. ▁By ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁the ▁N IM T ▁( the ▁present ▁Kap iti ▁Line ) ▁had ▁been ▁elect r ified ▁as ▁far ▁north ▁as ▁Pa ek ak ar iki . ▁ ▁The ▁H utt ▁Valley ▁Line ▁was ▁elect r ified ▁to ▁T ait a ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁to ▁co inci de ▁with ▁major ▁state ▁housing ▁develop ments ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁the ▁W air ar apa ▁railway ▁line ▁was ▁di vert ed ▁between ▁Pet one ▁and ▁Hay wards ▁via ▁Water lo o ▁and ▁T ait a , ▁with ▁the ▁old ▁line ▁trunc ated ▁to ▁M elling ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁M elling ▁Line . ▁Elect r ification ▁was ▁extended ▁to ▁Upper ▁H utt ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 . ▁ ▁Also ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁the ▁ 9   km ▁R im ut aka ▁T unnel ▁between ▁Upper ▁H utt ▁and ▁Fe ather ston ▁opened , ▁by pass ing ▁the ▁labor ious ▁R im ut aka ▁In cl ine ▁and ▁reducing ▁the ▁travel ▁time ▁from ▁Well ington ▁to ▁Fe ather ston ▁to ▁just ▁over ▁one ▁hour , ▁and ▁from ▁Well ington ▁to ▁Master ton ▁to ▁one - and - three - qu arter ▁hours . ▁The ▁W air ar apa ▁Connection ▁service ▁started ▁nine ▁years ▁later , ▁after ▁morning ▁and ▁afternoon ▁peak ▁services ▁started ▁to ▁exceed ▁the ▁ 1 7 6 - se at ▁capacity ▁of ▁the ▁dies el ▁rail c ars ▁then ▁used . ▁ ▁The