Wairarapa rail commuters were forced to travel by bus yesterday after an engine and passenger carriage derailed in Masterton.
KiwiRail spokeswoman Julie Buchanan said there were no passengers aboard the commuter wagon at the time of the derailment, which happened "while the last Masterton service of the evening was being stabled in the yard".
KiwiRail workers had escaped injury and staff had worked through the night to re-rail the locomotive and carriage, which will be assessed for damage, she said.
Ms Buchanan said the 5.45am and 6.21am commuter services from Masterton to Wellington yesterday were unaffected by the derailment, while passengers on the 6.48am service were taken to their destinations by bus.
Passengers should check the Tranz Metro website for service updates at www.tranzmetro.co.nz.
