Clarksville (also known as Clarksville Junction) is a small township located three kilometres southwest of Milton in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. State Highways 1 and 8 meet in Clarksville. The town was also once the location of a

railway Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

junction, where the

Roxburgh Branch The Roxburgh Branch was a branch line railway built in the Otago region of New Zealand's South Island that formed part of the country's national rail network. Originally known as the Lawrence Branch, it was one of the longest construction pr ...

left the

Main South Line The Main South Line, sometimes referred to as part of the South Island Main Trunk Railway, is a railway line that runs north and south from Lyttelton in New Zealand through Christchurch and along the east coast of the South Island to Inverca ...

. Construction of this

branch line A branch line is a phrase used in railway terminology to denote a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line. Industrial spur An industr ...

began in the 1870s and Clarksville acted as the junction until 1907, when an extension of the branch was built alongside the Main South Line into Milton to improve operations. This led to Milton being the junction until 1960, when the extension was removed and Clarksville regained its status as a junction until the branch was entirely closed in 1968. The station opened on 22 January 1878 and closed on 24 May 1970.Juliet Scoble: Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand
/ref> In 1898 there was a 5th class station, passenger platform, cart approach to platform, stationmaster's house and urinals. In 1936 it was proposed the ladies' toilets be removed and, in 1968, also the shelter shed, loading bank and men's toilets. The station building was sold for $50 in 1970. The settlement was originally named Clarkesville, the first "e" being officially dropped in 1896. It was named after early settler Henry Clark.Reed, A.W. (1975). ''Place names of New Zealand''. Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed. p. 80.

References

Populated places in Otago {{Otago-geo-stub