Members’ Weekend 2022 report

This visit was part of the RCTS members’ weekend held in Reading and which included visit to Fawley Hill (separate report), Reading driver training simulator and Didcot GWS (which I did not visit having had some excellent Thames Valley branch visits there in recent years, although I understand that all had an excellent time with some helpful and informative guides showing them the whole site). This is an unofficial report.

An enjoyable and informative hour and a bit was spent on our visit at 1400 (a further visit took place later). Twelve RCTS members and four staff which was a generous commitment by GWR but no doubt partly impacted by safety requirements. Our visits started with a brief safety briefing, and we were provided with GWR orange vests but being a simplified visit restricted to safe walking routes we neither needed (nor got) hard hats nor safety boots. Our walk took us along the footpath by the roadway almost to the western end of the site.

As you probably know the site is only six tracks wide, being built on old railway line top replace the triangle depot used until just before electrification. A noise abatement order prevents diesel units from being stabled at the eastern end of the site which is therefore effectively used only by class 387 emus. The site overlooks fields used for the festival in the summer, but which looked peaceful and tidy on Friday. The depot was officially opened on 18 July 2013 by the then Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin and won a Exemplar Silver Wrench Award in 2015.

The main depot contains road number 1, nearest the main line, where most units go initially when they enter the depot for refuelling (if necessary) and tanking and emptying CET tanks. Roads 2 and 3 are used for overhauls, with 3 used for more significant work. The main shed takes 8 cars comfortably and can squeeze more in. Behind it and built later is a wheel lathe which can turn wheels on emus, dmus and sleeper cars and locos. We were able to go into the empty wheel lathe as we walked back from the west end, and also peer into the main shed. There are two small Zephir shunters on the depot to move stock around and one was inside the wheel lathe shed, the only part not wired.

Further west along the site is a cleaning plant, entered from the east, and then an underframe cleaning plant. It appears that the HEx dedicated units get particularly dirty, owing perhaps to materials in the airport tunnels. We saw the most recent addition to the class 57 portfolio, blue 57305 which can also be used for rescuing failed emus and dmus. Several class 387s were on site, along with 57603 Tintagel Castle and 57065 Totnes Castle with their new nameplates and a Night Riviera sleeper rake and some class 769s (the latter were described as a good unit) including 769930/38. I was told that three class 387s would be leaving for GN in December, but they would not be drawn on class 379. Barrier vehicles 6336/48 were parked behind the main shed and may have not moved for months.

The depot points are all controlled from a central panel in the depot, with movements all controlled by shunt signals around the site. We had hoped to see that but the delay in starting the tour whilst waiting for a couple of people from the driver training simulator meant that we started lightly late. Derailleurs protect the entrances to the shed, to protect people working inside, whilst the wheel lathe is protected differently.