2. RAILWAYS
  3. BRITISH RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVE DEPOTS, WORKS AND STABLING POINTS.

BRITISH RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVE DEPOTS, WORKS AND STABLING POINTS.

Photographs in this gallery are of locomotive depots, both steam and diesel, locomotive works, stabling points and withdrawn locomotives but not those being scrapped. Some of these pictures were taken by me, some passed on by friends and others have been bought and are part of my collection. These pictures are published for pleasure/information/research purposes only and are not for sale or copy under any circumstances. Information in captions has been researched as thoroughly as possible but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
PLEASE NOTE : IMPORTANT MESSAGE : Please be aware that I do not sell copies of ANY of my pictures, DO NOT email copies to viewers or allow re-posting on other sites. Neither do I wish to enter into correspondence with any individual or group regarding my pictures or their captions. All comments reflect my personal opinions and I am not prepared to discuss these with anyone or to spend the rest of my life answering inane questions. I apologise for this disclaimer but I'm afraid it has been forced upon me. I have no wish to offend anyone and I hope you will continue to enjoy my pictures at your leisure.
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LEEDS HOLBECK LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (55A/HO) - Leeds supported a number of depots in the steam era and Holbeck was the Midland Railway's contribution. Opened in 1868, it hung on right till the end of steam operations, one of the last to close in October 1967. This view is from the 1970's, the depot much rationalised, with locomotives of Classes 25, 31, 45 and 47 on view. I recall trying to bunk the depot at about this time and having a dog set on me!
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LEEDS HOLBECK LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (55A/HO) - Leeds supported a number of depots in the steam era and Holbeck was the Midland Railway's contribution. Opened in 1868, it hung on right till the end of steam operations, one of the last to close in October 1967. This view is from the 1970's, the depot much rationalised, with locomotives of Classes 25, 31, 45 and 47 on view. I recall trying to bunk the depot at about this time and having a dog set on me!

  • KNOTTINGLEY TRACTION MAINTENANCE DEPOT (56A/KY) - Knottingley TMD was situated on the Pontefract Line and was near Knottingley station. It opened in 1967 to maintain the locomotives and hopper wagons for a planned 75 Merry-go-round trains a day, expected to use the Wakefield and Goole line. In 1976, Class 03, 04, 08 shunters and Class 47 locomotives could be seen at the depot. During the late 1970's, 1980's and 1990's the depot was home to Class 56 and from the mid eighties, Class 58 locomotives. In 1980, the depot received Class 56's, which were to become a staple locomotive on coal traffic in the area until the Class 66 locomotives appeared in 1998. In 2016, the depot's allocation consisted of DB Cargo UK Class 60 and 66 locomotives. Of the three power stations the depot was built to serve, Ferrybridge was closed in March 2016, while Eggborough was officially decommissioned in February 2018. However, the depot remained busy with gypsum and biomass traffic, particularly for the remaining Power Station at Drax, with workings from the Humber ports at Hull and Immingham. The depot was closed in March 2020 after the decline in railway hauled power station traffic. In early 2021, the office complex at the depot, which was built in the 1990's, was demolished. The sidings were being used at the same time by Riviera Trains to refit Mark 1 and Mark 2 railway coaches. It was certainly one of the most difficult depots to get round in the country - I think I managed it once! In this photo 56095 stands before the depot in June 1985, with 08243 in the foreground and Ferry bridge Power Station in the background.
  • KNOTTINGLEY TRACTION MAINTENANCE DEPOT (56A/KY) - Knottingley TMD was situated on the Pontefract Line and was near Knottingley station. It opened in 1967 to maintain the locomotives and hopper wagons for a planned 75 Merry-go-round trains a day, expected to use the Wakefield and Goole line. In 1976, Class 03, 04, 08 shunters and Class 47 locomotives could be seen at the depot. During the late 1970's, 1980's and 1990's the depot was home to Class 56 and from the mid eighties, Class 58 locomotives. In 1980, the depot received Class 56's, which were to become a staple locomotive on coal traffic in the area until the Class 66 locomotives appeared in 1998. In 2016, the depot's allocation consisted of DB Cargo UK Class 60 and 66 locomotives. Of the three power stations the depot was built to serve, Ferrybridge was closed in March 2016, while Eggborough was officially decommissioned in February 2018. However, the depot remained busy with gypsum and biomass traffic, particularly for the remaining Power Station at Drax, with workings from the Humber ports at Hull and Immingham. The depot was closed in March 2020 after the decline in railway hauled power station traffic. In early 2021, the office complex at the depot, which was built in the 1990's, was demolished. The sidings were being used at the same time by Riviera Trains to refit Mark 1 and Mark 2 railway coaches. It was certainly one of the most difficult depots to get round in the country - I think I managed it once! Seen here is 60060 JAMES WATT in RF Coal Sector livery outside the depot at Knottingley, 23/08/99.
