Red lights all the way

Hundreds of Auckland train passengers suffered agonisingly slow journeys home last night after a signals failure.

A fibre-optic failure knocked out electronically-operated signals on Auckland's western rail line for almost four hours from about 5.30pm.

All signals were stuck on red, and drivers had to get out of their cabs at each one to change them manually.

It took almost three hours for the 5.15pm train from Britomart to reach Waitakere, and the 6.15pm service did not reach New Lynn until 7.30pm.

Rail operator Connex spokeswoman Tessa Marjoram said the failure was most unfortunate, especially after trains had emerged from the six-day bus strike still carrying record passenger loads.

A passenger said train staff handed out coffee vouchers and lent cellphones for passengers to phone relatives and friends.