Highland Park Tram Shelter (Former), Wadestown

Highland Park tram stop

Intersection of Sefton Street and Lennel Road, Wadestown, Wellington
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Image: Charles Collins (2015)
Image: Charles Collins (2015)
Cityview GIS 2013
Cityview GIS 2013
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  • Constructed

    c.1918

  • Architect(s)

    Unknown

  • Builder(s)

  • This small concrete and timber former tram shelter has architectural / aesthetic value for its carefully proportioned exterior, the quality of its construction materials, and the ornamentation that was used to enrich this otherwise utilitarian building.

    This former tram shelter is one of a group that were designed as a response to the local climate and use local vernacular elements including timber ornamentation. They have strong townscape value for their contribution to the character and sense of place of Wellington.

    This former tram shelter has representative historic value for its association with the era when electric trams were the main form of public transport in Wellington.

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  • close History
    • Trams were the main form of public transport in Wellington from 1878 to 1964, and their use and development has had a major impact on the planning and growth of the city and suburbs. Although a limited service of horse-drawn trams had operated in the city from 1866, and a short-lived steam tram service from 1878 – 1882, it was the electrification of the tram service that led to the expansion of Wellington’s suburbs in the early years of the 20th century. 

      In 1903 the Melrose Borough Council (that included Roseneath, Hataitai, Kilbirnie, Lyall Bay, Island Bay, Melrose, Ohiro Bay, Happy Valley, Brooklyn and Kelburn) merged with the Wellington City Council to form a much enlarged metropolitan area. The union of the two local authorities was a catalyst to urban expansion into many previously predominantly rural suburbs. Development of these suburbs relied on reliable and affordable public transport to the city, but the existing (horse-drawn) tram network had insufficient capacity to meet the needs of suburban commuters. Wellington City negotiated the purchase of Wellington’s tram service in 1900 and formed the Wellington City Tramways Department in that year. It built a power station to produce electricity, laid tram-tracks and overhead wires and built tram-stops and shelters. In 1904 the electric tram system ran a short service to Newtown, a main route through the city followed and by 1907 trams ran through the Hataitai (Pirie Street) tunnel to Kilbirnie, through Berhampore to Island Bay, and up to Brooklyn and Karori. By 1911 extensions were laid to Karori Park and up to Wadestown. 

      The Miramar Borough Council ran a parallel tram service on the Miramar Peninsular and built its own power station, track and lines, tram shelters and the Seatoun tunnel. The Miramar Borough Council amalgamated with the Wellington City Council in February 1921 and Miramar’s tram infrastructure was integrated into the Wellington City tram network at about this time.  

      Tram routes were gradually replaced with bus services from the late 1940s onwards and the last tram service ran in 1964. In recent years the older timber bus and tram shelters have been slowly replaced with modern ‘Adshel’ or Adshel-style glazed shelters that are presumably simpler to maintain, and provide advertising revenue to off-set construction and maintenance costs.  The older timber structures require ongoing maintenance and can be a focus for vandalism and anti-social behaviour. In 2010 a Wellington City Council spokesman noted that 

      ‘The design of the old wooden shelters not only hampers the visibility of people waiting inside, but also provides a private area for people to engage in anti-social behaviour such as drinking and urinating…’ 

      While critics of the Adshel style bus shelters note that the smaller modern shelters offer less protection from the often inclement Wellington weather, than the older traditional shelters.


      Highland Park Tram Shelter, cnr Oban Street, Lennel Road and Sefton Street, Wadestown (c.1918).

      The Wadestown tramway was built from 1910-1911. The route to Wadestown was circuitous and steep, and required the construction of a deep cutting to form Hosking Terrace (probably now the Lennel Road continuation) between Barnard and Sefton Streets.  The opening of the line was delayed when vital equipment was lost at sea with the sinking of the ‘SS Maori’ and in a fire aboard the ‘SS Parisiana.’ The tram infrastructure to Wadestown was an expensive investment for the city and the council attempted to raise additional funds from Wadestown residents via their rates. This rates increase was unpopular and a Court of Appeal ruling in 1916 saw the council refund approximately half of the rates taken from Wadestown residents in the previous year.  

      This decision to appeal the rates increase may have had an effect on the provision of further tram-way infrastructure in the suburb. In 1917 there was a request for a small shelter shed to be built at the existing Highland Park tram-stop at the intersection of Sefton Street and Hosking Terrace.   Mr Harold Beauchamp wrote to the mayor and noted that "I know of no bleaker or more wind-swept spot than the tram stopping-place at Highland Park, Wadestown...’ the writer also noted the ‘unpopularity’ of Wadestown with the city councillors– presumably as a consequence of the court-case in 1916. The request for the shelter was refused in June 1917,   but in 1918 the council offered to build a shelter if Wadestown residents made a contribution of £30 towards construction costs.  It is assumed that the Highland Park tram shelter was built at around this time. 

