The closure of the supermarket at Wellington’s majestic railway station is by no means the first amenity to go.
The railway station used to have tea rooms, a nursery and even a barber’s shop.
It was designed as a place for travellers to rest and get what they needed before travelling on, all amongst the magnificent art deco setting.
The station itself is a heritage-listed building and can’t be changed without much consultation.
But it’s not the first railway station Wellington had. That was built at Pipitea Point and on earthquake-reclaimed land. The train line then ran right down Featherston Street. The first station was pulled north of huge rollers to a site on Featherston Street.
There were a series of smaller stations after that until in 1929, Wellington architect William Gray Young was selected to design a grand new station.
Gray Young was born in Oamaru, the son of a Scottish watchmaker and jewellery retailer Matthew Gray Young and his wife Agnes Anderson Barclay. Matthew and his family moved to Wellington in the 1890’s, and William attended Wellington College before going on to the architectural firm of Crichton and McKay.
He made his mark early, winning the competition to design Knox College in Dunedin.
Gray Young married Irene Deans Webster in 1913. They had three daughters and one son.
He was judged unfit for military service for World War One so continued to practise.
His buildings are noted for their neo-georgian and neo-classical styles.
The list includes Wellington Technical College in 1919, the Wellesley Club, the Easterfield building at Victoria University, Scots College, what is now called Trekkers hotel, the home of Plunket found Sir Truby King, the old Boy’s Institute (Now Third Eye), Whanganui Collegiate, the Indonesian Embassy and the Carter Observatory.
In 1929, he began work designing Wellington’s magnificent historic railway station. By then he had his own firm of Gray Young, Morton and Young. The second Young was his younger brother Jack.
The new station was opened in 1937 by the Governor General.. He was paid a 4% fee based on the originally estimated cost of £470,000.
Gray Young also designed Christchurch’s railway station in 1938 - although it was not built until 1960.
When Wellington’s Railway Station was opened it was then New Zealand’s largest building with its impressive columns and beautiful ceiling.
Inside were waiting rooms and toilets, a large dining room, a barber shop, book and fruit stalls, kitchen and a first aid room. There was a nursery on the top floor to allow parents to leave their children while they shopped or waited for their train. A possible mail room was not built to help keep the cost down.
Over time, all the shops and amenities were closed down.
1500 tons of decorative Hanmer and Whangarei granite and marble were used to clad the interior and the entranceway. 2500 gallons of paint were used. The roof was clad in Marseille tiles.
The station has its own roll of honour of 450 railway workers who lost their lives in World War One.
Gray Young was also both the president of the New Zealand Institute of Architects and of the Wellington Rotary Club.
He died on April 21, 1962 and was cremated at Karori Cemetery.​