Seaview

Seaview station was located two kilometres north of Hokitika. The station facilities included a small shelter and platform with a loop siding on the western side of the main line with a sheep and cattle yard and loading facilities for the adjacent abattoir. This was the main traffic. The station was often used for visitors and staff going to Westland Hospital and Seaview Psychiatric hospitals. I have read (somewhere) that many years ago patients being transferred to Seaview Hospital were often accommodated in the guards van and they were met by hospital staff at Seaview station. In latter years, before the days of couriers, a satchel carrying hospital mail, samples and test results, was carried on the goods trains between the Hokitika hospitals and Greymouth Hospital. The satchel was picked up or dropped off at Seaview and Wharemoa which is adjacent to Greymouth Hospital.

29 Jan 1908 - Accident to the Hokitika-Grey Train -

Horse Run Over and Cut to Pieces - A Carriage Derailed

An accident which might easily have had more serious consequences occurred to the 8.35 outward train last evening. The train left Hokitika for Greymouth as usual, with eight passengers aboard, and when approaching Seaview station the engine ran into a horse (subsequently found to have been owned by Mr Charles Hannam, butcher), literally cutting the animal to pieces, The engine and the first carriage passed over the carcase, but the axles of the next carriage broke and the vehicle became derailed. As soon as a stoppage was come to the engine and first carriage were unhitched from the rest of the train and continued the journey to Kumara to bring back the Christchurch passengers as far as the scene of the accident. Dowell's coaches were sent out to meet them and brought the incoming passengers on to town. The accident caused fully a couple of hours delay and it was nearly midnight before the passengers by the incoming train reached Hokitika. The accident caused some damage to the line, which the derailed carriage also continued to block. A gang of linemen were, however, sent out to clear away the obstruction and effect temporary repairs to the broken down carriage, so that it with the rest of the train could be brought to Hokitika, also to put the line in order again. It was expected that this work would be completed during the night so that the line would be quite clear again for the running of the train this morning.

An A class locomotive heads the afternoon goods to Greymouth through Seaview on 24 May 1960. The loop and stock yards can be seem along with track maintenance equipment. Photo : Archives New Zealand

  

4 Aug 1977 - Seaview Rail Station to be Closed

The MP for West Coast, Mr P Blanchfield, has been advised of a proposal to close the Seaview railway station to all traffic except goods in wagon lots. The Minister of Railways, Mr C McLachlan, said in a letter to Mr Blanchfield the station was very little used now for parcels and small lots of goods traffic. He said the closure would entail removal of the station building and platform but all other facilities would still remain intact. The proposal has not been put before any interested parties but when it has, Mr McLachlan said he would advise Mr Blanchfield of the outcome.

 

Source : Greymouth Evening Star

 

22 Oct 1977
Seaview station was closed to all traffic except goods in wagon lots.

 

31 Jan 1982
Seaview station was closed to all traffic.

By 1998 the siding at Seaview had long gone. However the train still stopped to service the sphagnum moss factory that took over the old abattoir. A forklift from the Hokitika freight terminal would go out to the factory to meet the train. On 4 September 1998 an empty container was being off loaded the south-bound Number 6 Shunt at Seaview. Once completed the train rolls on to Hokitika while the forklift drove back into town. The same process was followed with full containers being uplifted by the northbound shunt.

Dc 4421 with a southbound Number 6 Shunt between Seaview and Hou-Hou on 24 February 2003

A short number 6 shunt hauled by Dsc 2693 trundles just north of Seaview heading towards Greymouth on 14 July 2003

Doing spot welding north of Seaview on 5 September 2005