  • KNOTTINGLEY TRACTION MAINTENANCE DEPOT (56A/KY) - Knottingley TMD was situated on the Pontefract Line and was near Knottingley station. It opened in 1967 to maintain the locomotives and hopper wagons for a planned 75 Merry-go-round trains a day, expected to use the Wakefield and Goole line. In 1976, Class 03, 04, 08 shunters and Class 47 locomotives could be seen at the depot. During the late 1970's, 1980's and 1990's the depot was home to Class 56 and from the mid eighties, Class 58 locomotives. In 1980, the depot received Class 56's, which were to become a staple locomotive on coal traffic in the area until the Class 66 locomotives appeared in 1998. In 2016, the depot's allocation consisted of DB Cargo UK Class 60 and 66 locomotives. Of the three power stations the depot was built to serve, Ferrybridge was closed in March 2016, while Eggborough was officially decommissioned in February 2018. However, the depot remained busy with gypsum and biomass traffic, particularly for the remaining Power Station at Drax, with workings from the Humber ports at Hull and Immingham. The depot was closed in March 2020 after the decline in railway hauled power station traffic. In early 2021, the office complex at the depot, which was built in the 1990's, was demolished. The sidings were being used at the same time by Riviera Trains to refit Mark 1 and Mark 2 railway coaches. Seen here is 56068 on depot at Knottingley, having been caught in Works between liveries, 30/07/96. This loco was withdrawn 07/03.
  • LANGWITH JUNCTION LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (40E/41J) - Buried deep with heart of the Nottinghamshire coalfield between Mansfield and Worksop, you wouldn't find many Pacifics based here! In April 1959, the allocation was 71 engines, of which only 2 were for passenger work! Coal trains were the depot's daily bread and the allocation reflected this. The depot closed in February 1966, diesel servicing having already been transferred to a new depot at nearby Shirebrook. Here in June 1958 we see Class O2 No.63986 of Retford Thrumpton Depot with what may be a Class K3 behind it.
  • LANGWITH JUNCTION LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (40E/41J) - Buried deep with heart of the Nottinghamshire coalfield between Mansfield and Worksop, you wouldn't find many Pacifics based here! In April 1959, the allocation was 71 engines, of which only 2 were for passenger work! Coal trains were the depot's daily bread and the allocation reflected this. The depot closed in February 1966, diesel servicing having already been transferred to a new depot at nearby Shirebrook. Seen here in the 1950's packed with goods engines, Class K1 2-6-0 No.62055, centre, and Class J11 0-6-0 No.64297, left, and an awful lot of other ex-GCR engines, mainly Class O1's. Note the WH Davis wagons shops beyond the buffer stops.
  • LEEDS COPLEY HILL LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (37B/56C) - The depot was built by the Great Northern Railway in 1900 in the triangle formed by the Leeds Central, Armley Moor and Ardsley lines. It was a brick 5-road through shed and in March 1959 had an allocation of 33 engines, mostly goods engines or small tank engines for shunting and local passenger duties. However, it could also lay claim to 2 Class v2 2-6-2's, 9 Class B1 4-6-0's and 10 Class A1 Pacific's. In addition, being the main maintenance point for locos from expresses to Leeds, it often more exotic engines as well. The depot closed to steam in September 1964. Seen here is Ivatt GNR Class N1 0-6-2T No.69430, a local engine, withdrawn from Copley Hill in December 1956.
  • LEEDS HOLBECK LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (20A/55A/HO) - Leeds supported a number of depots in the steam era and Holbeck was the Midland Railway's contribution. Opened in 1868, it consisted of two brick-built roundhouses and it hung on right till the end of steam operations, one of the last to close in October 1967. In January 1957, along with other depots in South Yorkshire, it was transferred from the Midland Region to the Eastern but this made very little difference to the loco allocation, consisting of 81 engines in March 1959, most of them LMS types of passenger or mixed traffic locos. By 1966, when this picture was taken, things had deteriorated somewhat, diesels having taken over much of the work, but Ivatt Class 4MT 2-6-0 No.43130 is still in traffic as is 'Jubilee' Class 4-6-0 No.45697 ACHILLES beyond her.
