Newmarket Train Station, Auckland
Encyclopedia
Newmarket Train Station is located in the Auckland
, New Zealand
suburb of Newmarket
, on the Southern
and Western Line
s of the Auckland railway network. Serving the busy commercial centre of Newmarket
, the station is the second-busiest train station in Auckland, after Britomart
. All express services stop here, including the Pukekohe
and Waitakere
expresses.
In its historic configuration, it had an island platform
, reached by a ramp from Remuera Road (opposite Nuffield Street) and from the end of Joseph Banks Terrace by a pedestrian overbridge. In 2008 the station was removed, and a new station constructed on the same site over two years. From January 2010 the new and extended train station caters for increased train patronage of up to 17,000 passengers a day by 2016 and has more entrances. During the redevelopment two temporary stations served the area: Newmarket West (also called Kingdon Street) and Newmarket South (both now demolished).
stations in Auckland designed and built by George Troup
, Chief Engineer for the New Zealand Railways Department
. The station was built in 1908, at the time of the installation of double track. Before closure, the head of the Newmarket Business Association had compared the situation at the dilapidated station as akin to Whangamomona
, a railway ghost town in Taranaki, adding to the calls for a redevelopment of the station.
The signal box
at the north end of the platform was built at the same time and was one of the few of that era in New Zealand on its original site and still in operation. It closed in early 2008 as part of project DART, being the last full sized lever frame signal boxes on the national network.
This former track layout of the station, near Newmarket Junction (the junction of the Western and Southern Lines) forced some unusual movements. Prior to the station's redevelopment, trains coming from Britomart had to run past the junction to call at this station. With the old station having had two platforms in an island configuration, for many years all city-bound trains stopped at one platform, with outwards trains stopping at the other platform. This was confusing as the outward-bound platform served all trains on both the Southern and Western Lines. This problem was solved by 'splitting' the platform into two: Southern Line trains stopped at the southern end of the platform, Western Line at the northern end. However the platform was short, so that this did not always resolve the confusion.
The above practice had become less prevalent following the higher frequency of the July 2007 timetable. From then on the signal person typically directed trains to whichever platform was free at the time of arrival. That meant any trains could arrive at any platform without any indication of destination. Off-peak, the signaling would usually follow the traditional practice, but during the peak this was not practical. This led to problems of passenger confusion as to which train ran on which line.
During peak times Veolia staff were often present with megaphones to inform passengers of trains destinations. The signal box was attended 24 hours per day and had control of all trains within the station and Junction.
Backshunt
For many years Western Line trains had to reverse into a special siding, which then allowed them to enter the Western Line (to Waitakere) or the Southern Line (to Newmarket). In July 2007 the "backshunt" procedure ceased to be necessary, with the start of the station's rebuilding as part of Project DART.
Historic station building
The fate of the historically and architecturally significant old station building is controversial, with various proposals having been put forward to demolish, refurbish, or relocate the building. Following the announcement on 14 March 2007 of the budget for the station's upgrade, Minister of Finance
Michael Cullen announced that $5 million would be put towards moving the station building, possibly to a new site in Parnell where it could serve as a station for the Auckland War Memorial Museum
in the Auckland Domain
. The station building and signal box were removed from the site on 3 March 2008. The storage location was not disclosed, as ONTRACK fears the buildings could be vandalised.
s Project DART. As well as modernising the station's facilities and appearance, the redevelopment improved connections between the station and the surrounding commercial and residential areas. The station now has a concourse level above the platforms, and entrances from a new square off Broadway, a 65m long covered bridge (capable of carrying emergency vehicles) off Remuera Road, and a pedestrian bridge from Joseph Banks Terrace, from the Remuera
side.
The station retains the option of extending the concourse, with further pedestrian entries off Broadway further north possible. The current entrance off Broadway may also be widened, with Council considering demolishing two shops to widen the passage. Some criticism was made at the time of opening about the relatively high step up onto train carriages, which was considered necessary by the designers to allow freight trains to pass the station's platform. However, authorities noted that this was the same height as at other stations throughout the Auckland system with the exception of Britomart
, which does not have freight trains passing through it. Authorities confirmed the vertical distance to step up to some train carriages would be up to 374mm, but this would be reduced with new carriages specifically designed for the Auckland network, which are to be introduced with electrification.
New track layout
Integral to the redevelopment was the requirement to reorganise the trackwork servicing the station. The new station has twin island platforms with three tracks. The outer faces of each platform serve Southern Line trains, the inner faces on the centre track Western Line trains in both directions. The station cost an estimated NZ$25 million to redevelop (paid for by ARTA), and ONTRACK spent around NZ$45 million to change the layout. The project has been called the most challenging in the whole upgrade of Auckland's railway network.
Western Line trains reverse direction to leave the station, requiring the driver to get out and walk to the other end of the train and adding about two to three minutes to each trip.
Pedestrian access
The new station has access points to the concourse built above the platforms along a rebuilt bridge from Remuera Road (southern side) and via a bridge from Joseph Banks Terrace from the Remuera (eastern) side. Future accesses will be via a plaza between the new buildings that were erected during the late 2000s on former railway land between Broadway and Remuera Road (western side) and via a possible future access from the Broadway (northwest) side over an extended concourse to the north of the station, linking up with the main street over the existing tunnel south of the Olympic Pools area.
