The consortium, Evolution Rail, was contracted in November 2016 to put the first of the high-capacity trains into service on Melbourne’s rail network by March 29. But that first train is still a month off even being tested for the first time on Melbourne’s railways. It must complete 10,000 kilometres of fault-free running before it can carry passengers. Carriages manufactured in China ready to be assembled in Downer's Newport rail yards. Credit:Joe Armao Problems identified during assembly of the first train have included issues with its traction motor, electrics, and undercarriage. The train has only been tested so far on a purpose-built facility in Pakenham East. In all, five sets of trains have now been assembled and a sixth was being put together in yards next to North Williamstown railway station this week.

Seven carriages wrapped in white plastic sit in the yards next to the railway station awaiting assembly after arriving from China. All bear their shipping receipts stating they have been transported from CRRC’s manufacturing centre, which is in the Chinese province of Jilin, 1000 kilometres north-east of Beijing. The carriages, which weigh at least 21 tonnes each, are fitted out and wired in Downer’s Newport rail yard before transfer to Pakenham East for commissioning into service. One source close to the project said the issue with the first trains was not so much the relatively minor problems encountered during fitout, but with problems revealed during testing in Pakenham East.

It is not known what the issues were revealed at this stage. Carriages manufactured in China ready to be assembled in Downer's Newport rail yards. Credit:Joe Armao Another said the first testing on a live rail environment on Melbourne’s rail network was scheduled to start in July, although even this was uncertain. The new trains are a dedicated fleet to run only on the Cranbourne and Pakenham train lines, and will be the only trains allowed to run through the new Metro Tunnel rail project when it opens in 2026. They are capable of carrying up to 1100 passengers across a seven-car set – 20 per cent more people than the largest train now on the network.

They are the first to be brought to Melbourne under a 35-year public-private partnership. It requires 60 per cent of the trains to be made locally. The deal to provide the trains was led locally by Plenary, although the majority of the shares in the consortium are owned by a firm called Partners Group registered on the island of Guernsey. Plenary is a regular donor to the Labor Party, giving more than $200,000 nationally in the last five years. The consortium beat two other bidders, which had manufacturers Alstom and Bombardier as part of their proposal to government. The contract for the new trains was signed by then Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan. A government spokeswoman said on Friday that there were now three of the trains undergoing safety and performance testing in Pakenham East. “The trains will move onto the metropolitan network shortly to be tested overnight in real world conditions,” she said.

The Opposition attacked Labor over the late delivery of the trains, saying it was likely they would also fall short on the local content promised. “They are going to force more of the work on these trains back to China,” the Opposition’s transport infrastructure spokesman David Davis said. The Coalition this week succeeded in moving an Upper House motion condemning the government over its fail to deliver as much Australian-made steel on the West Gate Tunnel toll road project as had been originally promised. Channel Nine first revealed last month that the trains were running late.