End of the line for Old Oak Common depot

Old Oak Common depot closed on December 8, with the final High Speed Train departing at 1642 (three minutes early) after being serviced.

Great Western Railway arranged for 43185 Great Western (which carries Intercity livery) and 43093 Old Oak Common HST Depot 1976-2018 (which carries a livery depicting the history of the West London depot) to power the HST, which formed the 1645 empty stock to London Paddington.

Staff have transferred to different sites, while maintenance of the Night Riviera Sleeper has transferred to Long Rock at Penzance, with servicing also carried out at Reading.

GWR’s High Speed Train fleet was the last to be maintained at the depot, although that has been vastly reduced over the past year following the introduction of the Intercity Express Train Class 800/802s.

The depot has been run down over a number of months, ahead of its demolition to make way for a High Speed 2 station that is due to open in seven years’ time.

Once the site has been cleared in the coming days, work will begin on the new station.

• For the FULL story, read RAIL 868, out now.