Hamilton Central
1899 station and goods shed
General information
LocationNew Zealand
Coordinates37°47′13″S 175°16′43″E / 37.786892°S 175.278566°E / -37.786892; 175.278566
Owned byKiwiRail
Line(s)East Coast Main Trunk (goods only)
Platforms1
ConnectionsNorth Island Main Trunk
History
Opened1 October 1884[1]
Closed1 November 1969
Rebuilt1964
Previous namesHamilton West until 1 March 1899[1]
Services
Preceding station   Historical railways   Following station
Hamilton
Line open, station open
1.7 km (1.1 mi)		   East Coast Main Trunk
KiwiRail		   Claudelands
Line open, station closed
1.23 km (0.76 mi)

Hamilton Central was the name of a now-defunct railway station on the East Coast Main Trunk line which runs through the city of Hamilton in the Waikato region of New Zealand.[2] The station was located in Hamilton's CBD and was made an underground station for the latter years of its existence before being closed. The underground platform still exists.[3]

For most of the time since a station opened on the site in 1879, it was named Hamilton. It had closed to regular passenger services when the present Hamilton station opened in 1975, so there was little need for formal renaming. There have been several proposals to reopen the station, often using the name 'Hamilton Central'.[4][5]

The East Coast Main Trunk line is still well used by freight trains. In 2018, 163 trains a week passed through, 36 between 8am and 5pm weekdays, 90 of them outside those hours and 37 at weekends.[6]

History

The station probably opened as Hamilton on 22 March 1879, with a lean-to station building,[7] though in July 1879 it was said that it should take about a month to complete the extension.[8] It only had 282 passengers in the year 1880/81[9] and closed on 19 February 1881.[10] Probably it was affected by delays in opening Claudelands bridge; the 16 mi 73 ch (27.2 km) Eureka contract to Morrinsville was signed on 5 December 1883,[11] though tenders had been invited over two years earlier.[12]

On 1 October 1884 the station reopened as Hamilton West,[13] when the Morrinsville line opened.[14] By 1884 it had a 4th class station building, platform, cart approach, 60 ft (18 m) by 30 ft (9.1 m) goods shed and loading bank. In 1896 there was also a stationmaster's house, urinals and a passing loop for 38 wagons.[7] In 1892 the station got improved and increased accommodation, with further improvements in 1897, 1899 and 1900, when a verandah was added.[7]

The station was renamed Hamilton from 1 March 1899.[15] In 1902 it was described as being, "of wood and iron, and has a ladies' waiting room, a public lobby, stationmaster's room, a long passenger platform, and a large goods shed. Four trains pass the station daily, each way."[16] In 1905 the stationmaster's house was shifted and a porters room, parcels office and store added. The luggage room and verandah were extended in 1909. A crossing keeper controlled the Victoria Street crossing from 1912, when the platform was extended 200 ft (61 m) west and asphalted. In 1924 a new, larger storeroom at the Frankton end replaced one at the other end.[7]

Work to underground the station began in 1961, with removal of sidings, a loading shelter and the goods shed. The line was lowered in 1964.[7] Its platform was moved to a cutting from 1 September 1964. It lost its railcar service to Te Puke on 11 September 1967 and to Rotorua on 11 November 1968. It then lost its station building, which is now a café at Waikato University.[17] In 1969 a new 3-storey, 23,700 sq ft (2,200 m2) Administration Building opened, built by Holm Construction Ltd. for the Ministry of Works and linked by a covered walkway to the Road Services terminal in Ward Street and the underground rail platform.[7] By the mid-1970s most of the station had been covered by carparks, which were later covered by the Centre Place shopping centre.[18] When the current Hamilton station opened on 6 August 1975, the rarely used platform was renamed Hamilton Travel Centre.[7]

The station was once served by several named trains, including the Rotorua, Geyserland, Thames and Taneatua Expresses.

tickets and season tickets sold at Hamilton 1885–1950 (derived from figures in table).

