Similar Proposals
In the 1970s, two proposals to build a similar branch line from Whangarei to a deepwater port were made. This line was to closely follow the route of a much earlier proposed line that was nearly built. In 1914, a railway was surveyed to run south from Whangarei to Waipu, and although World War I delayed the start of any work, the construction of formation was in progress in 1920. However, in 1924, construction was abandoned without any track being laid as road transport was beginning to compete with rail and an insignificant branch to serve local farming interests was no longer seen as necessary.
Many years later, a deepwater harbour was established at nearby Marsden Point as an oil port, and after the 1973 oil crisis it was proposed to convert the nearby Marsden B Power Station to use coal from the Waikato. The railways have always carried significant tonnages of Waikato coal, and this proposal would have certainly required a railway link had it come to fruition.
In 1979 it was suggested that Marsden Point could be used for forestry export, and a 14-kilometre branch from the North Auckland Line was proposed, but it was not built. In 2007, however, the proposal was revived, and the Northland Regional Council is currently negotiating land purchases which would allow the link to be constructed.
Read more about this topic: Onerahi Branch
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