43563
Cairns Railway Station, in central Cairns, Queensland, Australia.
It serves as the terminus of the North Coast line from Brisbane, for the Tablelands railway line to the Atherton Tableland, the Kuranda Scenic Railway and the Savannahlander Railway Line. The station has two platforms. It is integrated with the Cairns Central Shopping Centre, with the platforms being built underneath parking areas.
The original station was built in 1891, as part of the opening of the first stage of the Tablelands railway to Atherton Tableland, extended over many years to many branches, serving timber, mining, pastoral and tobacco resources. The station building was two-storey timber, with ornate verandahs: typical of tropical architecture of the era.
The 1897 Mulgrave Shire Tramway headed south, was extended, then was absorbed into the North Coast Railway, connecting Brisbane to Cairns via many coastal towns which had hitherto been ports for railways to the hinterland. That route was completed in 1924, and Cairns became a major tourist destination, the line was known as the Sunshine Route.
After years of WWII and postwar austerity, the Queensland Railways Department embarked on improvements in the early 1950s. New airconditioned trains were added on key routes: the Brisbane - Cairns one was named The Sunlander. Cairns railway station was rebuilt in 1955: two storey cream brick of modern design.
As well as the Brisbane trains, the station served regional and commuter trains south and inland: mainly railmotors of three vintages, plus some mixed trains. These were withdrawn progressively.
The extensive yards and loco facilities opposite the station were closed and dismantled to release the site for redevelopment. Surviving freight and servicing facilities were relocated to be adjacent to the cargo port. The current station was opened by the Minister for Transport Vaughan Johnson in 1996 on the side of the site opposite the August 1955 station.
Information Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairns_railway_station
43563
Cairns Railway Station, in central Cairns, Queensland, Australia.
It serves as the terminus of the North Coast line from Brisbane, for the Tablelands railway line to the Atherton Tableland, the Kuranda Scenic Railway and the Savannahlander Railway Line. The station has two platforms. It is integrated with the Cairns Central Shopping Centre, with the platforms being built underneath parking areas.
The original station was built in 1891, as part of the opening of the first stage of the Tablelands railway to Atherton Tableland, extended over many years to many branches, serving timber, mining, pastoral and tobacco resources. The station building was two-storey timber, with ornate verandahs: typical of tropical architecture of the era.
The 1897 Mulgrave Shire Tramway headed south, was extended, then was absorbed into the North Coast Railway, connecting Brisbane to Cairns via many coastal towns which had hitherto been ports for railways to the hinterland. That route was completed in 1924, and Cairns became a major tourist destination, the line was known as the Sunshine Route.
After years of WWII and postwar austerity, the Queensland Railways Department embarked on improvements in the early 1950s. New airconditioned trains were added on key routes: the Brisbane - Cairns one was named The Sunlander. Cairns railway station was rebuilt in 1955: two storey cream brick of modern design.
As well as the Brisbane trains, the station served regional and commuter trains south and inland: mainly railmotors of three vintages, plus some mixed trains. These were withdrawn progressively.
The extensive yards and loco facilities opposite the station were closed and dismantled to release the site for redevelopment. Surviving freight and servicing facilities were relocated to be adjacent to the cargo port. The current station was opened by the Minister for Transport Vaughan Johnson in 1996 on the side of the site opposite the August 1955 station.
Information Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairns_railway_station