Awards
The station's lighting design engineer (Opus International Consultants) won three New Zealand IES Lighting design awards in 2010 for the station's lighting design. Awards received included an Award of Excellence, Award of Commendation and the Trends People's Choice Award for the innovative LED lantern box design on Remuera road.
The station and it's architects (Opus and Herriot + Melhuish:Architecture) won best building in the "Urban Design" category in 2011, awarded by the New Zealand Institute of Architects
.
and Newmarket South on the Southern Line
. Both stations were demolished in December 2009/January 2010 just prior to the reopening of Newmarket station in January 2010.
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
suburb of Newmarket
Newmarket, New Zealand
Newmarket is an Auckland suburb to the south-east of the central business district. With its high building density, especially of retail shops, it is considered New Zealand's premier retailing area, and a rival of local competitor Auckland CBD...
, on the Southern
Southern Line, Auckland
The Southern Line in Auckland, New Zealand is the name given to suburban train services that operate between Britomart and Pukekohe via Newmarket.-Routing:...
and Western Line
Western Line, Auckland
The Western Line in Auckland, New Zealand is the name given to suburban services that operate between Britomart and Waitakere via Newmarket.-Routing:...
s of the Auckland railway network. Serving the busy commercial centre of Newmarket
Newmarket, New Zealand
Newmarket is an Auckland suburb to the south-east of the central business district. With its high building density, especially of retail shops, it is considered New Zealand's premier retailing area, and a rival of local competitor Auckland CBD...
, the station is the second-busiest train station in Auckland, after Britomart
Britomart Transport Centre
Britomart Transport Centre is the CBD public transport hub of Auckland, New Zealand, and the northern terminus of the North Island Main Trunk line. It combines a bus interchange with a railway station in a former Edwardian post office, extended with expansive post-modernist architectural elements...
. All express services stop here, including the Pukekohe
Pukekohe Train Station
Pukekohe Railway Station is the southern terminus of the Eastern and Southern Lines of the Auckland railway network. It has an island platform between the main lines and an original wooden station building complete with signal panel....
and Waitakere
Waitakere Train Station
Waitakere Railway Station is located in the Waitakere suburb/village at the end of the Western Line of the Auckland Suburban Network in New Zealand and is currently the terminus for most Western Line services....
expresses.
In its historic configuration, it had an island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
, reached by a ramp from Remuera Road (opposite Nuffield Street) and from the end of Joseph Banks Terrace by a pedestrian overbridge. In 2008 the station was removed, and a new station constructed on the same site over two years. From January 2010 the new and extended train station caters for increased train patronage of up to 17,000 passengers a day by 2016 and has more entrances. During the redevelopment two temporary stations served the area: Newmarket West (also called Kingdon Street) and Newmarket South (both now demolished).
Historical station
The old railway station building was one of four island platformIsland platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
stations in Auckland designed and built by George Troup
George Troup (architect)
Sir George Alexander Troup, CMG was a New Zealand architect, engineer and statesman. He was nicknamed "Gingerbread George" after his most famous design, the Dunedin Railway Station in the Flemish Renaissance style . He was the first official architect of the New Zealand Railways...
, Chief Engineer for the New Zealand Railways Department
New Zealand Railways Department
The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's railway infrastructure and operating the railway system. The Department was created in 1880 and was reformed in 1981 into the New...
. The station was built in 1908, at the time of the installation of double track. Before closure, the head of the Newmarket Business Association had compared the situation at the dilapidated station as akin to Whangamomona
Whangamomona
Whangamomona is a small township in the Stratford District and Manawatu-Wanganui Region in New Zealand. It lies on State Highway 43, the Lost World Highway north-east of Stratford and south-west of Ohura. By rail it is from Stratford on the Stratford-Okahukura railway line.- History :The first...
, a railway ghost town in Taranaki, adding to the calls for a redevelopment of the station.
The signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
at the north end of the platform was built at the same time and was one of the few of that era in New Zealand on its original site and still in operation. It closed in early 2008 as part of project DART, being the last full sized lever frame signal boxes on the national network.
This former track layout of the station, near Newmarket Junction (the junction of the Western and Southern Lines) forced some unusual movements. Prior to the station's redevelopment, trains coming from Britomart had to run past the junction to call at this station. With the old station having had two platforms in an island configuration, for many years all city-bound trains stopped at one platform, with outwards trains stopping at the other platform. This was confusing as the outward-bound platform served all trains on both the Southern and Western Lines. This problem was solved by 'splitting' the platform into two: Southern Line trains stopped at the southern end of the platform, Western Line at the northern end. However the platform was short, so that this did not always resolve the confusion.
The above practice had become less prevalent following the higher frequency of the July 2007 timetable. From then on the signal person typically directed trains to whichever platform was free at the time of arrival. That meant any trains could arrive at any platform without any indication of destination. Off-peak, the signaling would usually follow the traditional practice, but during the peak this was not practical. This led to problems of passenger confusion as to which train ran on which line.
