Roadheaders begin carving out tunnels to new Sydney Metro West stabling and maintenance facility
31.05.2023
Two of three roadheaders have started excavating tunnels that will connect the 24-kilometre Sydney Metro West line to a new stabling and maintenance facility at Clyde.
The 120-tonne, 4.8-metre high and 4.5-metre wide roadheaders were lowered into a temporary access shaft at Clyde, which is approximately 28-metres below the surface.
A large 750-tonne mobile crane carefully lowered each roadheader into the shaft in pieces, with the heaviest load weighing just over 92-tonnes. It then took two days to assemble each machine.
The final roadheader will soon be assembled to help excavate the tunnels and two junction caverns that will allow trains to move from the underground railway tunnels to be stabled and undergo routine maintenance as required.
It will take around 13 months for the roadheaders to excavate the tunnels and junction caverns.