Pipitea Point Railway Station
Pipitea Point then Lambton | |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Government Railways (NZGR) | |
| Location | Wellington |
| Coordinates | 41°16′42.52″S 174°46′46.11″E / 41.2784778°S 174.7794750°E (Lambton) |
| Owned by | Railways Department |
| Line(s) | Hutt Valley Line |
| Platforms | Island |
| Tracks | Main line (1) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1874 (as Pipitea Point) |
| Closed | 19 June 1937 (as Lambton) |
Pipitea Point Station (1874-1880) and Lambton Station (1880-1937) were successive names for the main Wellington Railway Station in Wellington, New Zealand before the opening of the current Wellington Railway Station in 1937.
The new station also replaced the Thorndon Railway Station built by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR) but owned by the New Zealand Railways (NZR) since 1908.
The first station, Pipitea Point Station, was opened (1874) with the opening of the Hutt Valley Line. The railway line from Wellington to Lower Hutt, the first railway line in Wellington, was started in 1872 and opened in 1874.
Lambton Railway Station (opened 1880) was north of the present Wellington Railway Station; and Pipitea Point Railway Station was further north, but south of Thorndon Railway Station. All are within the present rail yard area.
History
- 1872, 20 August: First sod for line turned at Pipitea Point by the Governor, Sir George Bowen.
- 1874, 14 April: Line opened with first train to Lower Hutt, though station buildings not yet finished
- 1878, 16 January: Fire in the Railway Hotel. Started at 3.45 pm and fanned by a strong wind, it spreads across the road to the station. In 15 minutes the railway station, manager’s office and workshops were alight, and they were all destroyed. The city water supply from the council reservoir had been turned off as the reservoir only had a few feet of water; and the water took 35 minutes to come through the mains.
- 1880, 1 November: New station opened in Featherston Street on site later used for Defence building, though Pipitea Point Station kept as stopping point, and line extended to Masterton
- 1884, 30 September: Pipitea Point Station closed as Hutt line now on eastern side of reclamation after exchange of land with WMR.
- 1885: Wellington Station reopened at intersection of Thorndon Quay and Lambton Quay. The building was shifted from Featherston Street on rollers pulled by a large number of men. This allowed for extension of Bunny Street to the waterfront (Waterloo Quay).
- 1908, 7 December: Government took over Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR). Stations to be called Wellington (Thorndon Station) and Wellington (Lambton Station), or just Thorndon Station and Lambton Station.
- 1937, 19 June: Lambton Station closed (Thorndon Station closed on 8 June).
References
- Hoy, D.G. Rails out of the Capital (NZRLS, 1970)