Manchester International Depot

Last updated

Longsight International TMD
Location
Location Longsight, Greater Manchester, England
Coordinates 53°27′44″N2°12′10″W / 53.4622°N 2.2028°W / 53.4622; -2.2028
OS grid SJ865962
Characteristics
Owner London & Continental Railways
Depot codeLC [1]
Type EMU

Manchester International Depot is a train maintenance depot in Manchester, England. It was constructed next to Longsight depot in the early 1990s as part of a plan to operate Regional Eurostar international train services from Manchester to Europe via the Channel Tunnel.

Contents

History

By the time that Eurostar services became operational through the Channel Tunnel in 1994, it was decided that regional Eurostar services from Manchester (via the West Coast Main Line) and Glasgow (via the East Coast Main Line) to Paris and Brussels were not economic to run, due to their long journey times compared to air travel: 500 mi (800 km) Manchester-Paris and 760 mi (1,230 km) Glasgow-Paris. However, the depots and trains had all but been completed, by this time, and trial runs operated on both main lines.

The Manchester International Depot, with signs saying "Le Eurostar habite ici" and other Eurostar branding, stood empty and unused for almost ten years. Unlike the majority of the British railway network, it does not belong to Network Rail but to London & Continental Stations & Property (LCSP), a subsidiary of London & Continental Railways.

Regional Eurostar operations never came to pass. In 2005, Siemens began using the depot, rented from LCSP, as a testing base for its new Class 185 DMUs for First TransPennine Express, until its own Ardwick traincare facility dedicated depot had been completed. In 2011, it was reported that London & Continental Railways still owned the Manchester site. [2]

In January 2013, it was announced that an extended Manchester Piccadilly on the north side of the station would have been the new terminus for the cancelled High Speed 2 - as opposed to the south side where the disused Manchester Mayfield station is located. A 7.5 mi (12.1 km) tunnel would have been built under the dense districts of south Manchester to minimise disruption. This tunnel would have surfaced south of the A57 Hyde Road on the current site of the International Depot.

In May 2018, rolling stock manufacturer CAF sub-let the depot from LCSP in conjunction with Alstom for use in testing TransPennine Express rolling stock in conjunction with Freightliner. Mark 5A coaching stock along with Class 68 locomotives on hire from Direct Rail Services were based at the depot, with further testing and commissioning activities for the Class 397 EMUs also being undertaken at the site from early 2019.[ citation needed ] CAF operations on the site ceased in early 2021.

In January 2023 work was completed to reopen the depot for use as servicing and stabling facility, the depot will be used by Northern Trains to accommodate its Class 323 fleet. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eurostar</span> High-speed train service in Western Europe

Eurostar is an international high-speed rail service in Western Europe, connecting Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Speed 1</span> High-speed railway linking London with the Channel Tunnel

High Speed 1 (HS1), legally the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), is a 109.9-kilometre (68.3-mile) high-speed railway linking London with the Channel Tunnel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arriva Trains Northern</span> Former British train operating company

Arriva Trains Northern was a train operating company in England owned by Arriva that operated the Regional Railways North East franchise from March 1997 until December 2004. Arriva resumed operating Northern train services again on 1 April 2016 under the Northern brand but ceased again on 29 February 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 185</span> British diesel passenger train

The British Rail Class 185 Desiro is a class of diesel-hydraulic multiple-unit (DHMU) passenger trains built by Siemens Transportation Systems in Germany for the train operating company First TransPennine Express. They are currently operated by TransPennine Express.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail brand names</span> Aspect of branding in Great Britains railway network (c1965-1993)

British Rail was the brand image of the nationalised railway owner and operator in Great Britain, the British Railways Board, used from 1965 until its breakup and sell-off from 1993 onwards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 323</span> British electric passenger trains

The British Rail Class 323 is a class of electric multiple unit (EMU) passenger train built by Hunslet Transportation Projects and Holec. All 43 units were built from 1992 through to 1995, although mock-ups and prototypes were built and tested in 1990 and 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Styal line</span> Railway line in Greater Manchester and Cheshire, England

The Styal line is a suburban commuter railway line which runs through south Manchester, England; it commences at Slade Lane Junction, 1.2 miles (1.9 km) south of Manchester Piccadilly, and ends 12 miles (19 km) south at Wilmslow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First TransPennine Express</span> Former train operating company

