Four more tunnel boring machines (TBMs) have been ordered to carve the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East twin tunnels, with the first 2 to start work next year.
These TBMs will be used on the northern section of the tunnels – between Glen Waverley and Box Hill.
They are in addition to the 4 TBMs already on the way for the southern section of the tunnels between Glen Waverley and Cheltenham.
The machines for the northern section will be supplied by China Railway Engineering Group (CREG) – one of the world’s leading manufacturers of TBMs.
All 4 of the latest TBMs ordered will launch from Burwood – the first 2 will start tunnelling next year, heading south to Glen Waverley, while the 2 heading north towards Box Hill will launch at a later date.
The TBMs used for the northern section of the tunnels will be earth pressure balance machines, to suit local ground conditions and minimise impacts on the surface.
Each TBM will be more than 100m long and just over 7m in diameter – and all TBMs used on SRL East will be powered by 100% renewable electricity.
Construction of SRL East from Cheltenham to Box Hill is powering ahead, with major construction underway, more than 3000 people already working on the project and trains taking passengers in 2035.
Excavation of the 19-metre-deep TBM launch site in Burwood is nearing completion – ready for the TBMs to start arriving on site early next year.