Laira TMD
Encyclopedia
Laira TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot
situated in Plymouth
, Devon
, England
. The depot is operated by First Great Western
and is mainly concerned with the overhaul and daily servicing of their fleet of High Speed Trains and also the DMU
s used on local services. The depot code "LA" is used to identify rolling stock based there.
After sixty years as a steam depot, servicing locomotives used on the Exeter to Plymouth line
that runs past the shed as well as local lines, a diesel depot opened in 1962 and was expanded in 1981 to accommodate the High Speed Trains.
from 5 May 1848 when a small engine shed
would have been provided. With the completion of the line to Plymouth Millbay railway station
on 2 April 1849 a new shed was provided there and the facilities at Laira dismantled, although it remained a junction for the branch line to Sutton Harbour which was mixed gauge
for the use of the Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway
.
The Great Western Railway
, which had amalgamated
with the South Devon Railway on 1 February 1876, a new engine shed opened at Laira in 1901 on a site inside a triangle of lines formed by the main line, Sutton Harbour branch, and a curve that was mainly used by London and South Western Railway
trains to reach their terminus at Plymouth Friary
. It was adjacent to the Embankment Road with the estuary of the River Plym
just the other side of the road. The shed was a 434 by 181 feet (132 by 55 metre) brick roundhouse
with a 65 feet (19.8 m) turntable
in the middle. 28 lines radiated from the turntable for stabling locomotivesand it was fitted with a 20 ton hoist for lifting locomotives (a 35 ton one was added later).
A small railway station known as Laira Halt was opened on the adjacent main line on 1 June 1904 but closed again on 7 July 1930. The shed at Millbay closed in 1925 and in 1931 a new 210 by 67 feet (64 by 20 metre) four track shed was brought into use just to the south of the roundhouse, funded by a government loan under the Development (Loan Guarantees and Grants) Act 1929. This became known as the "Long Shed" or "New Shed". At the same time the coaling stage was raised and a new 50 ton hoist supplemented the smaller ones in the roundhouse.
diesel-hydraulic locomotives started to appear in 1958 and were at first accommodated in the New Shed alongside steam locomotives, The Laira marshalling yard alongside Embankment Road was closed in 1958 to make room for carriage sidings and a new diesel shed, which was fully opened on 13 March 1962, although parts had been in use since 1960.
Laira was designed for the servicing and heavy maintenance of the diesel-hydraulic locomotives favoured by the Western Region of British Railways
(the depot became well known as the final home of the "Western" Class
). It also handled the local diesel electric shunter and DMU
fleets, although servicing of the latter was done initially at Belmont sidings at Millbay.
The diesel shed was in reinforced concrete and comprised three adjoining buildings. The servicing and maintenance building that covers roads 1-4 is on the western side of the shed; number 1 road is equipped with a wheel lathe
and lifting jacks for bogie
changes. The central building was the Heavy Maintenance Shed; engines can be removed and repainting undertaken on the two roads, numbers 5 and 6. The final three roads were in the servicing shed on the eastern side of the site, where locomotives could be inspected and refuelled. There were covered fuelling points outside in the yard, supplied by a 45,000 gallon fuel tank. A small group of buildings house stores and a workshop for shed equipment and is situated between the main shed and the curve of the Sutton Harbour branch (now realigned to the west of the shed and known locally as the "Speedway"). Carriage washing takes place south of the shed at Mount Gould, alongside the line to Plymouth Friary.
On 30 September 1981 a new shed, 750 metres (2,460.6 ft) long was built on the site of the old servcing shed that can accommodate the eight coaches and two Class 43
power cars of a High Speed Train set.
Following the withdrawal of steam from the area in 1964, the roundhouse was closed on 13 June 1965 and the area used for additional siding space. This area was later modernised and fenced off in readiness for servicing the Nightstar
Channel Tunnel
sleeper coaches
, but the proposed service from Plymouth
to Paris
Gare du Nord
never materialised.
and "King" Class
express passenger locomotives.
