After a few months of managing to generally avoid works to the rail network that require weekend closures, it seems that from this coming weekend things will swing back into action. Veolia’s website outlines the train disruptions over the next few months, with perhaps the most interesting thing being the reason behind these disruptions: it seems like electrification works will finally be beginning in earnest:
In order to continue the upgrade of Auckland’s rail network, there are times when train services need to be cancelled to allow work on the network that can only be done when the trains are not running.
Given the scale of works to be carried out, these closures will be a regular occurrence on Auckland’s rail network for the foreseeable future. These are generally held at weekends, public holidays, and evenings as there are usually less people traveling, and it means less disruption to peak-hour commuter services.
Although work on the duplication of the Western Line is now complete, significant work on electrification is now also commencing and this will continue over the next couple of years.
During these planned closures, replacement Rail Bus services will be provided and special Rail Bus timetables will be in place. We aim to have these timetables available at least 4 weeks prior to planned closures.
I’ve highlighted the important part of the above excerpt – it seems that the process of electrification really is finally actually happening. Pretty exciting!
Between now an the end of November, parts of the rail network will be closed on a number of weekends:
SATURDAY 28 and SUNDAY 29 AUGUST
WESTERN LINE: Britomart to Waitakere / Henderson
SOUTHERN LINE: Britomart to Otahuhu (via Newmarket)
This will allow the completion of signal commissioning work on the new Onehunga Line, further improvement works at Newmarket and platform extension works on the Western Line.SATURDAY 25 and SUNDAY 26 SEPTEMBER
WESTERN LINE: Britomart to Waitakere / Henderson
Required for track renewal and maintenance works, electrification preparation works and platform extension works.SATURDAY 2 and SUNDAY 3 OCTOBER
WESTERN LINE: Britomart to Waitakere / Henderson
Required for track renewal and maintenance works, electrification preparation works and platform extension works.SATURDAY 9 and SUNDAY 10 OCTOBER
EASTERN LINE: Britomart to Otahuhu (via Glen Innes and Sylvia Park)
Required for signalling works at Britomart and electrification preparation works.SATURDAY 16 and SUNDAY 17 OCTOBER
EASTERN LINE: Britomart to Otahuhu (via Glen Innes and Sylvia Park)
Required for track renewal works at Sylvia Park, signaling works at Britomart and electrification preparation works.SATURDAY 23 to MONDAY 25 OCTOBER (LABOUR WEEKEND)
WESTERN LINE: Britomart to Newmarket
SOUTHERN LINE: Britomart to Newmarket, and Otahuhu to Papakura
ONEHUNGA LINE: Britomart to Newmarket
EASTERN LINE: Britomart to Papakura (via Glen Innes and Sylvia Park)
Required for track renewal and signaling works at Britomart, and electrification preparation works between Otahuhu and Papakura.SATURDAY 13 and SUNDAY 14 NOVEMBER
WESTERN LINE: Britomart to Waitakere / Henderson
Required for track renewal and maintenance works, electrification preparation works and platform extension works.SATURDAY 20 and SUNDAY 21 NOVEMBER
WESTERN LINE: Britomart to Waitakere / Henderson (Note: Friday evening train services will be replaced by RailBus replacement services from approx. 8pm)
SOUTHERN LINE: Britomart to Otahuhu (via Newmarket)
ONEHUNGA LINE: Britomart to Onehunga
Required for track renewal and signaling works at Britomart, electrification preparation works, platform extension works and signaling commissioning works at Kingsland.
As you can see it won’t just be electrification preparation works that are being undertaken during these closures. Platforms are being extended, tracks renewed, signalling upgraded, final works for linking up the Onehunga Line will be required and so forth. I must say I’m always amazed and impressed by how much work gets done during the relatively short closure times.
Perhaps even more interesting are the planned network closures past the end of November, which have yet to be completely confirmed:
SATURDAY 4 and SUNDAY 5 DECEMBER (until 12.00pm)
WESTERN LINE: Britomart to Waitakere / Henderson
SOUTHERN LINE: Britomart to Newmarket
Required for electrification preparation works and platform extension works.SATURDAY 18 and SUNDAY 19 DECEMBER
WESTERN LINE: Britomart to Waitakere / Henderson
Required for electrification preparation works and platform extension works.SATURDAY 25 2010 to SUNDAY 9 JANUARY 2011
FULL NETWORK CLOSURE
There will be no passenger rail services operating in the Auckland region between these dates.MONDAY 10 to to SUNDAY 16 JANUARY 2011
EASTERN LINE: Britomart to Papakura (via Glen Innes and Sylvia Park)
SOUTHERN LINE: Otahuhu to PapakuraThese closures are required to enable KiwiRail to carry out major works associated with the ongoing upgrade and electrification of Auckland’s rail network.
A major focus will be to achieve clearances necessary for the overhead masts and wires on the Southern and Eastern lines needed for electrification. During this time, work will be carried out to rebuild six road bridges; and to lower the track beneath two more on the Southern line, and inside Purewa Tunnel on the Eastern line. Significant track maintenance work and signaling improvements will also be carried out during this time elsewhere on the rail network.
Over the Christmas and New Year’s break in particular it seems like we will really start to see electrification take shape on the rail network. I wonder when we’ll start seeing the poles for the electric wires go up?
Obviously the closures will be annoying and disruptive, but at least they have an incredibly exciting purpose in rail electrification.
Processing...
Yes exciting times ahead. Big ups to the men and women working on the project, this will be an amazing project when completed and new trains start running.
It will be exciting to see the poles and wires going up, a real sign that things are improving. The only thing is we may see poles this year and definitely next year but it will still be a few years before we see any new trains. The other thing is with the western line duplication finished it means there should be more resources for maintenance else where on the network that has probably taken a back seat for quite a few years.
Hooray, only 60 years too late..!
God some of you always needing to find a negative in something positive at least it’s happening Jeremy
Hooray isn’t negative and the rest a statement of fact…
A little bit of pain for a hole lot of gain!
Recently…
While taking a few photographs of the track/signal testing, I too cannot help feeling excited about our Onehunga Branch Line coming alive once again.
The overhead railway electrification and use of pantographs will be surely music to many a work/play travelers, and residents ears.
This is a wonderful time for us here, and that very first new Toot! will awaken peoples hearts through our neighbourhoods along either side of the track.
Folk will become accustomed to, and become regular train riders.
Yay!
As a boy growing up in Penrose in the 1940’s I watched the WW’s on the Onehunga branch with joy. What great news to hear that the line is to reopen to passenger traffic. Hopefully I will be able to come home to have a ride again.