Wellington Metro Trains Are Back After Easter/Anzac Upgrade

KiwiRail thanks the people of Greater Wellington and Wairarapa for being patient while they completed their work programme over the Easter/Anzac period. Today Monday 28 April, all lines are open and trains are back in service.

Chief Planning and Asset Development Officer David Gordon says the work the team got through helps to bring further resilience to the Wellington metro.

“We’ve had several track gangs working all through the break attacking high priority maintenance jobs, that will mean long lasting, reliable services for the future.”

Work has involved:

• Slope stabilisation at Wadestown, along with brand new track at Khandallah Station, and replacing rail in five different locations on the Johnsonville Line.
• Replacing turnouts at Woburn and Taita, re-laying over a kilometre of new track at Manor Park, and installing new rail on Pomare Bridge on the Hutt Valley Line.
• Replacing rail at Porirua and Pukerua Bay, repairing tunnel lining, and strengthening slopes along the Kapiti Line.
• Completing the civil works at four Wairarapa level crossings – Kent Street, Pembroke Street, Western Lake and Ngaumutawa Road.
• Further works in the 8.8km Remutaka Tunnel to allow trains to operate at higher speeds

“We’re committed to providing a robust network for our region and cities.

“These two holiday weekends falling together, along with a recent boost in maintenance funding, gave us the opportunity to get some of these big projects under our belt.

“Our team did a terrific job and can focus now on the day-to-day upkeep programme we have in place to keep our lines in good working order, for a smooth running service.

KiwiRail also would like to take the opportunity to thank passengers for their patience, and freight customers for their understanding and cooperation with the use of roads to move their goods during the two-week rail closure.

“In Wellington we have that extra challenge of steep slopes and wild weather. We have one of the oldest, and steepest rail routes in the Southern Hemisphere with our Johnsonville Line, and 8.8km makes Remutaka Tunnel the second longest in the country.”

Metlink Group Manager Samantha Gain thanks passengers for their patience over the long weekend.

“We understand that these essential works can impact people’s journeys over the Easter break but with fewer people travelling compared to a normal work week there’s no better time for KiwiRail to carry out high priority repairs and maintenance.

“This short-term pain should contribute to better rail corridor assets and more reliable services.”

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