Cross Creek Railway Station

Cross Creek
Formerly New Zealand Government Railways
Cross Creek station yard, looking west at the start of the incline.
Coordinates	41°10′3.39″S 175°12′56.64″E / 41.1676083°S 175.2157333°E / -41.1676083; 175.2157333
Owned by	Formerly Railways Department Now Department of Conservation
Line(s)	Formerly part of Wairarapa Line
Platforms	None
Tracks	Main (1), crossing loops (2), sidings (6)
History
Opened	12 October 1878
Closed	30 October 1955
Previous names	Cross's Creek

Cross Creek railway station was the base of operations for the Rimutaka Incline, a Fell railway over the Rimutaka Ranges, and part of the original Wairarapa Line between Upper Hutt and Featherston in the Wellington region of New Zealand’s North Island. The station was between Pigeon Bush and Summit stations on the Wairarapa Line. The station was bypassed when the Rimutaka Tunnel was opened.

This station existed solely for the operational requirements of the Incline. It did not consign goods, or serve any local settlements, save for the railway staff that were based there.

Though the origin of the name Cross Creek has not always been clear, it is generally accepted based on the writings of surveyor John Rochfort that it was derived from a Mr. Lot Cross, who lived and farmed in the vicinity of the site that was later to become the station. In the early days of the railway, it was known as Cross’s Creek, but was simplified to Cross Creek in the 1880s.

Construction of the station was included in the Incline Contract for the Rimutaka Incline, which was to cover formation works from south of the Summit Tunnel to Featherston. It was awarded to contractor Charles McKirdy for the sum of £49,029 on 5 October 1875.

The station started out with a simple yard layout that included; the safety siding, two loops with capacities of 20 and 26 wagons, and a two road engine shed at the south end. The insufficiency of this arrangement soon became apparent, and additional sidings were laid. Increasing use of the line prompted periodic additions of sidings to the yard as required, with the ultimate capacity being reached in 1915.

A coal storage shed was attached to the locomotive shed, which was extended in 1882 using materials from the dismantled Kaitoke goods shed. In 1889, the locomotive shed was extended, but by 1899 operational requirements meant that further storage space was required. With insufficient room to extend the locomotive shed on its existing site, a new four-road depot was constructed – with a fitter’s workshop attached to the western side – at the north end of the yard. The Locomotive Foreman’s office was built in 1914 on a bank above the engine shed. A coaling stage was provided alongside one of the roads to the engine shed, from which coal was shovelled into the Fell locomotives. A shelter and pit were installed on a nearby siding which was used for changing the brake blocks on the Fell brake vans.