User:Axver/Articles

This page contains all the articles that I have created on Wikipedia and a to-do list of future pages. I used to maintain this list on my userpage but it was getting overly long and I feared it looked vain, so I moved it here. I maintain it as a convenient point of reference and to keep track of what I have and haven't done. It evolved out of a list of lines that branched from the Main South Line that needed articles. It quickly grew into an attempt to cover every New Zealand railway line and subsequently expanded into other fields. I am not including disambiguation pages in this list.

As this page was pretty boring as a mere list, I have chosen to insert some personal commentary in the hopes that it may liven things up a little. I doubt anybody particularly cares, but it at least adds something to the page and provides the kind of personal thoughts absent from my main user page.

New Zealand railway lines

I feel these tend to be my best articles. Some pictures would be incredibly handy, though. I am currently adding line maps to those articles for which I have sufficient information.

General North Island

This covers the inter-regional trunk routes. I honestly find these boring and tiresome to write. There is so much material to cover and frankly, I find the main routes lack substantial appeal. They can be so homogenised and characterless nowadays.

Marton - New Plymouth Line, Palmerston North - Gisborne Line

Northland

Northland's an interesting place as far as railways go. It developed really haphazardly and the full vision of a trunk route to the Far North was never achieved. It was also one of the very last places in New Zealand where mixed trains operated, but now is devoid of passenger service.

Dargaville Branch, Donnelly's Crossing Section, Kumeu-Riverhead Section, North Auckland Line, Okaihau Branch, Onerahi Branch, Opua Branch

Manawatu-Wanganui and Central North Island

The amount of times I have accidentally written "Samson Tramway" is unbelievable. I'm amazed I didn't create the article under that name! And the Taonui Branch has to be the single most insignificant line ever incorporated into the NZR. It makes the Tokarahi Branch seem like a bustling main trunk route in comparison!

Castlecliff Branch, Foxton Branch, Sanson Tramway, Raetihi Branch, Taonui Branch, Wanganui Branch

Wellington/Hutt Valley

My home turf. This is where I acquired my fascination with railways.

Hutt Park Railway, Melling Branch, Te Aro Extension

General South Island

See my comments for General North Island. That said, I find these lines a bit more interesting. The agonisingly slow development of the Main North Line is fascinating and prior to its completion it had the rural character I value; the Main South Line's branches provide endless fascination; and what Kiwi railfan doesn't find anything on the West Coast absolutely intriguing?

Main North Line, New Zealand, Main South Line, Stillwater - Westport Line

West Coast

Now these lines had charm. I do wish I could find more information on the Rapahoe Branch though. For some reason, detail seems extremely scarce.

Blackball Branch, Conns Creek Branch, Rapahoe Branch, Rewanui Branch, Ross Branch, Seddonville Branch

Canterbury

Ah, rural branch lines. Now we're talking!

Eyreton Branch, Fairlie Branch, Little River Branch, Methven Branch, Oxford Branch, Mount Somers Branch, Southbridge Branch, Waiau Branch, Waimate Branch, Whitecliffs Branch

Otago

Ah, even more rural branch lines. The Otago region has some of my favourite railway history. I would love to model the Ngapara and Tokarahi Branches. My family, many generations ago, lived in Livingstone near Tokarahi; the branch was originally called the Livingstone Branch. The ruins of the old family house can still be seen.

Catlins River Branch, Dunback and Makareao Branches, Fernhill Branch, Kaitangata Line, Kurow Branch, Moeraki Branch, Ngapara and Tokarahi Branches, Outram Branch, Port Chalmers Branch, Roxburgh Branch, Shag Point Branch, Tapanui Branch, Walton Park Branch

Southland

It's really sad to see what's happened to the Southland network. It once had such a strong concentration of lines, and now it's almost totally gone. Hard to believe that Lumsden, now without a railway, once had lines fanning out to all four points of the compass.

