Bedford Cauldwell Walk depot

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Coordinates: 52°07′34″N 0°28′33″W / 52.125981°N 0.475882°W / 52.125981; -0.475882 (Bedford Cauldwell depot)
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Depot main building and road entrance (2011)

Bedford Cauldwell Walk depot,[note 1] is an electric multiple unit maintenance depot located on the Midland Main Line in the Cauldwell district of Bedford.

A four road maintenance depot opened in 2004 to service trains, and was extended to a fifth road in 2009.

Location

52°07′34″N 0°28′33″W / 52.125981°N 0.475882°W / 52.125981; -0.475882 (Bedford Cauldwell depot)

Bedford Caudwell depot is located in the Cauldwell area of Bedford, east of the Midland Main Line (MML) at Cauldwell walk, and south of Bedford railway station and the River Great Ouse. A rail connection with the MML is made south of the depot.[1]

The facility's shed code is BF.[2]

History

The site has been historically undeveloped for housing or industrial buildings; from the during the second half of the 19th century a tramway (siding) running from the London to Bedford line accessed the site; the site remained occupied by rail sidings throughout the 20th century.[3]

In the early 2000s the construction of phase 2 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link required a 25 week closure of the railway line between King's Cross railway station and Kentish Town railway station; this blockade would prevent easy access of trains of the London-Bedford line to their traditional servicing facilities at Selhurst depot in south London. As a result Railtrack calculated it would be cost effective to construct a depot at Bedford to service the trains, and for future use, including as a depot for the Thameslink 2000 expansion. The sidings at Bedford station were to be retained for storing trains.[4]

Fitzpatrick contractors Ltd. was given a £11million contact to build a four road train shed for the Class 319 EMUs, which in addition to the construction of the main train service and maintenance building included stabling for 22 four car trains, a train wash, and controlled emission toilet servicing.[5] The main building was 120 by 25 m (394 by 82 ft).[6][note 2] The depot opened 3 November 2004.[7] The initial allocation was 43 Class 319s.[8]

In 2006 First Capital Connect (FCC) acquired the Thameslink franchise and the depot's maintenance allocation was increased to include all FCC's 76 four car Class 319s.[9][note 3]

In 2009 the depot's allocation increased to 82 Class 319s.[10] As part of the Thameslink programme another 4 class 319 trains were added, and the depot was extended to five lanes for the addition of a further 23 four car Class 377 EMU trains to the depot's responsibilities.[11] VolkerFitzpatrick was awarded the main contract for the £2.2 million extension.[12] The depot extension was opened in January 2009.[13]

The delivery of the class 377 trains was delayed by a year, and the initial Class 377/5 was returned to the manufacture due to the number of faults found, resulting in a further delay to introduction of the fleet.[14]

References

  1. ^ Ordance Survey. 1:25000. c.2010
  2. ^ TOPS Depot Codes, Railway Travel and Correspondance Society, 13 Sep 2013, retrieved 13 Sep 2013 {{citation}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  3. ^ Ordnance Survey. 1:10560, 1902, 1927, 1938, 1960; 1:10000, 1972, 1980, 1987-9
  4. ^ "Applicants letter (extract)" (PDF), ERECTION OF RAIL MAINTENANCE BUILDING, BEDFORD CAULDWELL DEPOT, CAULDWELL WALK, BEDFORD FOR RAILTRACK PLC (IN RAILWAY ADMINISTRATION) – 02/01935/FUL, p. 9, The construction of the sub-surface "box" for St Pancras Midland Road station, in connection with phase II of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link project, will result in a 25-week closure of the line between King's Cross Thames link and Kentish Town ... and will prevent Thames link Rail's trains operating between Bedford and London from having direct access to their maintenance depot at Selhurst. [...] access to maintenance facilities [..] by diesels hauling the vehicles via West London [..] would result in high potential for disruption and a considerable cost .. The alternative .. is to construct a maintenance facility north of the blockade for (approximately) 44 electric trains that will be "trapped" [..] The site at the former Bedford Ballast Pit-Sidings has been identified as being the most suitable for the proposed depot [..] The only other alternative site identified is the existing Bedford station sidings [..] they do not provide sufficient capacity for the stabling of 44 trains or adequate room for a maintenance facility [though] stabling and carriage-washing facilities will remain here. [T]he facility would be retained beyond the period of the blockade, as it would form a useful overspill for Selhurst depot. Thus long- term benefit would therefore be retained from the capital expended. It is possible [..] it would form the basis of a larger facility for a future Thames link 2000 franchise
  5. ^ "Fitzpatrick Contractors Ltd - Responding to the challenge", www.railwaystrategies.co.uk, Bedford Cauldwell Depot, HSBC/SRA – £11 million, Jan 2007
  6. ^ The Railway Magazine, 150: 5, 2004 {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ Rail Business Intelligence (234): 7, Nov 2004 {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ^ a b The Rail Engineer, April 2009, Most suitable site
  9. ^ Revamped depot ready for new fleet of trains (Jan. 2009), Note 3
  10. ^ Revamped depot ready for new fleet of trains (Jan. 2009), Note 4
  11. ^ "£2m extension opens to await new train fleet", www.railnews.co.uk, 4 Feb 2009
  12. ^ The Rail Engineer, April 2009, The new extension
  13. ^ Revamped depot ready for new fleet of trains (Jan. 2009)
  14. ^ "Mid July News Roundup", www.rail.co.uk, Class 377/5 Thameslink Late Delivery, July 2011

Notes

  1. ^ Also referred to as Bedford Cauldwell depot, Bedford depot, Cauldwell depot.. also .. EMU depot, .. E.M.U.D, .. Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD) etc
  2. ^ The Rail Engineer, April 2009 gives an erroneous width of 40m
  3. ^ Transferred from Selhurst depot, Cauldwell carried out A-D examinations on the fleet of Class 319s.[8]

Sources

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