Auckland Railway Station
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Auckland Railway Station / The Strand |
|
 |
|
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Year Established: | 1930 |
| Distance: | 681 km from Wellington |
| Auckland Suburban Network | |
| Lines Served: | For excursions, as The Strand |
| Previous Station: | Orakei |
| Next Station: | Newmarket |
- This article refers to the old Auckland Railway Station. For the new hub station of Auckland's public transport, see Britomart Transport Centre
Auckland Railway Station is the former main railway station of Auckland, New Zealand, and is located in Mechanics Bay. It was a city landmark from the time it was opened in 1930, and is a grand architectural statement in brick and mortar. This station closed in late July 2003 when services were moved to the new Britomart Transport Centre. The former platform 4 of the station has been retained for excursion use as The Strand, named after a nearby street; it continued to be used by a limited number of peak-hour suburban trains for a few months following the opening of Britomart.
The remaining platforms of the former station are expected to be removed as part of ONTRACK's redevelopment of Quay Park junction, with the area used as additional storage for suburban trains [1].
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Railway use
The station was built by the New Zealand Public Works Department between 1928 and 1930 and sits on reclaimed land close to the wharves. It replaced a smaller terminal on the site of Britomart. The grand and ornate Beaux Arts style building was intended to stand as a gateway to the city, and its construction cost of £320,000. The station was designed by Gummer and Ford, who were New Zealand's premier architects in the early twentieth century. It has great historical importance for its associations with the public building programme of the 1920s, and with the central role played by the railways in national transport.
The building has a symmetrical facade, three storeys high, and is of reinforced concrete construction, faced with brick and granite. It is approached by a sweeping ramp on either side of the building, enclosing a landscaped garden immediately to the front. The building's design was based on American models, such as Union Station (Washington) and Pennsylvania Station (New York), which were held to be the most beautiful and luxurious of the time.
The station maintained these high standards with ornate public spaces and a wide variety of amenities, including waiting rooms, dining rooms, shops and a room for first aid. Underpasses and ramps within the building link it to an extended network of platforms to the rear, which contain elegant concrete canopies and other elements that are an integral part of its original design and function. The building was used, with modifications, as the main point of arrival for rail passengers in Auckland for most of the century. It was sold during the privatisation of part of the New Zealand Railways Corporation during the 1990s.
[edit] Campus use
In 1999 the station was converted for use by Auckland University and named The Railway Campus. It is the largest of the universities residences, and has 426 bedrooms. The residence has been awarded four stars by Qualmark in the Student Accommodation category, which evaluated the facilities as well as the level of pastoral care and support for students, and has been accredited by the New Zealand Association of Tertiary Education Accommodation Professionals.
[edit] Trivia
- The station featured in the 1984 film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, starring David Bowie, as the central railway station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The resemblance is marginal.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
 |
This New Zealand rail-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
