Auckland railway station

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Overview
Auckland railway station 'The Strand'
Year Established:	1930
Distance:	6??km from Wellington
Auckland Suburban Network
Lines Served:	None, disused
Previous Station:	None, disused
Next Station:	None, disused

Auckland railway station is in New Zealand's largest city, Auckland. Auckland's Railway Station was a city landmark from the time it was opened in 1930. This grand architectural statement in brick and mortar harks back to a time when rail provided the British Empire with its key communication lines.

This station closed late July 2003 when services were moved to the new Britomart Transport Centre. After July 2003 the station was briefly called The Strand after the nearby street as some services continued to stop there for a few months.

1 History
- 1.1 The Railway Campus
2 Trivia
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] History

The station was built by the New Zealand Public Works Department between 1928 - 1930 and sits on reclaimed land close to the wharves and replaced a smaller terminal nearer the centre of town. The grand and ornate Beaux Arts-style building was intended to stand as a gateway to the city, and its construction was at a 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 New Zealand Railways Corporation during the 1990s.

[edit] The Railway Campus

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 4 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, due to its similar exterior to the central railway station of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.