On learning that the Wairarapa Line was to bypass Greytown, its residents sent several deputations to meet engineers of the Public Works Department to persuade them to change the route, but to no avail.

A second survey was conducted in January 1879, with design work completed and tenders for the formation and buildings called for in June of that year.

Four months after opening tenders were called for the branch to be worked by horses: with traffic already declining it was considered too expensive for a locomotive.

Despite traffic not meeting expectations, Greytown handled around 6,000 outward passengers and 2,000 tons of freight annually for many years.

With the erection of stock yards, livestock traffic started at 160 pigs and 15 sheep, and these numbers grew substantially.

This traffic remained high until the introduction of lorry transport in the 1920s, but was always a minor player in the livestock trade compared with Masterton, Carterton, and Featherston.

Later, two 1903-built L class (4-4-2T] locomotives were allocated to the branch, alternately based at Greytown and Cross Creek, being swapped as required.

In its heyday the branch had six staff, but reductions in 1931 pared this back to one, who was stationmaster, porter, shunter, guard, and general factotum.

The branch narrowly avoided closure after the 1931 Royal Commission, and despite attempts to encourage more trade traffic continued to decline.

[3] A group of local residents advocating the idea submitted a proposal to the Greytown Community Board[4] which was subsequently approved after landowners along the route consented to the use of their land for the project.