File:Wellington Railway Station Opening (1937) (9078131385).jpg

Wellington Railway Station opened to the public on 19 June 1937. The station was built on reclaimed land by the firm Fletcher Construction. The contract awarded to Fletcher Construction was at time the largest building contract let in New Zealand. The project manger for this monumental task was a 26 year old by the name of Joe Craig. Under his leadership the project was delivered successfully and generated a healthy profit for Fletcher Construction. Joe Craig went on to become the Managing Director of Fletcher Construction in 1954. As well as building Railway Stations, Fletcher Construction were involved in other major projects such as building several departments at Victoria University, Wellington and the brewing tower at the Tui Brewery.

The station copes with large daily passenger numbers with very little alteration having proved necessary. In its first year, 7,600 passengers made 15,200 trips on 140 trains daily. In the 1960s it was estimated that over 42,000 people used the station each day. Today, 29,000 passengers make 44,000 trips on 390 trains, excluding long-distance services. This photo album ended up at Archives New Zealand as part of a transfer from the New Zealand Railways Corporation Lower Hutt Office. The signature that appears on the inside cover of the album may relate to a James Peter Munro who was serving in Fletcher Construction Company at the time the station was built. The full album has been digitised and is available on Archway at the following link: archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=19600396

ABIN W3337 256 (R19600396)

Additional Information from Jack Smith, No Job Too Big (Steele Roberts, 2009)