Kingston railway station, Jamaica

Kingston
Kingston railway terminus, front elevation.
Coordinates	17°58′08″N 76°47′49″W / 17.968773°N 76.797009°W / 17.968773; -76.797009Coordinates: 17°58′08″N 76°47′49″W / 17.968773°N 76.797009°W / 17.968773; -76.797009
Owned by	Jamaica Railway Corporation
Line(s)	Kingston to Montego Bay main line Spanish Town to Ewarton branch line Bog Walk to Port Antonio branch line May Pen to Frankfield branch line
Platforms	Single platform terminus
Tracks	One
History
Opened	1845
Closed	1992-10[1]
Location
Kingston

Kingston railway terminus was built in the Jamaica Georgian architectural style using brick.^[2] It was constructed on a grand scale, symbolising its importance as the main terminus of the Jamaica railways.^[2] It has prominent arcades on both levels of the east entrance end.^[2] Victorian cast iron brackets support the roof overhang on the trackside.^[2] It has sash windows on the ground and upper floors.^[2]

It was opened in 1845 and closed in 1992.^[1] It provided rail services to Montego Bay, Port Antonio, Ewarton and Frankfield. In addition to the station and its single platform there were extensive sidings, engine sheds, engine repair works, a roundhouse, a turntable, a traverser and a connection to the nearby railway piers.^[3]

One source claims it was "utterly destroyed" in the 1907 Kingston earthquake.^[4] However, in 2003 it was reported as being in "very good condition" and needing only "minor repairs".^[5]

It is on the list of designated National Heritage Sites in Jamaica.

See also

• Railway stations in Jamaica

Looking out of Kingston railway terminus along the permanent way from near the buffers.

References

1. 1 2 The rise and fall of railways in Jamaica, 1845-1975 - Pg18 Journal of Transport History - March 2003
2. 1 2 3 4 5 Kingston Railway Station, Jamaica National Heritage Trust.
3. ↑ UK Directorate of Overseas Surveys 1:10,000 map of Kingston, Sheet 3 (19??).
4. ↑ Jamaica Earthquake 1907, Michael Rego after The Daily Telegraph, St. John, N. B., Saturday Morning, January 19, 1907.
5. ↑ Table 3.4 Location and Condition of Railway Stations, Annual Transport Statistics Report: Jamaica in Figures 2003-2004, Ministry of Transport and Works, July 2005.

External links

• Aerial view.
• Photos:
  • Kingston railway station c1905.
  • Kingston railway station c2000.
  • Front and back of a used first class Kingston to Montego Bay passenger ticket of 1968.
  • Front and back of a used second class Kingston to Spanish Town passenger ticket of 1949.

Railways of Jamaica
Passenger lines	Kingston to Montego Bay Spanish Town to Ewarton Bog Walk to Port Antonio Linstead to New Works May Pen to Frankfield
Stations	List of railway stations in Jamaica Ailford's halt Albany Anchovy Angels halt Annotto Bay Appleton Appleton Tourist halt Balaclava Baughs halt Belfield halt Bog Walk Breadnut Walk halt Bryan's Hill Buff Bay Bushy Park halt Cambridge Catadupa Chapelton Clarendon Park Comfort Hall halt Crawle halt Crescent halt Crooked River Cross Roads/Ivy Store Darling Spring halt Duck Pond halt Esher Ewarton Fort George halt Fort Stewart halt Four Paths Frankfield Gordon’s halt Grange Lane Grays Inn halt Greenvale Greenwich Town halt Gregory Park Grove Place halt Harewood halt Hartlands halt Highgate Hope Bay Horizon Park halt Hunts Bay halt Ipswich Jacob’s Hut Kendal Kingston Linstead Longville halt Maggotty Marcus Garvey Drive halt May Pen Michleton halt Montego Bay Montpelier Morgans New Works Norwich halt Old Harbour Orange Bay Oxford halt Passley Gardens halt Port Antonio Porus Richmond Riversdale Robertson's halt Rock halt Saint Margaret's Bay Scott’s Pass halt Siloah halt Snow Hill halt Spanish Town Spring Garden halt St. John’s Road halt Sterling Castle halt Stonehenge Suttons Taja halt Troja Trout Hall Williamsfield Windsor Castle halt
Other infrastructure	List of railway tunnels in Jamaica
Bauxite lines	Alcan Bodies to Port Esquiville (Alcan) Woodside mines to Rocky Point Port (Alcoa) Nain to Port Kaiser (Alpart) Upper Saint Ann to Discovery Bay (Kaiser) (Reynolds)
Estate lines	Appleton (sugar) Bowden (bananas)
Military lines	Logans Junction to Fort Simmonds
Notable personnel	H R Fox David Smith (railway promoter) William Smith (railway promoter)
Notable incidents	Balaclava rail disaster Kendal rail disaster