Bluff Branch, Hedgehope Branch, Kingston Branch, Mossburn Branch, Tokanui Branch, Tuatapere Branch, Waikaia Branch, Waikaka Branch, Waimea Plains Railway, Wairio Branch, Wyndham Branch

Significant proposals

The proposed lines of New Zealand's history really intrigue me and it's a shame some of them never happened - especially the linkage of the East Coast Main Trunk with the Moutohora Branch. I am genuinely curious as to how the Canterbury Interior Main Line would have turned out. It will also be nice when I finally get to move the Marsden Point Branch out of this category and into the Northland section, but I suspect that won't be happening until at least the next decade.

Canterbury Interior Main Line, Marsden Point Branch

New Zealand locomotive classes

Battery-electric engines

You just don't hear about these little beasts at all. Their obscurity makes them absolutely fascinating to me.

NZR E class (1922), NZR EB class

Diesel-electric engines

I meant to write more articles on the different classes but never got around to it - luckily other editors did. Personally, I'm quite strongly interested in the DA class. They were the first locomotives I ever really took notice of, as a couple are owned by Steam Incorporated in Paekakariki and as a little child, I thought they looked cool.

NZR DA class, NZR DB class, NZR DF class (1954), NZR DF class (1979)

Railcars

Out of all forms of motive power to operate on NZR, railcars easily provide me with the greatest degree of fascination.

NZR A 88 Buckhurst petrol carriage, NZR RM class, NZR RM class (Clayton), NZR RM class (Edison battery-electric), NZR RM class (Leyland diesel), NZR RM class (Leyland petrol), NZR RM class (MacEwan-Pratt), NZR RM class (Model T Ford), NZR RM class (Sentinel-Cammell), NZR RM class (Standard), NZR RM class (Vulcan)

Steam engines

You just can't go past steam engines. I have a particular fondness for the Ab class; to me, they are the most attractive steam locomotives to ever operate anywhere.

NZR A class (1873), NZR A class (1906), NZR Aa class NZR Ab class, NZR B class (1874), NZR B class (1899), NZR Ba class, NZR Bb class, NZR Bc class, NZR C class (1873), NZR C class (1930), NZR D class (1874), NZR E class (1872), NZR E class (1906), NZR F class, NZR J class (1874), NZR K class (1877), NZR K class (1932), NZR N class, NZR Na class, NZR Nc class, NZR O class, NZR Oa class, NZR Ob class, NZR Oc class, NZR P class (1876), NZR P class (1885), NZR Q class (1901), NZR T class, NZR Wb class, NZR Wd class, NZR X class

New Zealand preservation societies

My greatest regret about living outside New Zealand is that I cannot actively participate in any of these.

Feilding and District Steam Rail Society, Goldfields Railway, Ocean Beach Railway, Pahiatua Railcar Society, Plains Vintage Railway, Pleasant Point Museum and Railway, Project Steam, Silver Stream Railway, Steam Incorporated, SteamRail Wanganui, Wellington and Manawatu Railway Trust

New Zealand passenger trains

A lot of people are fascinated by the prominent expresses: the South Island Limiteds and Silver Stars of the world. I, however, find the most interest in the provincial expresses that operated throughout the country. It's hard to believe that places like little Culverden and Taneatua once had their own expresses. Though, to be fair, in New Zealand, "express" was normally a bit of a misnomer!

Bay Express, Culverden Express, Daylight Limited, Geyserland Express, Kaimai Express, Kingston Flyer, Napier Express, New Plymouth Express, New Plymouth Night Express, Night Limited, Northland Express, Picton Express, Rotorua Express, Scenic Daylight, Silver Star, Southerner, South Island Limited, Taneatua Express, Taranaki Flyer, Waikato Connection, Wairarapa Mail

New Zealand railway stations

There seems to be an ongoing debate about whether all railway stations should be considered encyclopaedic. Consensus seems to favour their inclusion and I agree with that, but the debate about the less significant ones meant I held back for a long time on making railway station articles. However, a need became clear for more articles on Wellington region stations to fill in gaps, so I've begun to pitch in.

