Factory in Melbourne’s west gives glimpse into Arden Station

Stunning architectural features are being installed at Arden Station after being prototyped and tested at a mock station in Melbourne’s west.

The warehouse, a former flower market in Footscray, houses elements from each of the underground stations – offering an insight into how the finished stations will look when they open a year ahead of schedule in 2025.

For three years teams of architects, designers and engineers have prototyped and tested everything from ticket gates to floor finishes inside the warehouse, ensuring everything has been designed and crafted to the highest standards.

Some of the proven design elements have already been installed at Arden Station, including light fittings, ceiling systems and Victorian-first platform screen doors.

The warehouse includes a mock station concourse, ticket gates, seating, customer help points and signature light fittings.

Several of the elements being tested have been made in Melbourne, including light fittings, wall cladding, architectural brackets, and ceiling fixtures, as part of a $45 million investment in local manufacturing.

Construction at Arden Station is continuing at pace, with the stairs and ramps that will lead to the station’s main entrance on Laurens St finished.

Thirteen massive yellow drum lights and “cockatoo” lights, which have been custom-designed for the Metro Tunnel, have also been fitted throughout the station.

Landscaping has started and escalators and lifts to the station concourse are now in place and being tested.

Finishing touches, including ceiling baffles to conceal cabling and absorb noise, are being installed.

Train testing is continuing inside the Metro Tunnel, with trains reaching full speed just weeks after the first test trains entered the twin tunnels.

Since the first 1.7km journey at low speed in late July, test trains are now running at 80km/h – the speed they will travel at between all five stations when the tunnel opens in 2025.

The Metro Tunnel is the first major metropolitan rail investment since the City Loop opened in 1981 and will give Victorians more connections, more choices, and faster journeys. •

bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/metro-tunnel