Exeter TMD
Encyclopedia
Exeter TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot
situated in Exeter
, Devon
, England
, next to the city's main St Davids
station. The depot is operated by First Great Western
.
There are 12 roads, the Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD) can hold 2 sets of vehicles. Behind a remaining wall from the previous Steam shed is where the Civil Shed is located, and the Premier shed (seldom used) is nearest the station.
when it opened the line to here in 1844. A second facility was added a few years later by the South Devon Railway
and the two were combined under the Great Western Railway
(GWR) in 1876. The Bristol and Exeter had been worked by the GWR until 1849 but then purchased its own locomotives. Temporary workshops for these were built at Exeter but a permanent facility at Bristol
was opened in 1851.
When British Railways introduced new shed codes in 1950, Exeter-based locomotives carried an oval cast plate with the code 83C. The last locomotives based here were sent elsewhere from 14 October 1963, but the shed area was kept as a feuling and stabling point for locomotives and diesel multiple unit
s working in the area. From 29 December 1976 it was recognised as a depot again, even though no locomotives were allocated there at the time, and given a new EX code. The shed was used for many years without a roof, but in 1980 a new covered maintenance area was built.
The Class 142s are leased from Northern Rail
and have been based here since December 2007. The Class 143s were transferred from St Philips Marsh
to Exeter in December 2008, but three units work in the Bristol area each day for services on the Severn Beach Line
and the Bristol to Taunton Line and return to Exeter every other day for servicing. Five of the original eight Class 142s were returned to Northern Rail
in December 2008, but the remainder must be returned before May 2011. They will be replaced by eight second-hand Class150/1
sets which will first be refreshed to First Great Western standards at Laira TMD
before entering service.
Engine shed
Engine shed may refer to:* Engine shed, also called a motive power depot or roundhouse, a structure used for the maintenance of railway locomotives.* Engine Shed , a music and entertainment venue on the University of Lincoln's campus....
situated in Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, next to the city's main St Davids
Exeter St Davids railway station
Exeter St Davids station is the most important of seven National Rail stations in the city of Exeter in southwest England. Today the station is owned by Network Rail and operated by First Great Western.-History:...
station. The depot is operated by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
.
There are 12 roads, the Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD) can hold 2 sets of vehicles. Behind a remaining wall from the previous Steam shed is where the Civil Shed is located, and the Premier shed (seldom used) is nearest the station.
History
An engine shed was opened at Exeter by the Bristol and Exeter RailwayBristol and Exeter Railway
The Bristol & Exeter Railway was a railway company formed to connect Bristol and Exeter.The company's head office was situated outside their Bristol station...
when it opened the line to here in 1844. A second facility was added a few years later by the South Devon Railway
South Devon Railway Company
The South Devon Railway Company built and operated the railway from Exeter to Plymouth and Torquay in Devon, England. It was a broad gauge railway built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel-Chronology:* 1844 South Devon Railway Act passed by parliament...
and the two were combined under the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
(GWR) in 1876. The Bristol and Exeter had been worked by the GWR until 1849 but then purchased its own locomotives. Temporary workshops for these were built at Exeter but a permanent facility at Bristol
Bristol Bath Road TMD
Bristol Bath Road TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Bristol.Originally built for the Bristol and Exeter Railway, it was rebuilt in 1934 by the Great Western Railway. The depot was rebuilt again in the early 1960's as its role changed from maintaining steam locomotives to...
was opened in 1851.
When British Railways introduced new shed codes in 1950, Exeter-based locomotives carried an oval cast plate with the code 83C. The last locomotives based here were sent elsewhere from 14 October 1963, but the shed area was kept as a feuling and stabling point for locomotives and diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s working in the area. From 29 December 1976 it was recognised as a depot again, even though no locomotives were allocated there at the time, and given a new EX code. The shed was used for many years without a roof, but in 1980 a new covered maintenance area was built.
Allocation
The depot's fleet of DMUs (as at the start of 2010) comprises 74 coaches formed as:- 6 two-coach Class 142British Rail Class 142The British Rail Class 142 is a class of Pacer diesel multiple units used in the United Kingdom. 96 units were built by BREL in Derby between 1985 and 1987. They were a development of the earlier Class 141 which were introduced in 1984....
sets - 8 two-coach Class 143British Rail Class 143The British Rail Class 143 is a diesel multiple unit, part of the Pacer family of trains introduced between 1985 and 1986. They originally worked in the North-East of England but were later transferred to Wales and South-West England....
sets - 17 two-coach Class150/2British Rail Class 150The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" diesel multiple units were built by BREL from 1984-87. A total of 137 units were built in three main subclasses, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.- Background :...
sets - 12 single-coach Class 153British Rail Class 153The British Rail Class 153 Super Sprinter is a single car diesel multiple unit converted from British Rail Class 155s.-Description:These units were originally built as two-car Class 155 units by British Leyland from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock from 1991-92...
sets
The Class 142s are leased from Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
and have been based here since December 2007. The Class 143s were transferred from St Philips Marsh
St Philips Marsh
St Philip's Marsh is an industrial inner suburb of Bristol, England. It is bounded by River Avon and Harbour feeder canal making it an almost island area, unlike the other two areas surrounded by water, it was historically part of Gloucestershire...
to Exeter in December 2008, but three units work in the Bristol area each day for services on the Severn Beach Line
Severn Beach Line
The Severn Beach Line is a local railway in Bristol, UK. It runs from Narroways Hill Junction to Severn Beach, and is the successor to the Bristol Port Railway and Pier, which ran from a Bristol terminus in the Avon Gorge to a station and pier on the Severn Estuary.Passenger trains run from Bristol...
and the Bristol to Taunton Line and return to Exeter every other day for servicing. Five of the original eight Class 142s were returned to Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
in December 2008, but the remainder must be returned before May 2011. They will be replaced by eight second-hand Class150/1
British Rail Class 150
The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" diesel multiple units were built by BREL from 1984-87. A total of 137 units were built in three main subclasses, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.- Background :...
sets which will first be refreshed to First Great Western standards at Laira TMD
Laira TMD
Laira TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Plymouth, Devon, England. The depot is operated by First Great Western and is mainly concerned with the overhaul and daily servicing of their fleet of High Speed Trains and also the DMUs used on local services...
before entering service.
See also
- Exmouth JunctionExmouth JunctionExmouth Junction is the railway junction where the Exmouth branch line diverges from the London Waterloo to Exeter main line in Exeter, Devon, England. It was for many years the location for one of the largest engine sheds in the former London and South Western Railway...
– the London and South Western RailwayLondon and South Western RailwayThe London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
shed in Exeter - List of British Railways shed codes
- List of British Rail TOPS depot codes