Tapanui Branch - The Branch Today

The Branch Today

Relics of this branch survive today, though it should be emphasised that as time progresses, remnants of old railways deteriorate and in some cases disappear entirely, so what was previously evident may no longer exist. Bridges sans rails are believed to still exist in the early stages of the line, notably including a truss bridge across the Pomahaka River. In Tapanui, the railway station is preserved, the goods shed still stands, and rails remain embedded in Station Street where the railway crossing used to be. Flooding almost entirely destroyed Kelso and it is now abandoned, though the railway's goods shed still exists. On lower ground is the ruins of the town's former service station, with sombre viewing created by flood levels marked on the doors. Until recently, a goods shed also stood in Heriot, but it is understood that this structure was removed in the late 1990s.

According to the person who was the last station master at Tapanui, the building widely identified as the Tapanui station was not the station. The station was across the road and reasonably close to the goods shed. The roof of the goods shed, the last railway building at Tapanui, has recently collapsed.