What a difference a year makes!
As the Pakenham Level Crossing Removal team powers ahead to remove three level crossings and build new stations at Pakenham and East Pakenham, the last concrete beam has been installed on site.
The final giant concrete segment, measuring 30 metres long and known as an L-beam, was installed near Racecourse Road just before Christmas. The team has lifted heavy all year, installing;
- 272 L-beams for the 2.5-kilometre elevated rail bridge; these beams were delivered from Melbourne’s northwest to Pakenham at night.
- 7 station portals, weighing around 150 Tonnes each, to support the new Pakenham Station.
- 12 Super-T’s at Pakenham Station which make up the foundations of the station platform.
- 17 precast crossheads – transported to Pakenham from our manufacturer in Melbourne’s north-west, with the remaining crossheads cast in place on site.
Locals will have noticed the colourful high-tech roof starting to come together at the new Pakenham Station, with the striking profile inspired by Pakenham’s rolling hills and bronze sunsets.
Out at East Pakenham Station, 2023 saw plenty of progress, with the platform foundations in place, lift shafts installed and car park asphalted.
Now the rail bridge is in place, the team will continue installing the 6500 sleepers and 7.8km of new rail track required for the bridge, along with 18,000 tonnes of ballast, sourced from a local quarry.
This year, the three level crossings will be gone, new stations open at Pakenham and East Pakenham, and new community open space will be created for locals to enjoy.
The level crossings at Main Street, McGregor Road and Racecourse Road in Pakenham are 3 of 22 crossings being removed along the Pakenham Line.
The 2.5km rail bridge design with a new premium Pakenham Station will improve safety, reduce road congestion and allow more trains, more often.
We’re also extending the metropolitan rail line 2km and building a new East Pakenham Station.