Traffic grew to a peak in World War 2, as shown in the graph and table below.

year tickets season tickets staff ref.
1885 2,554 1 2 [19]
1886 5,253 2 [20]
1887 5,246 1 [21]
1888 3,687 16 2
1889 3,504 29 2 [22]
1890 [23]
1891 3,328 31 2 [24]
1892 3,348 26 2 [25]
1893 3,702 38 2 [26]
1894 3,748 25 2 [27]
1895 3,958 2 [28]
1896 4,034 9 2 [29]
1897 4,447 7 2 [30]
1898 4,766 3 2 [31]
1899 5,303 2 2 [32]
1900 4,838 1 3 [33]
1901
1902 8,486 1 3 [34]
1903 11,358 4 4 [35]
1904 17,454 4 5 [36]
1905 19,885 126 6 [37]
1906 22,461 140 6 [38]
1907 25,893 212 7 [39]
1908 32,446 207 8 [40]
1909 35,357 202 8 [41]
1910 32,874 208 9 [42]
1911 35,269 150 9 [43]
1912 39,339 228 11 [44]
1913 49,704 275 16 [45]
1914 51,322 338 [46]
1915 48,465 387 [47]
1916 46,658 424 [48]
1917 48,529 466 [49]
1918 50,899 416 [50]
1919 59,170 339 [51]
1920 64,708 343 [52]
1921 70,815 449 [53]
1922 73,303 567 [54]
1923 71,486 589 [55]
1924 67,103 559 [56]
1925 59,705 435 [57]
1926 53,862 601 [58]
1927 49,481 618 [59]
1928 43,819 514 [60]
1929 43,922 606 [61]
1930 39,431 661 [62]
1931 59,360 567 [63]
1932 51,558 500 [64]
1933 55,308 503 [65]
1934 61,842 518 [66]
1935 65,478 547 [67]
1936 68,877 638 [68]
1937 73,951 578 [69]
1938 69,537 568 [70]
1939 63,611 527 [71]
1940 62,829 873 [72]
1941 75,496 481 [73]
1942 100,724 385 [74]
1943 156,825 387 [75]
1944 153,740 418 [76]
1945 84,973 269 [77]
1946 83,363 252 [78]
1947 49,293 144 [79]
1948 38,902 56 [80]
1949 34,925 64 [81]
1950 42,813 49 [82]

New Zealand's first underground station

Hamilton Central Railway Station

Level crossings at Lake Rd, Seddon St and Victoria St, and rising population and levels of rail and road traffic, resulted in re-routing proposals from 1912, when council suggested the line could be lowered. It was turned down again in 1919,[83] proposed as a diversion south of Frankton in 1929[84] and costed at £529,000 in 1938.

The National Roads Board then opted for it and, in September 1959, the Ministry of Works started the project. The platform was lowered about 20 ft (6.1 m) into a cut & cover tunnel approached on 1 in 80 gradients,[85] with road over-bridges at River Rd, Tristram/Hinemoa, Seddon Streets and Lake Rd. The new route and platform opened on 19 September 1964, after which Anglesea St was extended north of Ward St.[83]

An NZR bus station (replaced by the Transport Centre in 2001) was built on top of the station, with a ramp link to it. The underground station was used by the Kaimai Express and Geyserland Express from when they started running in December 1991 until 1994 when the station was closed due to vandalism and concerns about passenger safety. The ramp was closed when the Warehouse was built[86] in 2004,[87] though a plan had been prepared to maintain access.[88]

In 2020 reopening, possibly with 3 tracks and possibly just to the west, in Seddon Park,[89] was put forward as a COVID-19 recovery scheme, as part of schemes to upgrade services to Auckland and relay tracks to Cambridge.[90]

