Britomart is likely to remain shut this morning, causing more chaos for commuters, after the station was closed by a train derailment.
There was a long line for the bus after the trains were shut down at Britomart. Photo: RNZ / Tom Furley
All services to and from Britomart station stopped running after three carriages on a six-carriage train came off the tracks when it was coming into the station at about 9.40am yesterday. There were no reports of injuries to the 33 people on board.
Auckland Transport spokesman James Ireland said about 15,000 people used the trains in rush hour and the organisation had done everything possible to communicate to those people that Britomart was shut.
"We put out information on social media and to the media and we sent out emails to all of our registered HOP Card holders as well," he said.
But hundreds of people still showed up at the station earlier yesterday evening, and had to be pointed towards alternative transport.
Commuter Amanda Fuller said she saw the news about the derailing during her lunch-break, but thought it would be cleared by the time she finished work at 4pm.
She showed up to Britomart to find it still closed.
Those trying to use the Britomart train station were forced to make alternative travel arrangements after it was closed by a derailment. Photo: RNZ / Tom Furley
For Amanda Fuller, it meant she could not pick up her car from the Panmure Station and go on to collect her 2-year-old son from daycare.
"I've had to ring them and say 'look, I'm sorry there's been a derailing of the train, I'm going to be late with picking him up'.
"In the end they directed me to get a bus, and then I have to go to Newmarket I think and get on another bus or a train. I though 'right I'm just going to get the taxi guy we use for work.' Oh my god, what a nightmare."
Victor Fale said he had arranged to be picked up.
"I didn't know the train station was closed....I just showed up and someone told me just now. I was heading home just from work."
Mr Ireland said Auckland Transport was expecting the station to be closed in the morning.
The affected train is pictured on the left. Photo: Supplied to RNZ
A passenger on the train told RNZ he was stuck for about an hour before he was evacuated. The carriages remained upright and the main tunnel at the station was not blocked.
Auckland Transport said that while the station was closed, Eastern Line services would arrive and depart from The Strand every 20 minutes, while Western and Southern Line services would arrive and depart from Newmarket every 20 minutes.
KiwiRail said it was working as quickly as it could to reopen the station. Chief operations officer Todd Moyle said specialised re-railing equipment would be used.
The Onehunga service would run as a shuttle between Onehunga and Penrose, which would then join Southern line services.
Replacement buses running between Britomart and The Strand and Britomart and Newmarket will be limited.
With limited rail replacement buses running to and from the nearest stations, commuters were being asked to make alternative arrangements.
The train that derailed in Auckland this morning. Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook
Two investigators from the TAIC were on site this afternoon, trying to find out what went wrong.
Mr Ireland said there was a process that had to be followed,
"TAIC have to give us the go-ahead before we re-open Britomart," Mr Ireland said.
They are evacuating us now. Not that serious but it was a derailment. Felt scared for a moment.
— Awais Tanveer (@4awais) May 8, 2018
@nzherald @AklTransport waiting in the Britomart tunnel for evacuation plan after possible derailment and suspected points system failure. Time to kill so may as well tweet! pic.twitter.com/Okoymb4WNS
— Martin Keyte (@martkeyte) May 8, 2018
Kiwirail staff worked through the night.
