GAUTRAIN PROGRESS: PARK TO ROSEBANK

Posted on 19 February 2010 by Railways Africa Editor

PARK STATION
The station roof and concourse slabs as well as the platforms are all substantially complete. Internal brickwork and plastering is well advanced at both concourse and platform levels. Good progress is being made with wall tiling, together with mechanical and electrical (M&E) installations. Three of the six levels of deck slabs have been cast at the parkade structure.

Reinstatement of Wolmarans Street is complete and the road was reopened to traffic on 16 January 2010. Preparations for reinstatement of utilities and roadworks at Smit Street have commenced.

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.

All tunnel excavation – a total length of approximately 15.5km from Park Station to Marlboro Portal – was completed in September 2009. Civil works and tracklaying within the tunnels between the portal and Sandton Station are complete and installation of associated electrical and mechanical infrastructure is well advanced. Within the remaining tunnel section to Park Station, civil works continue, including final lining, invert slabs, cable duct installation and walkways.

The underground works include the construction of seven emergency access shafts at intervals along the single-track rail tunnel between Park Station and Sandton. These shafts will provide access by emergency services personnel to the tunnels below. At the bottom of some shafts, safe havens are being constructed where passengers can detrain and gather in the event of an emergency. Work is still in progress at each of these shafts.

Emergency shaft E1 (Hillbrow):
Excavation and shaft lining at shaft E1 (80 metres deep) has been completed. Work in the safe haven and technical rooms located at the bottom of the shaft continues. Construction of the surface head-house structure is to commence shortly.

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). Construction works continue in the safe haven and technical rooms at the bottom of the shaft.

Emergency shaft E3 (Riviera):
Shaft construction is complete. The head-house structure on the surface is well advanced and M&E installations are in progress. Being a shallow shaft with direct access to the surface, there is no safe haven necessary at the bottom.

Emergency shaft E4 (Houghton):
Shaft construction is complete. The head-house structure on the surface is well advanced and M&E installations will commence shortly. Being a shallow shaft, 16m deep, with direct access to the surface, there is no safe haven necessary at the bottom.

ROSEBANK STATION
Backfilling over the station-top slab and the adjacent cut-and-cover at the northern end is in progress. Reinstatement of Oxford Road above the station structure will follow in the next few months. Platform structures, brickwork and plastering are all substantially complete, with painting and plumbing at both platform and concourse levels well advanced. Wall tiling continues within the station. Elevators have been positioned within the station box and M&E installations are in progress.

At the parkade structure on the corner of Oxford Road and Baker Street, columns and beams are being cast for the first floor of the parking deck.