NORTH-EAST: Upgrade on Seymour-Shepparton line
A 10-day work blitz is to take place on the Shepparton Line Upgrade will undertake a ten day works blitz to deliver a new railway control system.
Coaches will replace trains for all or part of the journey on the Shepparton Line from Sunday, September 7, to Tuesday, September 16, to prepare for commissioning the line’s new signalling system.
During this time, crews will carry out signalling testing and construction work along the line, including cabling works and installing trackside signalling equipment between Seymour and Shepparton.
The project is updating the line’s ageing infrastructure to enable a significant boost to the number of return services that can travel between Melbourne and Shepparton during the week – an increase from five per day to nine.
A major construction blitz will take place later this year to commission the signalling system and will include safety testing of the line’s new infrastructure, to bring the new system into operation and complete the Shepparton Line Upgrade.
The investment in the first two stages of the Shepparton Line Upgrade has already delivered more frequent services, improved stations and more reliable journeys on modern VLocity trains, according to a Government representative.
“Extra services will be enabled by the completion of this project, including trains every hour on the Seymour Line on weekends and five weekend return services through to Shepparton.
“Stage 3 of the project has upgraded close to 40 kilometres of track, extended the Murchison East passing loop, allowing 1200-metre freight trains and two six-car VLocity trains to pass each other. It has also increased capacity at the new Shepparton stabling facility to support more services.
Gabrielle Williams, Minister for Transport Infrastructure (pictured), said: “Delivering a new signalling system will transform the way people travel on the Shepparton Line– with the project set to be completed later this year.
“We thank the community for their patience as we get on delivering this important project which will enable more trains to run more often,” Ms Williams said.