Currently Browsing: Stations

No Upgrade For Waitakere Train Station Itself

Posted by Jon C in Stations, Swanson, WaitakereMar 5th, 2010 | 14 Comments
The Waitakere railway station seems set to be the most neglected of Auckland’s train stations. Recent statistics on the Western line usage – which I posted here – showed that Waitakere had the smallest increase in patronage of any on the Western Line. At this week’s Waitakere Community Board  meeting, chairman, KJP Witten-Hannah, said he was pleased that the Waitakere council will be upgrading the car park and station access. “It is just a shame that a station upgrade is not on the horizon. The tunnel means that double tracking is unlikely from Swanson to Waitakere. Swanson's overbridge “I...
read more

Advertising Moving Onto Train Stations?

Posted by Jon C in StationsFeb 21st, 2010 | 17 Comments
At Ranui’s revamped train station , Adshel advertising “shells” have been placed on the revamped train platform. Is this the start of things to come? Is this heralding the start of advertising moving onto suburban train stations? Adshel at Ranui With bus shelters, Adshel has an arrangement with councils to subsidise the cost of shelters for use of advertising space in them. The company calls it specialising in “advertising-funded street furniture solutions in Australia and New Zealand.” I have no problem if they are doing the same with train platforms so long as train...
read more

To Hel But Not Back – I’m Live From The Last Train (Photos)

Posted by Jon C in StationsDec 24th, 2009 | 3 Comments
Some say it was set up to fail but whatever the reason, it’s sad to see any Auckland commuter rail service come to an end. So it’s emotional to be taking the last ride to Helensville tonight. I’m posting this from the Helensville-bound train where the sparsely populated carriage I am in, is in a sobering mood. There aren’t many people on board, probably because the city has been rather empty today as many businesses have already finished work. I’ve seen this service much busier with people standing and hanging on to those straps. Those in my carriage seem lost in thought...
read more

Keep Cat Litter Off Stations, Please

Posted by Jon C in StationsNov 30th, 2009 | 1 Comment
Any household pet disappearance is a sad event – especially if a child in the household is distressed about it. Good on these cat owners for advertising in the local neighbourhood but it looked wrong for their posters to be plastered over the shiny revamped graffiti-free Morningside station. Maybe we need community noticeboards on stations, as supermarkets have. These would give a community feel and give people something to read when trains are delayed – not that that happens often, of course! But we must discourage the plastering of posters or we will return to the days of the revamped...
read more

Welcome, Grafton: Our New Train Stop (Photos)

Posted by Jon C in StationsNov 18th, 2009 | 10 Comments
The Grafton train station – which will replace the present nearby Boston Rd station – is starting to take shape. It’s being built in Park Rd near the Park Rd bridge at the intersection of Khyber Pass Rd, Newmarket.. It means Auckland loses its odd world status as a country that has a train stop right outside a prison gate! The second track will be laid beneath the Khyber Pass and Park Rds during the Christmas and NewYear period, by which time construction on this Grafton station will be in full swing with its opening around March. The decision to call it Grafton was not without...
read more

Banking On Britomart

Posted by Jon C in StationsNov 15th, 2009 | 8 Comments
Good to see banking moving into Britomart with the arrival of a Westpac money machine, just inside the Queen St entrance. A guy seem to be struggling all day to set it up. Could this be the start of integrated ticketing? They’ll certainly need need cash machines like these on all platforms. It was pleasing to see that after 37 days the broken escalator at Britomart was fixed. I can’t wait to see how long the next one takes to fix. Good practice for the new Newmarket escalators. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Banking On Britomart", url: "http://www.aucklandtrains.co.nz/2009/11/15/banking-on-britomart/"...
read more

