Te Huia

Te Huia is a planned passenger train service between Hamilton and Papakura. It will be a five year trial with subsidies from the NZ Transport Agency and Waikato local authorities, with the service to commence some time in November 2020.[1]

For the township in Northland, see Kaeo.

Te Huia

Overview
Service type	inter-city
Status	Planned
Locale	Waikato, New Zealand
Predecessor	Waikato Connection
First service	November 2020
Current operator(s)	Waikato Regional Council
Route
Start	Hamilton
Stops	3 or 4
End	Papakura
Distance travelled	104.63 kilometres (65.01 mi)
Average journey time	88 minutes
Service frequency	twice-daily return
On-board services
Catering facilities	Yes
Other facilities	Wi-Fi
Technical
Rolling stock	New Zealand DF class locomotive (1979) and SR, SRC and SRV class carriages
Track gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Route map 0.00 km Frankton Rotokauri (The Base) 31.47 Huntly 104.63 Papakura

Initial proposals

After the June 2006 announcement of the Overlander's cancellation, there were proposals to re-instate the Waikato Connection, including from Dave Macpherson, Hamilton City Council's Passenger Transport Committee chairman. The Overlander's cancellation was subsequently rescinded, eliminating the possibility of using its rolling stock on a new Waikato Connection, but other proposals have remained due to increased vehicular traffic volumes straining road capacity. These proposals include using the Silver Fern railcars as in the original Waikato Connection, though they were at the time under contract for suburban commuter trains between Auckland and Pukekohe. Proposals were floated in 2007 to reinstate the service.[2] An interim proposal from the Rail Working Group in 2011 recommended further assessment of three options:

a) A Silver Fern railcar from Hamilton to Papakura with a transfer to the MAXX service at Papakura

b) Extension of the MAXX service to Hamilton

c) The composite train option (Silver Fern railcar coupled to the back of an existing MAXX service at Pukekohe).

This proposal addressed cost concerns raised by the affected local government organisations by making use of existing rolling stock and infrastructure where possible and avoiding use of the Britomart Transport Centre which, because of capacity constraints, was not available for peak-time arrivals and departures of such a service.[3]

The proposal was dropped on a 2011 report[4] in favour of extension only from Pukekohe to Tuakau, but that was also shelved.[5] In 2016 the Transport Minister said, when starting work on a parallel section of Waikato Expressway costing over $2bn, "it will be some time before it makes its case economically".[6]

A further study to establish a strategic business case was started in 2017.[7] It identified the lack of a third line to Auckland and consequently, a journey time of over 2hrs 20mins as obstacles.[8] Regional Council's 2018 Long Term Plan consultation also includes a question asking whether Hamilton ratepayers will pay about $11 a year for a skeleton commuter service from Hamilton to Papakura.[9] A paper for the same plan proposes a Hamilton–Papakura bus link, taking 1hr 20mins, 10 minutes faster and much cheaper,[10] at an estimated annual cost of $54,000.[11]

Re-introduction of service

ATAP, Auckland's 2018–2028 plan provided for Pukekohe electrification, a third line from Westfield to Wiri and further new electric trains,[12] probably part of up to $205m a year proposed by government for 'Transitional rail' spending,[13] which may include a Hamilton service.[14]

The Sixth Labour Government promised commuter rail in 18 months to Hamilton[15] and commuter rail to Hamilton and Tauranga.[16] Hamilton residents want a passenger service right into Auckland (Britomart if possible).[17] Labour MP Jamie Strange expected the service to be operating by the end of 2019.[18]

A 2018 Waikato Regional Council plan aims to have more than 95% of peak rail trips completed in less than 2 hours and 30 minutes (compared with 50% by road) within 5 years, 2 hours within 15 years and eventually 90 minutes (90 km/h average).[19]

In November 2018, the proposed service from March 2020 was expected to take 1 hour 31 minutes from Frankton to Papakura, stopping at Rotokauri and Huntly; and transferring at Papakura to another train to take 2 hours 29 minutes total to Britomart.[20] Detailed planning in 2018 put the start date back to March 2020.[21] In 2019 there was discussion over the level of NZTA funding.[22]