Kenepuru Railway Station, Linden Railway Station, Redwood Railway Station, Takapu Road Railway Station, Tawa Railway Station

Other New Zealand railways articles

These don't really have a clear category. Just for the record, A. L. Beattie is an absolute legend. I'm thinking about doing more articles on significant figures in Kiwi railway history.

A. L. Beattie, Little River Rail Trail

Other transport articles

Just to prove I'm not totally biased towards railways, here's a category with an article I wrote on the airport whose southern flightpath I lived under as a child.

Clayton Equipment Company, Paraparaumu Airport

Music

It seems most bands I care about who are sufficiently notable already have decent articles, which is pleasing. Music is my life, but I prefer to review it than write encyclopaedically about it.

Wolverine (band)

New Zealand geography

I am absolutely fascinated by geography - all geography, everywhere. I don't write about New Zealand out of a sense of national bias; it's actually an extension of my railway work and I've found myself enjoying it for what it is. I initially began writing these pages just to get rid of red links on railway articles. Now it's nice to see New Zealand's geography get fleshed out, given how much is written on some other countries. It's a shame sources can be quite hard to come by, though.

Towns, localities, other settlements

Albury, New Zealand, Anama, Ashers, Ashton, New Zealand, Awakeri, Balfour, New Zealand, Birchwood, New Zealand, Browns, New Zealand, Cass, New Zealand, Clarksville, New Zealand, Cloustonville, Coalgate, New Zealand, Cronadun, Culverden, Douglas, Canterbury, Duntroon, New Zealand, Edendale, New Zealand, Eiffelton, Eyreton, Finegand, New Zealand, Flemington, Canterbury, Flemington, Hawke's Bay, Fortification, New Zealand, Frankton, Waikato, Gladstone, New Zealand, Glencoe, New Zealand, Glenpark, New Zealand, Glentunnel, Gorge Road, Greendale, New Zealand, Grove Bush, Hakataramea, Harihari, Hawarden, New Zealand, Hector, New Zealand, Hedgehope, New Zealand, Hinds, New Zealand, Hook, New Zealand, Hundalee, Huntingdon, New Zealand, Inchbonnie, Inch Valley, Kapuka, New Zealand, Kapuka South, Kaiwharawhara, Kennington, New Zealand, Kirwee, Longbeach, New Zealand, Longbush, Southland, Longbush, Wairarapa, Lowcliffe, Lynnford, Makareao, Maungakotukutuku, Medbury, Moeraki, Mokau, Mokihinui, Mokotua, Mossburn, Mount Somers, Myross Bush, Ngahere, Ngapara, Ngauranga, Nightcaps, Okaihau, Otaihanga, Otanomomo, Oteramika, Otiria, Parnassus, New Zealand, Paroa, Pauatahanui, Peka Peka, Pekatahi, Pine Bush, New Zealand, Pleasant Point, New Zealand, Ponatahi, Pukekura, Pukeuri, Pukewao, Rakahouka, Rangiahua, Reikorangi, Riverhead, New Zealand, Roslyn Bush, Rotherham, New Zealand, Ruatapu, New Zealand, Sanson, New Zealand, Seddonville, Sergeants Hill, Sheffield and Waddington, New Zealand, Springhills, Stillwater, Auckland, Stillwater, West Coast, Stoneburn, Studholme, Summerlea, New Zealand, Tahora, Taneatua, Tauweru, Te Horo, Te Kuha, Te Peka, Te Teko, Te Tipua, Te Whiti, New Zealand, Timpanys, Titiroa, Tokarahi, Tophouse, Valetta, New Zealand, Waikari, Waimahaka, Waitahuna, Waitane, Waterton, New Zealand, West Eyreton, Wharanui, Whataroa, Wheatstone, New Zealand, Whitecliffs, Willowby, New Zealand, Winscombe, New Zealand, Woodlands, New Zealand

