Article written by: Bradley Jones – Business Leader Auckland

It’s finally here. Almost a century of thinking and making, delivering the City Rail Link (CRL) to Auckland, from the 1923 Morningside Deviation, through Robbie’s Rapid Rail in the 1970s, to today. I feel privileged and proud to have been involved in this world class project in two periods, the formative years of the project during early design stages and then again in the sharper end of delivery. Whilst I am proud of the work, I am also excited as an Aucklander for the transformation it will bring.

Dramatically increasing rail connectivity in Auckland as well as adding world class new stations at Te Waihorotiu and Karanga-a-Hape and a transformed Maungawhau, CRL benefits western and southern commuters most, bringing Henderson and southern towns closer (in travel time terms) to the city centre. That was often misconstrued in the early days, CRL was read as a city centre project, when the biggest gains land further out. In short, “it’s not a bloody loop”. As we often found ourselves saying.

More than the documented benefits, Auckland, as an international city, deserves the CRL. Working on the project at an early stage, we heard the amusing (and sadly true) story of “A Canadian student, with backpack, who approached a security guard at Britomart asking where the subway was. The security guard keenly directed him. The Canadian arrived and was confused to find a sandwich shop.”

Vitruvius has had a long and proud involvement in the project, dating as far back as the origin of the project, with a Vitruvian, Bryce Hourigan, sketching out the original alignment, which hasn’t changed much since. Alongside direct involvement, Vitruvius has played an important role in almost all the broader Auckland network readiness projects that support the CRL timetable, including Wiri to Quay Park (W2QP), Pukekohe to Papakura (P2P) and Rail Network Growth Impact Management (RNGIM) and Wiri Depot extension. Participating in a number of ways (Design, Survey, Engineer to Contract, Project Controls etc.).

My personal journey with CRL started when I arrived in New Zealand back in 2012, immigrating here from London and landing at Auckland Transport and joining the small project team managing City Rail Link. This was during the concept design stage, the notice of requirement, property acquisition, and then progressing, following the tender for a Principal Technical Advisor, to reference design and resource consenting, finally culminating in releasing early works packages. My role was leading the project controls and central project management function, heavily focused on budget management, procurement, and the commercial management of our contracts.

This three and a half year period was fraught with challenges, but it was great being part of a small team working with industry partners to progress the project during these uncertain times. From 2012-2016 the project was only partially funded (Auckland Council’s 50% committed in the long-term plan with drive from then mayor Len Brown). I say uncertain as we did not have a lot of confidence that central government would back the project, but we progressed on with our staged expenditure. For those who have not experienced this early stage environment, the key lesson from my experience is that it is critical to progress with confidence, planning ahead as if the project is certain and funding will materialise (hiring international experts and resources, building systems and processes etc.). That said, the reality is often far more unsettling and tenuous than that.

I was fortunate to work under great leaders such as Clare Stewart, my first manager in New Zealand, Steve Hawkins, Chris Meale, and ultimately under Dave Warburton as then CEO of Auckland Transport. All of whom were working with Stephen Town, Len Brown and others, doing their best to drive the project forward and release this mega project. Speaking of lessons, this brings to mind just how important it is for major projects to have visionary, aligned and unrelentingly committed leadership to get these sorts of projects in motion,

The small project team, based above the new ferry building, grew as it needed to, ultimately moving back into Auckland Transport premises and then later into a dedicated project office where we worked with the Principal Technical Advisor to really drive the project forward to the Early Works Packages, as I mentioned before. The project really started to take off around the time we co-located into a dedicated project office, which certainly had a strong and positive impact on the team. These were good times and I enjoyed my time immensely. I gained considerable experience but more importantly it gave me a tremendous insight into the New Zealand engineering and construction industry.

