Signals fault causes peak-time delays

Hundreds of Auckland train passengers were delayed during the peak travel time last night when a signals fault stopped all services in and out of Britomart station.

Passengers were advised to take "alternative" ways of getting home.

KiwiRail later apologised for the disruption caused by a signal fault and which was still not fixed late last night, stranding rugby fans at Eden Park.

Northern regional manager Stephen Collet said it appeared there was a fault with one of the three computers which operates the system.

"The system did what it is designed to do and failed to a safe state."

However, at Britomart, Bob Walton and his son Zac were upset when they arrived to take a special train to Eden Park to see the Blues rugby game only to find a whiteboard message that the train was cancelled.

An official suggested they and others seeking the special train should instead catch a special bus outside the Civic Theatre - a 10-minute walk away.

"If the train is cancelled why can't the bus stop outside here?" Mr Walton asked."I want to know which side of the Civic Theatre because there are four ways a bus can go from there."

"But they can't tell me."

Mr Walton said it was a case of second-time unlucky. Last Friday, he and his son tried to take the train to Eden Park, not realising there were no rail services on that public holiday. "We told the Blues and they made a special invitation to Zac to come again tonight."

A visitor from Perth, Australia, Hilton Somerville, was turned away from the platform when he arrived to take the train to Papatoetoe.

"I'm put out in that I prefer taking the train to catching a bus."

He said Perth had "excellent train services".

"This service would not compare with it."