After 73 years, what's 9 minutes?

By BERNARD ORSMAN

At 5.49am, nine minutes behind schedule, a refurbished ADL diesel train carrying 142 dignitaries and commuters pulled into platform 5 at the new Britomart rail station.

The Britomart Express travelled slowly in the dark, past the old station at Beach Rd, before entering the dimly lit 285m tunnel leading to the state-of-the-art station.

Inside, the passengers were greeted by Maori warriors from Ngati Whatua, a piper and the Salvation Army brass band.

The train was the first to return to the central city after 73 years.

Auckland's longest-serving train drivers, Ian Rout and Michael Rimington, who joined New Zealand Rail on the same day - January 21, 1957 - were the drivers.

Mr Rout said he always believed trains would come back to Queen St and he looked forward to the day when electric trains would run into Britomart.

Pride and awe were the predominant feelings yesterday among the commuters, politicians and officials who have been involved in the controversial Britomart project since it was envisaged by Auckland City Mayor Les Mills in 1995.

Regular commuter Steven Kendall, from Papakura, said of the underground station: "It's amazing. Am I in the right city? It's like going into another world.

"I've been waiting a long time for this. It's not often you get the chance to be part of an historic moment."

Auckland Regional Council chairwoman Gwen Bull described the event as a moment in history. Auckland City Mayor John Banks called it an important milestone.

But teething troubles meant most journeys were late and some passengers got home in taxis.

The 2.10pm to Pukekohe, full of families, left Britomart 30 minutes late.

A woman who got off at Papakura found two taxi vans waiting to take passengers to Pukekohe.

At Britomart, terminal staff announced departures manually.

One automated notice did slip through at 16.02 to announce the imminent departure of the 15.55 train to Papakura.

The train pulled in three minutes later and left at 16.08, 13 minutes behind schedule.

Jason Gibbs of Penrose said: "Britomart is a start but we won't see any more people on the train until the services are improved."

- Additional reporting: Natasha Harris