I then took a role at Auckland Airport, a return to aviation industry for me, taking on an opportunity, I couldn’t look past. After five years or so (not long after Covid had put a significant dampener on our airport programme) I returned to the world of consulting and ultimately joined Vitruvius as Auckland Business Leader. I reconnected with a few friends and colleagues which lead me to support another great leader, Bevan Assink, in KiwiRail’s readiness for CRL (the CRL Be Ready and Be Involved programmes). Again, joining a small team, we began scoping and planning for all of the areas that KiwiRail would need to update, enhance and demonstrate to support the CRL Tunnel asset and the enhanced timetable as access provider. We ran this like a change programme, with nine or ten workstreams that supported its Safety Case Variation submission and testing programme. My role was again central project management and controls, trying to keep all the components integrated and heading in the right direction to hit the right deadlines required by Link Alliance, CRLL, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail. This sort of programme was not quite linear, and scope emerged and shrank in parallel to the shift that the rest of the KiwiRail business was making as it matured and changed in several areas. The task remained keeping our focus on primary outcomes and objectives, being flexible and driving hard in the right areas.

Alongside supporting the Britomart works programme with Stefan Jermy, I more recently became involved in the CRL testing and snagging programme, closer to the physical works. Both were great, and a fitting transition to the end of this major project.

All in all, it’s been a 14 year involvement in this project, probably my longest on single project, despite my experience on some major projects overseas, and one I am very proud of.

As of writing we are days away from public launch, CRL opens to passengers on Sunday 13 September 2026. I am very confident in the benefits of the CRL and the effect it will have in driving Auckland forward. As an Aucklander, I can’t wait.

See you on the train.

Article written by Bryce Hourigan – Service Leader – Rail Engineering and Senior Track Designer

KiwiRail is in the process of rolling out a new Track Evaluation Car (TEC) into New Zealand. A TEC is a specialised rail vehicle that runs over the network to continuously measure and assess the condition of the track while in motion. It uses onboard sensors to capture key geometry parameters such as alignment, level, gauge, and curvature, building a detailed profile of track condition over long distances. This data is then analysed to identify defects, monitor track quality, and prioritise maintenance, helping ensure the railway remains safe, reliable, and fit for purpose.

While the TEC itself is a powerful tool, the real value lies in what happens next, turning vast amounts of raw data into something meaningful and actionable.
As part of the rollout, KiwiRail is working towards creating a digital baseline for every curve across the network — estimated at around 7,000 curves. This baseline will provide a consistent, data-driven reference point for how the track should perform, and how it changes over time.

To support this, the entire network has been surveyed using mobile laser scanning (MLS) technology, generating detailed datasets across each section of track.

But collecting the data is only the beginning.

Vitruvius has been engaged to assist KiwiRail in analysing this data and comparing it to the current baseline geometry held within KiwiRail’s Maximo database. This process involves reviewing the MLS raw data in direct comparison with Maximo, checking for alignment, consistency and compliance, checking whether the new data is suitable to adopt, and then recommending updates for approval by KiwiRail Engineering before establishing the new baseline.

Once verified, this work will help establish a new, more accurate baseline for managing track performance across the network.

One of the biggest challenges in this work is the scale. With thousands of curves and large volumes of raw data, a significant amount of effort goes into preparing and organising the data before meaningful comparisons can even begin. With support from Nathaniel South, AI-based automation methods have been introduced to help organise and structure the datasets more efficiently. This has significantly reduced data processing time, allowing more focus to be placed on analysis and interpretation, where the real value lies.

While much of this work happens behind the scenes, its impact is far-reaching. By combining advanced measurement technology with improved data analysis, KiwiRail is building a more accurate and reliable understanding of its network. In turn, this supports smarter maintenance decisions, better long-term planning, and improved resilience across the rail system.

For me, the most interesting part of this work is seeing how technology, data, and engineering come together to provide a clearer picture of the network and how that insight can drive better outcomes over time. As the TEC rollout continues, it’s not just about measuring the railway more accurately, it’s about building the foundations for how it will be managed into the future.

Article written by Matthew Stuart – Service Leader – Rail Engineering

The Lower North Island Integrated Mobility Project (LNIRIM) is a major investment programme aimed at improving freight and passenger rail performance, safety, and operational resilience across the lower North Island. The Yards Package forms a critical component of the programme, supporting the introduction of the new fleet of Tuhono Battery Electrical Multiple Units (BEMUs) to allow for increased stabling capacity, charging, maintenance, and futureproofing of rail yard infrastructure.

