The Suburban Rail Loop is powering ahead with tunnel boring machines on the way, two from the Sydney Metro.
The Victorian government’s Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) is making major strides, with the first four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) now ordered and set to arrive next year. This significant step forward comes as part of a plan that will revolutionise Melbourne’s transport network.
Premier Jacinta Allan underscored the importance of the project, stating, “We can’t afford not to build the Suburban Rail Loop, and we’re getting on with building a project that will transform Victoria.” Backed by an $11.8 billion investment from the Victorian government and a further $2.2 billion from the federal government, the SRL is poised to reshape the way the city grows and connects.
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The Suburban Rail Loop’s tunnel boring machines
The TBMs, supplied by Herrenknecht, will drill 16 kilometres of twin tunnels between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley. Two of the machines will be repurposed from Sydney Metro, a move aimed at reducing the project’s carbon footprint while reflecting the strong pipeline of infrastructure projects in Victoria. “The Suburban Rail Loop will reshape how we grow,” said Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny, “and will deliver 70,000 more homes above and around the six new stations.”
Once assembled, the TBMs will measure up to 120 metres in length and more than seven metres in width, with all four to be launched from Clarinda. Two will head south toward Cheltenham, and two will drill north to Glen Waverley, covering nearly 90 metres per week. The project also marks a Victorian first with the use of convertible TBMs that can switch from slurry to earth pressure balance mode to better handle the softer ground conditions in Cheltenham.
As part of the project’s commitment to diversity, one of the eight TBM crews will consist entirely of women, with over 600 women having applied for these positions. Additionally, construction work is already underway at all six SRL station sites, where 1,400 workers are involved in excavating the TBM launch site in Burwood.
Where will the SRL run?
The Suburban Rail Loop will span 90 kilometres of rail line, connecting major train services from the Frankston Line to the Werribee Line via Melbourne Airport. This project focuses on improving connectivity throughout Melbourne and its suburbs.
A spokesperson from the Suburban Rail Loop describes the project as one that “will transform Melbourne’s public transport network, ease congestion and slash travel times – making it easier for all Victorians to get where they need to go – to work, study, the airport, entertainment, and family and friends. By the 2050s, SRL East and SRL North will carry more than 430,000 passengers daily, taking more than 600,000 cars off the road each day.”
The Suburban Rail Loop is being constructed in phases due to the large magnitude of the project and the area it encompasses. The Eastern segment, from Cheltenham to Box Hill, is currently under construction and is expected to begin taking passengers by 2035.
Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop Danny Pearson highlighted the project’s benefits, saying, “The Liberal Party is against the Suburban Rail Loop, which means they are against thousands of jobs, developing more homes, and building better transport connections.” The sentiment is echoed by local members, including John Mullahy, who emphasised how the SRL will better connect communities: “As Melbourne’s population continues to grow, the Suburban Rail Loop will connect people from Glen Waverley to jobs, healthcare, and education in a safer and more efficient way.”
Similarly, Matt Fregon pointed out how the loop would provide a vital service for local institutions: “The Suburban Rail Loop will soon connect Deakin and Monash universities to a train service for the very first time.”
Find out more about the Suburban Rail Loop here.
