Auckland trains delayed until 10.30am due to power line fault

Morning commuters faced delays at Newmarket Station.

Trains into Auckland's central Britomart Station are facing delays until 10.30am after an overhead power fault near Westfield this morning.

Passenger Craig Popham reported on Twitter just after 9am that "they're struggling to fit trains into Britomart and everything is backing up".

"My Western Line train was delayed about 30 minutes at Newmarket and between Newmarket and Britomart," he wrote.

They're struggling to fit trains into britomart and everything is backing up. My Western line train was delayed about 30 minutes at newmarket and between newmarket and britomart. Ones behind may be as bad?

— Craig Popham (@CraigPopham) May 14, 2019

Auckland Transport replied to a journalist just before 9.30am saying: "Currently delays on the Western line is due to some backlog due to the track fault inside Britomart tunnel and the arrival of services on the Eastern and Southern line."

Hi Michael, currently delays on the Western line is due to some backlog due to the track fault inside Britomart tunnel and the arrival of services on the Eastern and Southern line. ^VP

— Auckland Transport (@AklTransport) May 14, 2019

Earlier, the agency said on Twitter: "Train services on the Eastern and Southern lines are currently operating at a reduced frequency - approx every 20 minutes due to an overhead line issue near Westfield. There are also delays to services into Britomart due to a track fault."

Train services on the Eastern and Southern lines are currently operating at a reduced frequency - approx every 20 minutes due to an overhead line issue near Westfield. There are also delays to services into Britomart due to a track fault. pic.twitter.com/2YbPlBlCxE

— Auckland Transport (@AklTransport) May 14, 2019

An Auckland Transport spokesman told the Herald at 9.33am that "recovery is in process and trains are expected to resume normal schedule at approximately 10.30am."

"The Eastern and Southern line services were delayed this morning due to an overhead powerline issue near Westfield. The fault was fixed by KiwiRail at 8.10am," he said.

"Trains have been operating out of Britomart all morning. During this time, services on these lines were halted between Otahuhu and Manukau [Eastern Line] along with Penrose and Papakura [Southern Line].

"Trains have resumed running on the full line, at a 20 minute frequency.

"Western and Onehunga lines are experiencing delays due to congestion near Newmarket and Britomart [lack of track space].

"Recovery is currently in process and trains are expected to resume normal schedule at approximately 10.30am."