TBM Arrival Begins at Clarinda for SRL East

The first components of TBM Aayushi have arrived at the Clarinda launch site in Melbourne, Australia, marking an important milestone in the construction of Suburban Rail Loop East (SRL East).

The first components included the 230-tonne front shield and 190-tonne middle shield. The components were transported separately from the Port of Hastings under superload permits. The heavy haulage vehicle used for the deliveries was 55 metres long, 7.5 metres wide and 5.4 metres high.
The TBM’s tail shield has also arrived at Clarinda, with the remaining components, including the back-up gantry structure, scheduled to be delivered over the coming weeks as assembly progresses.
TBM Aayushi will launch from Clarinda later this year and excavate one of the twin tunnels towards Glen Waverley.

The TBM was named Aayushi following a vote by students at Le Page Primary School in Cheltenham, and is named after Aayushi Khillan, a medical student, researcher and founder of the social enterprise Body Buddies, which uses soft toys to teach children about health and the human body.

The arrival of the first TBM components marks a significant step towards the commencement of tunnelling works for SRL East.