The delayed supply of new bogies from overseas delayed by two months the startup from March to May 2020.[23][24]

In 2019, the unofficially popular name[25] of Tron Express was announced and the start date further delayed to mid-2020.[26] But Tron received fewest positive comments and was the least well liked in focus groups,[27] so Te Huia was then recommended by two Waikato councils.[28]

KiwiRail says that the service will run on Monday to Friday (two trains) and Saturday (one train), with a running time of 88 minutes. The train will run between Hamilton railway station and Papakura railway station with stops at Rotokauri (a new station near The Base shopping mall on the outskirts of Hamilton and the site of the former Te Rapa railway station) and Huntly railway station (to be upgraded).[29]

The service introduction has now been delayed by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.[30]

The indicative initial timetable is:[21]

Station
Hamilton (Frankton)	5:54	6:33	Britomart	16:30	17:30
The Base	6:02	6:41	Papakura (arrive)	17:18	18:18
Huntly	6:25	7:04	Papakura (depart)	17:27	18:27
Papakura (arrive)	7:22	8:01	Huntly	18:23	19:28
Papakura (depart)	7:34	8:12	The Base	18:45	19:50
Britomart	8:24	9:04	Hamilton	18:52	19:57

At present the only similar service is by InterCity bus, leaving Hamilton at 5.30am and arriving at Auckland at 8am[31] and returning at 7pm, to reach Hamilton at 8.49pm.[32]

Rolling stock

There will be two consists of four refurbished SA and SD carriages carriages, each with capacity for 147 commuters and a café car. The refurbished (by Hutt Workshops) former Auckland Transport SA and SD cars (ten SA and three SD, which became redundant in 2015) will become KiwiRail SR class.[33]

The two consists will have two SR, one SRC and one SRV carriages; with an overall capacity of 300 passengers each way daily, and could increase to two five-carriage consists with a capacity of 400 passengers each way daily.

The three carriage designs are:

• SR carriage: 50 seats & WC
• SRC carriage: 20 seats & facilities (servery) & accessible (wheel-chair) WC.
• SRV carriage: 28 seats & 10 flip-up seats, facility for cycles, generator room, staff office (also a driving cab, though this may be impractical for long-distance work and only used at each end of the journey)

The carriages will retain the modern metro-style doors which are easier for wheelchair users and cyclists to use, so will not have the wide windows as fitted to the Wairarapa Connection carriages which have traditional “quarter” doors (this slightly reduces the number of seats, but the cost of door conversion was prohibitive) .

The service will use overhauled DFB locomotives (two operating and one spare). Initially the empty trains will run to Otahuhu railway station and the Westfield sidings during the day, and will be serviced at a new carriage depot at the Rotokauri station at night.

The service may extend to Puhinui railway station from 2022 and The Strand Station from 2024 or when the third Main Line project is finished.[34]

Future options

In 2019, the New Zealand government approved a review into upgrading the rail line to accommodate a maximum speed of 160 km/h, which would halve the journey times between Auckland and Hamilton.[35][36]

Also in 2019, a group made up of local councils and the Ministry of Transport issued a 'Shared Statement of Spatial Intent'. It envisages that suburban electric services may extend to Pokeno within 10 years and that, beyond that, the whole route would be electrified and faster alignments be created via the Bombay Hills, around the Whangamarino wetland and east of Huntly. It also suggests a spur to Hamilton Airport.[37]

References

1. "Hamilton-Auckland commuter train tipped to start in November". Stuff. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
2. "Rail Working Party Interim Recommendation Report on Hamilton to Auckland Passenger Rail Service" (PDF). Environment Waikato. January 2011.
3. LEAMAN, AARON (11 May 2011). "Strand rail link 'best'". Waikato Times. Hamilton: Fairfax New Zealand. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
4. "Council Decision on Hamilton to Auckland Passenger Rail Proposal" (PDF). Waikato Regional Council. 10 November 2011.
5. "Tuakau rail service gets shunted". Stuff. Retrieved 2016-10-18.
6. "Bridges backs commuter rail". Stuff. Retrieved 2016-10-18.
7. "Regional council committee supports fresh look at commuter rail". Waikato Regional Council. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
8. "Agenda for a meeting of the Infrastructure Committee – 5.9 Hamilton to Auckland Passenger Rail – Progress Update and Future Direction" (PDF). Waikato District Council. 27 June 2017.
9. "Inclusion of an Interim Hamilton to Auckland Passenger Rail Service in the 2018 -2028 Long Term Plan" (PDF). Waikato Regional Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-01-31.
10. "North Waikato Public Transport Network Review Implementation" (PDF). Waikato Regional Council. January 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-01-31.
11. "Agenda for a meeting of the Infrastructure Committee on Tuesday 28 November 2017" (PDF). Waikato District Council.
12. "Auckland Transport Alignment Project" (PDF). Auckland Council. April 2018.
13. "Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2018/19–2027/28" (PDF). March 2018.
14. "Regional Rapid Rail – Hamilton Central Station – Greater Auckland". Greater Auckland. 2018-04-03. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
15. "Commuter rail from Auckland to Hamilton". Stuff (Fairfax). 21 August 2017.
16. "Commuter rail from Auckland to Hamilton, Tauranga for $20 million". Stuff (Fairfax). 17 August 2017.
17. "Advocates put pressure on for a better rail service". Stuff (Fairfax). 11 May 2018.
18. "Labour MP Jamie Strange confident Hamilton-Auckland commuter train cash coming". Stuff (Fairfax). 18 July 2018.
19. "Late Transport Papers S-P" (PDF). Waikato Regional Council. 7 August 2018.
20. "Hamilton to Auckland passenger rail service takes another step closer". Stuff (Fairfax). 2 November 2018.
21. "Hamilton to Auckland Start-Up Passenger Rail Service" (PDF). Hamilton City Council. Nov 2018. p. 69.
22. "Funding shortfall threatens Hamilton to Auckland passenger rail service". Stuff/Fairfax. 27 February 2019.
23. "Hamilton-Auckland Commuter Trains" in The New Zealand Railway Observer August–September 2019 No 349 pages 127–128 (Vol 76 No 3)
24. "Hamilton to Auckland passenger rail service hits a bogie". Stuff/Fairfax. 1 June 2019.
25. "Shortlist of names released for Hamilton to Auckland passenger rail service". Stuff/Fairfax. 2 May 2019.
26. "Tron Express launch date pushed back". Hamilton News. 31 May 2019. p. 4. Retrieved 2019-06-03.
27. "New commuter rail service gets a name Te Huia to fly between- Hamilton and Auckland". Stuff/Fairfax. 12 March 2020.
28. "Proposed Name for the Hamilton to Auckland Start-Up Passenger Rail Service and its Cultural Rationale" (PDF). Waikato District Council. 10 Feb 2020.
29. "Hamilton-Auckland service". Kiwirail. 2018.
30. "Coronavirus delays start date for Hamilton to Auckland passenger train". Stuff/Fairfax. 4 April 2020.
31. "Wellington to Auckland ** Overnight Service ** // InterCity Bus timetable IC6514". www.intercity.co.nz. Retrieved 2019-06-03.
32. "Auckland to Wellington *Overnight* // InterCity Bus timetable IC6503". www.intercity.co.nz. Retrieved 2019-06-03.
33. "Hamilton – Auckland (project timetable)". KiwiRail. 2019.
34. "Hamilton-Auckland Commuter Trains" by Graeme Carter in The New Zealand Railway Observer June–July 2019 No 349 pages 56–59 (Vol 76 No 2)
35. "Auckland – Hamilton commuter service funding approved". International Railway Journal. 23 August 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
36. "Government investigates rapid rail between Hamilton and Auckland". Stuff/Fairfax. 13 March 2020.
37. "A summary of shared spatial intent for the Hamilton- Auckland [H2A] Corridor" (PDF). Waikato District Council. Feb 2019.

External links

• Photos of the coaches being refurbished in 2020