Grim Facts Behind Helensville Service Failing

Posted by Jon C in StationsNov 11th, 2009 | 2 Comments
Helensville:Last train Dec 24 There was no real surprise yesterday when the plug got pulled on the Helensville rail service and a closer look today shows how bad the numbers really were. A nice idea but just not enough to fly. Back in July, I was predicting it was hard to see how it would survive. But why I’m worried is that it’s happening in the prime minister’s own electorate so he will be very aware of the situation. And as the plug is pulled next month, I can see  John and good mate Steven standing around a Christmas BBQ at John’s flash Parnell mansion commenting on how the failure...
read more

Helensville – Auckland train service canned

Posted by Jon C in StationsNov 10th, 2009 | 4 Comments
The Helensville to Auckland rail service, which began as a trial on July 14 2008, is being canned through lack of support. It will end next month, just before the three week rail shutdown for all lines. There’s a possibility of a Waimauku- Auckland service instead but this has not yet been discussed. If that was agreed, it too would run as a trial. On the Helensville service, ARTA says an average of 43 passengers per day have travelled in total on the three daily services. The subsidy paid by the ratepayer and taxpayer per person per journey for this service is $45.72. This compares with a regional...
read more

Should Kingdon Come? Or Thou Shall be Gone

Posted by Jon C in StationsSep 25th, 2009 | 9 Comments
Discussions are taking place whether there’s an argument to retain Newmarket’s Kingdon St Western line temporary stop in the scheme of things, once Newmarket’s Grand Station opens mid-January. Kingdon St has been used as a temporary station while the Newmarket station and rail work has been taking place, while southern line services have used a stop nearer the new station off Remuera Rd. But some commuters are now complaining they have got used to the convenience of being able to have a stop near where they work or shop at the Newmarket end where there is a swimming pool, movie...
read more

bro’Town Station Is Very Cool But Look How Shabby the Rest Are

Posted by Jon C in StationsSep 9th, 2009 | 4 Comments
More Ant Sang bro’Town images have just appeared on the platform at Morningside train station.  This completes the wonderful transformation that I reported last week. They are such fun. Now what can we do to brighten up the shocking look of many other stations? How do we give them colour and personality? Say, as an example let’s take Penrose (below)? SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "bro’Town Station Is Very Cool But Look How Shabby the Rest Are", url: "http://www.aucklandtrains.co.nz/2009/09/09/brotown-station-is-very-cool-but-look-how-shabby-the-rest-are/" });
read more

Morningside Station Officially becomes bro’Town

Posted by Jon C in General, StationsSep 4th, 2009 | 6 Comments
Morningside officially became bro’Town this morning. In a rare creative burst to give our bland railway stations some personality, images from the popular bro’Town series arrived on the Morningside railway station platform overnight. Vale, Valea, Jeff da Māori, Sione and Mack from the series supposedly lived in Morningside with their catchphrase “Morningside4life.” Few people in Auckland had probably heard of Morningside before the series and like many Auckland suburbs it’s hard to work out where Morningside ends and Kingsland or Mt Albert as a suburb  begins. The...
read more

Now Mayor John Banks has a brilliant idea

Posted by Jon C in Breakdowns, Debate, Development, StationsJan 13th, 2009 | No Comments
Now Auckland Mayor John Banks has added his weight to the growing call for an inner city rail tunnel. Pity the present major Symonds St roadworks outside the university couldn't include a start on a rail tunnel stop Such a tunnel would solve the growing Britomart “dead end” problem – with trains having to increasingly wait before entering Britomart tunnel because there are only two lines available. Planning has begun on a tunnel from Britomart to Mt Eden via Albert St, so creating the present Britomart station as a through station rather than the final stop. This solution...
read more

Catch a train from the Strand? So says the sign!

Posted by Jon C in StationsJan 9th, 2009 | 2 Comments
You can catch a train from the old railway station at the Strand during peak times. So says this sign -significantly detached from reality. It’s hanging at the old Auckland Railway Station in Beach Rd. Goodness knows what sign it’s covering up. After all the years Britomart has been opened, you would think at least someone could afford a decent looking sign – not this tale of two halves that doesn’t even cover the space behind it. The building still says it’s Auckland’s Railway Station – and not what it has been used for since 1999 – student apartments...
read more