Depot construction reaches peak

Construction at Public Transport Victoria’s new major train depot near Nar Nar Goon is reaching its peak, with about 450 employees currently working at the site.

The project, which will see up to 1100 people work on the site over its duration, celebrated a milestone last month when it ticked over 500,000 work hours without a time lost injury.

Several local contractors have been working on the project, including two from the same street.

Residents from Nar Nar Goon’s Oakview Lane have also benefited with their road resealed and widened.

Works on the site are well on track to meet a completion target of December this year, with the majority of 20 kilometres of rail installed and building shells for the train maintenance facility and other buildings in place.

Earthwork was completed last year, with some 167,000 cubic metres of dirt (equivalent to 66.8 Olympic size swimming pools) moved to pave the way for construction work to begin this year.

Roof space of buildings has been completed to the tune of 22,000 square metres, equivalent to three soccer pitches of roofing.

The maintenance facility, which will accommodate five trains of 10 carriages at any one time, will include a two-lift system to lift trains two metres and laser reading technology to service wheels and trim rail.

Train operators will be well catered for in the adjacent operations quarters that will include two driving simulators to train new drivers.

The facility will also include a test track and integrated test facilities to determine if trains have been correctly built.

A biowash station that will use recycled water will ensure trains leave the depot in presentable condition.

Train wash pads on site also enable the removal of graffiti.

The 118-hectare site (equivalent in size of 60 Melbourne Cricket Grounds) also includes a lay down yard for the level crossing removal authority.

The depot will be built from 87 per cent local content.

On completion of construction the depot will offer 100 long term jobs maintaining trains with the site including a stabling yard for 30 trains.

A spokesperson for Transport for Victoria said a recruitment drive will be held over the coming months.