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Rail services back in action following Canterbury Earthquake

KiwiRail is expecting to have rail services in the Christchurch area restored by Tuesday 7 September following repairs to damage cause by Saturday's earthquake.

Rail lines have been opened and services reintroduced progressively since Saturday with the emphasis on getting vital rail links to the north and south re-established so essential goods could be moved into the region.

All services were stopped following the early Saturday earthquake which measured 7.1 on the Richter scale, while staff checked track and bridges for damage.

Rail movements began on Saturday evening with a special service dispatched from Christchurch to Temuka to collect and bring back drinking water for the region.

Speed restrictions remain in place on parts of the network because of the risk posed by the on-going aftershocks.

Extra ferry and rail services will be run over the coming days to bring freight into Christchurch.

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