Otago Central Railway [27]: Lauder

Lauder is the western entrance to the Poolburn (actually Idaburn) Gorge. Just as Auripo is the eastern entrance. I have pulled out all the stops today to get this station drawn up in record time. With four stations left to draw it could be the maps will only take a week or two to finish.

 A 1981 photo by John Stephens of a work train at Lauder.

 Overview of Lauder.

At the east end of Lauder, the road was changed after the line closed to remove the sharp bend where the level crossing was. The rail trail has taken a detour using part of the old road route in order to make a safe crossing at this location.

 At the east end of the yard was the stockyards. Also shown is the location that the station building was relocated to in 2016, having been stored offsite nearby since the station closed.

West end of the yard showing the main facilities and the site of a former railway house.

 The above pair of photos from Streetview show where a couple of ballast sidings were located east of Lauder, probably these were only used during construction days.

 Bridge No.70, Manuherikia No.1, at the foot of the climb up the Poolburn Gorge. The bridge was being painted at the time this photo was taken in April 2016.

 Bridge 71 crossing Lauder Creek on the eastern approach to Lauder.

 These two photos show how the line used to cross the road and how the trail route has been altered off the original railway route because of the changed road.

 Station site from east looking west. The new location of the station building would be to the right of this image.

 Station site looking west. The goods shed was to the left, then the loading bank which still exists today. The station platform and building were to the right.

 Looking back down the station yard from the west. The building foundations to the left were for the station toilets.

 Bridge No.72 crossing Muddy Creek just west of Lauder.

The Muddy Creek Road overbridge (No.73). The original bridge was built in 1904 with piles to carry three wooden spans. The bridge was replaced with this corrugated steel culvert sometime in the last 10-15 years.

UPDATE: The station building has been redrawn on the maps as clearly the photos of the returned building show it to be about twice as long as the original, which was around 10 metres in length.