24.04.18
Greater Anglia’s £40m refurb of Crown Point Depot begins
Greater Anglia has begun work on its £40m investment into its Crown Point Depot.
The depot will be transformed to accommodate the train operator’s new fleet of longer trains, expected to enter service next year.
A new train washing facility will be installed, along with improved servicing equipment and the ability to store and dispense more fuel.
The new fleet will be stored and maintained at the facility, which will be equipped with special high walkways to give engineers access for maintenance and repairs; most of the trains’ components are on the roof to enable lower floors to improve accessibility for passengers.
There will also be new jacks which will enable engineers to lift a complete train without the need to split the carriages, for bogie and under frame removal.
Because the new trains will have large tanks to collect waste from the toilets instead of dumping it onto the tracks, toilet maintenance facilities at the depot will be upgraded.
Stadler, who is building the trains, will be responsible for maintaining the new regional bi-mode, Airport Express and InterCity trains at the depot, working closely with Greater Anglia.
Around 70 Greater Anglia staff will transfer to Stadler, 12 of whom will be seconded as systems technicians and will each spend six months with Stadler in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland and/or Spain learning how to look after the new train systems.
Mike Kean, Greater Anglia’s franchise and programmes director, said: “The investment in Crown Point depot is great news for Norwich and Norfolk.
“We’re committed to the region we serve and playing our part in supporting its development, so we’re very pleased to be able to create a new centre of excellence for train maintenance in East Anglia, in partnership with Stadler.
“The coming months will be an exciting and busy period as we implement the major project to prepare the depot for the new trains.
“At the same time, the team continue to work hard maintaining and repairing our existing trains to ensure that customers still receive a reliable and punctual service while Stadler are building our brand-new train fleet.”
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