Patrick Brockie: City Rail Link CEO on the first test train travelling through the Auckland tunnels

Managers of Auckland's City Rail Link are still shying away from naming a specific opening date, following last night's successful tests. 

A train made five trips through the new tunnels overnight - between Waitematā and Maungawhau Station. 

It started at a gruelling five kilometres an hour, but picked up the pace as technicians made their checks. 

CRL Chief Executive Patrick Brockie says it will open in 2026, but he won't be more specific. 

"The last year is complex, we've got a lot to do still and there can be the unknowns. But we're working as hard as we can to open as early as possible."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, a huge step towards trains actually running through
the City rail Link. Last night a test train actually
went through the tunnel for the first time. It took
them two and a half hours to complete the journey.
The journey's three point five kilometers. They took it slow.
They did it slow so that the technicians could problem
shoot all the way. So City rail Link Chief Executive

(00:22):
as Patrick Brockey, and Patrick was there and he's here
and now Hello Patrick.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Hi Andrew, nice to be talking to you.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
And congratulations. That must have been a buzz.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Oh the real milestone actually, and there was a small
party of staff and well Wish was down there too,
saying the train off from white Matar station. So no,
very exciting and proud maintainment for all of those that
have been evolved over many years, from our contractors through
to our partner's Kirawork and Transport orkan one. While. Yeah,

(00:53):
big milestone for us, so thank you.

Speaker 1 (00:55):
Okay, So the very first you did it five times,
but the very first time you did it you did
three going four or five kilometers and two and a
half hours. You did it slow. Why it's just.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
Being safe five kilometers an hour Initially and building up
from there. But we just need to check the tunnel
clearance and make sure the train runs through smoothly without
any interruptions. We were pretty confident about that, of course,
with all the work we've done, but you're never sure
until the day and then power supply. Just ensuring it's
continuous through the tunnels. We're also looking at all the

(01:28):
signaling that down there, that's that's ready out managed by
Kivy Rail, but making sure the signaling is all in order.
And it went very well. The test roll positive, so
we're off to a good start.

Speaker 1 (01:41):
Did you get faster, I mean you did another four
trips and did you get faster? In which case, what
is the current speed record for the city routing tunnel.

Speaker 2 (01:51):
Well, well, we did get faster, materially faster, and I
think over the next few days we would hope to
get up to about the maximum of forty k an hour.

Speaker 1 (02:01):
And that's how fast it will run when it's in
regular service.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
No, it can go faster. I can go up to
seventy kilometers an hour, but I think forty at the moment.
As we find out any sort of bugs in the system,
and there are a couple you know, we have some
some we're still work to do on the tracks, some
minor works, but they still have to be done and
it's just safer to run it at moderate speeds for now.

Speaker 1 (02:22):
So what needs to happen from here? You've said you're
going to keep on testing, and I know that the
tracks obviously work, but the big problem is going to
be the systems that actually monitor and control the trains.
That can take quite a long time. So what is
going to happen next from here and how long will
it take?

Speaker 2 (02:39):
Well, you definitely hit the name on the head of
the system's part. That's one of the most complex part
of the project with the testing and commissioning phase, with
the running of the trains. There's over eight thousand tests
andrew that we have to run over the course of
the year, so it's really just only just started that.
As you know, we've also got to complete the station.
So there's an examples the ceilings, the tiling works, some

(03:04):
of the ticket gates are actually in a couple of
the stations, which is great tunnel ventilation system. These are
massive tunnel events. I've given an example. They came by
up to eight tons, but they are just we're going
running full testing now and those that will continue for
some time. And then, as you pointed out, the other

(03:25):
systems involved the installation and commissioning of those systems, and
they cover examples fire heating, a fire emergency prevention, heating, lighting, CCTV.
We've also got works outside of the stations, some urban
realm or footpath and paving works. So there's quite a
lot left to do. We have just under nine hundred

(03:46):
staff still working on at the stations, and so it
would give you a sense of the scale of work
that we still have to complete this year.

Speaker 1 (03:53):
So you're hoping to open in twenty twenty six. Do
you believe you're on track?

Speaker 2 (03:57):
Yes, we do.

Speaker 1 (03:59):
Would you like to give a date.

Speaker 2 (04:02):
Right? Twenty twenty six?

Speaker 1 (04:03):
Is twenty six?

Speaker 2 (04:06):
Not be vague, Andrew, but I think we'll I think
twenty twenty six is about as specific as we can
be right now, just because and it's not again not
being evasive, but the last year is complex and we've
got a lot to do still, and it can be
the unknowns. But look, we're working as hard as we
can to open as early as possible.

Speaker 1 (04:26):
We're so keen to see it, I have to say,
and I have read about the Elizabeth Line in London
and just how long it took to get that just
good and safe and working properly. Is the signaling you
don't want trains going down the wrong tracks. Just when
you were talking about all the infrastructure down there, there
must be an enormous drain of electricity.

Speaker 2 (04:44):
No, there's there's a power place, pretty important for a
railway for sure, and of course we're running the station
systems and so on. So no, that's that's that's definitely
the case. But we were that's well catered for and
in place, so we we don't expect to have problems
in that area.

Speaker 1 (05:02):
When do you get to take the mayor for a
bit of a tour on a train.

Speaker 2 (05:07):
That's a good question, not one we've covered yet, but
when it's safe to do so. Andrew, I think, look,
we'd like the general public about to see the project
as soon as possible, and the only substitute at the
moment is we've got some really good comms on our website,
drone footage, we've got monthly newsletters with updates on the
station works, and encourage your listeners to look at that

(05:29):
because I think it's very that's very helpful and getting
some visualization of how the stations are coming along. Hopefully
we can we can do more than that at some
point during the year when it's safe to do so.
But in terms of the Mayor and the Minister writing
the first train or for riding a train, that's not
on the plans right at the moment, but I'm sure

(05:50):
that will be.

Speaker 1 (05:52):
Patrick, Patrick, it's good politics if you know what I mean,
and you talk about the public, I mean, I've walked
through every tunnel that's been built in this city, and
I've walked over every bridge, including over Spaghetti Junction when
it was built back in the seventies. So will is
there any possibility that we could come for a bit
of a wander through the tunnels for the public at

(06:14):
some stage of the future.

Speaker 2 (06:16):
I think the stations is more likely entered than the
tunnels themselves because we have energized so there's power running
through the tunnels. But when the time is right, if
we can do something with our stations and giving the
public a glimpse of how they're going to look, and
they will lock stunning, we'd love to do that.

Speaker 1 (06:35):
Can't wait. Patrick, congratulate your team and I thank you
for your time tonight and all the very best.

Speaker 2 (06:40):
Okay, thank you, Andrew, good talk to you.

Speaker 1 (06:44):
There's Patrick Brocky who's in charge of the c L.
Remember it was supposed to be finished in twenty twenty five.
It was supposed to be opened in twenty twenty six.
Now he's talking about finishing it in twenty twenty six.
So will it be opened in twenty twenty seven. It's
a long time to watch a pot of kettle boil,
doesn't it.

Speaker 2 (07:03):
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