Operating since 1945, the Scenic Railway is the steepest passenger railway in the world, descending 310 metres at a 52-degree gradient into the Jamison Valley. Grindley delivered the upgrade to transform this iconic attraction while preserving its historic character, earning 10 national and state awards for engineering and construction excellence.

The project was carried out within a live tourist environment, attracting more than 850,000 visitors annually. Works were carefully staged between March-January to minimise disruption, before the railway temporarily closed for round-the-clock completion in time for Easter.

A key technical challenge involved enlarging the existing tunnel to accommodate new Swiss-designed carriages, requiring hand excavation and installation of 140 tonnes of mesh-reinforced dry shotcrete with rock bolts up to 3 metres long.

The remote location of the bottom station presented a significant logistical challenge. Footings were first designed and installed to millimetre tolerances, providing precise reference levels for the steel tower structures. Tower sections were then shop-drawn and prefabricated off-site in Sydney, assembled on an adjacent field, and carefully helicopter-lifted into position. Extensive predesign and planning ensured every section was installed safely and efficiently, without incident.