Inland Rail has taken a major step towards completing the Stockinbingal to Parkes section of the project on schedule, after successfully conducting a 60-hour rail possession last weekend.
Teams from Inland Rail and principal contractor Martinus Rail completed all work scheduled at two sites during a shutdown of Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) rail corridors across NSW and Victoria.
At the Lachlan River Bridge, the existing bridge beams were drilled to enable the addition of new strengthening plates, as well as the installation of new strengthening plates on the underside of the bridge deck.
At Wirrinya, approximately 50km south of Forbes, drainage works, track tamping and track alignment were completed.
These were the only sites on the S2P section which required round-the-clock work – the remaining sites at the Daroobalgie Crossing Loop and Wyndham Avenue track lower are very close to completion and will continue to undergo finishing work to access roads, landscaping and drainage during normal hours.
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Malcolm Clark, Inland Rail Project Director, Stockinbingal to Parkes, said the work could only be done safely while the line was closed, so it was vital they planned to get as much done in the 60-hour window as possible.
“The partnership between Inland Rail and contractor Martinus Rail allows us to work efficiently, and I’m pleased to report that all planning and work completion went smoothly," he said.
“The work on the Lachlan River Bridge and at Wirrinya can only be done in the absence of rail traffic, so it is key that we make the most of the two possessions which take place each year.
“We are approaching the point where we will be completing the work and starting to demobilise, so I would like to thank all the businesses and communities who have joined with us to deliver the Stockinbingal to Parkes section of Inland Rail.
“This is a demonstration of Inland Rail’s commitment to delivering Inland Rail South of Parkes in 2027.”
Treaven Martinus, Martinus Rail CEO and founder, said the work completed brought the team closer to finalising Stockinbingal to Parkes, a major milestone for Inland Rail.
“The work we’ve done here sets a strong foundation for the next phase as we gear up for Albury to Illabo. The scale ramps up from here, and so does the complexity, but that’s exactly where we thrive," he said.
“We’ll bring the same hands-on, solutions-driven approach to keep pushing this project forward, delivering quality work, and keeping strong relationships with the communities we’re working in.”
