A gleaming Class 185 DMU slides smoothly into the Ardwick Train Maintenance Depot. This isn’t just any depot. It’s a testament to engineering and foresight.
The Ardwick Train Maintenance Depot is more than just a place for repairs. It’s a vital hub for the TransPennine Express franchise. Opened in 2006 it initially serviced Siemens-built Class 185 DMUs.
Before its modern incarnation this land had a different life. In the 1840s it lay outside Manchester’s urban sprawl. Brick makers worked here. Later railway sidings and goods sheds appeared. The area became known as Ardwick West Goods Depot. By 1990 it was disused.
Then came the transformation. A £260 million contract with Siemens changed everything. The groundbreaking ceremony was in March 2005. The depot rose on 10 acres of land within 13 months. It cost approximately £30 million. The designers were Burks Green. Taylor Woodrow were the main contractors.
The main shed a 6000 square meter building housed eight trains. It boasted impressive facilities including a wheel lathe train jacks bogie and engine drops. Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander officially opened it on 16 May 2006.
The story doesn’t end there. In 2012 Siemens secured a contract for Class 350 electric multiple units. This meant electrifying the depot. A £5 million project extended the depot and electrified the tracks. Local MP Lucy Powell opened the upgraded depot on 27 September 2013. The first Class 350/4 train arrived on 28 November 2013.
Today the Ardwick Train Maintenance Depot hums with activity. It’s a symbol of progress a place where trains are reborn. It’s a vital part of Manchester’s rail network. A testament to its long and varied history. A true marvel of engineering. And it all began with a vision and a derelict site.