# Arahanga

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History Name Arahanga Operator New Zealand Railways Department, New Zealand Railways Corporation, Tranz Rail Route Wellington - Picton Builder Upper Clyde Shipbuilders, Glasgow Yard number 111 Launched 27 July 1972 In service 11 December 1972 Out of service 27 March 2001 Fate Scrapped General characteristics Class & type Roll-on/roll-off, train ferry Tonnage 3,893 GRT Length 127.4 metres Beam 18.3 metres Draught 4.8 metres Propulsion 2 x SEMT Pielstick Speed 17 knots Capacity 40 (Original) 100 (1989)

***Arahanga*** was a [roll-on/roll-off](/source/Roll-on%2Froll-off) [train ferry](/source/Train_ferry) that operated across the [Cook Strait](/source/Cook_Strait) between [Wellington](/source/Wellington_Harbour) and [Picton](/source/Picton%2C_New_Zealand) in New Zealand from 1972 until 2001.

## History

*Arahanga* was built by [Upper Clyde Shipbuilders](/source/Upper_Clyde_Shipbuilders), [Glasgow](/source/Glasgow) for the [New Zealand Railways Department](/source/New_Zealand_Railways_Department) to operate across the [Cook Strait](/source/Cook_Strait) between [Wellington](/source/Wellington_Harbour) and [Picton](/source/Picton%2C_New_Zealand).[1] Upper Clyde Shipbuilders went into [liquidation](/source/Liquidation) during its construction, delaying its completion by 10 months.[2] It was the last ship built at the [John Brown & Company](/source/John_Brown_%26_Company) yard.[3] Launched on 27 January 1972, it arrived in Wellington on 22 November 1972 and entered service on 11 December 1972.[4][5][6][7]

It was built as a cargo ferry with four tracks for railway wagons and additional capacity for road trucks. Built to only carry 40 passengers, it was refitted in 1984 to carry 100.[8] After 32,662 voyages, it was withdrawn on 27 March 2001 and sold to [Alang](/source/Alang_Ship_Breaking_Yard), India for scrapping.[2]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** A Bridge in NZ *[Network](/source/Network_(periodical))* December 1970 page 1

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NZMM_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NZMM_2-1) [Arahanga](https://web.archive.org/web/20201110105257/http://www.nzmaritime.co.nz/arahanga.htm) [New Zealand Maritime Museum](/source/New_Zealand_Maritime_Museum)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Cook Strait ferry service started 25 years ago *[Rails](/source/Rails_(magazine))* September 1987 page 36

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Ferry Launched *Rails* February 1972 page 14

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Third Rail Ferry for New Zealand Railways *Network* January 1973 page 2

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Third Vessel for Cook Strait Rail Ferry Service *[Railway Transportation](/source/Railway_Transportation)* February 1973 page 5

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** New Rail Ferry Arahanga *[New Zealand Railway Observer](/source/New_Zealand_Railway_Observer)* issue 133 Autumn 1973 pages 28/20

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Arahanga altered *Rails* November 1984 page 94

## External links

Media related to [Arahanga (ship, 1972)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Arahanga_(ship,_1972)) at Wikimedia Commons

v t e New Zealand inter-island and Cook Strait ferries Current Cook Strait Wellington-Picton ferries Kaiārahi Kaitaki MV Connemara MV Livia Former Cook Strait (Wellington–Picton) ferries Aratere Arahanga Arahura GMV Aramoana GMV Aranui MV Aratika Condor Vitesse Incat 046 MS Santa Regina Strait Feronia MV Straitsman (2005) MV Straitsman (1972) MV Suilven Former inter-island (Wellington–Lyttelton) ferries SS Penguin TEV Rangatira (1931) Rangatira (1971) TSS Wahine (1913) TEV Wahine (1966) Companies Bluebridge KiwiRail Union Company Services Interislander

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