Manukau Branch
{{Short description|Railway line in Auckland, New Zealand}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name = Manukau Branch
| image = Manukau Station.jpg
| image_width = 260px
| caption = The trenched approach to Manukau station, the terminus, seen from the west.
| type = Urban rail
| system =
| locale =
| start = Manukau
| end =
| stations = 1
| routes = Eastern Line
| open = 15 April 2012
| close =
| owner = KiwiRail (track and platforms)
Auckland Transport (buildings)
| operator = Auckland One Rail
| character = Urban
| stock = AM class EMU
| linelength = {{convert|2.5|km}}
| tracklength = 2.5
| tracks = Two
| gauge = {{RailGauge|1067mm|lk=on}}
| electrification = 25 kV AC 2014{{cite web|url=http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/projects/major-projects/dart/manukau.html|title=Manukau Rail Link|publisher=KiwiRail|access-date=22 March 2012|archive-date=21 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321171646/http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/projects/major-projects/dart/manukau.html|url-status=live}}
| speed =
| elevation =
| map = {{Manukau Branch}}
}}
{{Maplink|frame=yes|type=line}}
File:SH20 To SH1 Construction Works Manukau.jpg
The Manukau Branch is a {{convert|2.5|km}} spur railway line off the North Island Main Trunk railway from Wiri to Manukau City Centre in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the first fully new section of railway line constructed in Auckland since the Eastern Line in 1930. From Manukau, the branch connects to the NIMT in the north facing direction only.
The estimated cost of the project was $50 million. Construction began in June 2008{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10500595|title=Ontrack told to stick to link timetable|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=28 March 2008|access-date=2008-03-28}} with completion expected in late 2011.{{cite news|url=http://www.projectdart.org.nz/upimg/projectupdates/kiwirail%20june%202010%20project%20update.pdf|title=Manukau’s "big dig" finishes early|work=KiwiRail - Project Update Newsletter|date=June 2010}}{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} However, due to other work on the Auckland network taking priority, completion was rescheduled for April 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10724569|title=Agencies 'too busy' to open rail link on time|work=The New Zealand Herald|author=Mathew Dearnaley|date=10 May 2011|access-date=10 May 2011|archive-date=11 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111111131309/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10724569|url-status=live}} Station works were reported essentially finished by October 2011,{{cite news|title=Business Report, October 2011|url=http://www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz/about-us/board-members/Documents/AT-Agenda-Item-9-Business-Report-incl-attachment-26-October-2011.pdf|access-date=9 December 2011|work=Auckland Transport|page=14|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120522212832/http://www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz/about-us/board-members/Documents/AT-Agenda-Item-9-Business-Report-incl-attachment-26-October-2011.pdf|archive-date=22 May 2012|df=dmy-all}} and the line opened on 15 April 2012.{{cite news|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/103421/new-auckland-rail-line-opens|title=New Auckland rail line opens|publisher=Radio New Zealand|date=15 April 2012|access-date=15 April 2012|archive-date=17 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417175218/http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/103421/new-auckland-rail-line-opens|url-status=live}}
Route
The branch leaves the NIMT south of Puhinui station and slightly north of the closed Wiri station. It runs on both New Zealand Railways Corporation and Auckland Council land. The NZ Transport Agency built some of the branch's earthworks. The extension of State Highway 20 to State Highway 1 included provision for the route.{{cite web|url=http://www.transit.govt.nz/projects/manukauextension/about/|title=Manukau Extension|publisher=Transit New Zealand|access-date=2008-03-28|archive-date=7 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007025516/http://www.transit.govt.nz/projects/manukauextension/about/|url-status=live}}
= Southern link =
Following the opening of the branch, Auckland mayor Len Brown called for the completion of its south facing link to the North Island Main Trunk.{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/transport/news/article.cfm?c_id=97&objectid=10799107&ref=rss|title=Mayor wants link built 'sooner rather than later'|author=Mathew Dearnaley|date=16 April 2012|work=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=15 April 2012|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063412/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/transport/news/article.cfm?c_id=97&objectid=10799107&ref=rss|url-status=live}} The earthwork formation (constructed by NZTA at a cost of approximately $25 million) for such a link is in place, but tracks need to be laid for it at a cost of approximately $1 million, and another $4–5 million would be required to reconfigure the Ports of Auckland/KiwiRail sidings which were built to a design that conflicts with the proposed southern link.
Station
File:Manukau Station, First Day Platform Level April 2012.jpg
The branch has one railway station, Manukau train station, the terminus in Manukau City Centre. The station is intended to move more people into Manukau Central, an area identified by council as a future metropolitan centre.{{cite news|title=Moving people in new directions|work=LG|date=March 2011|agency=New Zealand Local Government|pages=9}}
The station is in (and accessed via) a {{convert|300|m}} long trench, similar to the New Lynn station, to ease passage under nearby roads. A total of 47,000m2 of earth had been excavated when earthworks finished in May 2010.
The station is located at the heart of a campus for the Manukau Institute of Technology, being below ground level with the campus building constructed above it.
The branch opened on 15 April 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/6612326/Citys-new-rail-line-set-to-open|title=City's new rail line set to open|publisher=Auckland Now|date=22 March 2012|access-date=21 March 2012|archive-date=22 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322023940/http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/6612326/Citys-new-rail-line-set-to-open|url-status=live}} After several months in operation, during June 2012 daily usage levels were around 500 to 600 passengers.{{cite news|title=Statistics Report: June 2012|url=http://www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz/about-us/board-members/Board-Meetings-Minutes/Documents/Board%20reports%20June%202012/AT-PT-statistics-report-June2012.pdf|access-date=19 July 2012|work=Auckland Transport|date=July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120908060804/http://www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz/about-us/board-members/Board-Meetings-Minutes/Documents/Board%20reports%20June%202012/AT-PT-statistics-report-June2012.pdf|archive-date=8 September 2012|url-status=dead}} In April 2018, Manukau was the 11th busiest train station on the Auckland network with an average of 1,650 passengers on a typical weekday.
On 7 April 2018, a 23-bay bus station was opened on a lot adjacent to the train station to create a transport hub serving most of the southern Auckland Region. Services from the facility began the following day.{{cite news |url=https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/354373/49m-bus-station-opens-in-manukau |title=$49m bus station opens in Manukau |work=RNZ News |date=7 April 2018 |access-date=29 April 2018 |archive-date=10 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180410145015/https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/354373/49m-bus-station-opens-in-manukau |url-status=live }}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/projects/major-projects/dart/manukau.html Project DART - Manukau link]
{{NZR Lines}}
Category:Railway lines in New Zealand
Category:Public transport in Auckland
Category:Rail transport in Auckland