With major demolition works nearing completion on Perth’s Armadale Train Line, attention is turning to construction, with the first of four specialised gantry cranes now on site in East Victoria Park.
All four gantry cranes have been imported from Italy and were specially built for the transformation of the Armadale network. They will be critical to the construction of more than five kilometres of elevated rail along the line.
Standing around 20 metres tall, roughly the equivalent of a six-storey building, the four cranes will become a key feature of the major project over the next 18 months.
Each crane is capable of lifting 120 tonnes – and will be put to the test with more than 532 L-beams, 332 piers and 155 headstocks needing to be lifted into place as part of the rail line transformation.
The gantry cranes will work in pairs to construct the elevated rail structure, with two dedicated to the Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal project, and two dedicated to the Byford Rail Extension project.
Following a community competition held earlier this year, each gantry crane has also been given name. The two cranes operating on Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal project will be named Victor and Becky after the Victoria Park and Beckenham Stations, while the two cranes operating on the Byford Rail Extension project will be named Yira and Kediny, which are Noongar words meaning ‘carry’ and ‘high’.
The transformation of the Armadale Line commenced on November 20, and since then major demolition works have been in full swing including the removal of:
- Seven train stations
- Boom gates at 12 level crossings
- 38,000 rail sleepers
- 30km of track and overhead lines.
A number of assets from existing stations and platforms have been saved for reuse including artwork, seating and bins, ticket vending machines, bus and bike shelters as well as CCTV equipment.
In preparation for the construction of the viaduct structure, piling works have now also begun in Victoria Park. It’s expected construction of the viaduct structure will begin within the next few weeks.
Measures put in place by the State Government to support commuters during the shut continue to perform well.
Patronage on the replacement bus services has regularly been between 70 and 80 per cent, compared to the daily Armadale Line averages, while the road network continues to cope with the elevated traffic volumes, with only minor increases in travel times on key arterial routes.
The Armadale Line Transformation will see seven new stations built – including in the suburb of Byford for the first time – a total of 13 level crossings removed, 5.5km of elevated rail constructed, and six hectares of new public open space created.
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said to date the project had removed seven train stations, boom gates at 12 level crossings, 38,000 rail sleepers and 30 kilometres of track and overhead lines.
“The delivery of the first gantry crane to site is a major milestone in this project, and signals that construction of the overhead rail structure is about to get underway,” she said.
“Piling works for the foundations of the overhead rail structure have now commenced in Victoria Park, and we should see construction getting underway in the next few weeks.”
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