Testing is hitting full throttle as the Sydney Metro City & Southwest line gears up for passenger services to begin this year.
While most of NSW was easing into 2024, testing was ramping up in the 15.5-kilometre twin metro tunnels between Chatswood and Sydenham.
Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 January saw major testing milestones achieved, with 33 of all 45 metro trains in the combined fleet completing at least one return journey between Tallawong and Sydenham.
Eight trains have now successfully travelled on the new track at the same time, double the previous maximum of 4 trains running simultaneously.
Testing up to eight trains at once allows the performance of each train to be monitored closely to ensure the new turn-up-and-go metro timetable of a train every 4 minutes in the peak can be replicated.
Since the rigorous testing and commissioning program started in April 2023, more than 7500 hours of a total of 11,000 hours of required testing have been completed.
Extensive noise trials have been completed inside the trains and new tunnels, with microphones and vibration sensors installed, which are sensitive enough to detect a pin drop. This form of testing confirms noise emitted across the network does not exceed predicted noise and vibration comfort levels.
Over the coming months, final integration testing between the trains, signalling and station systems will continue. This includes assessing passenger help points and trialling passenger information displays, before heading into trial running.
When world-class metro services start deep below the Sydney CBD this year, commuters will have access to easy, fast and reliable public transport service with record travel times including from:
- Castle Hill to Martin Place in 35 minutes
- Macquarie University to Central in 26 minutes
- Chatswood to Gadigal in 13 minutes
- North Sydney’s Victoria Cross under the harbour to Barangaroo in 3 minutes
- Central to Martin Place in 4 minutes
- Central to Sydenham in 7 minutes
- Sydenham to Chatswood in 22 minutes
The next stage of Sydney’s Metro transformation will be the extension of metro from Sydenham to Bankstown. That will not occur until this new city section of the line is up and running, providing a reliable service for commuters from Sydenham into the CBD.
The T3 Bankstown line will be closed for the 12-month conversion project, in order to deliver turn-up-and-go metro services every 4 minutes by late 2025. A comprehensive temporary transport plan, including alternative bus and rail services for passengers, will be released in the coming months.
Transport Minister Jo Haylen said:
“2024 is the year of Metro, as Australia’s biggest public transport project powers towards the finish line. Six new stations will open below the CBD, connecting our city like never before.
“World-class metro services starting deep below Sydney’s CBD is on par in significance with the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge – the launch in mid-2024 will be a historic moment in transport history.
“A train will run between Sydenham and Tallawong up to every 4 minutes, doubling our rail capacity between Central Sydney and North Sydney.
“We are entering the home stretch of this city-shaping project, and it’s exciting to see our biggest weekend of testing go off without a hitch.”