First TransPennine Express was a British train operating company jointly owned by FirstGroup and Keolis which operated the TransPennine Express franchise. First TransPennine Express ran regular Express regional railway services between the major cities of Northern England as well as Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regional Eurostar</span> Never-implemented Eurostar services from north of London

Regional Eurostar was a planned Eurostar train service from Paris and Brussels to locations in the United Kingdom to the north and west of London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longsight Diesel TMD</span>

Longsight Diesel TMD is a railway diesel locomotive traction maintenance depot (TMD) situated in Longsight, Manchester, England. The depot code is LO. The depot is located 1+12 mi (2.4 km) south of Manchester Piccadilly on the eastern side of the line to Stockport. There are various roads in which individual train sets can be overhauled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longsight Electric TMD</span> Railway traction depot in south Manchester

Longsight Electric TMD is an AC electric railway locomotive traction maintenance depot situated in Longsight, Manchester, England. It is one of the largest train depots in the United Kingdom and can hold 179 carriages at any one time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heaton TMD</span> Railway maintenance depot in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England

Heaton TMD is a railway traction maintenance depot situated in the Heaton area of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, it is located next to the East Coast Main Line, around 2 miles (3 km) east of Newcastle Central station. Heaton was a sub-shed of Gateshead between 1963 and 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High-speed rail in the United Kingdom</span>

High-speed rail in the United Kingdom is provided on five upgraded railway lines running at top speeds of 125 mph (200 km/h) and one purpose-built high-speed line reaching 186 mph (300 km/h).

The Nightstar was a proposed overnight sleeper train service from various parts of the United Kingdom to destinations in mainland Europe, via the Channel Tunnel, in the mid 1990s. To run alongside the Eurostar, and north of London day-time Regional Eurostar services which were never operational, the Nightstar was the last part in a proposed round-the-clock passenger train utilisation of the Channel Tunnel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TransPennine Express (2016–2023)</span> Former British train operating company

TransPennine Express (TPE), legally First TransPennine Express Limited, was a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that operated the TransPennine Express franchise. It ran regional and inter-city rail services between the major cities and towns of Northern England and Scotland.

Manchester Traincare Centre could refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 373</span> Electric multiple unit that operates Eurostars high-speed rail service

The British Rail Class 373, known in France as the TGV TMST and branded by Eurostar as the Eurostar e300, is a French designed and Anglo-French built electric multiple unit train that was used for Eurostar international high-speed rail services from the United Kingdom to France and Belgium through the Channel Tunnel. Part of the TGV family, it was built with a smaller cross-section to fit the smaller loading gauge in Britain, was originally capable of operating on the UK third rail network, and has extensive fireproofing in case of fire in the tunnel. It is both the second longest—387 metres —and second fastest train in regular UK passenger service, operating at speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour (186 mph).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 331</span> British electric multiple-unit (EMU) train built by CAF

The British Rail Class 331 Civity is a class of electric multiple unit built by CAF, owned by Eversholt Rail Group, and currently operated by Northern Trains. A total of 43 units have been built – 31 three-car units and 12 four-car units. Construction of the trains started in July 2017 and they were phased into service from 1 July 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 397</span> Class of electric multiple unit built by Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF

The British Rail Class 397 Civity is a class of electric multiple unit built by Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF for lease to TransPennine Express by Eversholt Rail Group. A total of twelve five-car units were built to operate services on TransPennine North West services between Liverpool Lime Street/Manchester Airport and Edinburgh Waverley/Glasgow Central.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Mark 5A</span> Class of British railway coach

The British Rail Mark 5A is a type of railway vehicle in use in the UK. 52 standard carriages and 14 driving trailers were built by Spanish manufacturer CAF, and were operated by TransPennine Express. They first entered service on 24 August 2019.

References

  1. "The all-time guide to UK Shed and Depot Codes" (PDF). TheRailwayCentre.com. 5 May 2006. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. "Taxpayers are funding rail depot for trains that only run in France". The Independent. 10 October 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  3. "Manchester depot revitalised". Rail . No. 975. 25 January 2023. p. 27.