Weekly Review No.35
This week Te Huia gets a funding extension, the first electric train travels to Pukekohe and old locomotives get a new life in Zambia.
Keep yourself informed by following our Twitter/X for real-time transport news updates, if you’ve happened to miss anything from the past week, don't worry, we've got you covered – catch up with the Weekly Review below.
A long-requested bus for Governors Bay is looking doubtful as Environment Canterbury reels in ambitions for route extensions.
A union boss has been rebuked for going into a bus depot without permission amid a stoush over on-bus announcements.
Due to scheduled annual maintenance on the Durie Hill Elevator from 20 May to 31 May, an on-demand replacement shuttle will be operating from 8 am-6 pm weekdays, and 10 am-5 pm weekends.
Auckland Transport has released renders of the proposed Downtown Ferry Terminal charger building, the building will convert the mains power supply into power that can be used to charge the new electric ferries.
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The Te Huia train service will continue to receive funding from the New Zealand Transport Agency, enabling it to carry on with its trial, $12.2 million is being committed from the 2024-27 National Land Transport Fund.
Waikato Regional Council welcomed the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Board's decision to support the continued trial of Te Huia, the passenger rail service connecting Waikato and Auckland.
KiwiRail expects to reopen the North Auckland Line to freight trains in late July, KiwiRail says the track testing and assurance phase is currently underway.
Many Metlink drivers swapped their uniform for a new pink look on Friday morning as the public transport agency got behind the anti-bullying initiative, Pink Shirt Day.
A reduction in funding for the Waikato to Auckland commuter train Te Huia, which was less than expected, may still spell its demise.
The first electric train has travelled along the Pukekohe to Papakura line, NZ Rail Photos has captured photos of clearance testing at the four stations in the newly electrified section between Papakura and Pukekohe, as the overhead line is not yet live the electric train was hauled by Glenbrook Vintage Railway's DBR 1254.
Weka Pass Railway has recently featured in a Japanese beer commercial, one of two flat-deck wagons was transformed into the film set for the commercial with modifications made to existing rolling stock to match.
Major infrastructural renewals in and around the Roseneath tunnel — a more than 150-year-old Victorian-era railway tunnel — are about half finished, work began in April and are expected to continue for a few more months.
Queenstown's $250 million public transport improvement project has survived government changes to NZ Transport Agency’s major upgrades programme.
The Nuhaka-Opoutama Rd into Mahia will be moved over on to the rail corridor and away from the eroding coast line.
Six stops in Rotorua will get updated shelters and be made accessible, works are expected to be complete late next week, weather permitting.
The stops are located at:
Homedale Street
Pohutukawa Drive (x2)
Malfroy Road West
Vaughan Road
Warwick Drive
Work continues on construction of a new rail bridge over the Waikouaiti River bridge near Karitane, It is hoped a cycleway will be clipped onto the KiwiRail bridge, with the group behind a proposed trail north of Dunedin less than $10,000 away from having enough funding to get a clip-on preliminary design done.
The Dunedin Railway Station restoration has been recognised in the 2024 Southern Architecture Awards.
Former KiwiRail and Martinus DC locomotives have arrived in Zambia for use by a local operator, DC4346 was withdrawn from service in July 2020 and DC4571 is in Martinus branding and has recently been in Australia.
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Taranaki Public Transport’s Waitara Express (Route 19) began service connecting Bell Block/Waitara on Monday morning.
KiwiRail proposed redirecting $345 million meant for the Marsden Point rail spur to help deal with cost pressures affecting its ferry replacement project, documents show.
Nelson is looking to replace the ‘train’ at Tāhunanui Beach, the ‘train’ concrete pipe playground piece was installed in 1964 and was removed due to damage.
Nelson City Council are now seeking help to choo-chose what the replacement might look like, designs can be submitted until June 9, and the replacement ‘train’ is expected to be installed by September.
City Rail Link crews have livened the 25kV rail power supply at Quay Park Junction near Waitematā Station.
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Planting will begin shortly around Te Waihorotiu Station, Among the first trees to be planted are cuttings of the Harvey Tree, an oriental plane tree originally planted in the 1960s by businessman Les Harvey outside 93 Albert St which was removed for CRL works in 2019.
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Councillor Richard Hills hopes the use of ferries in Auckland will increase with more frequent services and the introduction of no-emission and low-emission ferries.
