Marton railway station, Manawatū-Whanganui

The original Marton station was renamed Pukepapa from Wednesday 1 June 1898 and became a flag station for passengers only, when the new station opened at the junction,[21] 1 mi 47 ch (2.6 km)[11] to the south east.[22] Pukepapa closed on 10 August 1959.[23]

G F Baker completed a station at Marton on 10 October 1876. Alexander & McFarlane added more buildings by 15 May 1878 and Andrew C Riggs added more by 2 January 1880. By 1884 there was a 4th class station, 60 ft (18 m) by 30 ft (9.1 m) goods shed, loading bank, cattle and sheep yards, stationmaster's house, passenger platform, cart approach and a passing loop for 15 wagons.[14]

Marton was extended to its new junction station from 1907. The original Pukepapa station is on the far left of the plan, neither being convenient for the original town

Plans were made and initial contracts signed in 1885 for a new station and engine shed at the junction and a road to link it to High Street, at a cost of £4120 for works and £679 for buildings. It was ready to open by 27 July 1885. From 5 November 1886 trains stopped at Marton Junction for goods traffic only,[14] though goods weren't carried on the new branch until at least 19 October 1887.[14] Originally there was no shelter on the platform at the new station. One was erected between November 1889 and March 1891.[1] By 1896 there was a shelter shed, passenger platform, crane, water service, coal accommodation, engine shed, stationmaster's house and a passing loop for 40 wagons. A bookstall was discussed in 1898 and out for tender in 1911.[24] From its official opening on 1 June, it had a stationmaster and its name was changed from Marton Junction to Marton. By 1 December 1898 it also had a cart approach (Henderson Brothers offered land for the road in 1896), 90 ft (27 m) by 30 ft (9.1 m) goods shed, loading bank, cattle and sheep yards, engine turning triangle, fixed signals and urinals. In 1905 it was noted that it was a lean-to type station building, with a round-roof goods shed. It was also noted that the reversing triangle, put in for the Royal Train in 1901, was of little use for ordinary shunting and out of use. Railway houses were built in 1898, 1913, 1953, 1954 and 1955 and the stationmaster's house improved in 1900. There was a post office and public telephone at the station from November 1898 until 31 August 1934. Station Rd had a gas lit footpath added in 1911.[25] and the station, yard, and engine shed were gas lit in 1916. In 1928 Marton had two signal cabins. In 1929 a 70 ft (21 m) turntable was built. In 1991 it was noted as being in very poor condition and not needed. In 1987 train examining was removed from Marton.[14]

tickets sales 1881–1950 – derived from annual returns to Parliament of "Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended"

Marton had its annual returns of traffic recorded, as did Turakina and Hunterville to the north and Greatford to the south. For example, it had 48,744 passengers in 1923, and a large inward flow of sheep and pigs at 53,362.[26]

In 1931 the station employed 15 salaried staff, in addition to those in the locomotive, maintenance, signal & electrical and traffic branches.[27]

On 24 December 1898 the refreshment rooms at Halcombe were replaced by those at Marton. More rooms were built in 1901 and a counter refreshment room added in 1905. In 1917, when dining cars were removed from trains, a set table refreshment room opened. From 1940 to 1954 there was a railway hostel for female refreshment room staff.[14] With faster trains and railcars the need for refreshment stops reduced, and they closed on 14 June 1954.[28]

In October 1963 Blain Building Coy Ltd, Halcombe started work on a £40,749.18.0 contract to demolish the old station and build a new one. It was done in stages, with the old station building demolished in August 1964 and the new station, 236 ft (72 m) by 27 ft (8.2 m), opened on Thursday, 1 April 1965. On 1 April 1993 a third of the new station building was destroyed by fire.[14]

A new diesel and wagon depot was built in 1966 by W M Angus Ltd, Wanganui. It was 62 ft (19 m) by 33 ft (10 m), with a steel frame, concrete ends and corrugated aluminium sheeting on the sides and roof.[14]

The first trains connected Marton and Whanganui from 4 February 1878. They ran twice a day in each direction.

From 1879 the service was extended south to link with the Feilding-Foxton service.[29]

The New Plymouth Express,[30] Night Limited,[31] Scenic Daylight,[32] Silver Star,[33] Silver Fern,[34] Blue Streak, Northerner[35] and Overlander[36] all stopped at the station. The first Auckland - Wellington through expresses ran on 14 February 1909, taking 19 hours 13 minutes, and stopping at Marton.[37] As early as 1917 a bus competed for Whanganui passengers, following cuts in railway services.[38]