Vitruvius and Beca are engaged to support the planning, design development, and technical assurance of the Masterton and Palmerston Noth rail yards within the LNIRIM programme. Working with several major stakeholders, including, KiwiRail, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Masterton District Council, Palmerston North District Council, Alstom and Transdev to name a few.

The purpose of our engagement is to provide specialist rail and civil engineering design expertise and provide solutions to complex upgrades of existing rail yards requiring coordinated multidiscipline design. The project involves interfaces with third party landowners, a new maintenance depot D&C Contractor, council assets, GWRC leased land and integration with an existing freight yard and signalling upgrades.

Through the optioneering and detailed design stages, we are tasked with ensuring solutions are:

• Operationally robust
• Compliant with KiwiRail standards
• Practical to construct and stage
• Aligned with programme budget and delivery constraints.

Our exceptional team are delivering the track, civil and geotechnical design, integrated with signal designs and working with our stakeholders to ensure seamless integration with all design, delivery, maintenance and operational requirements. We are excited to work with Beca to showcase excellence in the digital delivery space and ensure this complex multidiscipline design is integrated into one federated model accessible to all stakeholders.

Our team of specialists bring a depth of experience working in live rail yards and other complex operational environments, combined with a strong, practical understanding of KiwiRail standards and assurance processes. Our integrated approach, bringing together civil, track, and constructability considerations, enables us to develop solutions that are not only technically robust, but practical to deliver. This, together with our pragmatic, solutions focused mindset, meant we are well placed to support the yards package and add value throughout the design and delivery process.

The LNIRIM yards package reflects Vitruvius’ role as a trusted rail partner, adding value through integrated design, early risk management, and solutions that support network performance, safety, and long term resilience of the Wellington Metro.

Article written by Simon Cave – Sector Lead – Rail and Senior Principal – Project Management

The Ferry Replacement Programme (FRP) is one of New Zealand’s most significant transport infrastructure initiatives, supporting the introduction of a new fleet of interisland ferries and the long-term resilience of the national freight and passenger network. The Programme comprises several major stakeholders including Ferry Holdings Limited, Centreport, Port Marlborough and KiwiRail/Interislander. The KiwiRail led elements of the programme involves complex upgrades to rail yards, port interfaces, and associated infrastructure in Wellington and Picton to ensure seamless integration with new ferry assets while maintaining continuous interisland operations.

Vitruvius is proud to be playing a key role in FRP, providing specialist rail engineering, track and civil design, digital engineering, and project controls expertise to KiwiRail. Our team is embedded within the programme delivery environment, supporting the planning, design, staging, and assurance of critical rail infrastructure works at each terminals and adjoining networks, all with the target of bringing the new ferries into service in 2029.

Drawing on our experience delivering complex, operationally constrained rail projects across New Zealand, Vitruvius brings a strong focus on constructability, interface management, and safety in design. Our involvement spans early optioneering through to detailed and IFC design, helping KiwiRail manage risk, maintain operations, and prepare the network for future demands.

The Ferry Replacement Programme reflects Vitruvius’ commitment to delivering technically excellent, collaborative solutions on nationally significant infrastructure projects.

Article written by: Nigel Holman – Service Leader Road Engineering

Vitruvius is proud to be supporting the delivery of the Putauaki Kawerau Container Terminal (PKCT). This is a landmark infrastructure project that will establish a new rail freight hub for the Eastern Bay of Plenty and unlock long‑term economic benefits for the region.

We are currently assisting PKCT by overseeing construction supervision and providing surveying set-out services for a complex and tightly scheduled build. Our role spans end‑to‑end engineering and planning services, including rail design, stormwater assessment, traffic impact assessment, civil and roading design, integrated stormwater management, and working closely with Engeo to undertake the specialist geotechnical investigations and design.

Supported by the Provincial Growth Fund, this initiative represents over five years of planning and serves as a pivotal driver for enhancing regional supply chains and supporting local industry within the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

Once operational, PKCT is expected to remove up to approximately 18,000 heavy truck movements from surrounding roads each year, reducing congestion, improving safety, and delivering meaningful reductions in CO₂ emissions.

