1 8 7 7 ▁by ▁the ▁Mar quis ▁of ▁Norman by . ▁ ▁A ▁special ▁train ▁was ▁run ▁from ▁Well ington ▁to ▁K ait oke ▁for ▁the ▁occasion ▁under ▁the ▁super vision ▁of ▁District ▁Engine er ▁Mr . ▁H ales ▁and ▁General ▁Manager ▁Mr . ▁Stone . ▁ ▁After ▁speech es ▁and ▁an ▁ins pection ▁of ▁the ▁station , ▁by ▁which ▁time ▁had ▁had ▁a ▁refresh ments ▁room ▁added , ▁the ▁Governor ▁and ▁party ▁board ed ▁the ▁train ▁again ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁Well ington . ▁ ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁days , ▁exc urs ion ▁trains ▁were ▁run ▁from ▁Well ington ▁to ▁K ait oke ▁to ▁s ati ate ▁the ▁curiosity ▁of ▁those ▁who ▁had ▁heard ▁of ▁the ▁fear some ▁reputation ▁the ▁line ▁had ▁gained ▁during ▁its ▁construction . ▁ ▁K ait oke ▁Station ▁proceeded ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁bus iest ▁phase ▁of ▁its ▁existence ▁as ▁the ▁rail head ▁of ▁the ▁W air ar apa ▁Line , ▁which ▁last ed ▁only ▁until ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁line ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁Fe ather ston ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁October ▁ 1 8 7 8 , ▁after ▁which ▁it ▁was ▁of ▁minor ▁significance . ▁ ▁Initial ly , ▁two ▁daily ▁mixed ▁trains ▁were ▁tim ed ▁to ▁connect ▁with ▁road ▁coach es ▁from ▁the ▁W air ar apa . ▁ ▁There ▁was ▁a ▁limited ▁amount ▁of ▁flat ▁land ▁available , ▁so ▁the ▁station ▁retained ▁its ▁original ▁configuration ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁line ▁plus ▁one ▁crossing ▁loop ▁throughout ▁its ▁life . ▁ ▁There ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁locomot ive ▁s