Today (1 June 2012) is the last full day of the old signalling system and Platform 3 operations before Papakura station redevelopment enters the next stage. The next few months will see the sidings and Platform 3 demolished, and new platforms built in their place. With that, here are some "D-Day" photos of the station.
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| A train drops off passengers in the final hours of Platform 3 |
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| The train (ADL 804) looking over the to-be-lifted yard |
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| Departing Platform 3 in the final hours | |
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| The station building on its last day of operations |
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| A train from the stabling yard (DC 4922) passing the station building shortly before stopping at Platform 2 |
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| The current ticket office, closing to allow refurbishments | |
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| The "bridge to nowhere" (the remains of the original bridge, demolished in 2007) behind the station building |
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| Platform 1 (right) and Platform 2 before the weekend's works |
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| A freight train passing the station building en route to Palmerston North |
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| Ballast tamer and regulator waiting in the sidings |
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| The yard and station building |
This weekend will see the 80+ year old level operated signalling system decommissioned and replaced with a brand new automated system, which has been in use from Wiri to Swanson for some time now. The final train to be signalled through on the old system will be the southbound Overlander on Saturday morning, with trains after that to be signalled through verbally while the new system is being commissioned. As a result of the loss of the sidings, trains will start running empty to and from Pukekohe just to get them off the platform at Papakura.
Auckland Transport has released a media statement detailing the works to take place.
Papakura Station will move a step closer into the future with the next stage of
upgrade works starting Queens Birthday Weekend.
Auckland Transport and
KiwiRail are taking the opportunity of the Queen's Birthday Weekend rail network
closure to switch signalling systems and carry out work which will modernise the
station, meet future patronage growth and prepare it for
electrification.
From Tuesday 5 June passengers will be directed to the
island platform 1 and 2 while the first stage of work is being carried out to
the station entry and platforms alongside Railway St West.
The station's Kiss
and Ride parking and ticket office will close and customers can purchase
concession tickets from two nearby agencies; Brandy's Café, 2/14 Railway Street
and Stop N Save, 192 Great South Road.
On Saturday 2 June the Papakura Signal
Box will close, to be replaced by an automated signalling system. It will end
more than 80 years of manual signalling at the station.
One man who has seen
many changes to the Auckland rail network is Veolia signaller Tom Davies. He
has been working at Papakura Station for 21 years and in the rail industry for
43 years.
He is part of the team responsible for signalling the trains
through the section of track between Wiri and Papakura.
"The lever operated
mechanical signals were installed here in the 1930's and although they are safe
and reliable they do need to be upgraded because with all the current and the
old metal levers in the system, there will be a risk of electrocution once the
new overhead wires going in.
"I think it's great the old signal panel will be
kept on display in the ticket office, which is also a heritage building, to show
people how we used to do it in the old days and how far we have come
technologically on the railways for the early 1900s," says Mr Davies.
Veolia
signalling staff will be there to witness the last signal given on Saturday 2
June before the office is decommissioned. The signalling equipment will stay
and be relocated to the west side of the station along with the old wooden
ticket building. The old heritage building will be refurbished into a ticketing
office and information kiosk and space for public toilets.
Features of the
station upgrade include; an enlarged Park and Ride, improved Kiss n Ride drop
off, additional platform shelters and furniture, CCTV, lighting and PA upgrades,
passenger information displays and refurbished ticketing office and information
kiosk.
At the same time KiwiRail is undertaking a major re-arrangement of the
tracks and platforms to provide a dedicated freight line through the station,
and optimise track and platform layout in preparation for electrification.
From now on, expect blog posts to be more frequent than they have been, now that actual work has started.
