3 Oct 2010

Most Wellington trains running to schedule on Monday

10:04 pm on 3 October 2010

Most Wellington trains will be back up and running to schedule on Monday, after landslips blocked lines causing major disruptions late last week.

Heavy rain in the region on Thursday brought down slips onto tracks and led to a head on collision between two passenger trains north of Wellington.

Slips on the Paraparaumu and Johnsonville lines were cleared over the weekend.

KiwiRail says the slip at Muri, which caused Thursday's crash, was particularly large, with 15 metres of slippage, and a wall has been built to encase the earth.

Buses will replace trains from Wellington to Petone between 8pm and 5.30am until Thursday because of track maintenance.

And buses will replace trains on the 4.30am and 5am trips between Plimmerton and Wellington.

The line through the Manawatu Gorge, which was closed because of slips during the same weatherbomb is now open.