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Lyttelton Timeball Station

1870s architecture in New ZealandBuildings and structures destroyed by the 2011 Christchurch earthquakeHeritage New Zealand Category 1 historic places in Canterbury, New ZealandLyttelton, New ZealandTourist attractions in Christchurch
Towers completed in 1876Transport infrastructure completed in 1876Use New Zealand English from January 2024
Lyttelton Timeball Station, 2009
Lyttelton Timeball Station, 2009

The Lyttelton Timeball Station is a heritage-registered time ball station and prominent local landmark in Lyttelton, New Zealand. The original station was significantly damaged by a series of earthquakes and aftershocks in 2010 and 2011, and finally collapsed on 13 June 2011 after a magnitude 6.4 aftershock. The tower was subsequently reconstructed, reopening in November 2018.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Lyttelton Timeball Station (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Lyttelton Timeball Station
Reserve Terrace, Banks Peninsula Community

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Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N -43.606449 ° E 172.726765 °
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Timeball-Keepers Foundations

Reserve Terrace
8082 Banks Peninsula Community
Canterbury, New Zealand
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Lyttelton Timeball Station, 2009
Lyttelton Timeball Station, 2009
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Lyttelton railway station
Lyttelton railway station

Lyttelton railway station is the northern terminus of the Main South Line, a main trunk railway line from Lyttelton to Invercargill in the South Island of New Zealand. There have been three stations built at Lyttelton, with the most recent of these still being used for railway purposes. Both freight and passenger services have featured at Lyttelton since it opened in 1867. With the cessation of suburban passenger trains to Lyttelton in the 1970s, freight became the mainstay of railway business at Lyttelton and passenger traffic from Lyttelton now plays only a minor role. Tranz Scenic have run a limited tourist service from the station during the summer season in recent years, though patronage of the trains is limited to cruise ship passengers. Proposals have been made to reinstate a commuter rail service from Lyttelton, but that is not considered to be a realistic possibility for the foreseeable future. Rail operations at Lyttelton have included all three forms of motive power, with steam being dominant until the late 1960s, after which diesel began to take over, with electric power being used from 1929 to 1970. All trains at Lyttelton are now diesel-hauled. Public transport connections at Lyttelton include Metro bus routes 28 and 35 (for which the nearest bus stop is a short distance down Norwich Quay from the station), and the Diamond Harbour ferry, which departs from a jetty opposite the station. Until they were discontinued in 1976, the Steamer Express inter-island ferries connected with passenger trains at Lyttelton on wharf no. 2 (opposite the station). Other nearby amenities include Lyttelton Main School, a medical clinic, several hotels, and the Lyttelton central business district.

The Loons (venue)
The Loons (venue)

The Loons is a music and performance events venue in Lyttelton, Christchurch, in the South Island of New Zealand. The building was constructed at 16 Canterbury Street, Lyttelton in 1905. Businesses that occupied the building from 1905 to the 1920s included a grocery shop, a bakery and a tailor. During the 1920s and 1930s a motor vehicle garage operated in the building. The building was offered for sale by tender in May 1935. A transport business, the Lyttelton Carrying Service, operated from the site from 1935 through until 1942. In 1944, the building became the Lyttelton Waterside Workers Social Club, known as "The Loons", after it was purchased by three watersiders. In 1949, the Waterside Workers Social Club applied to the Licensing Control Commission for a club charter for the site. In 1952, the name of the social club was changed to Lyttelton Working Men's Club (Inc). In 2006, the Lyttelton Working Men's Club was facing the prospect of closing the Loons building, but a Lyttelton theatre director Mike Friend took over the lease. The Loons opened as a performance venue on 31 March 2007 with a cabaret with Joe Bennett. The theatre group took on the name of the building to become The Loons Theatre Company, using the venue as a rehearsal space during the day, and providing waiter service at night. Over 400 events were staged at the venue over a period of 5 years, ranging from community quiz nights and charity fund-raisers to children’s shows and professional theatre. At the time of the theatre company taking up the lease, the Working Men's Club had been struggling. However, there was a resurgence in club membership after the Loons theatre company productions began. The theatre company held the liquor licence for the premises, and hosted the bar service for club members on the days when there were no performances. Parts of the building were re-purposed to support circus and theatre productions. A hatch was created between a 25 m rifle range in the basement and the theatre stage for use in performances. In addition to adult theatre performances, the venue was also used for teaching circus and theatre skills for children aged 5 to 14. The 2010 and 2011 Christchurch earthquakes caused damage to the building leading to closure, and the theatre company was without a home. The Lyttelton Working Men's Club undertook planning for repairs of the building with input from the theatre company. However, the theatre company was unable to reach agreement with the Working Men's Club over the terms for a new lease. The theatre company entered into an arrangement with the Lyttelton Primary School and the Ministry of Education to share in the development of a dual purpose hall and performance theatre facility on school property on the corner of Oxford Street and Sumner Road. This new venue, opened in 2016, is known as the Lyttelton Arts Factory. The post-earthquake repairs and renovations of The Loons cost over $3m, funded from insurance and money raised through grants. During the period of the renovations, the Lyttelton Working Men's Club changed its name to The Loons Club (Inc), a registered charity. The renovations were completed in December 2020, and The Loons re-opened in 2021 as a venue for live music and performance events, with capacity for up to 450 people. The Loons has hosted performances from a wide variety of artists including New Zealand bands such as Tiny Ruins. New Zealand folk singer Mel Parsons has described the venue:I would say Loons is the main Christchurch venue now. It's almost like a community hall. It's beautiful, and has been refurbished, but it's just a big long room with a wooden floor and a stage at one end.