Tunnel boring machine (TBM) Eileen has completed its first breakthrough for the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport project, arriving at the Airport Terminal metro station site.
Eileen was launched from the Airport Business Park in April 2023 and has since excavated around 112,000 tonnes of rock.
The 1,066-tonne machine has tunnelled at an average speed of 120 metres per week to build 1.26 kilometres of fully lined tunnel.
This completes the first leg of its 5.5-kilometre journey to build a tunnel towards the Aerotropolis. Meanwhile, its twin tunnel is being excavated by TBM Peggy, whose journey is also underway.
To prepare for TBM Eileen’s arrival, around 293,000 tonnes of rock was dug out of the site to build a 25-metre-deep Airport Terminal Station box.
Eileen will now cross the station box before being relaunched to tunnel under the future Western Sydney International Airport. It is expected to arrive at the Aerotropolis metro station site in 2024.
The Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport line will be operational in time for the start of passenger services at Western Sydney International Airport in 2026.
