Puketutu was a

flag station In public transport, a request stop, flag stop, or whistle stop is a stop or station at which buses or trains, respectively, stop only on request; that is, only if there are passengers or freight to be picked up or dropped off. In this way, st ...

on the

North Island Main Trunk The North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) is the main railway line in the North Island of New Zealand, connecting the capital city Wellington with the country's largest city, Auckland. The line is long, built to the New Zealand rail gauge of and ser ...

line, in the

Waitomo District Waitomo District is a territorial authority, located in the Waikato region, at the north of the King Country area in the North Island of New Zealand. A small part of the district, the locality of Tiroa, however, lies in the Manawatū-Whanganui ...

of New Zealand. It was north of Kopaki and south of Waiteti. Initial doubt about the route of the line to the south was resolved by a survey in 1884. It was then said that the

bush Bush commonly refers to: * Shrub, a small or medium woody plant Bush, Bushes, or the bush may also refer to: People * Bush (surname), including any of several people with that name **Bush family, a prominent American family that includes: *** ...

might provide timber traffic for the railway for 50 years, until it was all converted to farm land. Works were advanced enough for a ministerial party to ride the route to the south on horseback by 1890. Most of the construction was done by

cooperatives A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-control ...

. The

Public Works Department This list indicates government departments in various countries dedicated to public works or infrastructure. See also * Public works * Ministry or Board of Public Works, the imperial Chinese ministry overseeing public projects from the Tang ...

had contracted the Te Kuiti to Mokau Station section on 9 March 1887 and it opened just over 2 years later. Construction began on the section southward to Poro-O-Tarao tunnel in September 1892. However, for twelve years, from 1889 until the line to Poro-O-Tarao opened on 1 April 1901, Puketutu was the terminus of the line, though, from 18 January 1897, a weekly goods train ran to Poro-O-Tarao. The delay was partly due to poor access and rugged country, but 2 years of the delay were due to

economic recession In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction when there is a general decline in economic activity. Recessions generally occur when there is a widespread drop in spending (an adverse demand shock). This may be triggered by various ...

, little work being done from 1890 to 1892. The name was changed from Mokau to Puketutu on 11 May 1903. Lack of fencing to the south was an issue when the line opened, with many cattle killed and trains delayed. Although plans for fencing were made in 1885, before the land was bought, it wasn't until 1907 that fencing started and 1909 before it was finished. A branch line down the Mokau valley to Piopio and

Aria In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...

was surveyed, but rejected in a ballot (under th
1914 Local Railways Act
in 1922. A extension south to a coal seam at Waitewhena was also considered. From 1933 that mine was served via Ohura on the

Stratford–Okahukura Line The Stratford–Okahukura Line (SOL) is a secondary railway line in the North Island of New Zealand, between the Marton - New Plymouth Line (MNPL) and the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) Railway, with 15 intermediate stations. It is long thro ...

. A cattle yard was added in 1924. A railway house was added in 1938. The line approaching the station was eased when it was electrified. Waiteti_Stream_waterfall

References

External links

Blue Streak train at Puketutu about 1970
{{Waitomo District Railway stations in New Zealand Waitomo District Rail transport in Waikato Buildings and structures in Waikato Railway stations opened in 1889 Railway stations closed in 1977