The project is now well into its construction phase. Over the Christmas break, Vitruvius worked closely with the Contractor and the Principal to deliver the important first stage of the programme, setting the project up for a strong start. Taking advantage of the Christmas block of line, we reinstated more than 200 metres of existing track.

As the project progresses toward its planned opening in mid‑2026, our team will continue working alongside the contractor and PKCT to deliver:

• a new 750 metre long loading platform
• approximately 1.2 kilometres of new heavy duty rail track
• more than one hectare of new container storage area
• around 100,000 cubic metres of earthworks and imported fill
• new stormwater storage and road access infrastructure.

The PKCT project reflects Vitruvius’ broader capability to deliver complex infrastructure projects that will make a real difference to the region and local community. We are proud of the progress achieved to date and look forward to continuing our contribution as this important project reaches its next milestones.

Tunnel 21, which is located between Kaikoura and Blenheim on KiwiRail’s Main North Line, had to be upgraded to achieve minimum clearance standards, improve line speed and importantly, increase the overall network resilience of the line following the North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery (NCTIR) project. 

Vitruvius was brought into the project based on our expertise in spatial survey and design, road design, rail geometric design and digital engineering. We surveyed the track alignment and inside of the tunnel using laser scanning technology to produce a 3D model for the track design. Using KiwiRail rolling stock data, a full spatial assessment of the tunnel was completed based on the types of rail vehicles in use on the main north line. 

Following that survey work, a thorough optioneering exercise was undertaken in partnership with KiwiRail and other specialist consultants, to explore how we would make the tunnel more resilient and improve the line speed with an efficient and effective solution. The preferred solution, which has now been delivered, involved a new offline rail alignment through a 500,000m³ cutting, and a new road over rail crossing structure. The state highway also required an online re-alignment to accommodate the works. 

This project was complex due to a number of factors: the state highway crosses over the railway lines; geometry; safety and cost for scale of earth and structural works; environmental considerations of sensitive wetlands; and private access routes.

We managed the digital model and interface to provide information from the contractor through BIM delivery.

Article written by Selwyn Blackmore – Business Leader and Sector Lead – Transport, and Graeme Corin – Senior Transport Engineer

Vitruvius was engaged by KiwiRail to support the reopening of the Dublin Street/Auckland Street intersection and the adjacent road and rail level crossing in Picton. The intersection and crossing had been closed for over 12 months to accommodate access changes associated with the former IREX project. Following the Government’s decision to discontinue IREX, the reinstatement of this key connection was prioritised and has since been completed.

Vitruvius delivered an end‑to‑end design and delivery support package for KiwiRail to enable the reopening. Our role included leading the detailed road and rail design, civil design inputs, project management, construction supervision, and contract administration to NZS 3910. The project also involved close coordination with Marlborough District Council, Marlborough Roads, and NZTA to ensure the works were delivered efficiently and safely.

The reopening resolved a prolonged disruption to traffic movements and reinstated an important road and rail interface following an extended period of closure.

Article written by Henry Watson – Senior Rail Project Engineer

Vitruvius is proud to have supported Auckland Transport (AT) in delivering the Wiri Depot upgrade project which went into use in November 2024.

The 550m depot is the main maintenance and stabling facility for Auckland Transports new Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) trains. The project features 10 brand-new stabling roads built by John Holland between October 2023 – November 2024, where Neil Mason acted as the Engineer to Contract, with Henry Watson managing the day-to-day as the Engineer’s Representative.

The entire depot was built up from scratch, covering a number of disciplines containing earthworks, drainage, track, Overhead Line Equipment (OLE), lighting, signalling, Communications, Signalling and Rail systems (CSR), Electrical and Bulding services (E&B).

The depot is a crucial part of infrastructure for AT, serving as the hub for the new fleet for the City Rail Link (CRL). Each train visits the depot at least once a month for maintenance, undergoing minor inspections every 1,000 kilometres. As mileage increases, the inspections become progressively more comprehensive, ensuring the fleet remains in peak condition.

Wiri also marked the starting point of the Third Main Line, with a section of the new line completed in 2025 as part of a staged delivery programme. The additional track allows freight trains to operate independently of commuter services, reducing congestion and improving network efficiency.

