Narrabri to North Star Phase 1 project update August 2022
The Narrabri to North Star Phase 1 bridge project team celebrated a huge milestone in August with the completion of all major bridge works along the alignment.
August 29, 2022
Seven new bridge structures now stand at Ten Mile Creek, Bobbiwaa Creek, Gurley, Gil Gil, Croppa Creek Tributary, Croppa Creek and Yallaroi. The bridges can now accommodate double-stacked, 1,800m-long trains with a 21-tonne axle load which the older bridges could not.
Our track team has laid 83km of new rail and installed 45km of top ballast between North Camurra and North Star. More than 50% of new track has now been installed across the Narrabri to North Star Phase 1 project.
Track construction is progressing to schedule between Narrabri and Bellata with the recent arrival of a ballast train to the area. The additional ballast train (the other is stationed at the northern end of the project) comprises 25 ballast wagons and two plough wagons. Additional track equipment, including a flash butt welder, track tamper and regulator, will be delivered to site to complete track installation.
In late June, the last concrete culvert that is required for the project was dispatched from the Humes precast manufacturing centre in Tamworth. Of the 4,776 concrete culverts required, more than 4,440 have been installed to date.
Level crossing upgrades are progressing well with 21 out of 56 now complete. Motorists accessing some level crossings will experience intermittent interruptions as our contractor Trans4m Rail undertakes various finishing works including rail panel installation, rail tamping and destressing and finally, sealing and line marking. Our team is making every effort to minimise the impacts of these important works on the local community.
Works planned for September 2022 include:
Narrabri to Bellata
- Level crossing works at all public level crossings
- Shoulder widening, sealing and line marking at several access points to level crossings along the Newell Highway
- Sleeper, rail and ballast installation
- Tamping between The University of Sydney Plant Breeding Institute and Ten Mile Creek Bridge and between Penneys Road and Millie Road
- Fencing and landscaping works.
Bellata to South Moree
- Rail works between 1km south of Gurley Settlers Road and 4km north of Gurley Settlers Road
- Loop and siding signalling works at Tapscott Road for 4km heading south towards Narrabri.
North Camurra to North Star
- Level crossing works at County Boundary Road, Croppa Moree Road, Buckie Road, Plevna Road, Tumba Road, Boonery Park Road, Bushes Access Road, Croppa Creek Road and IB Bore Road
- Signalling works at Myall Downs, Croppa Creek and North Star
- Fencing and landscaping works.
IMAGE: (top) Infographic showing progress across key aspects of construction on the N2N Phase 1 project; (bottom) The ballast train arriving north of Narrabri.
