Workers have hit the tracks over the past week on Melbourne’s Pakenham Line, working around the clock to remove three level crossings at McGregor Road, Main Street and Racecourse Road and build new stations at Pakenham and East Pakenham.
Since June 7, hundreds of workers on site have installed more than three kilometres of temporary track and 5600 sleepers in Pakenham. Nine giant concrete segments have been craned into place to form the elevated rail line, as works continue on the new elevated structure and stations.
Buses are currently replacing trains between Berwick and Pakenham until Thursday, June 22, as this work takes place.
Main Street will be closed at the level crossing until Saturday, June 24.
The project will remove the level crossings at McGregor Road, Main Street and Racecourse Road by building an elevated rail bridge over the roads, with six MCGs worth of community open space created underneath for everyone to enjoy in 2024.
New stations will also open at Pakenham and East Pakenham.
Meanwhile, final track work to connect the Metro Tunnel to the Sunbury Line will take place from late June to early July.
The connection will create a 97km end-to-end rail line from Sunbury to Cranbourne/Pakenham via new twin 9km rail tunnels deep under Melbourne.
While Victoria’s Big Build works take place, buses will replace trains on sections of the Sunbury, Werribee and Williamstown lines from 8pm, Tuesday, June 20 until last service Sunday, July 9.
During this time our crews will work around the clock to install and test high-capacity signalling and power equipment, and lay more than 300m of joining track.
There will be further bus replacement services on the Sunbury Line some nights throughout July while test trains are run to prepare for Metro Tunnel passenger services in 2025.
