GAUTRAIN PROGRESS: PARK TO ROSEBANK

Posted on 01 November 2009 by Railways Africa Editor

 PARK STATION
Construction of the platforms was 85% complete at the end of September 2009 and the concourse slab 95%. Internal brickwork continues, while construction of the roof slab is finished. The foundations for the parkade structure above the station are almost finished; column and retaining wall construction continues and formwork to the first floor of the parking deck has commenced. Preparations to reinstate Wolmarans Street to its original configuration are progressing.

Tunnel excavation from Park station is complete, with breakthrough to the tunnel from shaft E2 achieved on 11 September. This significant milestone marked the completion – in 2½ years – of almost 16km of tunnel excavation on the project. Civil works in this section of tunnel continue.

EMERGENCY SHAFTS
The tunnel between the Park and Sandton stations is being provided with seven access shafts for use by emergency services personnel. Some have safe havens where passengers can gather in an emergency.   Emergency shaft E1 (Hillbrow):
Excavation at shaft E1 to its final depth of 80 metres has been completed and shaft lining is in progress. Excavation of the safe haven at the bottom of this shaft was completed during July 2009.
 Emergency shaft E2 (the Wilds, Houghton):
Excavation of the shaft to its final depth of approximately 50 metres is complete, as is the 236 metre adit (cross passage). Tunnelling from the south face broke through into that working northwards from Park station on 11 September. Tunnelling from both faces at shaft E2 is now complete. Civil works within the tunnels, as well as the safe haven at the bottom of shaft E2, continue.

Emergency shaft E3 (Riviera):
Civil works within shaft E3 and construction of the head house structure on the surface continue. Being a shallow shaft, 21m deep, with direct access to the surface, there is no safe haven necessary at the bottom.

Emergency shaft E4 (Houghton):
Civil works within shaft E4 and construction of the head house structure on the surface continue. Being a shallow shaft, 16m deep, with direct access to the surface, there is no safe haven necessary at the bottom. 

ROSEBANK STATION
At Rosebank Station, the concourse slab is finished. The roof slab and platforms are approaching completion. Construction of the technical and operational rooms continues, with brickwork, plastering, painting and plumbing in progress at both platform and concourse levels. Within the concourse and platform areas, escalators have been positioned and M&E ventilation duct installation is in progress.  Inside the tunnel bored by the tunnel boring machine (TBM) from the south end of the station, the invert slab is finished and casting of walkways was completed towards the end of September 2009. Invert slabs and walkways within the drill-and-blast (D&B) tunnel from the north end of the station to shaft E5 are also complete.

At the parkade structure located on the corner of Oxford Road and Baker Street, foundation piling is in progress. Construction of the columns has commenced, as well as beams to the first floor of the parking deck.

Construction continues in the cut-and-cover sections at either end of the station. These link the station box to the tunnels.