Manukau Branch Thread

[geoff_184]

Click on images for larger view.

New Zealand's newest mainline junction, with the new Manukau Branch in the foreground, and crossover in the background to enable trains exiting the Manukau Branch to enter the northbound track to Britomart (will also be used by freight trains from the Wiri inland port, to Westfield and POA):



Retaining wall and offset motorway bridge pier to create formation space for the future southern leg of the proposed triangle junction. This forward-thinking comes from Transit NZ. Unfortunately KiwiRail/Ontrack have dismissed the southern leg as ever being required, and have proceeded to construct the new inland port sidings across the area where the southern leg would otherwise be:



The new tracks and loading area being constructed at the Wiri Inland Port:

[Rail-it]

Hi-column switch stands going in on the mainline as well until the installation of new era signalling equip.

[nzqf182]

Looking good thanks for posting.

Ive noticed they have been doing work on the cross overs south of the bridge aswell.

[TechnicianX]

Hard to believe that Transit/NZTA are taking the initiative by leaving space for a southern link but KiwiRail aren't utilising it. Granted that there are budget restrictions but surely it should at least be planned for.

[geoff_184]

ISTR Ontrack stating their belief that Onehunga trains wouldn't be required in the foreseeable future, then a few weeks later announcing their intention to reopen the line. Basically they didn't count on public campaigning and local politicians pushing the issue. I can see the same with the southern triangle leg at Manukau. At the very least they should have planned the port sidings around the future junction, not across it. It just means in a few years we will have to spend millions more ripping up the new sidings and rearranging everything.

[nz_aj]

When the motorway went through, surely part of the process would have been Manakau City Council changing the land designations or similar?
How does the link appear on the planning maps?

[jarbury]

I think the rail designation has been there for quite some time. The motorway designation was there for 30 years or more I think.

[dpalenski]

In the third photo you can see Wiri Station is still there you think they would of removed it by now

[geoff_184]

Wiri station is still in use, it houses the signal panel and equipment.

[Chris Randal.]

Wiri station is still in use, it houses the signal panel and equipment.

the box is about 100m from the station.

[Jeremy Harris]

The motorway designation was there for 30 years or more I think.

That can't be right, the planners realised it was a motorway designation and not a rail one right..?

[jarbury]

The rail line may have also been designated ages ago, or more recently. I don't know which, just that the SH20-SH1 route was designated ages ago. As was the Mt Roskill extension, and the Avondale-Southdown line as everyone knows. The Avondale-Southdown line must be about the only remaining designation not enacted in terms of major transport projects now.

[john-ston]

Wiri station is still in use, it houses the signal panel and equipment.

the box is about 100m from the station.

In the third photo you can see Wiri Station is still there you think they would of removed it by now

I wonder if we have a case of wires being crossed. It is possible that nzbcfanboi is talking about Wiri Station in terms of the platform; thus making Chris' comment accurate, and Geoff being semi-accurate. It is also possible that nzbcfanboi is talking about Wiri Station in terms of the building, in which case, Chris' comment is semi-accurate, and Geoff being accurate.

That can't be right, the planners realised it was a motorway designation and not a rail one right..?

It was definitely a motorway designation, however, since the 1980s there had been rapid transport proposals involving a Puhinui to Manukau link (the first being part of the 1987 Busway proposal that would have seen the rail routes in Auckland ripped up and replaced with busways).

[Rail-it]

Both are wrong and right! One speaks about a platform, one speaks about a signal box, but Wiri staion includes both.
The limits of Wiri staion is all lines within the outer most points or fixed signals on each main line under the direct control of a signalperson at Wiri.
So Wiri station covers basically the area from the Up Home to the Down Outer home siganals there(without being to technical).
I think he just meant to say why haven't they removed the old platforms.

[dpalenski]

Both are wrong and right! One speaks about a platform, one speaks about a signal box, but Wiri staion includes both.
The limits of Wiri staion is all lines within the outer most points or fixed signals on each main line under the direct control of a signalperson at Wiri.
So Wiri station covers basically the area from the Up Home to the Down Outer home siganals there(without being to technical).
I think he just meant to say why haven't they removed the old platforms.

yep that's what meant the platform still being there you still need the signal box for now at least

[john-ston]

yep that's what meant the platform still being there you still need the signal box for now at least

It isn't at all surprising; it wasn't until last year that the old Manurewa platform (and by that, I mean the platform that closed in the 1980s) was removed, and it wasn't until last year that the old kink for the old Sylvia Park platform was removed (and that station closed in the early 1980s).

There are still a number of old platforms in existence, including

Tamaki Station
Old Panmure Station
Southdown Station
Mangere Station
Wiri Station
Old Manurewa Station

I would personally be keen to see the removal of the old island platforms (Tamaki, Panmure, Southdown and Wiri) to allow for the track to be realigned slightly. It would also remove the possibility of toetoe growing in the middle of the old platforms, which makes them look hideous.

[eurokiwi78]

There are still a number of old platforms in existence, including

Tamaki Station
Old Panmure Station
Southdown Station
Mangere Station
Wiri Station
Old Manurewa Station

I would personally be keen to see the removal of the old island platforms (Tamaki, Panmure, Southdown and Wiri) to allow for the track to be realigned slightly. It would also remove the possibility of toetoe growing in the middle of the old platforms, which makes them look hideous.

Add to that Tironui and the old old Manurewa platform facing on the up main. Maybe do it all as part of track amplification.

I wonder what will happen to the temporary platforms at Newmarket and Avondale. Id also like to see the old Henderson building moved and the platform gone altho I realise many would disagree on this. Personally I think it looks silly next to the new Henderson.

I was trying to figure out how they would add a platform at the Base in Hamilton as there is a siding on the East side so they may need to move the Up main westwards and build a Sylvia Park type Island in the middle.

[Rail-it]

Yes I agree also, the old platforms should be removed. But that's another topic. Is there a thread here about maintaining the standard of the rail corridor, such as like the removal of these old platforms, weed removal, graffiti removal etc? it's all a part of catering for passengers on trains isn't it? Who wants to see all this eye sore all the time onto the way to work/school...not many I guess.

[TechnicianX]

Is there a thread here about maintaining the standard of the rail corridor, such as like the removal of these old platforms, weed removal, graffiti removal etc? it's all a part of catering for passengers on trains isn't it? Who wants to see all this eye sore all the time onto the way to work/school...not many I guess.

There have been a few threads on that issue, but the sad reality for us is that the authorities don't really care. ONTRACK can't afford to maintain the corridor (at least from what I've heard) so weed removal is non-existent and graffiti must be removed by councils. Manukau and Waitakere are currently taking the initiative to do this but Auckland City aren't and hence have the worst looking section of the corridor within their boundaries.

[geoff_184]

The wooden building is the original Wiri station building, at the original platform site. Housing the signal panel was only part of its use.

Sorry Chris, I misunderstood you, but to me that building is the station, not the bus stop in the foreground!