This summer while most of us head to the beach, KiwiRail will be working on the lines carrying out essential maintenance and upgrade work. In Wellington there are more than a dozen separate jobs underway across all parts of the network. Trains will be out of action and replaced by buses between 26 December and 12 January while the work takes place.
General Manager Wellington Metro, Andy Lyon says the summer break is the best time to swing into the big, complex jobs that need a lot of equipment or require workers to have full access to the tracks.
“Most of the work we have lined up this year involves replacing rail and sleepers, bridge repairs and level crossing upgrades. Physically lifting out and replacing old infrastructure isn’t something we can do while trains are trying to run at the same time – it’s too disruptive to passenger services.
“By having a full team of people working across a number of locations, uninterrupted for several days in a row, we can make a big dent in the region’s maintenance programme.
“Every section of line we renew improves the long -term resilience and reliability of the network. It’s a big part of getting the Wellington Metro ready for increasing services and the new trains destined for Wairarapa and Manawatū from 2029.
“We understand it’s inconvenient for passengers, but this is the time when lots of people are out of town and not commuting. The plan is to have everything back to normal, or better than before, by the time they get back.”
Work on the line begins at pace on 26 December and will continue through to the weekend of 10 January before the team begins tidying up and running test trains over the new sections of line, ready for services to resume Monday morning, 12 January. The Johnsonville Line, and Wellington to Porirua services on the Kāpiti Line resume a week earlier, on Monday 5 January.
“It's not unusual for things to take a few days to settle. We will know how things are looking by end of that last weekend, and will work closely with Metlink to make sure passengers are informed in advance of any temporary changes to timetables while things bed in.”
Work over summer includes the Ava Bridge renewal project in Lower Hutt which has been in progress since Labour Weekend. From January next year Hutt City Council will take over the site to begin construction of the new walkway.
“The old Ava Bridge walkway has gone, and the only safe way for people to cross the river is at Ewen or Waione Street. Ava Bridge has security fences up at either end and cameras operating to keep people well away from the tracks. Even over summer we will have work trains and machinery operating day and night so it’s crucial people stay clear, stay safe.”
Other projects include preparation work for new substations at Naenae and Trentham on the Hutt Valley Line, tunnel work at Ngauranga, a level crossing upgrade at Otaihanga, and renewals around Takapu Road on the Kāpiti Line. Work to stabilise slopes around Wadestown on the Jonhsonville Line continues as do level crossing upgrades in the Wairarapa.
“We’ve done the planning and have our teams briefed and ready to go, including doing our best to keep any noise or disruption to a minimum. We know it’s a time for taking a break with friends and family and really appreciate your patience,” Andy Lyon says.
You can see the bus replacement schedule on the Metlink website and if you have questions about the work happening in your area you can email us at contactus@kiwirail.co.nz.