      The shelter was relocated in 1931, presumably when the section of Hosking Terrace (now known as Lennel Road) between Sefton and Barnard Streets was widened to allow for double tram tracks.  It seems likely that the concrete ‘plinth’ was rebuilt at this time. This section of the tramway was closed to cars and pedestrians until the tram service was replaced with buses in 1949.  It is now the main transport route from the city to Wadestown for all vehicles.

  • close Architectural Information
    • Building Classification(s) close

      Not assessed

    • Architecture close

      This group of five small tram shelters were constructed during the period when trams were the quintessential method of travel in Wellington. The shelters range in known construction date from 1904 to the 1940s and these dates coincide with the construction of the electric tram network to the start of the electric trolley bus era. The shelters share some characteristics. They were all designed as simple rectangular shelters with an open door or archway to the street. All have a pitched roof, now covered in corrugated mild steel, and all have some timber elements, typically timber roof structure, timber decorative elements including eaves brackets, and t&g panelling.  

      The Highland Park, Wadestown tram shelter is a small rectangular building built on a concrete plinth. The timberwork above dado level is likely to date from c.1918 and the concrete plinth from 1931 when the shelter was moved. The steeply pitched corrugated mild steel roof has wide eaves that are supported on curved eaves brackets. The archway to the door opening is framed in stylised timber fretwork. 

    • Materials close
    • Setting close
  • close Cultural Value

    This small concrete and timber former tram shelter has architectural / aesthetic value for its carefully proportioned exterior, the quality of its construction materials, and the ornamentation that was used to enrich this otherwise utilitarian building.

    This former tram shelter is one of a group that were designed as a response to the local climate and use local vernacular elements including timber ornamentation. They have strong townscape value for their contribution to the character and sense of place of Wellington.

    This former tram shelter has representative historic value for its association with the era when electric trams were the main form of public transport in Wellington.

    • Aesthetic Value close

      • Architectural

        Does the item have architectural or artistic value for characteristics that may include its design, style, era, form, scale, materials, colour, texture, patina of age, quality of space, craftsmanship, smells, and sounds?

        This group of small (generally) timber framed former tram shelters/bus shelters each have architectural / aesthetic value for their carefully proportioned exteriors, the quality of their construction materials, and the use of ornamentation and decorative elements that were used to enrich these otherwise utilitarian buildings. The shelters were designed to enclose and protect tram passengers from the sometimes inclement Wellington weather, and most continue to serve this function well.

      • Townscape

        Does the item have townscape value for the part it plays in defining a space or street; providing visual interest; its role as a landmark; or the contribution it makes to the character and sense of place of Wellington?

        The shelters were designed as a response to the local climate and use local vernacular elements including timber ornamentation. They have strong townscape value for their contribution to the character and sense of place of Wellington. 

      • Group

        Is the item part of a group of buildings, structures, or sites that taken together have coherence because of their age, history, style, scale, materials, or use?

        The five shelters that include the Cambridge Terrace Bus Shelter, the Miramar Avenue Tram Shelter, the Oriental Bay Terminus Tram Shelter, the Oriental Parade Central Bus Shelter, and the Highland Park Tram Shelter have strong group value as a set of shelters that were built in the years when electric trams were the main form of mass transportation in Wellington. The shelters range in age from 1904 (the beginning of the electric tram era), to the early 1940s (when trolley buses began to replace trams). 

    • Historic Value close

      • Association

        Is the item associated with an important historic event, theme, pattern, phase, or activity?

        The group of five shelters have representative historic value for their association with the era when electric trams were the main form of public transport in Wellington.

    • Scientific Value close

      • Archaeological

        Does the item have archaeological value for its ability to provide scientific information about past human activity?

        Cambridge Terrace Bus Shelter, the Oriental Bay Terminus Tram Shelter and the Oriental Parade Central Bus Shelter are all within NZAA R27/270, although the Cambridge Terrace Bus Shelter was recently relocated to this site.  

    • Social Value close

      • Identity - Sense of Place - Continuity

        Is the item a focus of community, regional, or national identity? Does the item contribute to sense of place or continuity?

        The shelters were designed as a response to the local climate and use local vernacular elements including timber ornamentation. They have strong townscape value for their contribution to the character and sense of place of Wellington. 

    • Level of Cultural Heritage Significance close

      • Rare

        Is the item rare, unique, unusual, seminal, influential, or outstanding?

        This group of shelters are a remnant of the traditional style timber shelters that are currently under threat of replacement.

      • Representative

        Is the item a good example of the class it represents?

        This group of five shelters are a representative sample of former tram shelters from 1904 – the early 1940s. 

    • Local / Regional / National / International Importance close

      Not assessed

  • close Site Detail

    • District Plan Number

      15/ 392

    • Legal Description

      None

    • Heritage New Zealand Listed

      Not listed

    • Archaeological Site

      Unknown risk

    • Current Uses

      unknown

    • Former Uses

      unknown

    • Has building been funded

      No

    • Funding Amount

      Not applicable

    • Earthquake Prone Status

      Unknown

  • close Additional Information

Last updated: 7/6/2017 4:50:25 AM