KiwiRail has told a Mataura local board member that planning is underway to begin the restoration of the Mataura Railway station building, a local plans to open a coffee bus outside the station and would care for the area.
Auckland Airport’s new pick-up zone for taxis, rideshare services and shuttles at the international terminal has attracted complaints from travellers.
City Rail Link has shared a photo of crews connecting up the overhead line equipment’s catenary jumpers between the feeder cable and the existing network.
Auckland Transport is presenting its proposal for replacing the OuterLink to the Albert Eden Local Board.
Auckland Transport figures show there were 44 reports of disorderly criminal or suspicious behaviour, drunkenness, and verbal abuse at bus and train stations in April, compared to just 29 in March.
NZ Rail Photos has shared a video of the EMU Clearance Tests at Drury and Pukekohe Stations, AM 306 & Glenbrook Vintage Railway's DBR 1254 formed TT19 from Wiri to Pukekohe, DBR 1254 towed the EMU from Papakura to Pukekohe.
A new 10-year budget for Auckland has dropped funding for the fourth and final stage of the $1.4 billion Eastern Busway due to financial shortfalls and uncertain alignment with future transport projects.
In an OIA response to Ross Batchelor KiwiRail has confirmed rerailing will take place on a section of track towards Spark Arena over Kings Birthday to fix a long-standing speed restriction.
Two other track sections between Newmarket and Waitematā stations with long-standing speed restrictions due to nearby slips will remain until interim works make the area safe, the KiwiRail spokesperson said permanent slip repair works will require a full closure of the tracks.
Marlburians are encouraged to get on board a new, extended Picton bus service including Saturdays, Marlborough District Council has approved the trial for 12 months, the bus currently sees an average of 390 passengers per week.
NZTA Waka Kotahi’s decision to keep but reduce the subsidy for the Te Huia train was both heartening and concerning. It was heartening because it showed communities messages can be heard, but concerning because this will put a greater burden on regional rate payers.
Vibrations caused by old carriages on new tracks is the legacy of years of deferred maintenance, an independent report on ongoing Wairarapa Line problems finds.
Sturges Road, Fruitvale Road, Avondale & Glen Eden station’s main platform shelters have received new anti-tagging graphics, Mount Albert has received a different design which matches the overbridge.
Not all shelter structures at these stations have received the new graphic.
He finds Hamilton’s Ruakura Superhub development “inspiring” but Prime Minister Christoper Luxon is less effusive about Te Huia rail service.
City Rail Link says they have installed just over 1,100 kilometres of cable across the stations and inside the tunnels, empty cable drums are sent back to the supplier for reuse.
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A new operation will see increased visibility of Police and other agencies across some of west Auckland’s largest transport hubs.
Auckland Transport will soon undertake repair and reinstatement work on the glasshouse behind Waitematā Station (Britomart), A crane will be arriving on site this week and it will remain on site until the end of June.
Supporters of the Waikato to Auckland train Te Huia say Auckland Council is not doing its part to support the passenger service.
KiwiRail has confirmed they are making excellent progress on the permanent repair to the rail bridge over Canterbury’s Rangitata River, KiwiRail says there is a few more weeks of work to do as they test the new pier and remove the temporary pier.
Work on a permanent replacement of the pier has included driving 1.2-metre diameter steel casings more than 20 metres into the riverbed, inserting reinforcing cages and filling the structures with concrete. Last week KiwiRail installed the concrete cap, which the bridge sits on.
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Leeston resident Tina Bond said she was disappointed the Southbridge-Lincoln bus service was being stopped.
KiwiRail teams have assembled the first 34 wagons at the refurbished Hillside Workshops in Dunedin, the 50-foot wagons will be used to carry freight across the country.
The Hillside Workshop's full rebuild is ongoing and is expected to be completed later this year.
Around 1,000 trips have been made by passengers on the Coromandel Town-Thames Connector Bus trial since it started on 18 December 2023, the trial will be coming to an end on Tuesday 18 June 2024
Spotted by Shaun Baker, new wayfinding signage has been added to the verandas at Waitematā Station (Britomart).
New bus route wayfinding signs are being installed across the Nelson Tasman region, signs will list the location of the bus stop, and which buses/routes go through that stop, funding for the new signage came from NZTA Waka Kotahi.