New Zealand Railway Tunnels at 31st March 1975

The following tables list all New Zealand railway tunnels in use on 31st March 1975. The notes column indicates (my limited knowledge of) changes since then. Tunnels opened since 1975, such as the Kaimai Tunnel, NZ's longest, and the new Porootarao tunnel, are not listed. Tunnels on lines closed before 1975 are not listed either, except see the table of some closed tunnels at the end. That would include tunnels on the Nelson section, Gisborne-Moutohora branch, Rimutaka Incline, Catlins branch, Westport harbour line and many others. Kelburn cable-car tunnels are not listed either, nor are the many tunnels around Wellington originally built for trams. Tunnels with railways for which the primary purpose is not the railway, such as water pipeline tunnels, hydro tunnels and mines, are not listed either.

Wellington - Auckland

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	1238.20	Tawa No. 1	Double track
2	4323.95	Tawa No. 2	Double track
3	152.69	Pukerua
4	278.02	St. Kilda
5	186.48	Seaview
6	244.22	Brighton
			Tunnel between 6 and 7 was abandoned about 1900
7	58.74	Neptune
8	82.98	Kaikarangi or Moa	Bypassed by Mangaonoho deviation
			Tunnel between 8 and 9 was opened out in 1970, site later bypassed by Mangaonoho deviation
9	179.95	Makohine	Opened out and bypassed for electrification, south portal (arch) is still intact
10	548.79	Mangaweka or Powhakaroa
10a	111.85	Mangaweka North or Kowhai	Bypassed by Mangaweka deviation
10b	76.44	Moose	Bypassed by Mangaweka deviation
10c	174.21	Elk or Utiku	Bypassed by Mangaweka deviation
10d	213.64	Deer	Bypassed by Mangaweka deviation
10e	544.77	Sandstone	Bypassed by Mangaweka deviation
10f	409.78	Black	Bypassed by Mangaweka deviation
11	420.04	Beaver or Taihape	Opened out for electrification
12	114.87	Hedgehog	Opened out for electrification
13	608.74	Mataroa or Pit
14	112.05	Ngaurukehu
15	207.20	Hapuawhenua or Ohakune	Bypassed and partially opened out for electrification
16	96.16	Upper Spiral
17	384.64	Lower Spiral
18	1071.02	Porootarao	Replaced by a new 1.3 km tunnel in 1980
		Mercer	Former Auckland-Marton No. 2 Opened out in 1936
19	596.07	Purewa	Double track

Auckland - Newmarket

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	342.99	Parnell	Double track

Okaihau branch

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	141.82		Line closed since 1975

Dargaville branch

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	355.67	Toka Toka
2	637.91	Omana

Westfield - Opua

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	250.86	Waitakere
2	573.33	Makarau
3	447.20	Tahekaroa
4	388.50	Ahuroa
5	502.72	Hoteo
6	334.95	Mainene or Ross Hill
7	342.59	Kaiwaka or Topuni
8	170.79
9	481.00	Bickerstaffe
10	343.20	Huarau
11	604.11	Golden Stairs
12	333.94	Mareretu
13	239.79	Waikiekie
14	80.50	Opua or Whangae	Damaged in 2007, BOI Vintage Railway currently stops short of tunnel

Hamilton - Taneatua

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
	?	Hamilton Underground	Built about 1960 (cut and cover), possibly extended about 1990
1	1069.62	Karangahake	Line closed since 1975, bypassed by the new 8879 m Kaimai tunnel

Marton - New Plymouth

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	2091.16	Turakina
2	65.98	Denclair
3	1459.49	Fordell
4	208.01	Goat Valley or Kai Iwi	Bypassed in 2008

Wellington - Johnsonville

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	125.93	Outlet
2	97.97	Kaiwharawhara
3	150.68	Gorge
4	199.66	Lizard
5	126.74	Ngaio
6	124.12	Kaka
7	119.29	Tui

Wellington - Woodville

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	572.13	Maoribank
2	8799.78	Rimutaka
3	150.68	Wiwaka

