History of Save Our Rail Northand
18th of May 2010
The National-led government announced its KiwiRail turnaround plan to rationalise New Zealand's regional railways. There was concern that those lines seen as unprofitable would be 'mothballed' - i.e.closed down.
On Friday the 17th of December 2010 Transition Town members from Mangawhai and Kaiwaka had a meeting at Kaiwaka with Kaipara District Mayor Neil Tiller and MP Gareth Hughes Green Party spokesperson on transport, to discuss what is happening regarding the future of Northland's railways. Later that day , Gareth Hughes met with a group of concerned citizens in Whangarei , some of whom are now active in the Save Our Rail Northland group.
Kiwi Rail announced on the 21st of December 2010 that it would be begin consultation with Northland communities early in 2011.
Since the Kaiwaka and Whangarei meetings, we have created a Facebook Page 'Save the Auckland to Northland Rail Line' where you can express your support and become part of the network by becoming a member.
19th of May 2011. www.saveourrailnorthland.org.nz web-site published ( authored and maintained by Alan Preston of Mangawhai ) .
Wednesday 27th of April 2011
Save the North Auckland Line ! Meet Viv Shepherd and others at 9.45a.m outside the main entrance of the Council Chambers
Whangarei District Council Meeting from 10a.m. Item 7 on the agenda is 'The future of rail in Northland' and the CEO will be advocating that the Council support KiwiRail in mothballing the line.
See this article about the meeting
Friday 15th of April 2011.
North Auckland Line Rail-savers meeting @ Whangarei
4:30pm @Ecosolutions 3 Bank Street.
Gareth Hughes from The Green Party attended to give up date from Parliament.
Whangarei ( WAGONS group ) Contact Viv Shepherd
(09)438 8710 (work) 021656605 vivshepherd@clear.net.nz
see also : http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/main-trunk-line/north-island-main-trunk-line
2 May 2020 : The Ministry of Transport are calling for feedback on the Draft New Zealand Rail Plan : e-mail to : DraftNZRailPlan@transport.govt.nz
see also : The Draft New Zealand Rail Plan ( overview )
The Future of Rail and Investment to support a resilient and reliable rail system
Kiwi Rail : Northland Rail Rejuvenation
11 April 2020 : Track arrives for $205m Auckland to Whangarei rail upgrade
NZ Herald 2019-10-03 Major study says Ports of Auckland should close,Northport be developed
NZ Herald 2019-09-07 Train on track for Northland with $95m Provincial Growth Fund ticket
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=12265651
May 2019 :
Rail tourism in Northland
A recent business case found rail tourism could bring millions of dollars into Northland.
Newshub Nation spoke to a coalition of locals determined to make it happen
https://www.facebook.com/NewshubNationNZ/videos/401067020479135/
6th of May 2019
Friday 26th October 2018
20180601 The Government will spend half a million dollars investigating a potential upgrade and expansion of the rail line from Auckland to Northland.
Northport is seeking feedback on their vision for expanding their facilities at Marsden Point. Go to : http://www.vision4growth.co.nz/ to have your say.
Trains Save NZ $1.5 Billion per year - Ernst Young Report ( commissioned by National government who decided not to release it to the public ) .
1st of June 2018 : KiwiRail welcomes Northland rail business case
You can read about it on KiwiRail's website here and the actual The Value of Rail to New Zealand study here.
Northland's rail network to get $800 million upgrade
From Checkpoint, 5:25 pm on 27 October 2017
Here's the link to the Newshub video re the September 2017 RAIL FORUM meeting :
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/09/livestream-northland-rail-debate-in-whangarei.html
e-mail : saveourrailnorthland@gmail.com
facebook : https://www.facebook.com/groups/saveourrailnorthland/
TIME: 9.00am – 10.30am
DATE: Monday, 22 May 2017
Council Chambers , 36 Water Street, Whangarei.
the date for speaking to submissions to ensure the NRC & their agencies
do not push the National Governments agenda to scrap the Marsden Point Rail Link.
17 August 2017 : Greater Auckland : Regional Rapid Rail - see page 42 of the report
10 May 2017 : here's the link to the Grow Northland Rail Petition
20160522 : Radio New Zealand National : Insight ( Sunday Morning )
End of the Line for Rail in Northland ?
Go to FYI.org.nz to see other Official Information Act Requests to KiwiRail ( 2016-08-10 )
Future of Rail Coverage in New Zealand ( Otago University Study )
In mid-March 2016 it was revealed that KiwiRail was not planning to renew its contract with Marasumi Woodchip carting logs from the railhead at Otiria to their plant at Portland, south of Whangarei. ( Listen to this Radio NZ report ) Also to be discussed is the proposed/designated/consented Oakleigh-Marsden Point Link
Northlanders meet to demand future for rail
8:40 am on 5 April 2016
More than two-hundred Northland people packed a Whangarei theatre last night to demand a future for rail in the region.
