Southern Line, Auckland

Southern Line
Overview
TypeCommuter Rail
SystemAT Metro
StatusActive
LocaleAuckland, New Zealand
TerminiBritomart
Papakura (electric), Pukekohe (diesel shuttle)
Connecting linesEastern, Onehunga, Western
Stations17
Operation
OwnerKiwiRail (tracks and platforms), Auckland Transport (trains and buildings)
Operator(s)Transdev Auckland under the AT brand
Rolling stockAM class (Britomart – Papakura), ADL class (Papakura – Pukekohe)
Technical
Line length49.62 km (30.83 mi)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification25 kV AC overhead (Britomart – Papakura)

The Southern Line in Auckland, New Zealand is the name given to suburban train services that operate between Britomart Transport Centre in central Auckland and Pukekohe via Newmarket.

Routing

From Britomart to Newmarket, Southern Line services use the Newmarket Line, then follow the North Auckland Line to Westfield Junction, and from thence onto the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) line as far as Pukekohe, the terminus of the Southern Line. In its entirety, this line follows the original 1875 North Island Main Trunk route between central Auckland and Pukekohe.

The line, originally single-tracked, was duplicated, piecemeal, between 1909 and 1939. In 1915, the original single-track Parnell tunnel was bypassed by a twin-track tunnel. The older tunnel can be seen alongside the current one, between Parnell station and Newmarket Junction.

Third Main Line

A future Third Main Line is envisaged as part of the Wiri to Quay Park project announced in 2017, which is to start in 2020 and be completed in 2024. It is expected to ease congestion on Auckland rail lines, improve rail freight access from the Port of Auckland to the Westfield yards and allow more frequent passenger and freight services.[1][2] The new line would be between Westfield and Wiri or Wiri and Papakura.

These improvements will avoid an estimated 175,000 annual freight movements on the state highway network. Work is expected to begin at the end of 2020 and will be divided into four areas outlined below. The $315 million funding package for these works was announced as part of the Government's New Zealand Upgrade Programme.[1]

History

In 1930, the Westfield Deviation opened a new eastern route for the NIMT between Auckland and Westfield via Glen Innes. The route between Auckland and Westfield via Newmarket then ceased to be part of the NIMT. The portion between Newmarket and Westfield became part of the North Auckland Line (NAL), which runs between Westfield and Whangarei.

The Southern Line suburban services continued to run on the older route. A new line, called the Eastern Line, was introduced for services on the new route. While the Eastern and Southern lines have a different route between Auckland and Westfield, they share the same tracks between Westfield and Puhinui station.

New stations

New stations have been proposed at Walters Road and Drury, and are currently being sought by the Papakura Local Board.

Services

Suburban services are operated by Transdev under the AT Metro brand.

Stations on the line
StationKm from Auckland[3]Height above sea level (m)Current status
Britomart Transport Centre0 km4m below sea levelLocated beneath the site of the 1885-1930 Queen Street station. Open. New Zealand's second underground station. At this location Point Britomart station opened 24-12-1873 and closed 29-11-1885 and Queen Street station opened 30-11-1885 and closed 16-11-1930. New Zealand's lowest public point.[4]
Auckland0 km3Located on Beach Road, Parnell. Opened 17-12-1930. Closed July 2003. Former Platform 7 renamed Strand Railway Station and retained for excursion services, and later, the Northern Explorer.
ParnellOpened 12-03-2017. Located on the western side of Parnell shops near the old Mainline Steam site on Cheshire St.
Newmarket2.5353Open (Four platform junction station).
Remuera4.0481Open. Uses 1902-era Troup-designed station and signal box.
Greenlane5.5357Open
Ellerslie Racecourse Platform5.850Closed. Platforms still exist.
Ellerslie6.9631Open
Penrose8.4423Open
Southdown10.264.2Closed 2004
Westfield11.277.6Closed March 2017.[5]
Otahuhu12.519.44Open
Mangere13.2810.66Closed
Middlemore14.338.8Open
Papatoetoe16.1318Open
Papatoitoi16.9518.9Closed 1904
Puhinui17.6619.8Closed (Closed until 2021 for upgrades)[6]
Wiri19.0422.25Closed 2005
Homai20.8830.78Open
Manurewa22.4928.34Closed
Manurewa22.7717Open
Te Mahia24.2914.9Open.
Takanini25.915.2Open
Tironui27.5615.5Closed 1980. Proposal for new station nearby at Walters Road lodged 2012.
Papakura29.4219.2Open. Terminus for electric unit services.

The following section of unelectrified track is served by a diesel train shuttle service. Papakura is the transfer hub between services.

StationKm from Auckland[7]Height above sea level (m)Current status
Papakura29.4219.2Open. Terminus for diesel train shuttle service.
Opaheke31.9214.5Closed 1955. Known as "Hunua" until 1939.
Drury34.819Closed 1972. Proposal to re-open lodged 2012.
Runciman368Closed 1918
Paerata43.3145.1Closed 1980
Pukekohe47.860.65Open. Terminus for diesel train shuttle service.


See also

References
  1. "Wiri to Quay Park (project timetable)". KiwiRail. 2019.
  2. "Agenda for a meeting of the Infrastructure Committee - 5.9 Hamilton to Auckland Passenger Rail – Progress Update and Future Direction" (PDF). Waikato District Council. 27 June 2017.
  3. New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (First ed.). Quail Map Co. 1965. pp. 3 & 4.
  4. "Britomart Transport Interchange, Auckland: Alterations and strengthening of the former Chief Post Office" (PDF). Opus International Consultants. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  5. "Westfield Station closing permanently from 12 March 2017". Auckland Transport. 14 March 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  6. "Puhinui Station Interchange" Auckland Transport Retrieved on 30 September 2019.
  7. New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (First ed.). Quail Map Co. 1965. pp. 3 & 4.
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