  • LEEDS HOLBECK LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (20A/55A/HO) - Leeds supported a number of depots in the steam era and Holbeck was the Midland Railway's contribution. Opened in 1868, it consisted of two brick-built roundhouses and it hung on right till the end of steam operations, one of the last to close in October 1967. In January 1957, along with other depots in South Yorkshire, it was transferred from the Midland Region to the Eastern but this made very little difference to the loco allocation, consisting of 81 engines in March 1959, most of them LMS types of passenger or mixed traffic locos. Seen here is Class 24 BR Type 2 Bo-Bo DE No.D5100, withdrawn in February 1976 from Eastfield TMD as No.24100.
  • LEEDS HOLBECK LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (20A/55A/HO) - Leeds supported a number of depots in the steam era and Holbeck was the Midland Railway's contribution. Opened in 1868, it consisted of two brick-built roundhouses and it hung on right till the end of steam operations, one of the last to close in October 1967. In January 1957, along with other depots in South Yorkshire, it was transferred from the Midland Region to the Eastern but this made very little difference to the loco allocation, consisting of 81 engines in March 1959, most of them LMS types of passenger or mixed traffic locos. Seen here is Class 45 BR 'Peak' Class Type 4 1-Co-Co-1 DE No.D65 GRENADIER GUARDSMAN, withdrawn in May 1987 as No.45111.
  • LEEDS HOLBECK LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (20A/55A/HO) - Leeds supported a number of depots in the steam era and Holbeck was the Midland Railway's contribution. Opened in 1868, it consisted of two brick-built roundhouses and it hung on right till the end of steam operations, one of the last to close in October 1967. In January 1957, along with other depots in South Yorkshire, it was transferred from the Midland Region to the Eastern but this made very little difference to the loco allocation, consisting of 81 engines in March 1959, most of them LMS types of passenger or mixed traffic locos. Seen here is Class 45 BR Type 4 1-Co-Co-1 DE D123, withdrawn in May 1987 as No.45125 with 'Patriot' Class 4-6-0 No.45532 ILLUSTRIOUS, withdrawn in February 1964 from 12B Carlisle Upperby.
  • LEEDS HOLBECK LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (55A/HO) - Leeds supported a number of depots in the steam era and Holbeck was the Midland Railway's contribution. Opened in 1868, it hung on right till the end of steam operations, one of the last to close in October 1967. Here we see Class 45 'Peak' No.D92 in June 1966. I've always thought it rather a shame that the Peaks lost their green livery. I think it rather suited them.
  • LEEDS HOLBECK LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (55A/HO) - Leeds supported a number of depots in the steam era and Holbeck was the Midland Railway's contribution. Opened in 1868, it hung on right till the end of steam operations, one of the last to close in October 1967. This view is from the 1970's, the depot much rationalised, with locomotives of Classes 25, 31, 45 and 47 on view. I recall trying to bunk the depot at about this time and having a dog set on me!
  • LEEDS MIDLAND ROAD TRACTION MAINTENANCE DEPOT - Leeds Midland Road depot was opened in 2003 by London & North Western Railway as a maintenance facility to maintain the Freightliner Class 66 fleet under a ten-year contract and was located on the former Balm Road sidings that had been used to offload quarry products. LNWR were contracted to maintain up to 30 Class 66 locomotives that worked in the Yorkshire area at the site, with heavier maintenance being carried out by Electro-Motive. In 2006, Freightliner Maintenance Limited (FML) was formed and assumed control of operations at Leeds. Besides being a central point for maintaining the Class 66 and Class 70 fleets, both classes are based from here and the facility undertakes wagon maintenance. The site has a total of nine roads whilst the shed has two covered roads that have pits beneath them to allow access to the underside of wagons and locomotives, the fuelling point also has two roads, but only one of these is covered. Outside of these, there are a further five roads for storage and maintenance. A 28-ton crane spans roads 3 and 4 to allow for wheelset changes on locomotives and wagons. As the site is 10 chains north of Stourton Freightliner Terminal, locomotives in need of repair (or electric locomotives) are often hauled dead-in-train to Stourton and transferred to Midland Road for servicing or repair. Locomotives on routine maintenance find their way to Midland Road by hauling scheduled services. Besides the container trains passing through Stourton to the south, many Heavy Haul trains run past the depot too, which makes switching locomotives easy and cost-effective. Seen here in 2016 with numeros Class 66's on display and a couple of Class 70's.
