Monday 30 July 2018

Otago Central Railway [63M]: Ranfurly-Alexandra 13 (Lauder-Auripo 2)

Here are the final maps for Auripo station. I now have to do the rail trail Google Maps coverage of Lauder to Auripo and mark in the peg locations and any other interesting detail on the maps.

The only reasonable aerial coverage we currently have of Auripo is from 1982. You can see a bit of detail on that, and for that reason it was used as the historical background for these maps. However, because the station was closed when it was taken, you can't see where the station building actually was. The track of the loop was still in the ground then, as it was common to leave the old track in place and only remove the point blades and frogs off the mainline at each end. However the disused sidings and sleepers were removed when the line was lifted in 1990/91. Aerial coverage should exist in Survey 112 which I think is from 1939, but has not yet been scanned by LGGA. When that finally arrives the maps will be updated with it.

I don't know if there were even any houses at Auripo or if it was an unattended flag station for most of its life.


 Overview of Auripo. It was a very small station in the middle of nowhere and it is surprising that it stayed open as late as 1978. The end of the railcar service was the nail in the coffin.

Auripo only had a loop siding, stockyards, loading bank and shelter. The loop was extended in the 1950s. The stockyard was on privately owned land. 

Closeup view of the station facilities. Nothing is left at this site today.