Emergency shafts E5 (Dunkeld, Rosebank),
E6 (Illovo) and E7 (Rivonia Road, Sandton):
Construction is in progress on the technical rooms at the bottom of these shafts, and also on the safe haven at the foot of Shaft E5.

SANDTON STATION
At 45 metres (15 storeys) below ground level, Sandton station is Gautrain’s deepest. Station construction work is well
advanced in the cavern section between the south and north shafts, as well as within the shafts themselves. This includes construction of the various platforms, technical and operational rooms, together with the escalator and lift shafts and stairways located within the shafts. M&E installations are in progress and escalators linking the station entrance to the underground platforms have been installed. Tiling of platforms is well advanced and wall tiling to the platform areas is in progress. Erection of the structural steelwork frame to form the station entrance structure on the corner of Rivonia Road and West Street is in hand.

Tracklaying within the station is complete.

Construction continues on the adjacent multi-level parkade structure. Brickwork, plastering and M&E installations within
the completed areas are in progress.

Civil works, tracklaying and associated electrical & mechanical railway infrastructure works within the tunnels between Marlboro Portal and Sandton Station are complete.

Though diesel-powered construction trains have been operating in this section of the tunnel for some time, a noteworthy milestone was the energising of the lines to Sandton on 26 February 2010. Since then, Gautrain Electrostar trainsets have been test-running between the airport and Sandton on a regular basis.

MUSHROOM FARM PARK
The temporary shaft at Mushroom Farm Park was provided to give access for tunnel construction in both north and south directions. All work carried out from this shaft has been completed and site establishment facilities have been
removed. Backfilling of the shaft has been completed, and the community park reinstated, landscaped and upgraded.

MARLBORO PORTAL
Apart from final finishing and some landscaping, work in this area is complete.

MARLBORO PORTAL EASTWARDS
Viaducts 1A and 11 crossing the Jukskei River and Far East Bank Drive are both complete, including track and catenary.
Between Marlboro Portal and the N3, the various culverts, retaining walls, the three bridges over Zinnia Drive and final layerworks are all complete, including track and catenary, apart from some finishing work and landscaping.

MARLBORO STATION
At Marlboro Station, internal finishes (including floor and wall tiling and painting, as well as glazing of the external walls of the concourse and over-platform links) and curtain wall glazing are well advanced. Concrete and brickwork, painting, structural steel, roof cladding and platform parapets are all complete. Internal finishes are well advanced, and tiling of the platforms is approaching completion. The electronic display boards are being tested, and ticket vending machines installed. Track is in position through the station and in use daily for test running.

Work is continuing at the bus terminal, including kerb laying on the parking deck. Brickwork and plastering for the station perimeter wall is complete and installation of the steel palisade infill sections has started. Erection of shade cloth carpark canopies is substantially complete.

Construction and backfilling has been completed on a series of underpasses where the two pairs of railway tunnels cross beneath the N3 highway alongside the Marlboro Drive bridge, just to the north of Marlboro station. Both carriageways of the N3 have been reinstated to their original positions. Reinstatement of temporary access ramps, closure of the additional bridge span and landscaping remain to be
completed.

Related posts:

1. GAUTRAIN PROGRESS: ROSEBANK-SANDTON-MARLBORO
2. GAUTRAIN PROGRESS: ROSEBANK-SANDTON-MARLBORO
3. GAUTRAIN PROGRESS: ROSEBANK-SANDTON-MARLBORO
4. GAUTRAIN PROGRESS: ROSEBANK-SANDTON-MARLBORO
5. GAUTRAIN PROGRESS: ROSEBANK-SANDTON-MARLBORO
6. GAUTRAIN PROGRESS: PARK TO ROSEBANK
7. GAUTRAIN PROGRESS: PARK TO ROSEBANK