During the 1960s and 1970s it was well known for its fleet of "Western" Class
diesel-hydraulics. The last of these were withdrawn in 1977, by which time British Rail Class 50
diesel-electric locomotives had taken over many of their duties. These were later given Warship names in the same manner as the first diesel hydraulics. A fleet of DMU
s was also stationed here for operating the branch lines in Devon
and Cornwall
.
In recent years the allocation has solely consisted of British Rail Class 08
or Class 09
shunting locomotives, along with some Class 43
power cars for High Speed Trains. The DMUs were operated from Cardiff Canton TMD
for several years, but from December 2007 it has received a new allocation of two-car Class 150
and single-car Class 153
DMUs.
Locomotives named after Laira shed have been:
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...
situated in Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, 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...
. The depot is operated by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
and is mainly concerned with the overhaul and daily servicing of their fleet of High Speed Trains and also the DMU
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s used on local services. The depot code "LA" is used to identify rolling stock based there.
After sixty years as a steam depot, servicing locomotives used on the Exeter to Plymouth line
Exeter to Plymouth Line
The Exeter to Plymouth line is a central part of the trunk railway line between London Paddington and Penzance railway stations in the southern United Kingdom. It is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line and runs from Exeter, to Plymouth, from where it continues as the Cornish Main Line...
that runs past the shed as well as local lines, a diesel depot opened in 1962 and was expanded in 1981 to accommodate the High Speed Trains.
Steam shed
Laira was the location of the temporary terminus of the South Devon RailwaySouth Devon Railway Company
The South Devon Railway Company built and operated the railway from Exeter to Plymouth and Torquay in Devon, England. It was a broad gauge railway built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel-Chronology:* 1844 South Devon Railway Act passed by parliament...
from 5 May 1848 when a small engine shed
Motive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
would have been provided. With the completion of the line to Plymouth Millbay railway station
Plymouth Millbay railway station
Plymouth Millbay railway station was the original railway terminus in Plymouth, Devon, England. It was used for passenger trains from 1849 to 1941.- History :...
on 2 April 1849 a new shed was provided there and the facilities at Laira dismantled, although it remained a junction for the branch line to Sutton Harbour which was mixed gauge
Dual gauge
A dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway has railway track that allows trains of different gauges to use the same track. Generally, a dual-gauge railway consists of three rails, rather than the standard two rails. The two outer rails give the wider gauge, while one of the outer rails and the inner rail...
for the use of the Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway
Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway
The Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway was a gauge horse-worked railway line in Devon, England. Most of the network had been replaced by conventional railways by 1888. The last surviving section, which continued to operate until 1960, is generally referred to as the Lee Moor Tramway...
.
The Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
, which had amalgamated
Consolidation (business)
Consolidation or amalgamation is the act of merging many things into one. In business, it often refers to the mergers and acquisitions of many smaller companies into much larger ones. In the context of financial accounting, consolidation refers to the aggregation of financial statements of a group...
with the South Devon Railway on 1 February 1876, a new engine shed opened at Laira in 1901 on a site inside a triangle of lines formed by the main line, Sutton Harbour branch, and a curve that was mainly used by London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
trains to reach their terminus at Plymouth Friary
Plymouth Friary railway station
Plymouth Friary railway station was the London and South Western Railway terminus in Plymouth, Devon, England.-History:London and South Western Railway trains first arrived at Plymouth on 17 May 1876, entering the town from the east...
. It was adjacent to the Embankment Road with the estuary of the River Plym
River Plym
The River Plym is a river in Devon, England. Its source is some 450m above sea level on Dartmoor, in an upland marshy area called Plym Head. From the upper reaches which contain antiquities and mining remains the river flows roughly southwest and enters the sea near to the city of Plymouth, where...
just the other side of the road. The shed was a 434 by 181 feet (132 by 55 metre) brick roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
with a 65 feet (19.8 m) turntable
Turntable (railroad)
A railway turntable is a device for turning railroad rolling stock. When steam locomotives were still in wide use, many railroads needed a way to turn the locomotives around for return trips as their controls were often not configured for extended periods of running in reverse and in many...
in the middle. 28 lines radiated from the turntable for stabling locomotivesand it was fitted with a 20 ton hoist for lifting locomotives (a 35 ton one was added later).
