Page 228 - DK Eyewitness Travel Guides - The World's Must-See Places

226 AUSTRALASIA Dunedin Railway Station

One of New Zealand's finest historic buildings, Dunedin
Railway Station is also one of the best examples of railroad
. '
Auckland •
architecture in the southern hemisphere. Although not
TASMAW SEA large by international standards, the station's delightful
proportions lend it an air of grandeur. It was designed in
.~ellington
the Flemish Renaissance style (Renaissance Style, see p.131)
NEW ZEALAND
PAC/ FIC by New Zealand Railways architect George Troup, whose
•ch r;stchu rch oc EAW
detailing on the outside of the building earned him the
DUNEDIN RAILWAY
STATION
Frieze with <herub nickname II Gingerbread George. II
and foliage
BEGINNING OF DUNEDIN'S RAILWAY
In the early 1860s, gold was discovered in FLOOR RESTORATION Turret
Dunedin and miners poured into the region. This provides a visual
By 1956, the original floor had counterbalance to the
The money go I d brought in ensured that, for
subsided dramatically. Exact main clock tower.
a time, Dunedin was the commercial capital replica mosaics had to be laid on
of New Zealand and railroads were built to a new concrete foundation in
transport the growing population. The first order to alleviate the p rob I em.
rail journey, with the new" Josephine" trains,
was from Dunedin to Port Chalmers on
September 10, 1872. In 1875, a second station
was built in Dunedin to ease the busy first ~ Exterior
one; a third foil owed in 1879. The number of stonework
passengers continued to grow, so Dunedin
Railway Station was commissioned.

AN ARCHITECTURAL CHALLENGE
The construction of Dunedin Rai lvvay Station
was a great feat of engineering. Built on the Dormer Windows __ _::S~~~~~~tij~
foundations of the old harbor, iron-bark piles
Projecting from the
had to be driven deep into the reclaimed land sloping gable roof, these
to prevent flooding. George Troup used a are typical Flemish
number of railroad staff, whom he had trained architectural features.
in the art of stonemasonry, to help build the
station. Machinery, including cranes, was
loaned by New Zealand Railways for use during
the building work to reduce costs. It is believed KEY DATES
that New Zealand's first electrically driven
1906 1956 1994 1996--98
concrete mixer was used in the station's
construction. Costing f 12 0, 500, the station Dunedin Station The station's The station is sold The exterior
is officially cbck tower is to Dunedin City 9.onevv'Ork is
was seven times I arger than its predecessor,
opened by New restored. Council for a cleaned and
Dunedin's third station, built in the late 1800s. Zealand's prime nominal sum. space is created
minister. for a garden.
THE DESIGN OF DUNEDIN STATION
George Troup (1863-1941) arrived in New
Zealand in 1884, after emigrating from Y Front view of Dunedin Railway Station
Scotland foil owing an apprenticeship in
architectural design. He quickly secured a job Y Exterior Stonework
with New Zealand Railways in Dunedin, where Beige Oamaru I imes tone detailing provides
a striking contrast to the darker Central
he was employed to design bridges and
Otago blueston e on the walls and the finely
stations. He was soon promoted to head of polished Aberdeen granite of the columns.
the architectural branch, and while working
in this new role he designed Dunedin Railway
Station. No expense was spared to create this
magnificent building. The roof is adorned
with red Marseille tiles, while the exterior
stonework features lavish, ornate detailing-
referred to as "Gingerbread style." Inside, the
mosaic floor is covered with decorative tiles,
some of which feature images of railroad
engines, wheels, signals, and wagons.