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Three tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) are now excavating Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East in Melbourne. Alice and Hacia are driving twin tunnels from Burwood toward Glen Waverley, while Aayushi is tunnelling from Clarinda toward Glen Waverley on the southern section. Victoria’s Big Build reported in October 2026 that the three machines had built 138 metres of tunnel since tunnelling began in September. A fourth TBM, Belinda, was still being assembled at Clarinda and was expected to launch soon.
Which three machines are tunnelling on SRL East?
The active machines are split between two work fronts. Alice and Hacia are working together on the Burwood-to-Glen Waverley section, creating the two parallel bores needed for a twin-track railway. Aayushi is operating from the Clarinda launch site and heading towards Glen Waverley.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →| TBM | Current work area | Status reported in October 2026 | Name reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alice | Burwood toward Glen Waverley | Active tunnelling | Named by the project; the update does not state a namesake |
| Hacia | Burwood toward Glen Waverley | Active tunnelling | Named after construction-industry trailblazer Hacia Atherton |
| Aayushi | Clarinda toward Glen Waverley | Active tunnelling | Named after health advocate and medical student Aayushi Khillan |
Victoria’s Big Build describes these as the three machines currently constructing tunnel. Its October 2026 update states: “The 3 TBMs have constructed 138 metres of tunnel since tunnelling started in September.” That is a progress figure for the period covered by that update, rather than a final project total or an independently measured rate.
Where are the SRL tunnel boring machines working?
The machines are advancing from constrained construction sites rather than from one continuous open trench. Alice and Hacia began at Burwood and are moving west-to-east toward Glen Waverley, while Aayushi launched at Clarinda for the southern approach to the same station area.
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The project’s planned underground railway will connect six stations—Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill—with 26 kilometres of twin tunnels. The tunnels are expected to average approximately 26 metres below ground, according to Victoria’s Big Build.
How does the confined-site “umbilical method” work?
At sites where there is not room to assemble an entire TBM before excavation starts, the project uses an “umbilical method.” The front section begins cutting the tunnel first; the remaining sections are then constructed behind it and connected as the machine advances.
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This approach allows tunnelling to begin within a restricted launch site while the machine’s full length is built progressively. It is a construction method for the launch arrangement, not a separate type of TBM, and the update does not provide a different production rate for it.
How much tunnel has been completed?
The October 2026 Victoria’s Big Build update reports 138 metres of tunnel constructed by the three active TBMs since work started in September. Because the figure covers all three machines together and is tied to that dated update, it should not be read as the distance completed by each individual machine or as a prediction of the eventual schedule.
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When will the next SRL tunnel boring machines launch?
Belinda was being assembled at Clarinda and was expected to launch soon when the October 2026 update was published. No exact launch date was given. The machine is named after Puffing Billy steam-train driver and medical student Belinda McKenzie.
The same update says two additional TBMs were planned to launch from Burwood toward Box Hill in 2027, with more machines planned to launch from Heatherton toward Cheltenham in 2027. “Next year” refers to 2027 in that October 2026 report; the publisher did not state specific dates for those launches.
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What will the tunnels and stations enable?
SRL East is designed as a cross-suburban underground railway rather than a radial line running only through Melbourne’s central business district. Its six stations are intended to connect major employment, education and health destinations across the eastern and south-eastern suburbs.
Victoria’s Big Build gives a travel-time example for the future network: a student travelling from Cheltenham to Deakin University at the new Burwood station could make the trip in 19 minutes by public transport, saving around 40 minutes. That is the project publisher’s illustrative claim about the planned service, not a current journey or an independently verified timetable.
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How will the TBMs be powered?
Victoria’s Big Build says all SRL TBMs will be powered by 100% renewable electricity. The statement describes the project’s planned power supply for the machines; it does not provide a separate consumption figure or emissions calculation for the 138 metres reported in October 2026.
What should readers watch in the next update?
- Belinda’s actual launch from Clarinda, since the October update gives no fixed date.
- The launches of two Burwood machines toward Box Hill in 2027.
- Additional Heatherton launches toward Cheltenham in 2027.
- Updated tunnel lengths reported for each work front, rather than only a combined total.
- Progress toward the six-station, 26-kilometre twin-tunnel scope.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does TBM mean in the Suburban Rail Loop project?
TBM stands for tunnel-boring machine. It is a large underground excavation system that cuts through soil or rock while the tunnel lining and support systems are installed behind the cutting head.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchAre the SRL tunnels single-track or twin-track?
The East project is planned as 26 kilometres of twin tunnels, meaning two parallel tunnel bores for the railway. The reported 138 metres is the combined progress attributed to the three active machines, not a statement that one single bore is 138 metres long.
Why are several TBMs needed instead of one machine?
Multiple machines can work from separate launch sites and on different sections at the same time. SRL East has work fronts at locations including Burwood, Clarinda and, in later stages, Heatherton, so one machine would not provide the same parallel construction capability.
Is the SRL East passenger service running now?
No. The construction update concerns tunnelling and future stations. The 19-minute Cheltenham-to-Burwood example is a projected public-transport journey cited by Victoria’s Big Build, not a currently available service.
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