Listen to the report on Radio New Zealand National here
April 6 2016
Where:Forum North, Whangarei
contact Alan Preston in Mangawhai, Northland ( web-site) Tel: +64 9 4315389 .
e-mail @ e-mail:saveourrailnorthland@gmail.com
web-site:https://sites.google.com/site/saveourrailnorthland/home
see also on Facebook : Save the Auckland to Northland Rail Line
recent ( March 2016 ) essays : The Rundown of Regional Rail
20151011 Nostalgic tourists trek north by rail
2nd of June 2015: Petition to improve and extend passenger services along the North West Auckland rail corridor
Public Transport Users Association : http://ptua.org.nz/1/2015/03/petition/
19th of March 2015 : KiwiRail response to Official Information Act request on the current status of the NAL and traffic on it. Here.
7th of November 2014 : ( Northern Advocate ) Shadow over Rail Route to Auckland
11th of December 2012: Whangarei Leader: Northland Ports Must Grow
30th of November 2012 : Dargaville Branch Line: Proposal to close the last 15kms : Official Information Act Request
(see response received 11th of February 2013)
20th of August 2012: Northern Advocate : Fresh Push To Keep Rail Link
29th of July 2012 : Social Impact Assessment ( see also under 'resources' tab above )
July 2012 Turning Northland Rail into a Self-Sustaining Business - by Kelvin Taylor ( Whangarei ) 71 pages in .pdf format
Please DONATE $$$ to support our campaign
Kiwibank : save our rail northland
account number: 389011065384100
Last updated 10th of December 2012
Check out the News page
and here are some recent stories:
20120509: "the Environment Court has issued consent to Kiwi Rail for the Oakleigh to Marsden Point rail link"
20120310 Northern Advocate Editorial: Bring Freight North as Port Sinks
2012/03/07 Listen to this audio from Radio NZ National's Nine to Noon program
The call for Auckland's port to be moved north
2012/03/06Northland port upgrade a win-win, leaders say
2012/03/05 Impossible to get public transport needs past capital's road-builders
!!!Suppression of Information!!!
The North Auckland and Dargaville Branch Railway Lines are strategically essential alternative transport infrastructure networks
that contribute to Northland's ability to continue to function efficiently and sustainably in today's world while providing resiliance and security against the challenges that lie ahead in the post peak oil age that we have already entered.
On the 5th of October 2011 13,471 people had signed our petition ( for reasons like these )
"while many people are supportive of rail, this doesn’t translate into individuals and businesses using it. "
Phil Heately : National Party MP for Whangarei and Minister of Energy and Resources 2012
30th of May 2011
Mainline Stream Train Excursion on the Northlander
Auckland to Whangarei return.
Saturday 11th February 2012
http://www.mainlinesteam.co.nz/excursions.html
Sold out.
.
http://www.railsoc.org.nz/ro/observer.htm
February 2012: The New Zealand National Government has directed our State Owned Enterprise, KiwiRail to implement the 'KiwiRail Turnaround Plan'
under which it is being forced to rationalise operations, to concentrate its resources on the Main Trunk Line between Auckland and Wellington
- at the expense of some our our regional regional railway lines.
Click here to read some of our concerns about the inconsistancies inherent in the plan.
January 2012: The NZ$21million that New Zealand spends on importing oil every day increased 22% to NZ$7.7 billion over the 2010-2011 year
and is forecast by the International Energy Agency to continue this upward trend.
Concerned? Listen, Watch, read about here
The National Government has suppressed access to the following documents that substantiate and validate
the case for retaining , improving and extending our rail transport network
The Bolland Report (2010) & The Ministerial Report on Oil Prices and Transport Sector Resiliance (2009)
1st of July 2011 you can sign and send off a Letter from Greenpeace To Stephen Joyce:
Save green collar jobs/rail. - It's a quick and easy way to let them know
http://www.majorlook.co.nz/cartoons.html
To join this broad network of people working to save Northland's railways, to offer what help or skills you could provide, or just to be kept informed of what's happening, please send an e-mail to : saveourrailnorthland@gmail.com
and sign up to Save the Auckland to Northland Rail Line ( on Facebook ) .
If you know someone who's likely to want to get involved but who doesn't use the internet, please pass our number on to them ( see the Contacts tab above ) Thanks !
contact for this web-site: Alan Preston , Mangawhai, Northland ( January 2021 )
Tel: +64 9 4315389 or on 02102377242
e-mail @ e-mail:saveourrailnorthland@gmail.com