Image: Ricardo Gomez via Unsplash
The tunnelling program will create an underground corridor connecting six new stations at Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill. The launch is the start of the main tunnelling phase for SRL East, with eight tunnel boring machines ultimately expected to excavate the underground rail corridor.
The first TBM, Alice, began tunnelling from Burwood towards Glen Waverley on Sunday, with a second, Hacia, now in the ground and due to begin excavating the parallel tunnel in coming weeks. TBM Alice is named after Melbourne music producer and musician Alice Ivy, while TBM Hacia is named after construction industry trailblazer Hacia Atherton.
Victorian Minister for Public Transport, Vicki Ward, said tunnelling marked a significant milestone for the project. “Tunnelling is powering ahead on this important project for Victoria, as we continue construction of the Suburban Rail Loop.”
The TBMs will work from two main launch sites. Four will operate from Burwood, tunnelling towards Glen Waverley and Box Hill, while another four will launch from Clarinda to excavate the southern section towards Glen Waverley and Cheltenham.
In a Victorian first, the two Burwood machines are being launched using an “umbilical method”, allowing the front section of the machine to begin excavation while the remainder is assembled progressively behind it because of space constraints at the launch site.
The tunnels will be an average of 26m underground and reach about 60m at their deepest point. The machines can advance by up to 90m a week depending on ground conditions. The machines have 7.25m-diameter cutterheads and are approximately 103m long in their initial configuration. The complete machines will extend to around 120m once assembly underground has been completed.
When completed, SRL is intended to be a 90-kilometre underground rail loop that will connect every major radial train line from the Frankston Line to the Werribee Line.
Major construction is underway at all 6 station sites at Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill, with trains taking passengers in 2035.