It was an incredible project to be a part of, being able to watch the depot being built from the ground up.

Article written by Simon Cave – Sector Lead – Rail & Senior Principal – Project Management

KiwiRail engaged Vitruvius to lead the Digital Integration workstream for its European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 Programme in Wellington. This programme represents New Zealand’s first ETCS Level 2 installation and is a major step forward for the Wellington metro network, enabling increased service capacity through the removal of lineside signals and reduced train headways.

Vitruvius was appointed based on several key strengths, including our established working relationship with KiwiRail’s Digital Engineering team and deep understanding of their digital requirements, our long‑standing knowledge of the Wellington metro area developed through more than 15 years of work in the region, and our collaborative, relationship‑based delivery model. This approach ensures close integration with client teams and supports the detailed design of complex rail features such as turnouts and points of switch (POS), track alignment changes, level crossings, platforms and axle counters.

The ETCS Level 2 Programme spans the entire Wellington Electrified Area (WEA), covering approximately 105 kilometres of rail corridor. Vitruvius’ involvement has focused on early‑stage digital integration to de‑risk design, cost estimation and construction by developing a comprehensive digital twin of the network. This work has been critical in preparing the programme for downstream delivery as procurement and system design activities progress.

The ETCS system requires the installation of extensive lineside infrastructure across the network, including new Combined Services Route (CSR) ducting, balises, cabling and radio network upgrades to support GSM‑R communications. Delivering these works requires access to almost every part of the rail corridor. Establishing a detailed, accurate digital representation of KiwiRail’s existing infrastructure has enabled early identification and mitigation of key risks, clearer definition of scope, and greater certainty ahead of construction.

A core requirement of ETCS Level 2 is a precise understanding of the location and configuration of critical rail assets. Vitruvius’ digital integration work has focused on capturing, validating and digitising this information so it can be reliably used by the ETCS system supplier during detailed design.

The digital twin programme commenced with the establishment of a master survey control network across the WEA, followed by targeted surveying to fill gaps where point cloud data was not previously available. With full corridor coverage achieved, the focus has shifted to extracting key model features and associated asset data to support both the ETCS programme and broader network needs.

Beyond ETCS, the value of this digital dataset for long‑term asset management is significant. The work undertaken through this programme has created a strong digital foundation for future planning, maintenance and operational decision‑making across the Wellington metro network.

Article written by Albert Ho – Service Leader – Civil & Water Engineering

The Lillington Emergency Response project for Auckland Council, Healthy Waters puts Vitruvius on the map of the Auckland Water sector. The high priority project, with stakeholders reaching as high as the Auckland Mayor, was entrusted to us based on our relationship with KiwiRail, engineering expertise and commitment to respond. The project addresses the risk of disruption to Auckland’s busiest train line, as a result of a stormwater pipe collapse.

This project showcases Vitruvius’ ability to pull Healthy Waters and KiwiRail together in a rapid, collaborative response to cross sector/discipline risk.  Overall, Vitruvius facilitated contributions from three major public infrastructure organisations, including NZTA Waka Kotahi, and multiple contractor entities, towards a swift and pragmatic solution in mitigating the risks presented in this high-profile project.

A 400mm brick culvert, built in 1946 and spanning 20m, lies beneath the Auckland Rail Network Southern Line and shoulder of the SH1 Southern Motorway, about 500m north of the Greenlane roundabout. The brick pipe asset was deformed, and likely the cause of rail ballast soft spots and sleeper movement directly above. Risk of pipe collapse was mitigated with slip-lining of the old brick asset with a 225mm uPVC pipe, secured with grouting to reinstate the structural integrity of the asset.

The final project outcome is a de-risked stormwater asset that functions as designed, with its lifecycle increased by an additional 50+ years, and the above rail network operating at its full capacity without limitations. The project was completed with praise from the highest level at Healthy Waters. This milestone project showcases Vitruvius’ ability to bridge disciplines and sectors, demonstrating our commitment to Auckland’s critical infrastructure, and further strengthens the relationship with our strategic key clients.