May 23, 2025
Infrastructure

Project completion of the Hillside Rail Workshop

Kenny Baird

The Hillside Rail Workshop in Dunedin has officially opened, enhancing rail maintenance capability for the South Island’s wagon assembly and supporting safe, reliable freight services across New Zealand.

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The project consists of a new mechanical workshop, wagon assembly facility, shared offices workshops and stores, traverser, and associated rail and infrastructure works across a site area in the region of 60,000m2.

Historically, Dunedin has played a major role in the construction of locomotives and freight wagons for New Zealand's railway system, with the Hillside site initially opening back in the mid 1870’s. Hillside offers the first ever complete wagon assembly facility in New Zealand.

Rail and Maritime Transport Union General Secretary, Todd Valster, says the opening is a momentous occasion for New Zealand’s rail future.

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How WT supported Hillside Rail Workshop

Over the last three and a half years, our Infrastructure team have provided full quantity surveying services on Hillside, working closely with KiwiRail. In particular, the team offered professional advice in risk strategy, pre-contract, procurement, value engineering, cost estimating, and financial reporting. WT's services gave all stakeholders confidence in financial control.

The WT team worked closely with the wider design team every step of the way. This included encouraging ideas, knowledge sharing, and feedback to mitigate risks, overcome problems swiftly, and identify opportunities. The team developed a strong trusted relationship with stakeholders which involved frequent site visits. Notably, the team utilised collaboration software to ensure all parties received the same communications and had a single source of filing to avoid error.

In terms of risk management, regular bi-monthly Quantitative Risk Assessments (QRAs) were completed in order to monitor project risks, opportunities, and educate potential funding requirements. This regular update was integrated into the client's system, providing access to a live risk tracker.

WT would particularly like to celebrate our talented South Island team members on the successful completion of this iconic project:

Kenny Baird, Director–Infrastructure

Luke Donnelly, Director–Quantity Surveying

Ryan Waterson, Associate

Tom Weekes, Quantity Surveyor

Following the opening of the facility, Kenny Baird, Director–Infrastructure at WT says,

"It was a pleasure working with KiwiRail, TSA, WSP, Arup, Calder Stewart, and Taggart over the last 3.5 years and to see the facility in operation was fantastic!"

Learn more

To discover more about Hillside Rail Workshop and the services that our Infrastructure team offer across New Zealand, please get in touch with Kenny Baird at kenny.baird@wtpartnership.co.nz

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