Roadheaders start work on Sydney Metro West connection
31 May 2023Two of three roadheaders have started excavating tunnels to connect the 24km Sydney Metro West line to a new stabling and maintenance facility at Clyde.
The 120-tonne, 4.8m-high and 4.5m-wide roadheaders were lowered into a temporary access shaft at Clyde, approximately 28m below the surface.
A 750-tonne mobile crane lowered each roadheader into the shaft in pieces, with the heaviest load weighing just over 92-tonnes. It 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.
It will take around 13 months for the roadheaders to excavate the tunnels and junction caverns.
Sydney Metro is Australia’s biggest public transport project, creating a network of four metro lines, 46 stations and 113km of new metro rail. It comprises three projects: City & Southwest; West; and Western Sydney Airport.
