In something of a surprise, it was announced Dunedin Railways, which runs trains to various routes in Otago, is to be rebranded and would now be known as Dunedin Railway Station.
That immediately led to questions as to why the rebrand has taken place and how a company which moved trains would be named after a place where trains stop.
Jonathon Homes Walsh summed up the general feeling in his reaction to the post, saying: ‘‘I can’t wait to ride the Dunedin Railway Station.’’
In a social media post about the rebranding from the company, which is ultimately owned by the Dunedin ratepayer, it said it was a return to what had always shaped the experience.
‘‘For many, the journey begins long before the train departs. It begins here, in this grand building. In the scale of the architecture, the detail underfoot, and the sense of stepping into something that has stood for generations. It sets the pace, the feeling, and the expectation of what’s to come.’’
The station had always been part of the experience, the post said.
‘‘Now, it becomes the centre of it. This new brand brings everything together. A landmark at the heart of the city, and a railway that reaches into landscapes few get to see.’’
The scenic train tours would remain the same.
But what had changed was how the story was told.
‘‘What’s changed is how we tell the story. Now, they come together under one name, connecting the place you begin with the journey that follows.’’
Dunedin Railway Station chief executive Rebekah Jenkins declined to comment when contacted, saying a press release would be issued explaining the decision to rebrand.
She could not confirm when it would be released.
Former Dunedin Railways operations manager Grant Craig said Dunedin Railway Station was a building and questioned what relevance it had to operating a tourist railway.
‘‘There’s always been comments that most of the [internet] hits when they search Dunedin Railways, Dunedin Railway Station comes up more than anything. So maybe that is what they are thinking,’’ he said.
Dunedin Railways was previously named Taieri Gorge Railway. But as the company did more tours to other places it was decided to bring in the name to Dunedin Railways.
‘‘And really nobody knew where Taieri was other than local people.
‘‘It’s easy to look up rather than trying to look up Taieri Gorge Railway.’’
He said every company seemed to change their name these days but this new name had no relevance to the train.
People understood railways and liked railways and a station had no relevance to a moving train, he said.
‘‘And that’s how you get people to come along and say that you’re going through a scenic gorge for rails.
‘‘From my opinion, I don’t think it works for what Dunedin Railways is.’’
Rail enthusiast Jarrod Hodson said, in a post, he loved Dunedin Railway Station but he was not sure this was the right move forward.
‘‘Dunedin Railways should be kept separate and the railway station has its own attraction. I really think putting the two together is watering down what is the widely known brand of Dunedin Railways and its railway operations with its unique trips.’’
