TRAIN users will soon enjoy a streamlined trip north from Wellington. Double tracking and electrification just south of Waikanae caused frustrating delays and buses being used to get past the track works, but that work is now complete.
“For well over 100 years it was a section of single track, like a one-way road. Now you can run a lot more trains over that section at the same time. You need that in order to run a frequent service,” says Nigel Parry of KiwiRail.
The work is part of the Wellington regional rail improvement programme, which started in 2007 and includes changes to the Johnsonville line to allow more modern trains to run, upgrading of signaling systems and power supply, the introduction of a third main line into Wellington station and improvement of the station’s platforms.
“We’re very close to completion of the overall project,” says Parry.
But there may still be some delays.
“It won’t all be completed until later this year, that might mean some evening bus replacements but far less than we’ve seen over the last year,” he says.
The Ganz Muvag trains, bought from Hungary in the early 1980s and which now run on the Kapiti and Hutt Valley Lines, have been refurbished.  A brand new fleet of 48 air-conditioned, stainless steel Matangi trains will soon be introduced.
“The Ganz Muvag trains are currently the workhorses of the Trans Metro Fleet, but the Matangi trains will take their place,” says Parry.
A celebration of the Kapiti Line refurbishments will be held at Waikanae Station on February 19, where attendees can explore the new fleet, win spot prizes and watch a symbolic re-enactment of the driving of the last rail spike by the Hon. Steven Joyce, Minister of Transport and Hon. Nathan Guy, Associate Transport Minister and MP for Otaki.