Tunnel boring machine (TBM) Ruby has begun the last stage of tunnelling for the Sydney Metro West line, a project that will increase rail capacity between Parramatta and central Sydney.
At the start of September, the 1,100-tonne machine set off on its 1.1-kilometre drive from Pyrmont to the planned Hunter Street Station.
Ruby is progressing through Sydney sandstone at an average rate of around 90 metres each week, building twin tunnels about 37 metres underground. The breakthrough is expected before the end of the year.
A notable part of this section will see Ruby pass beneath Darling Harbour for 250 metres, from the Australian Maritime Museum to King Street Wharf. Here, the tunnels will sit about 35 metres below the waterline, with only five metres separating the harbour floor from the tunnel crown.
A crew of 12 operators working in rotating 12-hour shifts is responsible for advancing the machine. The alignment requires careful navigation, running close to the Australian Maritime Museum, the City East electricity cable tunnel and Wynyard Station.
In the coming weeks, TBM Jessie will also restart from Pyrmont to drive the parallel tunnel towards Hunter Street. Together, the two machines will complete the 2.3-kilometre stretch between The Bays and Hunter Street by year-end. The route includes crossings beneath Sydney Harbour at Rodd Point, Johnsons Bay and Darling Harbour, and passes within 25 metres of the Anzac Bridge foundations.
Tunnelling for Sydney Metro West has been in progress since early 2023. According to Sydney Metro, around 90 percent of the 24-kilometre alignment between Westmead and the Sydney CBD has now been excavated.
The line is planned to open in 2032. When services commence, indicative travel times include:
- Pyrmont to Hunter Street: 2 minutes
- Hunter Street to Parramatta: 20 minutes
- Hunter Street to Sydney Olympic Park: 15 minutes
- Five Dock to Parramatta: 12 minutes
