The main Docklands Light Railway Depot at Beckton is set to benefit from major improvements after confirmation that Morgan Sindall Infrastructure have been appointed to deliver them ahead of the full introduction of the new CAF trains. The works will include a new maintenance building and expanding stabling capacity provided at the facility.
The improvements are part of a wider project on the DLR which is seeing 54 new trains introduced into service from 2024. The B23 trains are being built by CAF with the first – numbered 201 – having been delivered to the depot earlier this year. They are five section walkthrough trains which will remove the need to couple several units together to provide the full capacity needed on the network. 33 are to replace the older B90, B92 and B2K units with the other 21 being ordered to help provide extra capacity.
With new trains comes the new to upgrade the depot facilities. Included will be a new maintenance building which features a train lifting road, craneage, under train access and pits. These will be necessary to allow final assembly of their new trains and then longer-term maintenance of the fleet. A new test track facility is also to be constructed to allow testing of the new Thales signalling system that is also due to be introduced.
Other work to be completed at the depot will be the installation of extra storage sidings. These will be provided the extension of the existing southern sidings alongside new sidings to the north of the maintenance building. This will give a total of six new sidings which will be able to accommodate 15 trains.
Tom Page, TfL’s General Manager of the DLR, said: “The improvements at Beckton Depot are an integral part of the new DLR train programme. Improved facilities will ensure the trains are well maintained to make sure our customers get the most reliable service possible.”
The main Beckton Depot works are due to be completed in 2024 with all 54 of the new DLR B23 trains expected to enter service by 2026.