A TRAIN depot has been upgraded as part of an ambitious £1.4 billion programme. 

Greater Anglia has just finished its revamp of its Colchester depot, which now boasts state-of-the-art train servicing facilities.

The enhancements mean the depot can now maintain the operator's brand-new fleet of bi-mode trains more efficiently.

The comprehensive upgrade involved the installation of two massive 40,000-litre fuel tanks, a 14-tonne sanding storage tower, a 10,000-litre AdBlue storage tank, and a sand dispenser.

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Additionally, the depot now boasts new toilet emptying equipment, new fuel and toilet water system pumps, and new walkways to streamline servicing processes.

As a result of the improvements, the Colchester depot can now handle the servicing of up to ten trains per day.

Among them are eight class 755 trains, which receive comprehensive maintenance, including cleaning, refuelling, screen wash top-up, and toilet servicing.

Previously, seven trains a day had to make time-consuming trips to temporary fuelling facilities, resulting in extra electricity consumption.

The upgraded facilities not only save energy and time but also provide enhanced operational flexibility and increased resilience in service delivery.

Andrew Goodrum, Greater Anglia’s client and programme director, said: “The new facilities and equipment mean fewer miles will be run by our trains overnight after passenger service, as they can now be fuelled, cleaned and prepared ready for the following day at the Colchester depot.

“Our teams have worked tirelessly to bring this equipment into use and it will be great to see the positive difference these servicing facilities have on improving the travelling experience for our customers.”

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The upgrade at the Colchester depot is just one part of Greater Anglia's extensive investment in transforming train services in East Anglia.

The company has invested heavily in infrastructure upgrades across its network, including platform extensions and new carriage washing machines.

Additionally, Greater Anglia has introduced a complete fleet of new trains, totalling 38 regional bi-mode trains and ten intercity electric trains for services between Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester, and London.

Furthermore, the company has unveiled 107 new class 720 suburban trains which now operate Greater Anglia's commuter and local services in Essex and Hertfordshire, as well as services between London Liverpool Street and Cambridge and Ipswich.