Dargaville Branch

The Dargaville Branch is a branch line railway that leaves the North Auckland Line not far south of Whangarei and runs westward to Dargaville. Construction of this relatively short line took approximately two decades, and when it was completed, it linked the now closed Donnelly's Crossing Section with the national rail network. Although the Dargaville Branch's future is uncertain, it continues to operate today.
Construction
The Dargaville Branch was built relatively late in comparison to most railway lines in New Zealand. Construction from Waiotira on the North Auckland Line commenced in 1922. Dargaville, however, was not reached for another eighteen years. The first twenty-two kilometres through unstable country took six years to build, with the line not opened to Kirikopuni until 15 May 1928. In January 1931, the line was open to Tangowahine, sixteen kilometres from Dargaville, but construction ceased for five years due to the Great Depression. In 1940...