Auckland Underground

The need for improved Auckland public transport occupied civic minds for decades. Various reports and plans produced from the 1920s to the 1970s include photographs of buildings potentially threatened by the construction of underground rail lines. These archives can be viewed on request in the reading room at our Auckland branch.

Reports produced during the last century with a view to improving Auckland’s transport systems include:

  • In the 1920s the Merc & McLelland Report (mentioned in BABJ A680/75)

  • The 1949 Halcrow & Thomas Report (BBAD 1054/991a)

  • The 1965 De Leuw Cather Report (summary report in BAEI 10003/356c)

Detailed planning and investigation work was undertaken in response to each of these reports.

In 1928-1929 detailed plans were drawn up for a rail link known as the Auckland Morningside deviation. The route began on the main trunk line station on Beach Road, and then went underneath the central business district to Morningside on the North-Western route to Kumeu. In 1946 RH Packwood, Auckland District Engineer wrote “The Morningside Deviation was first projected over 30 years ago” and “The existing passenger station [at Beach Road] was sited ….with the Morningside Deviation in view.” (BAEI 10003/269g)

Following the 1949 report, a Master Transport Plan for Metropolitan Auckland was developed by the Auckland Regional Planning Authority. The priority for railway construction under the plan was the Auckland Morningside deviation. This would take a similar, but not identical, route to the 1928/29 plan. During 1952 and 1953 an investigation of buildings along the proposed route was undertaken looking at condition, type of foundation and value.

In 1968 an Auckland Rapid Transit [ART] committee was formed to investigate railway solutions to Auckland’s transport problems. Detailed planning was done and investigations completed. It was decided that the priority was for a city underground line to be constructed in two phases: Auckland mainline station to the Civic Centre first, then under Karangahape Road to Newmarket (a similar route to the Auckland Morningside deviation).

Again, as part of the investigations, photographs were taken of some of the buildings along this route. There would be a system of bus services linked to the rail services, trains would run with a minimum off-peak frequency of ten minutes, and fares would be based on a zone structure, with ticket transfer between bus and rail. The ART was disbanded on 31 March 1976.

This is a selection of images taken from the records of these three schemes. The majority are from the records of the former Auckland Rapid Transit organisation (A680). The 1953 photographs are in schedule number order within each file [sch.]

A plan showing proposed underground station in Auckland

Auckland Morningside deviation

Reference: BABJ A681/F403/11832

A map showing average daily traffic flows in Auckland

Average daily metropolitan traffic flows

Reference: BABJ A680/5/13

A map showing the proposed route for Morningside deviation

Proposed route for Morningside deviation

Reference: BABJ A680/5/13

A sepia photo showing the corner of the South British Insurance Company building

South British Insurance Company

Reference: BABJ A680/1 /1 [sch.39]

A sepia photo showing Sharland's Chemists from the road

Sharland's Chemists

Reference: BABJ A680/1 /1 [sch.41]

Sepia photo of a building from the street

Gordon's Building

Reference: BABJ A680/1/1 [sch.45]

A sepia shot of a building from the street

Albert House

Reference: BABJ A680/1/1 [sch.60]

Sepia photo of a factory from the street

EJ Kelley & Co

Reference: BABJ A680/1/2 [sch.68]

Sepia photo from the street of a three story building

60 - 62 Greys Avenue

Reference: BABJ A680/1/3 [sch.122]

Sepia photo of a hotel from the street

Naval and Family Hotel

Reference: BABJ A680/1/3 [sch.145]

Sepia photo of a building from the street

Polynesian Dance Hall

Reference: BABJ A680/1/3 [sch.146]

Sepia photo of a building from the street

Turner Furnishing and Read Bros, Jewellers

Reference: BABJ A680/1/3 [sch.151]

Sepia photo of a house from the street

8 Oxford Street

Reference: BABj A680/2/4 [sch.174]

Map showing proposed rapid transit network

Proposed rapid transit network

Reference: BABJ A680/56bc

Diagram showing proposed underground station

Section of proposed underground station

Reference: BABJ A680/58bu

Sketched plans for a downtown station

Downtown station

Reference: BABJ A680/89an

A sketch plain showing the side and floor of a train

Auckland Rapid Transit

Reference: BABJ A680/69an

Black and white photo showing the front of a tall building

Station Hotel

Reference: BABJ A680/19/81

Sepia photo showing the corner of a building from the street

Dilworth Building

Reference: BABJ A680/19/70 no.76

Sepia photo of building from the street

Great Northern Hotel

Reference: BABJ A680/19/70 no.74

Black and white photo of a building from the street

Custom House

Reference: BABJ A680/19/70 no.14

Black and white photo of a building from the street

Turners and Growers Building

Reference: BABJ A680/19/70 no.3

Black and white image of Auckland Town Hall from the street

Auckland Town Hall

Reference: BABJ A680/19/70 no.7

Black and white photo of the Civic Theatre from the street

Civic Theatre

Reference: BABJ A680/19/70 no.14

Sepia photo of a department store from the street

Smith and Caughey

Reference: BABJ A680/19/70 no.2

Black and white image of a number of buildings with the silhouette of a tree

Waterloo Quadrant

Reference: BABJ A680/19/70

Black and white image of a large building from the street

Courtville House

Reference: BABJ A680/19/70

Black and white image of a road with cars, buses and a man crossing it

Karangahape Road south side

Reference: BABJ A680/19/70