Epping/Chatswood tunnel one third complete

Tunnel boring machines (TBM) have completed the first third of tunnelling work on Sydney's $860m Epping to Chatswood rail line.

The two 210m long TBMs should reach Epping in July 2004, travelling at a rate of 120 to 180m a week. They started less than nine months ago.

Work on the twin tunnels began at the project's mid-way point at North Ryde in September 2003.

TBM1 has travelled 4.2km and is about 43m below the surface, while TBM2 has travelled about 3.8km and is now 63m below ground.

When the TBMs reach Epping, they will be returned to North Ryde to begin tunnelling work on the second half of the line towards Chatswood.

The process will excavate about 1.7m tonnes of rock, which is to be used on the Westlink M7 road project.

The rail link is due to open in 2008 and will provide capacity for an additional 12,000 rail passengers a day.

It will include three new underground stations, a major upgrade of Epping station and a transport interchange at Chatswood.

New South Wales premier Bob Carr said the link was the largest infrastructure project in progress in the state.

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