Rivers, lakes, other waterbodies

Aotea Lagoon, Charwell River, Crooked River, New Zealand, Harper River, Hinatua River, Hinds River, Hook River, Hookhamsnyvy Creek, Kaiwharawhara Stream, Korimako Stream, Lake Ianthe, Lake Lyndon, Lake Mahinapua, Lake Poerua, Leader River, Maerewhenua River, Mangatainoka River, Maungakotukutuku Stream, Mokihinui River, Ngatiawa River, Oparara River, Perth River, Poerua River, Reikorangi Stream, Saltwater Lagoon, Tauweru River, Waihao River, Waimate Creek, Wainono Lagoon, Whataroa River, Wharemauku Stream, Wilberforce River

Other features

Abut Head, Akatarawa Valley, Glasgow Range, Mount Adams, New Zealand, Mount Lyndon, Papahaua Range, Paparoa Range, Porters Pass, New Zealand, Raumati Marine Gardens, Weka Park, Weka Pass

Templates

{{NZR Heritage}} {{NZR Lines}} {{NZR Passenger}}

The original design for {{NZR Locomotives}} was taken from a talk page comment I made and I have done a lot of maintenance on it since creation.

Significant contributions

The definition of "significant" is really pretty subjective. In terms of content, work on just one small section can be very significant: for example, I would consider my edits to 4-6-2 and 4-8-2 to be very significant, as they previously claimed the wheel arrangements were pioneered in the US rather than New Zealand. However, for the purposes of this list, I'm just including those that I added a significant quantity of text. In most cases, these are articles I intended to start myself at some date.

Branch line, Endeavour, Hutt Valley Line, Hyde railway disaster, Kapiti Coast, Kingston Flyer, Locomotives of New Zealand, NZR RM class (Wairarapa), Paraparaumu Line, South Island Main Trunk Railway, Tangiwai disaster, Wairarapa Line

I have also added a significant amount of setlist data to many U2 song articles, but I do not keep track of this activity. I consider my U2 setlist work on Wikipedia to be a mere aside, while my work on New Zealand railways and geography is my central focus.

To-do list

Railway lines

General North Island

Significantly expand North Island Main Trunk Railway and Wellington and Manawatu Railway

Auckland/Waikato

Cambridge Branch, Glen Afton Branch, Glen Massey Branch, Waiuku and Mission Bush Branches, significantly expand Onehunga Branch

Bay Of Plenty

Kinleith Branch, Mount Maunganui Branch, Murupara Branch, Rotorua Branch, Taneatua Branch, Thames Branch, significantly expand East Coast Main Trunk Railway

Taranaki/Wanganui

Castlecliff and Wanganui Branches, Mount Egmont Branch, Opunake Branch, Waitara Branch, significantly expand Stratford - Okahukura Line

Hawkes Bay/Gisborne

Ahuriri Branch, Moutohora Branch, Ngatapa Branch

Wellington/Wairarapa

Significantly expand Johnsonville Branch, perhaps add some stuff to Greytown Branch.

General South Island

Significantly expand Midland Line.

West Coast

Cape Foulwind Railway

Canterbury

Lyttelton Line

Otago

Dunedin Peninsula and Ocean Beach Railway, significantly expand Otago Central Railway.

Locomotive classes

Every class without an article on this list.

Long distance passenger trains

• Gisborne Express
• Otago Central passenger train (Although there was no specific express, I believe the passenger service is sufficiently notable for an article.)
• South Express
• West Coast Express (train)
• Find out whether there really was a Fairlie Flyer or if the name was applied retroactively in the dying days of the Fairlie Branch.
• Perhaps also an article on the NIMT expresses pre-Daylight and Night Limited? Or an overview of all NIMT passenger trains? Might be better suited to the NIMT article itself.

Other railway articles

I would like to significantly expand Tangiwai disaster and Hyde railway disaster. One has to wonder why I am a railfan when I lost relatives in both of New Zealand's worst railway accidents.

New Zealand geography

Whenever I create an article on a railway line in New Zealand, I find the page is full of red links. In such cases - and in the subsequent articles I create - I maintain a policy of "death to red links through new articles" and keep going as long as I have the energy and resources. I do, however, have one specific goal: I would like to expand Raumati, my hometown, so that it is no longer a stub.