Transport for NSW More Trains, More Services, Sydney, NSW

The Transport for NSW More Trains, More Services program is simplifying and modernising the rail network creating high capacity, turn up and go services for many customers. It means customers can expect more frequent train services, with less wait times and less crowding on a simpler and more reliable network.

NDY subcontracted to Transport for Tomorrow, a partnership between Transport for NSW, Laing O’Rourke and KBR, to provide engineering design services for improvements at stations along the South Coast Line. Stations include:

• Waterfall
• Thirroul
• Bellambi
• Coniston
• Port Kembla
• Kiama
• Dapto and Shellharbour Junction (fire services and fire engineering peer review).

The project also includes:

• Stabling yards at Waterfall and Wollongong
• A maintenance centre at Mortdale.

The majority of upgrade work needed to be undertaken during a limited number of rail possessions, requiring a real focus on the services design approach, including utilities modifications/relocations, to absolutely minimise service shutdowns and potential impact on the live rail corridor during construction.

The Mortdale Maintenance Centre scope required specialist design attention to meet the needs of the rolling stock bogey exchange equipment. This included ventilation and fire protection of sub-ground spaces to ensure the safety and wellbeing of maintenance personnel.

The existing in-ground hydraulic services at Waterfall Station and the Mortdale Maintenance Centre were relocated in order to make way for new construction work. This required significant re-planning and modifications to enable the proposed work to progress. A cost-effective hydraulic services design at the Mortdale Maintenance Centre utilised modified existing infrastructure to avoid installation of a new, large and expensive holding tank for maintenance bay trade waste.

The NDY fire engineering team effectively engaged with the project stakeholders to provide efficient fire engineering strategies to minimise disruption, and to enable continued operations to the existing stations, stabling yard and maintenance centre in a live rail environment. The fire engineering performance solutions also avoided triggering large and expensive upgrades to the existing facilities.