“Staff will be working around the clock to complete work that will improve our infrastructure and increase the reliability of our operations,” says KiwiRail General Manager Infrastructure and Engineering, Rick Van Barneveld.

“We intend to take full advantage of the line closure and have a number of major works planned that couldn’t be done with the trains running. During the network closure, passenger services will be replaced by buses and freight will be maintained using short road bridging.

More information about the Christmas timetables is available at www.maxx.co.nz for Auckland and www.tranzmetro.co.nz for Wellington.”

In Auckland KiwiRail is preparing for the electrification of the rail network at multiple sites around the network. Work starts in from next week in Parnell, and expands to the remaining network from Boxing Day onwards, for up to three weeks in some places. Auckland activities include:

  The replacement of four rail overbridges (Orakei Rd, Mt Wellington Highway, Mountain Rd and Morrin Rd) and five footbridges (Orakei, Meadowbank, Ellerslie, Puhinui and Otahuhu);
  Lowering the tracks in the Parnell gully to allow for a proposed station at the site in the future (on behalf of Auckland Transport);
  The commissioning of a new signalling system between Morningside and Swanson stations;
  Major track works at Wiri, and around Papakura station and structural works at Britomart in advance of electric trains arriving; and
  Continuing the installation of overhead wires and masts along the Western, Southern and Onehunga Branch Lines.

The focus of the works in the Wellington region will enable staff to work on upgrading Tunnel Two on the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT), replacing overhead wiring and poles south of Paekakariki, upgrades to the Naenae and Kenepuru stations and slope stabilisation work on the Johnsonville and NIMT lines. While the work is underway freight services will be routed through the Wairarapa while Tunnel Two is closed.

General maintenance activities on hard to get at infrastructure will also be completed during this time.

City.Mobi

Also in New Zealand today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to Christchurch.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Christchurch.city.mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.