |
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No. 10 Tunnel |
100 |
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No. 9 Tunnel |
253 |
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No. 8 Tunnel |
154 |
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114 |
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No. 6 Tunnel |
126 |
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172.28 |
Goose Bay |
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No. 5 Tunnel |
208 |
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168.35 |
Oaro |
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No. 4 Tunnel deviated |
188 |
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No. 3 Tunnel (Amuri Bluff) |
975 |
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Okarahia Viaduct |
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No. 2 Tunnel |
51 |
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No. 1 Tunnel |
76 |
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157.98 |
Claverley |
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152.27 |
Hundalee |
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Conway River |
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143.48 |
Ferniehurst |
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| Mendip Section | | (formation only) |
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133.19 |
Parnassus |
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Waiau River |
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129.18 |
Spotswood |
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125.92 |
Phoebe |
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119.57 |
Mina |
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Nonoti |
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113.54 |
Domett |
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105.43 |
Tormore |
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100.02 |
Ethelton |
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Hurunui River |
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93.15 |
Greta |
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86.09 |
Scargill |
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76.98 |
Spye |
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72.32 |
Omihi |
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62.88 |
Waipara |
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Waipara River |
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58.25 |
Glasnevin |
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55.91 |
Greneys Road |
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51.57 |
Amberley |
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49.92 |
Grays Road |
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Kowhai River |
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44.90 |
Balcairn |
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39.53 |
Sefton |
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32.87 |
Ashley |
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30.11 |
Rangiora |
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27.15 |
Southbrook |
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Lineside Road |
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Fernside Road |
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23.29 |
Flaxton |
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Mulcocks Road |
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Kaiapoi River |
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Peraki Street |
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Williams Street |
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18.93 |
Kaiapoi |
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Courtenay Dr |
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293 |
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15.22 |
Kainga (Stewarts Gully) |
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Kainga Road |
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Spencerville Road |
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12.41 |
Chaneys |
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Marshland Road |
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Factory Road |
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11.32 |
Belfast |
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Belfast Road |
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Radcliffe Road |
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Styx River |
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8.58 |
Styx |
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Barnes Road |
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Sturrocks Road |
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Tuckers Road |
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Northcote Road |
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Sawyers Arms Road |
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Langdons Road |
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5.33 |
Papanui |
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Harewood Road |
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Blighs Road |
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Wairakei Road |
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3.79 |
Bryndwr (Strowan) |
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Glandovey Road |
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Wroxton Terrace |
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Fendalton Road |
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Waimairi Stream |
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Ilam Stream |
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2.03 |
Riccarton (Mona Vale) |
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Kilmarnock Street |
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Riccarton Road |
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Addington saleyards |
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0.51 |
Christchurch (Addington) |
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km0 |
distances from Addington |
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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.
