The existing station yard at Auckland has become inadequate to cope with its rapidly increasing passenger and goods traffic. Further extension, of the yard on its present site is impossible, and the time has arrived when the saving to be effected in operating expenses justifies considerable expenditure in the reconstruction of the station yard, and in the elimination of heavy gradients in the suburban area to the north and south of Auckland.

To this end the re-location (in double track) of a ten-mile stretch of line from Auckland southwards is in hand, and the construction of a new passenger and goods terminal is going on in conjunction with this work. Provision is also made for the re-location in the near future of the northern outlet in double track through a 1 1/2-mile tunnel under Auckland city.

The site of the new yard is on reclaimed ground near the present station.

The nature and extent of the design is limited by the position of the engine depot and by the surrounding city streets. The existing engine depot is of fairly recent construction and can be made serviceable for a further term by its extension and re-arrangement on the present site.

Further extension of the yard can be made possible by removing the engine depot to a site about one mile from its present position, which will become available for that purpose.

At present a busy street crosses main and shunting lines near the station platforms. This dangerous crossing is eliminated, and there are no level crossings in the new arrangement.

At the south-eastern end of the yard a street is carried over the tracks by means of a reinforced concrete overbridge, with ramped approaches from the adjoining streets. The construction of this bridge is described further on.

The projected route of the outlet to northward lies across a busy city street adjoining the station site, and the only way of effecting a crossing here satisfactorily is by means of elevated tracks over the street.

It has been necessary for this reason, and also to enable a connection to be made with the existing line to the northward, to construct the passenger yard on a level about 15 feet above the goods yard, which is on street level. The higher level has been attained by grading up on earth fill, the grade commencing at the overbridge at the south end of the yard.

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The station building will be founded on piles penetrating through 50ft of silt to a hard reef. A plan of the station lay-out is shown in Fig. 1.