A small railway station known as Laira Halt was opened on the adjacent main line on 1 June 1904 but closed again on 7 July 1930. The shed at Millbay closed in 1925 and in 1931 a new 210 by 67 feet (64 by 20 metre) four track shed was brought into use just to the south of the roundhouse, funded by a government loan under the Development (Loan Guarantees and Grants) Act 1929. This became known as the "Long Shed" or "New Shed". At the same time the coaling stage was raised and a new 50 ton hoist supplemented the smaller ones in the roundhouse.
Diesel shed
Warship ClassBritish Rail Class 41 (Warship Class)
The British Railways Class D600 diesel-hydraulic locomotives were built by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow during 1957 and 1958. Although never assigned a TOPS class as they were withdrawn before TOPS was introduced British Loco enthusiasts coined the term "Class 41"...
diesel-hydraulic locomotives started to appear in 1958 and were at first accommodated in the New Shed alongside steam locomotives, The Laira marshalling yard alongside Embankment Road was closed in 1958 to make room for carriage sidings and a new diesel shed, which was fully opened on 13 March 1962, although parts had been in use since 1960.
Laira was designed for the servicing and heavy maintenance of the diesel-hydraulic locomotives favoured by the Western Region of British Railways
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
(the depot became well known as the final home of the "Western" Class
British Rail Class 52
British Rail assigned Class 52 to the class of 74 large Type 4 diesel-hydraulic locomotives built for the Western Region of British Railways between 1961 and 1964...
). It also handled the local diesel electric shunter and DMU
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
fleets, although servicing of the latter was done initially at Belmont sidings at Millbay.
The diesel shed was in reinforced concrete and comprised three adjoining buildings. The servicing and maintenance building that covers roads 1-4 is on the western side of the shed; number 1 road is equipped with a wheel lathe
Lathe
A lathe is a machine tool which rotates the workpiece on its axis to perform various operations such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, or deformation with tools that are applied to the workpiece to create an object which has symmetry about an axis of rotation.Lathes are used in woodturning,...
and lifting jacks for bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
changes. The central building was the Heavy Maintenance Shed; engines can be removed and repainting undertaken on the two roads, numbers 5 and 6. The final three roads were in the servicing shed on the eastern side of the site, where locomotives could be inspected and refuelled. There were covered fuelling points outside in the yard, supplied by a 45,000 gallon fuel tank. A small group of buildings house stores and a workshop for shed equipment and is situated between the main shed and the curve of the Sutton Harbour branch (now realigned to the west of the shed and known locally as the "Speedway"). Carriage washing takes place south of the shed at Mount Gould, alongside the line to Plymouth Friary.
On 30 September 1981 a new shed, 750 metres (2,460.6 ft) long was built on the site of the old servcing shed that can accommodate the eight coaches and two Class 43
British Rail Class 43 (HST)
The British Rail Class 43 is the TOPS classification used for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train power cars, built by BREL from 1975 to 1982....
power cars of a High Speed Train set.
Following the withdrawal of steam from the area in 1964, the roundhouse was closed on 13 June 1965 and the area used for additional siding space. This area was later modernised and fenced off in readiness for servicing the Nightstar
Nightstar (train)
The Nightstar was a proposed overnight sleeper service from various parts of Britain to continental Europe, via the Channel Tunnel. To run alongside the Eurostar and north of London day time Regional Eurostar services, the Nightstar was the last part in a round the clock passenger train...
