Rail lines in Hawke’s Bay ‘definitely rebuildable’; KiwiRail reveal timeframe for re-opening

Gary Hamilton-Irvine

9 Mar, 2023

KiwiRail’s Peter Marsh on damaged tracks near Eskdale, outside of Napier. Photo / Paul Taylor

KiwiRail has revealed when it plans to re-open its rail line from Palmerston North through to Hastings and Napier, but says there is too much damage to put a date on when the Napier to Wairoa line will re-open.

However, KiwiRail says it is “definitely rebuildable” and, at this stage, there are plans to repair the entire line through to Wairoa.

Cyclone Gabrielle caused extensive damage to the railway line last month in Hawke’s Bay including buckling steel tracks, tearing out sleepers and pulling down or damaging bridges.

KiwiRail plans to re-open the closed line from Woodville (near Palmerston North) to Hastings in the next two to three weeks once a bridge is repaired in Waipawa.

The important link between Hastings and Napier (including Napier Port) will take at least six months to re-open.

That is because the Waitangi Washout Bridge, near Awatoto, was destroyed during the floods.

KiwiRail programme director Daniel Headifen said Napier Port and Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency were both eager to see the railway line fixed to Napier, as it was an important route and helped reduce the number of vehicles and trucks on the roads.

“[For our] first job, we are going to be opening to Hastings, then we are working on opening to Napier,” Headifen said.

“Then we are working on opening through to Wairoa.”

He said for the line between Napier and Wairoa, there were about 150 damaged sites along that railway alone, of which dozens were deemed to have serious damage.

That includes in the flood-ravaged Esk Valley area just north of Napier.

“I don’t want to downplay it, but this to me is somewhere that looks a lot worse than it is,” Headifen said, of the possibility of repairing the line to Wairoa.

“This looks massive and different to things I have seen in the past, but this is definitely rebuildable.”

KiwiRail track ganger Peter Marsh said the railway was “a mess” after the cyclone, particularly around the Esk Valley region.

“If you had come in here two weeks ago, you would not believe that could happen.

“That rail sets that size could just be pushed down and twisted around, it is unbelievable.”

What is the railway line used for?

There are usually seven trains which run a return trip from Palmerston North to Napier each week, and another five trains which run a return trip between Hastings and Napier each week.

That includes roughly 350 containers carrying pulp and paper, wine, Wattie’s products and other import and export goods.

For the Napier to Wairoa line, one train carrying logs generally uses the line each day.

How will KiwiRail replace tracks?

Headifen said where the railway line required replacement, KiwiRail would use concrete sleepers manufactured in New Zealand and steel tracks manufactured in China.

“We will be bringing in sleepers from Whangarei and possibly down in Christchurch. They are all made in New Zealand, and the rail we will bring in from overseas.”

Headifen said the railway line was covered by insurance.