Xinbeitou Railway Station returns home with New Year blessings

Filled with 25 years of longing, in the early morning of February 22nd, residents from Xinbeitou in Taipei City departed for Changhua Folk Village in preparation for welcoming home a beloved old locomotive. Following the farewell ceremony in Changhua Railway Station, the pedestrians arrived in Hsinchu at 11:38 am. Carrying a crimson red model of Xinbeitou Railway Station in a sedan chair and marriage gifts, the cultural-style procession made its way past the plaza in front of Hsinchu Station and the city’s old eastern gate, before the two stations signed a memorandum of understanding. The procession then headed back to Beitou in the north, where it once again snaked through the streets, making its way back to Qixing Park, the original site of the railway station. The touching scene brought tears of joy to countless local residents. 

In 1988, Xinbeitou Railway Station in Taipei City was removed to facilitate the construction of Taipei Metro’s Tamsui Line. The station was sold to Changhua Folk Village for a token NT$1, where it was later reassembled. Following the sale, NGO groups launched a civil society movement to raise NT$19160401 (related to the station’s completion date - 1st April, 1916), with the intention of using people power to buy back the station. After continued talks between Taipei City Government, Changhua County Government and the landowner, Rirong Company, on August 8, 2013, an agreement to return the property was signed. Attending the bidding and responsible for the buildings reassembly in Xinbeitou were Peitou Association (八頭里仁協會), Taiwan National Trust, TNT (台灣國民信託協會), Kawa Culture Foundation (大河文化基金) and architectural groups.

Xinbeitou Railway Station returns home with New Year blessings
URL:http://www.peopo.org/news/233135

(以下為中文對照)

新北投車站回家了：新新相映，車頭並進，喜迎旅歸

滿懷著25年的思念，2月22日台北市新北投居民一早出發到彰化民俗村，準備迎回心愛的老火車頭。在彰化車站舉行歡送儀式後，一行人於11：38到達新竹車站。載有新北投車站模型的大紅花轎及迎親禮盒以文化繞境的方式行經新竹站前廣場以及東門城，兩個車站並簽訂文化車站結盟備忘錄。之後繼續北上回到北投，以文化繞境的方式，遊行到新北投七星公園原車站原址，許多在地居民歡喜落淚，場面感人。

台北市新北投火車站，於民國77年配合捷運北淡線施工拆除後，由台北市政府以一元象徵性價格，賣給台灣民俗村異地重建。後來民間社團展開國民信託運動，目標19160401元（車站落成時間為1916年4月1日），準備以民間的力量買回車站，並因此有了台北古蹟公益信託基金的新北頭車站專戶。後來台北市政府出面與彰化縣政府與地主日榮公司持續協商， 2013年8月8日於現場簽約，完成贈與交接。接著民間團隊包括八頭里仁協會、台灣國民信託協會、大河文化基金會與建築師團隊參與競標，得標後負責拆解運回新北投。