East Ham Depot

The depot was formerly the site of London Underground District line's Little Ilford depot from 1905 to 1958,[4] when it was replaced by Upminster Depot.[5][6]

It lies between the Down Main (towards Barking and Shoeburyness) and Up Main (towards East Ham and London Fenchurch Street) railway lines between the two stations (East Ham and Barking). It is the main maintenance depot for the Essex Thameside franchise and is currently operated by c2c, working with Bombardier Transportation service technicians to maintain its fleet of 74 Class 357 and six Class 387Electrostars.[7] It has an 11 road shed, 8 road sidings, and 27 sets of points.

Number 1 - 8 and 10 roads in the shed can hold 12 coaches, whereas 9 & 11 roads can hold 8 coaches. In the 4 balloon roads, 17 road can hold 8 coaches, and 18 - 20 roads can hold 12 coaches. In the yard, 12 & 13 roads can hold 8 coaches, whereas 15 & 16 roads can hold 12 coaches. The carriage wash road (outside the shed's inlet and exit toads) can hold 24 coaches, and is 6.35 miles from London Fenchurch Street. The short 14 road is no longer in use. There is also an office and a traincrew depot on site, as well as the West End Shunters' Hut next to the Shed Exit Road, and an East End Shunters' Hut next to the east end set of points of the balloon roads.

East Ham Depot won the Golden Spanner Award for Maintenance Team of the Year (Rolling Stock) at the Annual National Rail Awards in 2005 and 2006.[8] This led to FM Rail choosing it as a base to clean and maintain its Mark 2 Blue Pullman train for a 12-month trial with an option to extend its stay indefinitely.[9] Another factor leading to FM Rail's choice of East Ham over depots which would have been more convenient pathing wise such as Hornsey TMD or Ilford Depot may have been that East Ham had spare capacity and was therefore probably cheaper.[10] When FM Rail was placed in administration in December 2006, it owed c2c about £40,000[10] and the Blue Pullman train and associated locomotives were bought by Cotswold Rail on 1 February 2007,[11] who continued the maintenance contract with c2c at East Ham.

Class 86 electric locomotive 86212 was based at the depot to pre-heat the Mark 2 coaches of the Blue Pullman rake.[12]

From 1996 to 2000, Class 317/1 units hired by LTS Rail from its sister Prism Rail franchise WAGN were maintained at East Ham Depot.

London Overground Class 172 Turbostar and Class 378 Capitalstar units have on occasions been stabled in the sidings of East Ham Depot.[13]

In December 2006, two Class 357 units, 357 002 and 357 043, were involved in a minor incident at East Ham Depot when one unit scraped down the side of the other. The damaged units, formed mostly of 357 002 with the driving car of 357 043, were used to form a hybrid unit which was renumbered 357 098 under the TOPS system and sent to Crewe Electric TMD for repairs.[14]