What happened during the 2024/25 Auckland rail network shutdown?

While the trains are away the diggers will play, a look around the Auckland rail network during the annual rail network shutdown.

For the past four years (2021, 2022, 2023), each summer, we have set aside a day or two to explore the entire rail network to see what work Auckland Transport and KiwiRail are undertaking during the now annual summer rail upgrades, on Friday the 3rd of January 2025 we set out for the 2024/25 season.

This year there seemed to be fewer smaller pockets of work and more larger-scale projects underway, I suspect this is in part due to the recently completed Rail Network Rebuild between Quay Park Junction - Sylvia Park (EAST), Newmarket- Penrose (SOUTH & ONE) and Newmarket - New Lynn (WEST).

Much of the summer rail upgrade work this year has been focused between Homai and Ōtāhuhu stations as this is one of the sections that has not yet seen full rebuild works like the rest of the lines had.

This year we started once again at Pukekohe Station which in previous years has been a hive of activity with a full station rebuild underway, the rebuild is now complete with only track works remaining before reopening, while we were at Pukekohe Station the SPENO Rail tamper was parked up in the recently opened trackside stabling yard ahead of tamping works later in the shutdown.

Minor track works continue near Paerātā township, unfortunately, much of the station works are only visible from above (due to high winds we were unable to launch our drone, below is a recent photo we captured on a flight while passing by).

On State Highway 22 works have begun to construct the new station access roads, there will be a roundabout created forming a new intersection with SH22 and the access road will then join a bridge over the rail line to Paerātā Station’s Park and Ride and bus stops.

Works at Drury station this year are focused on constructing a temporary retaining wall to allow a new bridge abutment to be constructed for the upgraded Waihoehoe Road bridge in the coming years, much of the works on Drury station itself have been demolition works ahead of major construction kicking off this year.

Further along the southern line, KiwiRail crews have rebuilt the Opaheke Road level crossing with a Strail crossing system, and other crossings between Pukekohe and Papakura have received extra flashing warning signage at their level crossings.

Near the Settlement Road overbridge work is underway to tidy up old sleepers which have been replaced in this area over the past few months.

At Papakura Station Auckland Transport is updating the platform edge markings.

Between Papakura and Homai station there were no worksites active on the Friday we travelled the line, but at Homai station it was a hive of activity as work continues on the level crossing removal project, one new ramp section has been lifted into place with 2 more sections being prepared to be lifted into place.

The new steps down from Browns Rd into from park and ride have also been installed.

The Homai Station Park and Ride has been partially reconfigured as a construction compound for the project, due to these works the normal bus stop has been relocated to near Dalgety Drive and a temporary shipping container bus shelter has been added for waiting passengers.

The Wiri Maintenance Depot remains quiet over the summer rail maintenance period all of note is a pair of overhead maintenance scissor lifts parked on the third main likely used at Homai to move the overhead out of the way of the crane, also AM units 172 & 157 have been coupled together as a test train unit parked in the recently completed Wiri EMU depot extension.

We travelled further up the line to Puhinui where it was pumping with a full track rebuild underway south of the station and just past Bridge Street, both the up and down main train tracks are being rebuilt, the third main/Wiri depot siding which was only constructed recently is untouched during these works.

Papatoetoe is also receiving a full track rebuild with the section of line from Station Road to Spring Street being reconstructed.

It was much the same story at Middlemore, with the existing up-and-down main train tracks through the station north and south being fully rebuilt. Work is also continuing on the third main through Middlemore, with crews preparing final retaining wall covers, constructing kerbs for the new roadways, glazing the new lift shaft, and preparing the third main track area to receive trains.

The track around Ōtāhuhu station although on a smaller scale is being rebuilt with crews working on the freight approach to the Westfield Depot as well as the up and down main south of Ōtāhuhu station.

Westfield is where we will leave the Southern Line as KiwiRail has not indicated any works between Penrose and Newmarket including the Onehunga Line.

Much like other sections of track that have been closed for the Rail Network Rebuild, there is very limited work to be done to the tracks. Near the site of the former Tāmaki station, the tamper was making its way along the line and a digger was completing works on a turnout.

At Meadowbank, we saw a crew preparing to undertake maintenance work on the overhead line in this section of the track.

After a short ride up the eastern line, we see crews working in the compound at the Ōrākei station Park and Ride, work in this area is related to slip and culvert repair works on the causeway between Ōrākei and The Strand station, another small worksite was also established near Hobsons Bay where we saw several diggers waiting for the correct tidal position to continue work.

Near the Ports of Auckland, the eastern line approaches to The Strand and Waitematā stations are also receiving a full rebuild, due to these works and other network closures freight has had to be trucked from various areas instead of being transported from Westfield to the port on the regular freight runs.

As usual much of the work at Waitematā station is underground and hidden from the public, this year KiwiRail and CRL crews announced they were replacing a section of track with a Low Vibration Track System, and we were able to see some of the work and storage of parts through the skylights at Waitematā but not much, other more visible works around the station include the refurbished station plaza and crews appeared to be working on the bridge at the rear entrance.

As we experienced with Waitematā station much of the City Rail Link track work is underground and hidden from view, the tracks, signalling and overhead are fully installed with work underway to commission them for use.

Much of the above-ground work for Te Waihorotiu Station’s Wellesley St entrance is now complete with only some streetscaping and building tie-in works to be completed around the area.

Along Albert Street, streetscape works are slowly being pieced together with various sections of the road being reopened once work is completed, recently work has been focused on the reconstruction of the historic bluestone wall along the Albert Street laneway.

The upper entrance (above ground) to Te Waihorotiu on Victoria St is mostly complete outside with works underway on the internal fitout as well as streetscape works, the lower entrance (below ground) had its glass balustrade installed just before the Christmas period and there is still a fair amount of work to be completed at this entrance to tie it into the surrounding streetscape.

The Beresford St entrance to Karanga-a-Hape station and the retail space at the rear of the building is now mostly completed, internal fitout is underway and streetscape works are being completed.

At the Mercury Lane entrance to Karanga-a-Hape station, the external station superstructure is complete with works focused on the internal fitout, new public bathrooms were opened on Mercury Lane as part of the CRL streetscape works.

Travelling to the last CRL station, at Maungawhau station building works are also mostly complete recently platform signage was installed on the current western line platforms and the remainder of work around the station is mainly focused now on the landscaping of the surrounding area and reconnecting pre-existing roads.

West of Fruitvale Road a double crossover is being installed. Crews have removed the old track and cleared the old overhead wiring layout ahead of the new track configuration being installed and overhead being adjusted.

Unfortunately, the wind did not let up enough to pop up the drone (below are some recent drone photos), but west of Glen Eden station at the new Western Powerfeed most equipment has been installed and much of the work on-site is now enclosing the equipment and site work such as installing fences and permanent access paths.

The tracks at both ends of Henderson station are getting some attention this shutdown ahead of a track reconfiguration and station works to allow for 3 platforms, Auckland Transport is undertaking an update to the Henderson Station lifts and escalators which have reached the end of their life, they are being replaced with outdoor rated escalators and lifts.

Workers are currently removing the old escalators and have added extra support beams to the station building to assist with their removal.

The final stop for 2024/25 is at Rānui station where on Friday crews began works to rebuild the Metcalfe Road level crossing.