Upgrade complete by end of year

TRAINS are back on the tracks, more than 500 metres of rail line has been built, and the Waurn Ponds Station upgrade is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The rail duplication project from Waurn Ponds to South Geelong required buses to replace trains during a nine-day construction blitz this month which included laying the new second track.

Regional Rail Revival director Mark Havryluk said the Waurn Ponds Station upgrades were progressing, with the second track installation and new forecourt both nearing completion after the recent works.

“It is exciting to see the upgrades take shape, with the local community to benefit from more train services being extended to and from Waurn Ponds in the future as part of our staged upgrades to the Geelong Line,” Mr Havryluk said.

The latest section of track was installed from the start of the new second platform through to the upgraded stormwater culvert at Armstrong Creek.

An existing stormwater culvert at Armstrong Creek was upgraded and extended via a method known as pipe jacking, with new 1.5-metre-wide pipes inserted in sections into the existing brick culvert to avoid excavating the existing track.

Nine 2.4-metre-long sections were installed, extending the culvert to more than 21 metres, with the area above the extended pipe filled to allow for the rail duplication in this section.

Back at the station, work on the new second platform continued, including lifting 180 metres of pre-cast stones into position along the track edge of the platform structure.

Precast stairs and ramp columns were installed on the northern side of the station, which will connect to the pedestrian overpass, with work on the station’s new lifts, ramps and stairs to be completed soon.

Construction of the new station forecourt and station building, including upgrading the toilet facilities at the station, new myki readers and the installation of 68 solar panels, is also progressing.

Major earthworks during the nine-day blitz involved moving 5,550 tonnes of fill at the Waurn Ponds train stabling and maintenance facility, for the foundations for the six stabling tracks to store and fuel trains when extra services are added.

The duplication and Waurn Ponds Station upgrade, including extra car parking and improved CCTV and lighting, will enable additional, reliable Geelong train services and better access for travellers.

Stage one of the Warrnambool Line Upgrade, which is also underway, includes signalling upgrades and a new crossing loop at Boorcan, near Camperdown, which will enable a fifth weekday return service between Warrnambool and Melbourne.