work on the section to the mill started on 12 april 1953; the rails reached kawerau in august and the first train arrived at kawerau on 26 october, six months after work started. the major earthworks on the kawerau to murupara section were completed rapidly with heavy earthmoving machinery, then prefabricated track sections were laid at the rate of 3 km a week. the first logs were loaded at galatea (48 km from kawerau and 9 km from murupara) on 4 april 1955. a regular service to murupara operated from 15 january 1957, although the line to kawerau and murupara was operated by the ministry of works (the successor to the pwd or public works department) until 1 july 1957.