Slip still disrupting Wellington rail services

Two trains collided in Plimmerton yesterday. Photo / Mark Mitchell

A slip caused by yesterday's heavy rain in Wellington is still disrupting rail services, and full commuter services will not be running until Monday morning.

Landslides contributed to a head-on crash between two trains and closed the North Island's main rail line last night.

Tranz Metro train services were today running between Wellington and Plimmerton, but have been replaced by buses for passengers travelling further north to Paraparaumu because of a slip at Muri, north of Plimmerton.

KiwiRail was trying to arrange a locomotive-hauled train to shuttle people between Plimmerton and Paraparaumu, KiwiRail North Island passenger services manager David Knight said.

"We do appreciate our customers' patience and are doing the best we can to get them home this evening," he said.

After 9pm, buses will replace trains for the whole Paraparaumu line during the weekend to enable pre-planned work and repairs after the slip.

Buses are also replacing the Capital Connection service to Palmerston North tonight, and the Overlander from Auckland will run as buses from National park.

Trains on other lines were largely unaffected, aside from a cancelled 5.12pm train to Upper Hutt as the carriages are being used for the Plimmerton to Paraparaumu shuttle service.

- NZPA