Channel Tunnel
Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is deep...
sleeper coaches
Sleeping car
The sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
, but the proposed service from Plymouth
Plymouth railway station
Plymouth railway station serves the city of Plymouth, Devon, England. It is situated on the northern edge of the city centre close to the North Cross roundabout...
to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
Gare du Nord
Gare du Nord
Paris Nord is one of the six large terminus railway stations of the SNCF mainline network for Paris, France. It offers connections with several urban transportation lines, including Paris Métro and RER...
never materialised.
Allocation
Up to the 1960s Laira had an allocation that consisted of a wide variety of Great Western Railway motive power, including "Castle" ClassGWR 4073 Class
The GWR 4073 Class or Castle class locomotives are a group of 4-6-0 steam locomotives of the Great Western Railway. They were originally designed by the railway's Chief Mechanical Engineer, Charles Collett, for working the company's express passenger trains.-History:A development of the earlier...
and "King" Class
GWR 6000 Class
The Great Western Railway 6000 Class or King is a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotive designed for express passenger work. With the exception of one Pacific , they were the largest locomotives the GWR built. They were named after kings of the United Kingdom and of England, beginning with the reigning...
express passenger locomotives.
During the 1960s and 1970s it was well known for its fleet of "Western" Class
British Rail Class 52
British Rail assigned Class 52 to the class of 74 large Type 4 diesel-hydraulic locomotives built for the Western Region of British Railways between 1961 and 1964...
diesel-hydraulics. The last of these were withdrawn in 1977, by which time British Rail Class 50
British Rail Class 50
The British Rail Class 50 is a diesel locomotive built from 1967-68 by English Electric at their Vulcan Foundry Works in Newton-le-Willows. Fifty of these locomotives were built to haul express passenger trains on the, then non-electrified, section of the West Coast Main Line between Crewe,...
diesel-electric locomotives had taken over many of their duties. These were later given Warship names in the same manner as the first diesel hydraulics. A fleet of DMU
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s was also stationed here for operating the branch lines in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
In recent years the allocation has solely consisted of British Rail Class 08
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....
or Class 09
British Rail Class 09
The British Rail Class 09 is a class of 0-6-0 diesel locomotive designed primarily for shunting and also short distance freight trips along branch lines....
shunting locomotives, along with some Class 43
British Rail Class 43 (HST)
The British Rail Class 43 is the TOPS classification used for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train power cars, built by BREL from 1975 to 1982....
power cars for High Speed Trains. The DMUs were operated from Cardiff Canton TMD
Cardiff Canton TMD
Cardiff Canton TMD is a diesel locomotive Traction Maintenance Depot which is situated in Cardiff, Wales. The depot code is CF. In steam days the depot was known as Cardiff Canton and its shed code was 86C. Originally built as the main maintenance base for the South Wales Railway, it became the...
for several years, but from December 2007 it has received a new allocation of two-car Class 150
British Rail Class 150
The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" diesel multiple units were built by BREL from 1984-87. A total of 137 units were built in three main subclasses, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.- Background :...
and single-car Class 153
British Rail Class 153
The British Rail Class 153 Super Sprinter is a single car diesel multiple unit converted from British Rail Class 155s.-Description:These units were originally built as two-car Class 155 units by British Leyland from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock from 1991-92...
DMUs.
Shed codes
The following shed codes have been used to identify locomotives allocated to Laira:| LA | Great Western Railway | |
|---|---|---|
| 83D | British Railways | from 1949 |
| 84A | British Railways | from 1963 |
| LA | British Rail | from 1973 |
Named locomotives
- 3338 (3326 from 1912) Laira GWR Bulldog Class 4-4-0 steam locomotive
- 08641 Laira British Rail Class 08British Rail Class 08The 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....
0-6-0 diesel shunting locomotive - 43179 Pride of Laira British Rail Class 43 (HST)British Rail Class 43 (HST)The British Rail Class 43 is the TOPS classification used for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train power cars, built by BREL from 1975 to 1982....
power car