New Lynn railway station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New Lynn
Auckland Transport Urban rail
A train in the new station in 2010, before it had electric power.
Location	New Lynn
Coordinates	36°54.6′S 174°41.0′E / 36.9100°S 174.6833°E / -36.9100; 174.6833
Owned by	KiwiRail (track and platforms) Auckland Transport (buildings)
Line(s)	Western Line
Platforms	Island platform
Tracks	Mainline (2)
Construction
Platform levels	1
Parking	Yes
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Other information
Station code	NLY
History
Opened	1880
Rebuilt	2008
Electrified	25 kV AC
Traffic
Passengers (CY 2018)	1,520,640
Services
Preceding station   MAXX (Veolia)   Following station Avondale toward Britomart Western Line Fruitvale Road toward Swanson

Wall panels in the trench show off the land's shape and New Lynn's history with clay and pottery.

The New Lynn railway station is a busy train station in New Lynn, New Zealand. It's part of Auckland's train network, called the Western Line. This station is special because it's also a transport hub, meaning you can easily switch between trains and buses here. The station was rebuilt and opened again on 25 September 2010, with the tracks placed in a special trench underground. It's also super close to LynnMall, a big shopping centre!

History of the Station

The New Lynn station first opened way back in March 1880. It was one of the very first stations on the North Auckland train line.

Moving the Station

In March 1983, the Auckland Regional Authority decided to move the station. They wanted it closer to the bus station and away from a busy road intersection. Sadly, the old station building was pulled down in August 1987. This happened after it was damaged by vandals.

Building the New Station

In December 2006, the government approved a big project. This project would add a second track between New Lynn and Avondale. It also included building a new station and a special trench for the tracks. This whole project cost about $120 million.

The new trench is 1 kilometre long and 8 metres deep. Putting the tracks underground means trains no longer block the busy road intersection. This helps traffic flow better and makes the area safer.

In March 2008, the old station platform was removed. A temporary platform was built so trains could keep running during the trench construction.

Trains in the Trench

On 1 March 2010, trains started running through the new trench on a single track. A special moment happened on 29 April 2010. The first steam train, called Ja 1275, travelled through the trench on its way to Whangārei.

By 8 June 2010, both tracks in the trench were ready. This finished the Western Line Double Tracking Project. The new station was officially opened on 24 September 2010. The Governor-General of New Zealand, Sir Anand Satyanand, was there for the opening.

Between April and June 2012, the station got even more improvements. New shelters were added, including a glass-covered stairwell. This was because so many people were using the station!

The Rail Trench Project

In the late 2000s, local leaders wanted to make the train network better. They decided to build a special new station at New Lynn. This plan included putting the train tracks and the station into a deep trench.

Why a Trench?

Before the trench, train tracks crossed busy roads at ground level. When trains passed, they would block traffic, causing big delays. With more trains planned, this problem would only get worse. The trench helps cars drive over the train lines without stopping.

How the Trench Was Built

Building the trench was a big challenge. The ground in New Lynn is soft and wet. To make sure nearby buildings weren't damaged, special walls called "diaphragm walls" were built. These walls are up to 16 metres deep. Workers used special cranes and experts from other countries to build them.

The project involved moving the railway line and roads many times. This was called the most difficult part of Auckland's DART railway development plan. The wet ground even caused delays and changes to the building plans.

Bus Services at New Lynn

New Lynn station is a transport hub, so many bus routes connect here. You can easily switch from a train to a bus. The following bus routes travel via the bus-train interchange right next to the station: 14T, 14W, 18, 22N, 24B, 24R, 68, 107, 138, 152, 154, 161, 162, 170, 171, 172, 186, 195 and 670.