Major components of the first tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the Suburban Rail Loop have been delivered to the launch site in Clarinda, Melbourne, marking a significant logistical milestone for the project in early August.
The delivery included the TBM’s 230-tonne front shield and 190-tonne middle shield, which were moved separately from the Port of Hastings under superload permits.
The components were carried on a heavy haulage truck measuring 55 metres in length, 7.5 metres in width and 5.4 metres in height. For comparison, a standard truck is 2.6 metres wide and a typical Melbourne traffic lane is between 3.3 and 3.5 metres wide.
The transport operation began at 10pm to minimise disruption, with the loads travelling at a maximum speed of 60 kilometres per hour and arriving on site in the early hours of the following morning.
The TBM’s tail shield has also been delivered to Clarinda, with remaining components, including the back-up gantry structure, scheduled to arrive in the coming weeks.
Once fully assembled, TBM Aayushi will begin tunnelling later this year from Clarinda towards Glen Waverley, creating one of the twin tunnels for the Suburban Rail Loop.
The machine is named after Aayushi Khillan, a medical student and researcher who founded the social enterprise Body Buddies, which uses soft toys to teach children about health. The name was chosen by students at Le Page Primary School in Cheltenham.
The scale of the delivery highlights the complexity of preparing for tunnelling on a project of this size. Moving components of this weight and dimension required detailed planning and coordination to ensure safety and minimise impact on local roads.
The arrival of TBM Aayushi’s main components represents a critical step toward the start of tunnelling, which will play a key role in delivering Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop and improving future transport connections across the city.
