A crew of more than 200 V/Line staff and contractors have carried out a large program of works along the Seymour and Shepparton rail lines in Victoria.
The $4.8 million level crossing renewal works involved pulling up the road surface, completing repairs to the tracks underneath and then relaying a new surface at three level crossings, to improve safety and ensure the ongoing upkeep of the line.
The package of works also included bridge repairs, track maintenance, mud hole removal, culvert works, signal upgrades and repairs to some platforms.
Rail milling, the process of removing rust and debris from a rail line, was performed during the works on the Seymour line. This is expected to create a smoother ride, reduce wear and tear on trains and keep the train detection systems working.
“As we work to upgrade every rail line for the future – we’re also investing in the maintenance work that improves day to day journeys to get Victorians where they need to go,” Victorian Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll said.
Related stories:
- Budget provides $7.5 billion boost for infrastructure construction
- Solar Homes rebates drives clean energy revolution
- EOIs open to build Victorian rail upgrades
“At a time where our economy continues to recover from the global pandemic, we’ll continue to support local jobs – and it’s great to see businesses around Donnybrook and Wallan benefit from our upgrades.”
Local plant and equipment hire companies, local quarries, batch plants, galvanisers and civil contractors were involved in the works.
St Andrews-based business Kerby Kerb installed approximately 800 metres of kerbing in the new car park at Donnybrook Station while Brunton Engineering, located in Epping, installed the new bus shelters at Wallan Station. Crushed rock for the project was sourced from Donnybrook’s Mountain View Quarries.
Sunbury company Jordan Rail provided specialised plant hire during the project, including hi-rail equipment used on the track when trains weren’t running, while Rangedale Drainage Services from Altona North provided digging services.
Almost 100 tonnes of structural steel was supplied by Cobram-based CPE Constructions and around 500 tonnes of precast concrete footings and coping stones was supplied by Maffra-based Gippsland Precast.