  • LEICESTER MIDLAND LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (15C/15A/LR) - The first loco depot built by the Midland Railway at Leicester opened in 1840 but by 1945 this had been replaced by a concrete-built polygonal roundhouse shed with a flat roof on the same site. It had a large allocation on 75 engines in November 1945, consisting mainly of shunting and local passenger tank engines and small goods locos. It hung on well to steam, only closing in June 1966 although diesels continued to be based there but in much reduced facilities. The site is still in use as the headquarters of UKRail. Seen here in 1938 is Fowler LMS Class 4P 2-6-4T No.2330, based here, with a sister engine behind it.
  • LEICESTER MIDLAND LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (15C/15A/LR) - The first Midland Railway locomotive depot in Leicester was built in 1840, adjacent to the Midland station. The site was quite restrictive and did not allow for expansion. This shed was replaced in 1945 by a large concrete-built roundhouse which was closed in June 1966. This was also replaced by a much smaller diesel depot which remains in use today and is the base for UKRail operations. In March 1959, the depot had an allocation of 63 engines, a mixture of mixed traffic and goods engines plus some tank engines for local services. This aerial shot probably dates from the 1950's. The large building in the foreground is the goods warehouse.
  • LEICESTER MIDLAND LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (15C/15A/LR) - The first Midland Railway locomotive depot in Leicester was built in 1840, adjacent to the Midland station. The site was quite restrictive and did not allow for expansion. This shed was replaced in 1945 by a large concrete-built roundhouse which was closed in June 1966. This was also replaced by a much smaller diesel depot which remains in use today and is the base for UKRail operations. Locomotives recorded here in July 1974 are 46028 (front), 25118 (left), D71 (right), 45130 (back). Note that the roundhouse is completely gone by this time.
  • LEICESTER MIDLAND LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (15C/15A/LR) - The first Midland Railway locomotive depot in Leicester was built in 1840, adjacent to the Midland station. The site was quite restrictive and did not allow for expansion. This shed was replaced in 1945 by a large concrete-built roundhouse which was closed in June 1966. This was also replaced by a much smaller diesel depot which remains in use today and is the base for UKRail operations. Preserved for the moment at the UKRail depot is 58016, the only Class 58 to have been preserved so far. As can be seen, it was sent to France for LGV operations but has been repatriated and is now back in working order, although not mainline ready.
  • LEICESTER MIDLAND LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (15C/15A/LR) - The first Midland Railway locomotive depot in Leicester was built in 1840, adjacent to the Midland station. The site was quite restrictive and did not allow for expansion. This shed was replaced in 1945 by a large concrete-built roundhouse which was closed in June 1966. This was also replaced by a much smaller diesel depot which remains in use today and is the base for UKRail operations. Seen here are stored locos in the UKRail sidings, including 56060 and 56301, Class 47's and Class 37's.
  • LEICESTER MIDLAND LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (15C/15A/LR) - The first Midland Railway locomotive depot in Leicester was built in 1840, adjacent to the Midland station. The site was quite restrictive and did not allow for expansion. This shed was replaced in 1945 by a large concrete-built roundhouse which was closed in June 1966. This was also replaced by a much smaller diesel depot which remains in use today and is the base for UKRail operations. Seen here are two Class 25's and two Class 27's by the old coaling tower. All of the Class 27's were transferred to Scotland during 1969.
  • LEICESTER MIDLAND LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (15C/15A/LR) - The first Midland Railway locomotive depot in Leicester was built in 1840, adjacent to the Midland station. The site was quite restrictive and did not allow for expansion. This shed was replaced in 1945 by a large concrete-built roundhouse which was closed in June 1966. This was also replaced by a much smaller diesel depot which remains in use today and is the base for UKRail operations. Seen here in the late 1960's with engines of Class 08, Class 25 and Class 27 in the yard. The Class 27's were all transferred to Scotland in 1969.
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