Trains to stop for RWC upgrade

Photo / Greg Bowker

Auckland trains will stop running tonight, and will not resume services until Monday morning because of rail electrification and Rugby World Cup preparations.

But when they return, some will operate with extra carriages to take advantage of lengthened platforms needed to cope with increased patronage on the southern and eastern lines.

The shutdown will be longer than most weekend line closures, because of a wide range of work on KiwiRail's agenda including preparing for new signals to be commissioned from Wiri to the waterfront and reconfiguring tracks at Morningside Station for Cup crowds.

That will complicate public transport arrangements for two big sporting events this weekend, including tonight's rugby league match at Mt Smart Stadium between the Warriors and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

Although fans will be able to travel by rail to Penrose Station for three hours before the 8.30 kickoff, they will have to use replacement buses for return trips after the game.

That is because trains will be phased out from 8pm until about 11pm, from when the entire Auckland rail network will remain shut for the weekend.

Free replacement buses will also operate from Britomart, Henderson and Otahuhu to Eden Park and back on Sunday for the ITM Cup rugby match between Auckland and Canterbury.

The Morningside work involves installing a train crossover point to enable trains to leave from both of the station's platforms in the same westbound direction after Rugby World Cup games at Eden Park.

The system has already been installed at neighbouring Kingsland Station, where 15,000 fans are expected to board trains back to Britomart within 75 minutes of the end of finals matches.

Auckland Transport initially expected to have to clear only about 1500 spectators from Morningside after the Cup finals, but that number was reached after a Super 15 game in February between the Blues and the Crusaders which drew a crowd of 32,500.

That compares with 60,000 people expected for the Cup finals.

BUSES ON CALL
* Auckland trains will stop running from midnight tonight until Monday morning.
* Fans can get to Penrose Station by rail for the Warriors and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs game but will have to use replacement buses for return trips after the game.
* Free replacement buses will operate from Britomart, Henderson and Otahuhu to Eden Park and back on Sunday for the ITM Cup rugby match between Auckland and Canterbury.
* The closures are needed for rail electrification and Rugby World Cup preparations.

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