📋 Tender Overview
Competition to name METRONETs new micro tunnel boring machine now openWill drill twin 100m tunnels as part of the METRONET Thornlie-Cockburn Link projectTunnel Boring Machines traditionally given female names in honour of Saint BarbaraEntries close July 26 with name to be announced in August The McGowan Government is seeking a creative new name for a micro tunnel boring machine TBM that will drill under the freight rail corridor near the Ranford Road Bridge as part of the METRONET Thornlie-Cockburn Link project.The 3.5m long 27000kg micro tunnel boring machine will drill twin 100m tunnels under the existing freight rail corridor near the Ranford Road Bridge to enable Water Corporations Serpentine Trunk Main to be relocated.It will be operated by Australian-based tunnel-boring specialist Rob Carr with work expected to take place this August and September.A similar competition was held in 2017 when Western Australian school students were asked to name the two TBMs used to drill the twin 8km tunnels as part of METRONETs Forrestfield-Airport Link. One of the Forrestfield-Airport Link TBMs was named Sandy inspired by WAs tunnelling insect the sandgroper while the other was named Grace in honour of pre-primary student Grace McPhee who was nominated by her classmates at Edney Primary School for her bravery while undergoing leukaemia treatment.TBMs are traditionally given female names for good luck in honour of the patron saint of underground workers Saint Barbara who is believed to bring success to the project.
