Happy New Year

Happy New Year, and welcome to 2013. KiwiRail staff are hard at work on major projects around the Auckland network, and Papakura station is one of them. Although staff had obviously knocked off for the day when I arrived, the progress made since my last update about a week ago is clear.

Platform 2's new track is ready for ballast

The other side isn't quite finished yet, although the rebuilt platform is now half sealed

Oddly the new track is connected to the southbound track instead of the centre track. One hopes this is just temporary prior to clearing of the left over rails

The Platform 1 rebuild isn't quite finished yet

The new northern end of the island platform

A more substantial update may be made in the next few days, rather than this "refresher" post to quickly keep you updated.

Final update before 2013

This will probably be my final update for 2012, as this weekend I head away on holiday and won't be back until the New Year. I've not yet found a fill-in during this time, but if I do they will happily keep you updated during the Christmas holidays.

Papakura station starts a two week long closure this Saturday, from 22 December to 7 January when trains as far as Newmarket and Sylvia Park (with transfer) resume. Holiday timetables are available at ticket offices, or online.

Presumably some major track work and the finishing of Platform 2 will take place over the break, but before that some other work is being done.

The new shelter under construction at the south end of the island platform

Drain works appear to be finished, with the platform awaiting resealing

The new end of Platform 2, viewed from the remains of Platform 1

What's left of Platform 1

A train passes under the Clevedon Road bridge - you can see the three tracks with the future Platform 2 track in the middle

The track north of the bridge

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and safe travels if you're heading away this Christmas.

Platform 2 end done

The north end of Platform 2 seems to be as finished as it can be, with more work having to wait until Platform 1 is closed.

Overview of Papakura station from 12 December

The new end of Platform 2

The demolished remains of the end of Platform 2

Drain works in Platform 2 are much welcome

Bases in the guts of the platform-to-be: they look like bases for a new shelter and light/flag posts

It looks like AT need to invest in some new temporary signs

Fixed lift

The lift at Papakura has been repaired, with both broken panels replaced with clear glass.

Both broken panels are now replaced

Concrete cutters were also hard at work, sending dust into the air.

Not quite sure what they were doing though

Most of the redundant platform has disappeared altogether

The platform is also having drainage works done

Platform 2's electronic sign has disappeared

Demolition and a smash

Despite a rail shutdown last weekend not much appeared to have happened, besides some more demolition of the end of Platform 2.

Just tidying up the end

Not a lot has happened on the old platform

Some formation work has been carried out however

And then this happened: it's not entirely clear what caused the glass to smash, but contractors and Veolia staff were trying to figure out the cause

It wasn't the first panel to be smashed either: note the bottom red panel, it's also got a hole in it

Demolition update

Demolition of the north end of Platform 2 has progressed well, and construction on a longer south end has started.

Demolition is almost complete

Edging has been placed for the south end

It's not just the ends being dug out...

Overview of the old Platforms 1 and 2, with reconstruction progressing

More digging and a visitor

Today, more evidence of platform digging out was in sight.

Works were also continuing on the new platform at the south

Digging viewed from the bridge: by the end of the day some of the edging had gone as well

A close up view showing the dug out track formation

Papakura station also had a visitor today, in the form of steam locomotive J^A 1240 "Jessica", on its first excursion since being restored by Mainline Steam at Parnell.

"Jessica" awaits departure from Platform 3

Platform 2 digging

The end of Platform 2 is currently being dug out, preparing the platform for shortening at the north end. The finished platform will be even longer as the disused section of platform on the south end will be rebuilt.

Digging up Platform 2

Viewed from the bridge. If you follow the turnout pointing towards the platform ,you can see why the platform needs to be cut back - the new track will straighten out again about where the back of the truck is

Looking through the fence

Presumably this is how far back the platform will be chopped off too

A pile of old tactile dots

Next to the train, digging for new formation has begin

Open for business

Today, the new Platform 3 and refurbished station building opened for business, with the old Platform 2 closing for refurbishment.

But passengers can't tag on at the new platform yet as the tag post is missing some equipment

Tactile strips are also not quite finished

The ticket machine on the new platform also isn't yet working: the ticket office isn't far away however

The signs at various entrances helpfully display which platform each train is departing from

Passengers board a train standing at the new platform

Looking down the new 180m long Platform 3 from the north end

Looking down the platform from the other end

Overview of the station as it is now. Note the section of track that hasn't yet been lifted: presumably this can be reused as it's near new

Looking through the shelters, and the artwork on its glass panels

Looking straight down the new track towards a waiting train

A train waits at the new Platform 3, next to the closed and trackless Platform 2

Looking up onto the deck of the station building. The building contains a ticket office, small museum, toilets and (soon) a cafe

The old signalling equipment is on display in the station building. Note the temporary alteration on the right-hand side, added when the stabling yard tracks were reconfigured

The all-important toilets in the station building, in addition to the existing public toilets on the other side of the station

The former entrance to the old ticket office, now a window

Trucks carry away dirt from the old site of the station building

The new carpark is still under construction

A train passes the old platform, which is to be demolished and replaced

The dock platform is still off limits

With the (near) completion of Platform 3, work now focuses on Platform 2. We will bring you updates to this work as it happens.