Stratford - Okahukura

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	222.59	Kiore
2	262.73	Pohukura
3	615.58	Whangamomona
4	488.04
5	271.98
6	125.23
7	188.80
8	604.52
9	1094.26
10	1293.32
11	1055.84	Mangatete
12	161.24
13	139.51
14	552.51	Kokopu
15	665.47	Tokirima
16	57.13
17	426.18
18	155.71
19	156.71
20	153.69
21	154.70
22	80.47
23	96.36
24	1525.27	Okahukura

Palmerston North - Gisborne

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	536.32
2	399.12
3	42.05		Opened out in 2008
4	44.46		Opened out in 2008
5	63.57		Opened out in 2008
6	216.26
7	103.80
8	108.83
9	829.02	Kotemaori
10	300.95
11	313.22
12	707.31	Mohaka	Extended in 1959
13	283.25	Waihua
14	45.67
15	117.28
16	109.23
17	63.57
18	125.13
19	2989.39	Tikiwhata
20	134.99
21	62.76
22	110.04
23	924.23	Coast
24			Eliminated in 1956
25	89.12
26	1442.59	Waikoura

Lyttelton - Invercargill

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	2595.50	Lyttelton
2	262.32	Otepopo
3			Abandoned
4	276.81	Cliffs
5	1323.09	Mihiwaka
6		McGregor	Opened out in 1970
7	196.14	Mansford Bay
8	312.62	Blanket Bay	Double track
9	1406.58	Caversham	Double track
10	888.77	Wingatui or Chain Hills	Double track

Port Chalmers Branch

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	184.88

Seddonville Branch

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	66.19		Line closed since 1975

Tapanui Branch

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	71.21	Conical Hill	Line closed since 1975

Greymouth - Rewanui

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	49.29		Line closed since 1975
2	45.26		Line closed since 1975

Addington - Picton

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	80.07
2	50.49
3	969.04	Amuri Bluff
4	188.70		Abandoned in 1958
5	207.61
6	131.77
7	114.26	Ranamai Road
8	154.90
9	252.87
10	99.58
11	312.82	Kowhai
12	896.82	Parititahi Road
13	116.28
14	451.83	Riley's Hill or Kahautara
15	216.26
16	122.51	Blue Duck
17	186.89
18	261.72	Shands
19	536.52
20	129.75
21	166.97	Tar Barrel
22	70.41	Dashwood Pass	Opened out since 1975
23	50.29	Vernon	Opened out since 1975
24	44.26	Nolan's Crossing	Built 1953 (cut and cover)

Some of the tunnels in the Blue Duck / Shands area are (also) called 88-mile, Irongate, Queen Victoria Rock and Amuri Bluff, but I'm not sure which ones are which.

Otago Central Railway

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	277.82
2	436.94	Salisbury (Summit)
3	131.97	Mullochy
4	121.31	Duck Point
5	141.22	Mt Allan
6	66.59	Ross Point
7	54.92	Machine Creek
8	93.74	Deep Creek
9	103.20	Flat Stream
10	63.17	The Notches
11	151.38	Prices Creek	Line closed since 1975, Otago Central Rail Trail
12	201.57	Poolburn No. 1	Line closed since 1975, Otago Central Rail Trail
13	229.33	Poolburn No. 2	Line closed since 1975, Otago Central Rail Trail

Stillwater - Westport

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	375.99	Tawhai
2	260.11
3	54.52
4	152.49
5	150.88
6	47.88
7	79.46

Midland Railway

No.	Length(m)	Name	Notes
1	80.07
2	233.56
3	542.45
4	274.60
5	383.03
6	258.00
7	99.18
8	382.62
9	535.01
10	610.25
11	167.57
12	51.30
13	265.95
14	39.83
15	180.65
16	55.12	Sloven's Creek
17	8565.70	Otira
18	118.29	Kaimata
19	89.32	Brunner

