Diesel Depot

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The Diesel Depot in November 2015
The interior of the Diesel Depot in January 2016 (Jeff Atkins)

The Kidderminster Diesel Depot, also sometimes referred to as the TMDTraction Maintenance Depot, also referred to as Diesel Depot (Traction Maintenance Depot), stands on the space of ground between the Kidderminster Carriage Shed and the Kidderminster Footbridge, and is used to maintain most of the SVRSevern Valley Railway's fleet of Diesel locomotives. Although visible from the footbridge across the station throat, the site is not directly visible to SVRSevern Valley Railway visitors until they have boarded a train and are departing towards Bewdley. The Depot is normally closed to the public, but may be open during special events such as the annual Open House Weekend and Peep Behind the Scenes.
Although the names 'Diesel Depot' and 'Traction Maintenance Depot' are synonymous and refer to the entire site, the term 'Diesel Depot' is frequently used to refer specifically to the large workshop building. In July 2018 the depot was given a TOPSTotal Operations Processing System, an American computer system adopted by BR from the late 1960s to number and manage rolling stock. location code - 65942.

Construction and facilities

Early plans for a Diesel Depot maintenance building involved re-erecting a building from the former Burton-upon-Trent Diesel Depot. However it transpired that changes to building regulations would have made the cost greater than if new steelwork was used, and the plans were shelved.[1]

During the mid-2000s, plans for a purpose built facility were drawn up at the request of the SVRSevern Valley Railway(H) Board. These were approved and detailed design work was under way when the SVRSevern Valley Railway was hit by the 2007 flood damage. After a delay while repairs to the railway were made, a revised plan was prepared in 2009 which reduced the amount of contaminated ground that would need to be removed where the facility would be built. Fund raising at the time included the proceeds of the autumn 2009 SVRA raffle.[1]

Construction of the new restoration and storage building eventually took place during 2015. This valuable facility contains three roads, with facilities including a pit and an overhead crane allowing the restoration of these complex but useful locomotives to take place. Previously facilities had been in the open air, with volunteers being exposed to the elements. The new depot provides 1,000 square meters of covered space, two locomotive inspection pits, lifting jacks, and a 10 tonne overhead travelling crane.[2] The first locomotives entered the Diesel Depot on Saturday 30th January 2016. On 20 May 2016 the Chairman of Network Rail unveiled a plaque to celebrate the opening of the Diesel Depot.

The Depot is also home to a separate mess room facility for diesel group volunteers, as well as one of the railway's sleeping coaches, which offers overnight accommodation to volunteer staff who are away from home.

In January 2017 it was announced that the Diesel Depot had won the 2016 Heritage Railway Association award for Modern Traction for its "major contribution to modern traction preservation".[3]

AWSAutomatic Warning System, a form of limited cab signalling introduced in 1956 ramps

In April 2018 the railway obtained from Network Rail and Siemens two AWSAutomatic Warning System, a form of limited cab signalling introduced in 1956 ramps recovered from Birmingham New Street Resignalling (Phase 4/5), which were installed in Kidderminster Yard to test home fleet and visiting locomotive AWSAutomatic Warning System, a form of limited cab signalling introduced in 1956 systems before they leave for the main line.

Kidderminster TMDTraction Maintenance Depot, also referred to as Diesel Depot appeal November 2016

In November 2016 the SVR's Diesel Groups and the Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd launched a fundraising campaign to improve facilities, ring fenced for diesel projects only. These include a purpose-built workshop for restoring and maintaining component parts, and an amenity block for overnight accommodation, toilet and washing facilities.[4][5]

Gallery

See also

Kidderminster station
Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd
SVR's Diesel Groups
Awards

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 SVRSevern Valley Railway News 166
  2. SVR NBI-H-203 "SVRSevern Valley Railway Diesel Locomotive Maintenance Depot" 22 Dec 2014
  3. Kidderminster Shuttle
  4. SVR Charitable Trust, "Kidderminster Diesel Depot" (Retrieved 16 February 2017)
  5. SVRLive, "Kidderminster TMD Appeal" (Retrieved 16 February 2017)

Links

Latest news on SVRLive Kidderminster Diesel Depot page