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Tunnelling starts for Sydney Metro trains at Chatswood

Tunnelling has begun from Chatswood to Blues Point at Sydney Harbour for the next stage of the Sydney Metro rail network, which will provide a line between Chatswood, the city and Marrickville.

Tunnelling has begun from Chatswood to Blues Point at Sydney Harbour for the next stage of the Sydney Metro rail network, which will provide a line between Chatswood, the city and Marrickville.

A tunnel boring machine has started digging from Chatswood to help provide the 15.5km twin tunnels which will pass below the centre of Sydney and the harbour.

The tunnel boring machine at Chatswood
The tunnel boring machine at Chatswood

The machine, named Wendy after Bear Cottage volunteer Wendy Schreiber, will dig 6.2km to Blues Point.

Wendy and another machine will continue towards the Metro stations being built at Crows Nest and North Sydney before being retrieved at a temporary construction site at Blues Point.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said it was another milestone.

“Yesterday we saw a metro train complete its first full journey on the entire length of the Metro Northwest railway line, and now we’re starting work on another key stage of the project,” she said.

(from left) Bear Cottage volunteer Wendy Schreiber, Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Transport Minister Andrew Constance
(from left) Bear Cottage volunteer Wendy Schreiber, Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Transport Minister Andrew Constance

The Sydney Metro Northwest, between Rouse Hill and Chatswood, is expected to open in May.

Two other machines started tunnelling last year from Marrickville to the CBD.

These have excavated 1.3km of tunnel and 114,000 tonnes of crushed rock on the 8.1km journey to Barangaroo.

This metro line will include stations at Crows Nest, North Sydney, Barangaroo, Martin Place, Pitt Street and Waterloo.

A fifth tunnel boring machine has been designed to deliver the twin tunnels under Sydney Harbour.

The Sydney Metro City stage is due to be completed in 2024.

From Sydenham, metro trains will continue to Bankstown.

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/mosman-daily/tunnelling-starts-for-sydney-metro-trains-at-chatswood/news-story/9e4ca28ee5164764bad1d54701c185ae