Some Closed NZ Railway Tunnels

No.	Length(m)	Name	Location	Notes
1	246	Hunt's Road	Map	between Glenomaru and Owaka, Catlins River branch, public walkway, world's southernmost railway tunnel
2	225	Glenham	Map	Glenham branch, private but permission can be arranged thru Invercargill DoC Office
3	441	Manuka	Map	between Clarksville and Manuka, public walkway
4	226	Round Hill	Map	between Manuka and Waitahuna
5	434	Big Hill	Map	between Lawrence and Beaumont
	71	Conical Hill	Map	Tapanui branch
	151	Prices Creek	Map	between Hyde and Tiroti, Otago Central, public walkway
	202	Poolburn No. 1	Map	Poolburn Gorge, Otago Central, public walkway
	229	Poolburn No. 2	Map	Poolburn Gorge, Otago Central, public walkway
6	158	Chain Hills	Map	replaced by new tunnel
7	865	Caversham	Map	replaced by new tunnel, website http://www.cavershamtunnel.org.nz/
8	101	Blanket Bay	Map	between St Leonards and Sawyers Bay, replaced by a new tunnel
9	68	McGregor	Map	between Sawyers Bay and Waitati
10	157	Puketeraki	Map	between Seacliff and Waikouaiti
11	314	Raki's	Map	between Windsor Junction and Tapui
12	261		Map	between Windsor Junction and Tapui
13	189		Map	between Claverley and Oaro
	49		Map	Rewanui Branch
	45		Map	Rewanui Branch
	171	Cape Foulwind	Map	near Westport, portals covered by slips
	66	Seddonville or Chasm Creek	Map	unlined, public walkway
	185	Kawatiri or Pikomanu	Map	Nelson section, between Glenhope and Kawatiri, public walkway
14	1352	Belgrove or Spooners Range	Map	Nelson section, NZ's longest closed tunnel, summit altitude 303 m, private, tours available
15	?		Map	between Muri and Paekakariki
16	121	Cruikshanks	Map	between Upper Hutt and Mangaroa, private, website http://valleysignals.org.nz/tunnels/cruickshanks.html
17	253	Mangaroa	Map	between Mangaroa and Kaitoke, public walkway
18	73	Pakuratahi	Map	between Kaitoke and Summit, public walkway
19	584	Summit	Map	Rimutaka Incline, public walkway
20	108	Siberia	Map	Rimutaka Incline, public walkway
21	98	Price's	Map	Rimutaka Incline, public walkway
	208	Goat Valley or Kai Iwi	Map	bypassed in 2008
22	406		Map	between Patiti and Beach Loop
23	185		Map	Moutohora branch, between Waipoa and Te Karaka
24	258		Map	Moutohora branch, between Te Karaka and Waikohu, street view
25	45		Map	Moutohora branch, between Waikohu and Mahaki, adjacent to Otoko Walkway
26	90		Map	Moutohora branch, between Matawai and Moutohora
	83	Kaikarangi or Moa	Map	bypassed by Mangaonoho deviation, private
	112	Mangaweka North or Kowhai	Map	between Mangaweka and Utiku
	76	Moose	Map	between Mangaweka and Utiku
	174	Elk or Utiku	Map	between Mangaweka and Utiku, private
	214	Deer	Map	between Mangaweka and Utiku, private
	545	Sandstone	Map	between Mangaweka and Utiku, private
	410	Black	Map	between Mangaweka and Utiku, private
	207	Hapuawhenua or Ohakune	Map	partially opened out, blocked at one end, accessible from Ohakune Old Coach Road walkway
	1071	Porootarao	Map	replaced by a longer tunnel
	1070	Karangahake	Map	between Paeroa and Waikino, public walkway, fitted with lighting
27	304	Mercer	Map	between Mercer and Pokeno
28	338	Parnell	Map	replaced by new tunnel, old tunnel has high tension power lines, extreme danger! Keep out!
29	?	Golden Stairs	Map	between Maugaturoto and Waiotira
	142		Map	Okaihau branch
	?		Map	between Okaihau and Rangiahua, never used

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