Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

Extinct native bird name floated for Hamilton to Auckland commuter train

Tom Rowland
By Tom Rowland
Hamilton News·
31 Jan, 2020 12:59 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The new commuter train service from Hamilton to Auckland is in need of a name. Photo / File

The new commuter train service from Hamilton to Auckland is in need of a name. Photo / File

The name of an extinct native bird - Te Huia - is being floated as the name for the new Hamilton to Auckland commuter rail service which is due to launch in July.

Hamilton City councillors will be asked to vote next week on a name for the train service which has so far been widely referred to unofficially as the Tron Express.

Te Huia was a bird tapu (sacred) to Māori with its white-tipped tail feathers being highly prized.

The Te Huia is believed to be extinct. The last sighting of the bird was in 1907.

The bird was noted for having beautiful tail feathers, orange wattles, and a long curved beak.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
The Tron Express has been a popular suggestion as a name for the new commuter rail service. Photo / Supplied
The Tron Express has been a popular suggestion as a name for the new commuter rail service. Photo / Supplied

According to Wikipedia, it was wiped out because of over hunting to procure huia skins for mounted specimens and their tail feathers for hat decorations.

Another major cause was widespread deforestation of the lowlands of the North Island by European settlers to create pasture.

Last December the Passenger Rail Service Project Governance Group met and the matter
of a name for the start-up rail service was discussed. At this meeting the name Te Huia was considered.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The idea to name the new commuter train Te Huia is now finding favour and common ground between the parties involved in the project and is the name preferred by Manu Whenua following consultation in November.

In her chair's report for Tuesday's Hamilton City Council's meeting, the first of the year, Mayor Paula Southgate is asking city councillors to endorse the name Te Huia to support the Governance Group in making a final decision on the matter.

Previous names suggested were, Tron Express, Tron, H2A, Waikato Link, and Tūhono (meaning to link or connect) Waikato.

One of the carriages being refurbished in Wellington for the Hamilton to Auckland train. Photo / Supplied
One of the carriages being refurbished in Wellington for the Hamilton to Auckland train. Photo / Supplied

The Hamilton to Auckland rail service will launch this year, with the new Rotokauri Transport Centre being built beside The Base, Te Rapa. Upgrades are also under way at Huntly train station.

The Labour led Government also announced yesterday the electrification of the tracks between Papakura to Pukekohe starting late this year, which could benefit the Hamilton to Auckland rail service.

It is the overall future plan to have rapid rail between Hamilton to Auckland which would require the electrification of the track from Pukekohe to Frankton.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Waikato News

live
Waikato Herald

'Threat to life': Tasman District upgraded to red warning; flood water enters homes

10 Jul 10:27 PM
Waikato Herald

Car crashes into Hamilton house, driver assaulted by neighbours

10 Jul 10:13 PM
Property

Legal hook means buyers risk losing thousands on Kāinga Ora homes

10 Jul 08:45 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Waikato News

'Threat to life': Tasman District upgraded to red warning; flood water enters homes
live
Waikato Herald

'Threat to life': Tasman District upgraded to red warning; flood water enters homes

10 Jul 10:27 PM

Electrical storms are set to hit at evening rush as Auckland braces for 16 hours of rain.

Car crashes into Hamilton house, driver assaulted by neighbours
Waikato Herald

Car crashes into Hamilton house, driver assaulted by neighbours

10 Jul 10:13 PM
Legal hook means buyers risk losing thousands on Kāinga Ora homes

Legal hook means buyers risk losing thousands on Kāinga Ora homes

10 Jul 08:45 PM
'Angel riding with us': Teen jockey remembered for selfless act just before tragic death
Waikato Herald

'Angel riding with us': Teen jockey remembered for selfless act just before tragic death

10 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP