Spring Street has released details of a large shutdown of the Pakenham/Cranbourne and Frankston lines which will allow workers to complete major upgrades to the rail infrastructure.

The work is required to allow for the introduction of the new High Capacity Metro Trains (HCMTs) and will involve upgrading power & catenary, signalling and communications equipment in the Dandenong (Pakenham/Cranbourne) corridor.

The Frankston line is seeing the shutdowns to allow work to be completed around Caulfield junction where the Frankston and Dandenong corridor lines meet.

According to the state government, the work to allow HCMTs to run on the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines, is the largest restoration of the catenary in the corridor for more than 20 years and it is the first rail systems upgrade in the history of the Pakenham/Cranbourne lines.

The timetable of works and shutdowns is as follows:

• Buses will replace trains on the Pakenham/Cranbourne lines between Flinders Street and Westall and on the Frankston line between Flinders Street and Moorabbin from January 2nd to 9th.
• Buses will replace trains between Caulfield and Dandenong from January 10th to 17th and later in February, at a specific date yet to be determined, buses will replace trains between Westall and Dandenong for two weeks.

Level Crossing Removal work on the Dandenong corridor will continue unabated during this time.

Lead image credit: Level Crossing Removal Authority