en.Wedoany.com Reported - As part of the Melton Line Upgrade project, construction has commenced on a new train stabling yard in Cobblebank, aimed at supporting the introduction of longer nine-car VLocity trains from next year.
Located east of Melton Station, the new facility will increase passenger capacity on the Melton Line by 50% during peak hours and is expected to be completed one year ahead of schedule. The stabling yard will directly connect to the Melton Line, ensuring trains are positioned at Melton Station before the first daily service.
Construction will proceed in stages, beginning with site preparation and installation of essential services, followed by track and operational facility construction. During winter, workers will set up on-site infrastructure and prepare the site for major works, including installing entrance gates and a driveway on Abey Road, and completing sewer and utility connections. After site preparation, construction of operational buildings will commence, covering staff amenities, cleaner facilities, equipment rooms, and storage areas. Prefabricated buildings will be used to accelerate delivery. Subsequently, track infrastructure work will begin, including laying ballast, sleepers, and rails, with approximately 6,000 tonnes of crushed rock used for the track base.
Upon completion, the stabling yard will be equipped with a 46-kilowatt solar power system comprising 110 solar panels, and landscaping will include planting 300 native trees and approximately 20,000 native shrubs and grasses. The facility is also designed to accommodate metropolitan trains in the future following the electrification of the Melton Line.
The stabling yard is part of the broader Melton Line Upgrade project, jointly funded by the Victorian Government and the Australian Government. The project also includes platform extensions at Cobblebank, Rockbank, Caroline Springs, and Deer Park stations to accommodate longer trains. This upgrade is being carried out in parallel with several major transport projects in Melbourne's west, including the removal of level crossings at Coburns, Exford, and Ferris roads in Melton, as well as the construction of the new Melton Station. The new Melton Station is scheduled to open later this year and will feature four platforms, two of which are extended platforms capable of accommodating nine-car VLocity services from 2027. The new Hopkins Road bridge in Truganina opened in May, and the Ferris Road bridge in Melton is planned to open on July 15.
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