Kirkdale TMD
Encyclopedia
Traction maintenance depot
In the United Kingdom, a traction maintenance depot, or TMD, is a railway depot where locomotives are serviced and maintained. A traction and rolling stock maintenance depot, or T&RSMD, is a maintenance depot where locomotives, multiple units and rolling stock are serviced and maintained. Each rail...
located beside Kirkdale railway station
Kirkdale railway station
Kirkdale railway station is a railway station in Kirkdale, Liverpool, England, located to the north of the city centre on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network...
in north Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, 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...
. It is the largest depot on the Merseyrail
Merseyrail
Merseyrail is a train operating company and commuter rail network in the United Kingdom, centred on Liverpool, Merseyside. The network is predominantly electric with diesel trains running on the City Line. Two City Line branches are currently being electrified on the overhead wire AC system with...
network, located on the Northern Line
Northern Line (Merseyrail)
The Northern Line is one of the two commuter rail lines operated by Merseyrail in Merseyside, England. The other line is the Wirral Line. A third line of the Merseyrail Network, the City Line, is not owned or operated by Merseyrail, although funded by Merseytravel.The Northern Line passes...
and is used primarily for stabling units, carrying out minor repair works and cleaning units both outside and in.
Although the largest depot, most of the "heavy" maintenance is carried out at Birkenhead North TMD. Units transfer between the two depots by travelling into Liverpool Central Platform 2, changing ends, then taking the single track, bi-directional Stock Transfer Line to James Street Platform 2, before continuing towards Birkenhead.
History
Originally known as Bank Hall sidings, the depot area was originally a large area of sidings with more than 30 roads. In the 1970s, when the new Link tunnel was being built to replace Liverpool ExchangeLiverpool Exchange railway station
Liverpool Exchange railway station was a railway station located in the town centre of Liverpool, England.- Station construction and opening :...
, the sidings were transformed into a modern maintenance depot. A new shed with four roads was constructed, with wells underneath the tracks so that units could be inspected; each road is long enough to house two 3-car sets coupled together. Also constructed was a new carriage wash plant so that units could be driven through and cleaned within minutes; presently this is the only active washing plant on Merseyrail, the other at Birkenhead North TMD
Birkenhead North TMD
Birkenhead North TMD is a traction maintenance depot located opposite Birkenhead North railway station for servicing Merseyrail Class 507 and 508 multiple units and rolling stock. The depot code is BD.-History:...
having been destroyed by consistent vandalism. With the depot's proximity to Kirkdale station, it was renamed upon the reopening.
Recent
In 2006, a new wheel lathe was constructed at the depot in an area formerly used for storage of departmental equipment. The new lathe has ended the previous act of having train sets towed to Allerton TMDAllerton TMD
Allerton TMD is a railway traction maintenance depot situated in Liverpool. The depot is opposite Liverpool South Parkway and is visible to the north on the way to Hunts Cross. The depot is now owned and soon to be operated by Northern Rail, but used to be owned by EWS...
near Hunts Cross railway station
Hunts Cross railway station
Hunts Cross railway station is a Grade II listed railway station in Hunts Cross, Liverpool, England. It is situated on the southern branch of the City Line's Liverpool to Manchester route, and is the southern terminus of Merseyrail's Northern Line.-History:...
by an 08 Shunter
British Rail Class 08
The British Rail Class 08 is a class of diesel-electric shunting locomotive. From 1953 to 1962, 996 locomotives were produced, making it the most numerous of all British locomotive classes....
.
Allocation
The Class 507British Rail Class 507
British Rail Class 507 electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works in two batches from 1978 to 1980. The first thirty sets were constructed from September 1978 to mid-1979 and a further three were added during 1980...
and Class 508
British Rail Class 508
The British Rail Class 508 electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works in 1979-80. They were the fourth variety of BR's then-standard 1972 design for suburban EMUs, eventually encompassing 755 vehicles and five classes...
electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s are based at Kirkdale depot, regularly stabled in the back sidings near Bank Hall railway station
Bank Hall railway station
Bank Hall railway station is a railway station in Kirkdale, Liverpool, England, located to the north of the city centre, on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network...
. In 2006, a new small shunter was allocated to the depot to take sets into the new wheel lathe.
Previously, battery locomotives and Class 73
British Rail Class 73
The British Rail Class 73 is a United Kingdom model of electro-diesel locomotive. The type is unusual in that it can operate from a 750 V DC third-rail or an on-board diesel engine to allow it to operate on non-electrified routes...
locos have been stored at the depot in the past for sandite
Sandite
Sandite is a substance used on railways in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands to combat leaves on the line, which can cause train wheels to slip and become damaged with flat spots...
duties in the winter. Network Rail stables the MPV diesel unit(s)
British Rail MPV
The Multiple-purpose Vehicle or MPV is a purpose-built departmental derivative of a diesel multiple unit. Twenty-five two-car units were ordered by Railtrack to enable it to replace its varied collection of ageing departmental vehicles, many of which were converted from redundant passenger...
here occasionally during the leaf fall season.