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| The not yet completed station in 1930. The tracks for the platforms to the right are not yet in place, but otherwise it looks like the design. |
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| The scene in November 1959. The tram tracks are still in the asphalt but trolley buses have been the only electrically powered vehicles for 3 years. |
This imposing building was designed in the mid-1920s, approved and built. The only problem with it is that it was built in the wrong place -- a good half mile from the former station in downtown Queen Street, it was too far a walk for many commuters to feel like using it. It took until the early 2000s for the Britomart underground terminal to be built at the original location. With opposition from Steven Joyce, it seems like it will similarly take a long time for the logical underground extension of this station to be built to link with the western line.
This building's architecture clearly had several influences, particularly various Union Passenger Terminals in America. Since its closure it has been turned into accommodation and other uses found for the rail yard.
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It's not located a mile from Queen Street, it's not even half a mile - BUT it seems like a mile's walk. Probably an example of things being planned by people who will never use them - the half mile walk seemed fine on paper (and admittedly in Wellington it doesn't seem to make much difference) but to the average commuter it was a real pain.
ReplyDeleteLocating the station here was meant to stimulate the growth of the Downtown area to surround it - it just never happened.
Thanks, have added half before mile. It was a boring walk, whereas Wellington station is at the north end of the CBD.
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