Pokaka was a station on the North Island Main Trunk line,[1] in the Ruapehu District of New Zealand.

It served the small village of Pokaka and lay to the south of Makatote Viaduct, the late completion of which held up opening of the station.

[5] The North Island Main Trunk line was officially completed on 6 November 1908 when the prime minister, Sir Joseph Ward, conducted a last spike ceremony about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) north of Pokaka;[6] the Last Spike Monument erected by February 1909 commemorates this occasion.

To the east,[11] to supply timber to the Frankton Junction Railway House Factory, a state forestry tramway[12] and sawmill opened in 1922,[13] operated by NZR with F Class locos, based in a shed at the station.

[14] In 1922 Manawatu-Oroua Electric Power Board and Manawatu CC took over cutting of manoao[17] for poles, though larger trees were milled into sleepers.

They take the line over the Makatote, Manganui o te Ao and Mangaturuturu valleys, which descend steeply from Mount Ruapehu.

[23] Both viaducts were made up of a central concrete pier, supporting Warren truss steel girders and built using timber scaffolding.