New Lynn Train Station
Encyclopedia
New Lynn Train Station is on the Western Line of the Auckland railway network, New Zealand
, and is part of an integrated transport centre where transfers can be made to and from bus services. A redeveloped station in a new rail trench was opened on 25 September 2010. LynnMall, a major shopping mall, is close by.
d from rail to enable vehicle traffic to pass over the line. Before the trenching works, the level crossings in the town centre were often blocked by passing trains, leading to substantial congestion, which would have only increased with more train services.
The new rail trench and associated sunken station were to be constructed with up to 16m deep diaphragm walls
using specially imported cranes and specialists. This was required due to the unstable, water-logged soils and the need to avoid settlement damage to close-by buildings. The procedure to construct the 1 km of trench (with finished depth of up to 8m) involved multiple temporary shifts of the railway line and of various associated roads, and was called the most difficult part of the DART railway development program in Auckland. Wet ground conditions had also forced a redesign of the trench methods, and delayed the project start by six months.
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...
, and is part of an integrated transport centre where transfers can be made to and from bus services. A redeveloped station in a new rail trench was opened on 25 September 2010. LynnMall, a major shopping mall, is close by.
History
- 1983, March: The Auckland Regional Authority decided to relocate New Lynn station east, closer to the bus station, despite the uncertain future of Auckland suburban services.
- 1987, August: The old station building was demolished after vandals broke in and damaged it.
- 2006, December: Double-tracking between New Lynn and Avondale was approved by the central government; the $120 million package included a 1 km long, 8m deep trench to carry the tracks through the centre of New Lynn and a new double-platform station.
- 2008, March: The old station platform was demolished and a temporary platform constructed to make way for the rail trench earthworks.
- 2010, March 1: Trains began running in the trench on a single track.
- 2010, April 29: The first steam train ran in the trench, Ja 1275NZR JA classThe NZR JA class were a type of 4-8-2 steam locomotive used on the New Zealand railway network. The class was built in two batches, with the second batch possessing some differences from the first...
on the Northlander to WhangareiWhangareiWhangarei, pronounced , is the northernmost city in New Zealand and the regional capital of Northland Region. Although commonly classified as a city, it is officially part of the Whangarei District, administered by the Whangarei District Council a local body created in 1989 to administer both the...
. - 2010, June 8: Trains began running through the trench on two tracks, completing the Western Line Double Tracking Project.
- 2010, September 24: The station was officially opened by the Governor-GeneralGovernor-General of New ZealandThe Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
Sir Anand SatyanandAnand SatyanandSir Anand Satyanand, GNZM, QSO, KStJ was the 19th Governor-General of New Zealand. He previously worked as a lawyer, judge and ombudsman.-Early life and family:...
.
Rail trench
In the late 2000s, local and regional government, as part of the revitalising of the regional rail commuter network, decided to build a new "feature station" at New Lynn, which included sinking the tracks and station into a trench. Road was grade-separateGrade separation
Grade separation is the method of aligning a junction of two or more transport axes at different heights so that they will not disrupt the traffic flow on other transit routes when they cross each other. The composition of such transport axes does not have to be uniform; it can consist of a...
d from rail to enable vehicle traffic to pass over the line. Before the trenching works, the level crossings in the town centre were often blocked by passing trains, leading to substantial congestion, which would have only increased with more train services.
The new rail trench and associated sunken station were to be constructed with up to 16m deep diaphragm walls
Slurry wall
A slurry wall is a technique used to build reinforced-concrete walls in areas of soft earth close to open water or with a high ground water table. This technique is typically used to build diaphragm walls surrounding tunnels and open cuts, and to lay foundations.A trench is excavated to create a...
using specially imported cranes and specialists. This was required due to the unstable, water-logged soils and the need to avoid settlement damage to close-by buildings. The procedure to construct the 1 km of trench (with finished depth of up to 8m) involved multiple temporary shifts of the railway line and of various associated roads, and was called the most difficult part of the DART railway development program in Auckland. Wet ground conditions had also forced a redesign of the trench methods, and delayed the project start by six months.