During peak times Veolia staff were often present with megaphones to inform passengers of trains destinations. The signal box was attended 24 hours per day and had control of all trains within the station and Junction.
Backshunt
For many years Western Line trains had to reverse into a special siding, which then allowed them to enter the Western Line (to Waitakere) or the Southern Line (to Newmarket). In July 2007 the "backshunt" procedure ceased to be necessary, with the start of the station's rebuilding as part of Project DART.
Historic station building
The fate of the historically and architecturally significant old station building is controversial, with various proposals having been put forward to demolish, refurbish, or relocate the building. Following the announcement on 14 March 2007 of the budget for the station's upgrade, Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (New Zealand)
The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
Michael Cullen announced that $5 million would be put towards moving the station building, possibly to a new site in Parnell where it could serve as a station for the Auckland War Memorial Museum
Auckland War Memorial Museum
The Auckland War Memorial Museum is one of New Zealand's most important museums and war memorials. Its collections concentrate on New Zealand history , natural history, as well as military history.The museum is also one of the most iconic Auckland buildings, constructed in the neo-classicist...
in the Auckland Domain
Auckland Domain
The Auckland Domain is Auckland's oldest park, and at 75 hectares one of the largest in the city. Located in the central suburb of Grafton, the park contains all of the explosion crater and most of the surrounding tuff ring of the Pukekawa volcano....
. The station building and signal box were removed from the site on 3 March 2008. The storage location was not disclosed, as ONTRACK fears the buildings could be vandalised.
Redeveloped station
Newmarket station was rebuilt for NZ$35 million as part of ONTRACKOnTrack
OnTrack was a regional rail line that operated in Syracuse, New York from 1994 to 2007. During its operation, Syracuse was the smallest city in the United States to have regional train service. The line ran from Colvin Street on the city's south side via Syracuse University and Armory Square to the...
s Project DART. As well as modernising the station's facilities and appearance, the redevelopment improved connections between the station and the surrounding commercial and residential areas. The station now has a concourse level above the platforms, and entrances from a new square off Broadway, a 65m long covered bridge (capable of carrying emergency vehicles) off Remuera Road, and a pedestrian bridge from Joseph Banks Terrace, from the Remuera
Remuera
Remuera is a residential suburban area within Auckland city, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located four kilometres to the southeast of the city centre...
side.
The station retains the option of extending the concourse, with further pedestrian entries off Broadway further north possible. The current entrance off Broadway may also be widened, with Council considering demolishing two shops to widen the passage. Some criticism was made at the time of opening about the relatively high step up onto train carriages, which was considered necessary by the designers to allow freight trains to pass the station's platform. However, authorities noted that this was the same height as at other stations throughout the Auckland system with the exception of Britomart
Britomart Transport Centre
Britomart Transport Centre is the CBD public transport hub of Auckland, New Zealand, and the northern terminus of the North Island Main Trunk line. It combines a bus interchange with a railway station in a former Edwardian post office, extended with expansive post-modernist architectural elements...
, which does not have freight trains passing through it. Authorities confirmed the vertical distance to step up to some train carriages would be up to 374mm, but this would be reduced with new carriages specifically designed for the Auckland network, which are to be introduced with electrification.
New track layout
Western Line trains reverse direction to leave the station, requiring the driver to get out and walk to the other end of the train and adding about two to three minutes to each trip.
Pedestrian access
The new station has access points to the concourse built above the platforms along a rebuilt bridge from Remuera Road (southern side) and via a bridge from Joseph Banks Terrace from the Remuera (eastern) side. Future accesses will be via a plaza between the new buildings that were erected during the late 2000s on former railway land between Broadway and Remuera Road (western side) and via a possible future access from the Broadway (northwest) side over an extended concourse to the north of the station, linking up with the main street over the existing tunnel south of the Olympic Pools area.
Awards
The station's lighting design engineer (Opus International Consultants) won three New Zealand IES Lighting design awards in 2010 for the station's lighting design. Awards received included an Award of Excellence, Award of Commendation and the Trends People's Choice Award for the innovative LED lantern box design on Remuera road.
The station and it's architects (Opus and Herriot + Melhuish:Architecture) won best building in the "Urban Design" category in 2011, awarded by the New Zealand Institute of Architects
New Zealand Institute of Architects
The New Zealand Institute of Architects is a membership based professional organisation. This body represents 90% of all registered architects in New Zealand and promotes architecture that enhances the New Zealand living environment....
.
Temporary stations
During the station redevelopment two temporary stations were built to service the area: Newmarket West (also called Kingdon Street) on the Western LineWestern Line, Auckland
The Western Line in Auckland, New Zealand is the name given to suburban services that operate between Britomart and Waitakere via Newmarket.-Routing:...
and Newmarket South on the Southern Line
Southern Line, Auckland
The Southern Line in Auckland, New Zealand is the name given to suburban train services that operate between Britomart and Pukekohe via Newmarket.-Routing:...
. Both stations were demolished in December 2009/January 2010 just prior to the reopening of Newmarket station in January 2010.