References

  1. 1 2 Juliet Scoble: Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand
  2. ↑ "Jamie Strange MP". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  3. ↑ Yonge, John Roger; Company, Quail Map (1993). New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas. Quail Map Company. ISBN 9780900609923.
  4. ↑ "Politicians unlock doors to New Zealand's first underground train station". Stuff. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  5. ↑ "Regional Rapid Rail – Hamilton Central Station". Greater Auckland. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  6. ↑ "Notice of Meeting" (PDF). Waikato Regional Council. 27 March 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Stations" (PDF). NZR Rolling Stock Lists. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  8. ↑ "New Zealand Herald, 1879-07-16". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  9. ↑ "Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives | 1881 Session I RETURN No. 9. Statement of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ending 31 March 1881". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  10. ↑ Scoble, Juliet (2010). "Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations" (PDF). Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand.
  11. ↑ "PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT, BY THE MINISTER FOR PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON. EDWARD RICHARDSON". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 24 October 1884. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  12. ↑ "WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 31 May 1881. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  13. ↑ "TE AROHA NEWS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 18 October 1884. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  14. ↑ "AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 26 September 1884. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  15. ↑ "Hamilton railway station". Hamilton. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  16. ↑ "Hamilton". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. 1902. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  17. ↑ "The University of Waikato 1964–2014" (PDF).
  18. ↑ "The Government Life building under construction". Hamilton. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  19. ↑ "RETURN No. 10. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Twelve Months ending 31st March, 1885". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  20. ↑ "RETURN No. 10. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Twelve Months ending 31st March, 1886". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  21. ↑ "RETURN No. 10. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Twelve Months ending 31st March, 1887". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  22. ↑ "RETURN No. 10. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Twelve Months ending 31st March, 1889". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  23. ↑ "RETURN No. 10. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Twelve Months ending 31st March, 1890". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  24. ↑ "RETURN No. 10. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Twelve Months ending 31st March, 1891". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  25. ↑ "RETURN No. 10. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Twelve Months ending 31st March, 1892". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  26. ↑ "RETURN No. 10. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Twelve Months ending 31st March, 1893". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  27. ↑ "RETURN No. 10. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Twelve Months ending 31st March, 1894". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  28. ↑ "RETURN No. 10. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Twelve Months ending 31st March, 1895". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  29. ↑ "RETURN No. 10. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Twelve Months ending 31st March, 1896". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  30. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1897". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  31. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1898". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  32. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1899". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  33. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1900". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  34. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1902". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  35. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1903". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  36. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1904". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  37. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1905". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  38. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1906". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  39. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1907". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  40. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1908". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  41. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1909". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  42. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1910". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  43. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1911". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  44. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1912". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  45. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. STATEMENT of Revenue and Expenditure of each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1913". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  46. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1914". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  47. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1915". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  48. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1916". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  49. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1917". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  50. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1918". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  51. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1919". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  52. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1920". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  53. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1921". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  54. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1922". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  55. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1923". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  56. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. Statement of Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1924". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  57. ↑ "RETURN No. 12. Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1925". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  58. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1926". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  59. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1927". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  60. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1928". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  61. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1929". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  62. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1930". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  63. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1931". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  64. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1932". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  65. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1933". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  66. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1934". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  67. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1935". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  68. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1936". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  69. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1937". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  70. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1938". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  71. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1939". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  72. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1940". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  73. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1941". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  74. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1942". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  75. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1943". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  76. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1944". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  77. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1945". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  78. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1946". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  79. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1947". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  80. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1948". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  81. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1949". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  82. ↑ "STATEMENT No. 18 Statement of Traffic and Revenue for each Station for the Year ended 31st March, 1950". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  83. 1 2 "Hamilton's underground railway". Hamilton. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  84. ↑ "Traffic at Hamilton". New Zealand Herald. 12 November 1929. p. 12. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  85. ↑ "Proposals for lowering of railway line under Victoria Street". Hamilton. 1954. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  86. ↑ "bettertransport.org.nz – Hamilton Central Station (underground) CBD". www.bettertransport.org.nz. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  87. ↑ "Warehouse says red tape may end $20m Hamilton store plans". NZ Herald. 27 January 2004. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  88. ↑ Warren Clarke Ltd (2004). Underground Rail Platform Access Plans and Sections.
  89. ↑ "Hamilton to Auckland Passenger Rail Start-up Service Enhancements" (PDF). Hamilton City Council. April 2020.
  90. ↑ "URBAN GROWTH PROGRAMME INITIATIVES" (PDF). Hamilton City Council. 3 April 2020.
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