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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 6, Issue 1 (May 1, 1931)

Auckland's First Station

Auckland's First Station.

The first station building at Auckland stood approximately where the large new outwards goods shed now stands on Breakwater Road. The subsequent station site which has served the city for many years was then water, and Customs Street formed the water front.

The first railway yard paralleled Beach Road, its outlet being along an embankment crossing Mechanic's Bay. In addition to the usual goods shed and engine depot the yard contained railway workshop and stores.

The year 1879 saw large reclamation works in hand at Auckland. These works were for the purpose of providing additional station accommodation, and to further relieve congestion in the yard, a site was purchased at Newmarket for workshops and stores. With the removal of these buildings to Newmarket the accommodation in Auckland yard was gradually improved until such time as the reclamation work permitted the removal of the passenger station to the Queen Street site. The new station building on this site was completed in November, 1885, and the station yard was finished about the same time. The station was officially opened for public traffic on 30th November, 1885, almost exactly 45 years ago. The intervening years have seen wonderful growth in the city and port of Auckland, page 35 and in the increased settlement and productivity of the Auckland province. In this development the railways have assisted materially.

Increasing Volume of Business.

It may be of interest to quote some figures to indicate the measure of progress which took place in Auckland up to the years when the Great War disturbed the equilibrium of our economic life. Apart from the mounting prosperity of the district, the biggest
Looking Back Fifty Years. Mechanic's Bay, Auckland (about 1880) with the position of the new railway station indicated by dotted lines.

Looking Back Fifty Years.
Mechanic's Bay, Auckland (about 1880) with the position of the new railway station indicated by dotted lines.

impetus to railway business in Auckland arose from the opening of the Main Trunk Railway through to Wellington in 1908. We find, also, that the railway revenue in 1913 was double the revenue in 1908. Over a period of twenty-five years the passenger business in Auckland province increased at twice the rate indicated by the figures for the whole of the Dominion. It doubled itself between the years 1888 and 1902, and doubled again between 1902 and 1911. The goods business doubled itself from 1888 to 1902 and again doubled itself from 1902 to 1911.

It was not to be expected that such increases should continue indefinitely, nevertheless the railway business in Auckland has been marked by a steady growth.

It will be realised from the figures quoted that right from the inception of the Queen Street station, in 1885, the question of adequate accommodation has been an ever vital one with the Railway Engineers. Two very serious obstacles presented themselves. These were Breakwater Road and the proximity of the Parnell grade. With the development of the Auckland waterfront, Breakwater Road had become a very important thoroughfare and though provision had been made in the Auckland Railway Station Act, 1882, for the bridging of this crossing a satisfactory scheme was impossible.

Some Formidable Obstacles.

The necessity for trains starting well clear of the heavy grade to Newmarket prevented the provision of adequate train sidings between Queen Street and the foot of this grade.

These difficulties were greatly intensified when, in 1907, the railway frontage to Queen Street was handed over to the Post and Telegraph Department for the erection of page 36 a General Post Office. Following on this came the marked growth in business already indicated. So for over twenty years Auckland Station arrangements have been the subject of investigation by some of the best railway brains in the country. All investigations pointed to the necessity for railway operations terminating at Breakwater Road so that that important thoroughfare should be left free for the heavy waterfront traffic using it.

The other outstanding necessity was the avoidance of the limitations imposed upon both loads and station operations by the Parnell grade. This could only be achieved by the construction of a new outlet on almost level grades across Hobson Bay and Orakei Basin to Westfield. This scheme permitted of the expansion of the Auckland Railway Station yard eastward and seaward. This expansion, however, could be obtained only by a reclamation of the harbour front which absorbed Mechanic's Bay and later on St. George's Bay.

The trend of development in railway works in Auckland was of vital interest, not only to the Railway Department, but also to the Auckland City Council and the
Roomy and well Lighted Interior. (Photo, W. W. Stewart.) The concourse through which access is made to the various platforms at the new Auckland station.

Roomy and well Lighted Interior.
(Photo, W. W. Stewart.)
The concourse through which access is made to the various platforms at the new Auckland station.

Harbour Board. So in the planning of railway facilities in Auckland much valuable collaboration has been done by these three bodies. Many features attaching to Auckland station to-day are the result of the balancing of the various interests and requirements of definite sections of the community.

The Railway Department has at long last been provided with adequate means for serving the people of Auckland. They have been served loyally in the past, but such service has depended more on the skill and grit of the railway staff than on the means at the men's disposal.

Perhaps the most vital function of the railway yards is service to the overseas shipping at the wharves, a service amply provided for in the new scheme.

For many years the goods shed accommodation has been poor, and the local loading facilities not equal to requirements. Now the business people of Auckland have a commodious up-to-date outwards goods shed with ample cranes for handling all kinds of freight, and, also, a new inwards goods shed designed on similar lines.

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In the Upper Waikato there is a family, old schoolfellows of mine, who are life long lovers of the horse and who would sooner move about the country on horseback, though they own motor-cars. The head of the clan, a patriarchal Scot, now about ninety, came to New Zealand seventy years ago, and all his life he has been a horseman. I remember his riding his own horse at the country race meeting when he was fifty years old or thereabouts. His six or seven stalwart sons practically grew up on horseback; and when polo became a popular country sport in New Zealand they formed a family polo team that was invincible. They bred polo ponies, as well as cavalry horses, and shipped them to India. Now the third generation of the family has its polo team, and it bids fair to equal the dash and perfect horsemanship of its fathers.

The Imposing Concourse at Auckland's New Station. (Railway Publicity Photo.) Gathering at New Zealand's fine northern rail terminal during the recent official opening ceremony.

The Imposing Concourse at Auckland's New Station.
(Railway Publicity Photo.) Gathering at New Zealand's fine northern rail terminal during the recent official opening ceremony.

Morepork for Long Life.

The same old colonial hand just quoted is full of bird-lore garnered from the Maori and from pakeha oldtimers like himself. “Did you ever hear tell,” he asked, “about the morepork and its value as a life-lengthener? It's a true bill among some of the Maoris. Up at Ketemarae, in Taranaki, we once had a bullock driver by the name of Jimmy Simmonds, who had a Maori wife. I was out with old Jimmy one day when he shot a morepork. ‘Surely you don't eat the Ruru!’ I said. ‘Oh no’ said Jimmy, ‘but my old missus does. All the women eat the ruru when they can get one; they believe it prolongs their lives. My missus will go to bed quite happy after a feed of morepork”’ But any ruru-slaying today must be done strictly sub rosa, for the bird is on the absolutely protected list, and rightly so.