Final track work to connect Melbourne Metro Tunnel to the Sunbury Line has been completed which will now allow the beginning of train testing in the tunnel.
The crews worked during late June and early July to lay more than 300 metres of track and connect the line at the Metro Tunnel’s western entrance in Kensington. High-capacity signalling and power equipment was also installed and tested.
There is now 97 km of continuous track from Melbourne’s north-west to south-east, via the new twin 9 km rail tunnels under Melbourne city. The Metro Tunnel eastern entrance in South Yarra was connected to the Cranbourne/Pakenham Line in January. The dedicated tunnel from Kensington to South Yarra through five new underground stations will create a direct connection between the west and the south east. The Melboune Metro Tunnel is expected to be inaugurated in 2025, a year ahead of schedule.
The work also marks the completion of the AUD 1.8 billion (USD 1.24 billion) Sunbury Line upgrade project six months ahead of schedule. The upgrade of the line is needed to take full advantage of the extra capacity created by the Metro Tunnel and for more modern trains to run on the Sunbury Line.
The Metro Tunnel will allow Sunbury Line passengers to travel all the way to Cranbourne or Pakenham without getting off the train, and access 5 new underground stations when the city-shaping project opens to the public.
Melbourne Metro Tunnel will bring more trains to your suburb and reduce travel times by running the busy Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury lines through a new tunnel. By untangling the City Loop, more trains can run more often across Melbourne.
Melbourne Metro Tunnel project is delivered in several main contracts.
Cross Yarra Partnership (CYP) consortium was awarded the contract for the main tunnelling works, the five underground stations, station fit-out, mechanical and electrical systems and specific maintenance services. The consortium comprises Lendlease Melbourne Metro, John Holland, Bouygues Construction, John Laing and Capella Capital.
Another important contract involves the rail infrastructure with works at the eastern and western portals including cut and cover tunnelling, decline structures, turnbacks and local reconfiguration and realignment of existing lines. The contract was awarded in 2018 to a consortium comprising John Holland, CPB Contractors and Aecom in partnership with Rail Projects Victoria (RPV) and Metro Trains as the rail operator and in 2022 the contract was awarded for the remaining rail infrastructure works package to a consortium called the Rail Network Alliance, comprising John Holland, CPB Contractors, Alstom, Aecom, RPV and Metro Trains.
In 2017, the consortium of CPB Contractors and Alstom / Bombardier Transportation was awarded the contract for the rail systems design – including conventional signalling, high capacity signalling, train and power control systems and operational control systems, installation, integration and commissioning. This contract is implemented in partnership with Rail Projects Victoria (RPV) and Metro Trains as the rail operator. In 2022 the remaining rail systems works package will be delivered by a consortium called the Rail Network Alliance, comprising John Holland, CPB Contractors, Alstom, Aecom, RPV and Metro Trains.
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