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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 13, Issue 3 (June 1, 1938.)

[section]

Work on the plans of the new Railway Station at Christ church has reached an advanced stage,” states the Minister of Railways, Hon. D. G. Sullivan, in a recent announcement through the Press. “When the building is completed,” said Mr. Sullivan, “it will produce an imposing and convenient solution of the problem and should fulfil its purpose for many years to come.

“The site of the building is north of the present site; two-thirds of the building being nearer the Lyttelton side, and the remaining third occupies the site of the existing building. The total frontage is 564 feet, the maximum depth being 104 feet.

” The building will be of steel frame, with reinforced concrete floors and roof, and the external walls will be of brickwork with a bluestone base and plaster dressings. The entrance features will also be faced with blue-stone. Covering the entrances and the pavement in front of the centre mass of the building, there will be a cantilevered verandah 220 feet long and 18 feet wide, the footpath being set back under this verandah to give cover for motor cars arriving or departing from the station.

“The building will be three storeys in the centre, with two storey wings finishing at the ends with a one storey portion. The building is designed in the modern manner with large windows to all the offices where maximum natural light will be obtained. A monumental effect is given to the central feature by setting back the windows and obtaining deep piers between the windows, thus giving the effect of a row of columns. Buttressing up the central feature is a large clock tower, 104 feet high, which should look very effective. The water tanks are placed in this tower.

“There will be two main entrances each having six glazed bronze doors communicating directly by broad lobbies 28 feet wide with the concourse which has an area of over 10,000 sq. ft. Opening from both of these entrance lobbies will be the booking and waiting hall, nearly 5,000 sq. ft. in area, with a ceiling height of 30 feet. Both the entrance lobbies and the booking hall will have their walls faced in marble for a height of about 13 feet, and all metal work will be bronze. Round the booking hall will be grouped the ticket boxes, reservation office, ladies’ waiting room, large enquiry office and shop. The ladies’ waiting room, which has a lobby opening on to the concourse, is over 800 sq. ft. in area. Also opening off the lobby are the ladies’ lavatories and bath rooms. Both the enquiry office and the shop also open on to the concourse. The enquiry office is made large enough to provide for tables where passengers may attend to their correspondence while waiting for their trains. Telephone boxes, local and long distance, are also provided in this room. At various points of the building used by the public several more telephone boxes are provided.

“The south main entrance lobby gives access to the restaurant and the refreshment room and also has a door into the shop. Placed convenient to the restaurant and refreshment room is the free luggage room. The restaurant, which has an area of 2,050 sq. ft., will seat 140 people in comfort and more in an emergency. The refreshment room has a counter 45 feet long, as well as ample space for tables. It covers 1,200 sq. ft. The kitchen will have all the latest equipment, and it will be able to handle comfortably the biggest Christchurch crowds using the station. Together page 13 with its stores the kitchen accommodation is nearly as large as the restaurant and refreshment room.

“The balance of the southern wing is taken up with accommodation for the coaching foreman, porters and guards. An ambulance room is also provided in this end.

“Opening conveniently on to the north main entrance lobby is the checked luggage counter. The luggage and parcels space fills the whole north wing of the building, over 10,000 sq. ft. with counters for handling luggage and parcels totalling 140 ft. There are six loading docks.

“Owing to the nature of the site, in that trains arrive at both ends of the station and the luggage department is at one end, all the luggage from the southern end is to be taken from or to the platforms under the building in a tunnel, so that the trucks will not interfere with the people congregated on the concourse during the arrival and departure of the trains. Lifts will be provided at each end of the tunnel to handle several luggage trucks at one time.

“Storage rooms for old records, the heating chamber, ventilation chamber and luggage staff lavatories are in the basement under the northern end.

“At the southern end is a large bicycle store approached from the outside and connected up to the interior of the building by stairs. Under the centre portion of the building and approached from the concourse are the men's lavatories. All the public lavatories are to be air conditioned.

“The first and second floors accommodate the district railway offices and they are approached by separate entrances adjacent to the main entrances, thus avoiding any confusion to the travelling public. Electric, passenger lifts are provided to each office entrance.

“The building is to be heated by hot water radiators. The public rooms are to be ventilated by mechanical means, the machinery for which will be placed in the basement.

“I am pleased to be able to announce that the design also provides for a children's nursery on the roof, in the centre of the building, similar to that at Wellington Station, where the facilities provided have proved so immensely popular with mothers.”

The plans are prepared by Messrs. Gray Young, Morton and Young, registered architects of Wellington, and the erection of the building is to be supervised by Mr. W. H. Tren-grove, architect of Christchurch.

(Photo., J. D. Pascoe.) Clouds over the Tasman Glacier, South Island, New Zealand.

(Photo., J. D. Pascoe.)
Clouds over the Tasman Glacier, South Island, New Zealand.