Brantham maintenance depot plan put on hold
Construction of a new Greater Anglia train maintenance depot at Brantham, planned to open later this year, may not go ahead.
GA Managing Director Jamie Burles says the Abellio franchise is reviewing the situation due to “a number of issues” and is looking at other options. A final decision will be made within the next couple of months.
In a GA stakeholder newsletter published on March 9, Burles writes that one of the key obstacles to the scheme announced in December 2017 is not being able to agree terms with the landowner.
In addition, he states: “Safety issues relating to the impact of the likely volume of extra train movements over Manningtree level crossing and a number of additional challenges linked to the preparation of the site and the construction process, mean we are reviewing the scheme and looking at alternative options.
“We expect to make a decision on our approach going forward within the next couple of months, to ensure that - whatever our final plan - there is no adverse effect on the introduction of the new trains.”
Sources have suggested that the facility, which was launched in February last year and due to open this December, will no longer be built and that GA is looking for a new depot. It was to house new Stadler and Bombardier trains, although the main maintenance facilities for both would remain Norwich Crown Point and Ilford.
The facility near Manningtree was to be used to store new trains as they were delivered, before carrying out maintenance on them once in traffic. There was also to be a wheel lathe at the site.
Now it is understood there are concerns over where the new vehicles would be stabled before entering traffic, and also where the fleets they replace that GA must retain for a period would be stored. One option was thought to have been Harwich Parkeston Quay, but sources have suggested this is no longer being considered.
Abellio announced it was ordering 1,043 new vehicles when it was awarded the GA franchise in August 2016 ( RAIL 807).