Holiday 2021/22 track work

At Sutton Road, sections of both tracks have been completely removed to enable works on the formation below. All services, including freight services, have been cancelled from Hamilton north to enable formation works at multiple locations

28 December 2021

Both tracks have also been removed at Paerata for formation work underneath

28 December 2021

The removed track starts just north of the crossover so no junction works are expected at this location

28 December 2021

A digger waits for its next task while work on the formation continutes. In the foreground, new concrete bases for signalling equipment have been installed

28 December 2021

At Pukekohe, both tracks have again been removed, for formation works underneath before a new track layout is built

28 December 2021

In the Pukekohe stabling yard, ADL 806, ADL 801 and ADL 807 sit idle during the holiday period, trapped in the stabling yard by work at both ends

28 December 2021

A new crossover just north of the platform is waiting to be installed. As part of the Pukekohe redevelopment, new platforms are to be built in place of the existing stabling yard, with these crossovers to be used to access all tracks without the need to carry on south to change ends at times

28 December 2021

A hive of activity north of the platforms at Pukekohe as the formation is dug out in preparation for the new track layout

28 December 2021

Viewed north from the southern Stadium Drive bridge, the track has been lifted most of the way to the other bridge to the north. There's almost no sign that a railway is here, aside from a new signal mast

28 December 2021

Viewed south from the northern Stadium Drive bridge, the Down Main is covered with sleepers from the lifted track, as the formation is dug out for new track

28 December 2021

Just north of Puhinui, a bank is being dug out to provide space for the third main

28 December 2021

The interim track layout south of Otahuhu station, with the Centre Main to be connected to the existing Up Main

28 December 2021

Third main work at Westfield station, with track layout changes at the junction and within the yard

28 December 2021

Viewed north from Great South Road, a new track has been naid next to the existing Up Main, which will become the third main. In the interim, this will be a staging area for port shunts, allowing trains to wait for a slot through the junction without impeding metro services

28 December 2021

Viewed south from Great South Road, the formation is being prepared for the new track layout through this area. Here, the new track has been laid next to the Down Main instead, with the new track becoming the Down Main

28 December 2021

Near the Ports of Auckland, a ballast tamper and regulator wait on the link road to the port for their next task

28 December 2021

Sleeper replacement under way on the link road to the Ports of Auckland from the Down Main

28 December 2021

One of KiwiRail's latest purchases, IK 13287 sits in the Ports of Auckland yard with the ballast cleaner behind it

28 December 2021

ETM 567 sits next to a brand new IK wagon at the Ports of Auckland. On the other side of teh mainlines, DL 9008 and DL 9187 are stabled for the ballast cleaner

28 December 2021

Also a new acquisition, Martinus's new shunter is coupled to two UKD wagons at the Ports of Auckland. The locomotive was manufactured by Zephir, is capable of running off-track, and was tested at the GVR prior to entering service

28 December 2021

An assortment of Martinus equipment stabled in the yard at Ports of Auckland

28 December 2021

KiwiRail's assortment of equipment is stabled on the other side of the SH16 bridge, with the ballast cleaner, container wagons and hi-rail vehicles stored in the yard, and DL 9008 and DL 9187 stabled on the other side

28 December 2021

Visible down the other end is ESR 75, part of the ballast cleaner, and ETM 595, the low-loader

28 December 2021

Near Sutton Road, new crossovers have now been installed to allow trains to switch tracks between Papakura and the future Drury stations. This takes advantage of the bi-directional capability of the new signalling to be installed

2 January 2022

At Paerata, an extra crossover has been installed here as well, complementing the existing crossover which allows access to the Mission Bush branch from the north. This also takes advantage of the new signalling, and allows more flexibility in operations

4 January 2022

Another view of the new crossover at Paerata, waiting to be tamped. On this day, electrical work was being done for the new track

4 January 2022

At Pukekohe, formation work has been completed and a base of ballast laid, with new track starting to appear on top

4 January 2022

Looking from Stadium Drive, the rough track layout is starting to take shape, although with still more track to lay in the next week and a half

4 January 2022

Close up view of the new track layout just north of the platform. New crossovers are being installed and the Up and Down mains are being realigned through this area

4 January 2022

North of the bridge, scissor crossovers have been installed, meaning trains no longer have to travel south of the station to switch tracks if a shuttle and northbound freight train arrive at Pukekohe at the same time

4 January 2022

With the work at Pukekohe now done for the holidays, the new track layout for the year is visible. The alignment of the new Down Main compared to the existing Up Main suggests this is just a temporary layout

9 January 2022

The new scissor crossover in place and almost ready to be used. Parts of rail from the new crossover have been removed as the signalling system has likely not yet been set up to handle it

9 January 2022