Can you imagine a train station travelling thousands of miles? The Old Johannesburg Station has done just that. This grand old lady of Johannesburg’s history has a fascinating story to tell. Let’s step back in time to 1896. The Old Johannesburg Station, then known simply as Park Station, first opened its doors to the public in 1897. Commissioned by the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek, the station was designed by Dutch architect Jacob Frederik Klinkhamer and fabricated in the Netherlands. This makes the station a unique piece of South African history with international roots. It represents one of the oldest surviving structures in Johannesburg.
The station’s construction was a marvel of prefabricated architecture. It arrived in pieces, shipped from Rotterdam to Cape Town, then transported inland to its original site about a kilometer east of its current location. The Old Johannesburg Station epitomized the Industrial Age, mirroring the technology of the railways with its replicated iron components and rhythmic bays. The engineering allowed for a lofty structure with minimal supports, providing unobstructed platform views for passenger safety. This design also facilitated the flexible arrangement of kiosks under the central canopy.
But the journey of the Old Johannesburg Station didn’t end there. In 1952, to make way for the redevelopment of the Park Station complex, the entire structure was dismantled and moved 45km to Esselenpark. It served as part of a Transnet railway training college. Then, in 1993, it was again dismantled and relocated another 45km to its current home in Newtown. This gives Old Johannesburg Station the unique distinction of being one of the most well-travelled structures in the world, having journeyed approximately 15,250km!
The Old Johannesburg Station witnessed key moments in South African history. It was the departure point for soldiers heading to the Anglo-Boer War and both World Wars. It welcomed dignitaries like the British Royal Family in 1947. It even played a role in the life of Mahatma Gandhi, who used the station during his time in South Africa and was once forced to walk from the station to the Old Fort prison.
Sadly, the Old Johannesburg Station is incomplete. Nine of its original twenty-one bays remain at Esselenpark. Imagine the grandeur of the full structure, stretching across its elevated podium. The station stands as a silent witness to Newtown’s transformation. From an area of informal settlements ravaged by the plague in 1904, to a bustling industrial hub, and now a cultural precinct. The Old Johannesburg Station embodies the spirit of Johannesburg, a city constantly evolving and reinventing itself. It stands as a reminder of the past, a testament to the ingenuity of its creators, and a hopeful symbol for the future. Its story, like the city it serves, continues to unfold.