Railway Reserve

The railway operated for 79 years, proving to be a vital connection serving the various communities along the way, but it was decommissioned in 1955. Today, virtually no evidence of its presence remains, other than the historic Spooners Rail Tunnel at the other end. The shared off-road pathway now links the city with the township of Stoke, connecting to Richmond via the Whakatu Coastal Pathway and joining up with Tasman’s Great Taste Trail. The Railway Reserve is a shared off-road pathway hugely popular with walkers and cyclists. It passes through side streets, underpasses, and bridges along the way. Linking the city with the township of Stoke, the pathway connects to Richmond via the Whakatu Coastal Pathway. How to get there: The Railway Reserve begins at St Vincent Street in Victory Square (or at Orphanage Stream if you’re coming from the other direction). The pathway connects with the Whakatu Coastal Pathway, Poorman Stream, Orchard Stream and Orphanage Stream, offering plenty of access/exit routes along the way.