Click the above for a larger version. © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

The depot shed comprises five dead-end tracks, the approaches of which are electrified by third rail to just short of the building’s entrance. Originally, the facade here proclaimed "HITACHI Inspire the Next", but some time between 2019 and 2022, this was replaced by the "Ashford Train Maintenance Centre" sign seen here. © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

Class 69 No. 69014 was formerly Class 56 No. 56104, the locomotive being renumbered in 2024 (ref: The Railway Magazine, January 2025). The conversion from Class 56 to 69 involved replacing the original 3,200 HP Ruston Paxman diesel engine with an Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) engine of the same power rating. This engine is the same as that used in the Class 66; the Class 69 is also equipped with the same traction control and cooler systems as the former. On 19th March 2025, No. 69014 emerged from Arlington Paint Services, Eastleigh, in the colour scheme seen above, which is based on that of one-off 4,000 HP Hawker Siddeley Diesel-Electric No. HS4000 "Kestrel". The latter was a prototype that was formally handed over to British Rail at Marylebone station on 29th January 1968, but surprisingly exported to Russia in summer 1971 (ref: The Railway Magazine, October 1997). No. 69014 was named "EMD Longport" on 26th March 2025 at Longport, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire (ref: RCTS’ The Railway Observer, May 2025). © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

No. DR 73939 was one of two Plasser & Theurer tampers at the open day, the other being No. DR 75201. No. DR 73939 is based at Balfour Beatty’s Ashford depot, which is housed within part of the former works buildings on the opposite side of the main line. Plasser & Theurer are an Austrian company specialising in track plant, and their tamper machines are used worldwide to correct track alignment errors and consolidate ballast to provide stable track support. Behind is Class 466 No. 466019. © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

Looking resplendent in Network SouthEast "toothpaste" livery was Electro-Diesel No. 73128 "Kent & East Sussex Railway". Belonging to Great Britain Railfreight (GBRf), No. 73128 was previously named "O.V.S. Bulleid C.B.E." and wore the company’s orange and dark blue scheme; it received its present name on 31st May 2024 (ref: RCTS’ The Railway Observer, July 2024). The locomotive wears a second plate on each side proclaiming "50 Years of Heritage 1974 - 2024". © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

Class 66 No. 66315 was registered as a new locomotive on TOPS in the period to 29th February 2024 (ref: RCTS’ The Railway Observer, April 2024). © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

Class 465 No. 465908 was formerly No. 465208 and was delivered new to Strawberry Hill Depot in June 1992 (ref: RCTS’ The Railway Observer, August 1992). On 14th July 2005, the unit was returned to Gillingham Depot in its new guise as No. 465908, after refurbishment at Wabtec Doncaster (ref: The Railway Magazine, September 2005). Refurbishment involved adding First Class sections to the unit, repainting the internal panelling, replacing the flooring, new seat moquette, providing space for wheelchair users, and replacing Network SouthEast livery with South Eastern Trains white comprising yellow doors, a black stripe at window level, and a thin lower grey stripe. Each unit cost £63,000 to refurbish (ref: The Railway Magazine, July 2005). On 15th February 2025, No. 465908 was outshopped from Wabtec Doncaster in the Network SouthEast colour scheme seen above, and named "Chris Green" by that very man and Lord Peter Hendy at Charing Cross on 25th February (ref: RCTS’ The Railway Observer, April 2025). Differences from the original livery includes grey doors, a lack of white window frames and, of course, "South Eastern" branding. The buffer cowlings started being added to the Class 465/466 fleet in 2004 to prevent youngsters from riding upon the outside of the units, one of the first class members so treated being No. 465214. © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

Class 376 No. 376019 is seen within the maintenance shed wearing the all-over dark blue scheme of "Southeastern". The first Class 376 unit to receive this colour was No. 376027, in April 2025 (ref: The Railway Magazine, June 2025). © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

No. 377521 was previously in service with the former First Capital Connect (FCC) franchise, which later became "Thameslink". It was one of fifteen Class 377/5 units — Nos. 377509 to 377523 — that were transferred from Thameslink to South Eastern Trains in 2017, this batch entering service with the latter during September and October of that year. © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

"Javelin" No. 395010 demonstrated the strength of the depot’s jacks, twenty-four of these combined lifting the entire unit. © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

A second Class 395 in the depot was No. 395015. This unit had emerged in the revised "Southeastern" livery by April 2025 (ref: RCTS’ The Railway Observer, May 2025). © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

Class 466 No. 466019 was used to demonstrate how derailed vehicles are jacked up and returned to the track. This unit received a mid-life refurbishment at Wabtec Doncaster in 2011 (ref: The Railway Magazine, September 2011). © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

In the period to 31st March 2024, Class 20 Nos. 20901 and 20905 were acquired by "Balfour Beatty" from the "Harry Needle Railroad Company" (ref: The Railway Magazine, May 2024). The pair were repainted from unbranded GBRf livery to the colour scheme seen here at Arriva Traincare’s Bristol Barton Hill Depot (ref: The Railway Magazine, June 2024), after which they moved from there to Barrow Hill Depot, Derbyshire, under their own power on 21st April 2024 (ref: RCTS’ The Railway Observer, June 2025). Nos. 20901 and 20905 were acquired to haul Balfour Beatty’s plant trains and support works connected to the repair of railway drainage infrastructure (ref: The Railway Magazine, June 2024). Behind the pair is the depot’s wheel lathe shed. © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

An eastward view captures a rolling stock line-up. From left to right: Robel "Mobile Maintenance Systems" (MMS) set (led by power car No. DR97502); Colas Class 37 No. 37254; "Hastings" unit No. 1013; Class 375 No. 375830; a pair of Class 395 "Javelins", and "Citybeam" Class 707 No. 707013. © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

No. 1013 was one of two six-car "Hastings" diesel electric multiple units — the other being No. 1001 — purchased from British Rail on 10th March 1989 by "Hastings Diesel Preservation Limited" (later to become "Hastings Diesels Limited"), the organisation having been formed in February 1987 (ref: The Railway Magazine, February 1992). Both units live at St Leonards Depot in East Sussex, where the preservation group leases space. The first scheduled twelve-car DEMU trains on the Hastings line via Tunbridge Wells commenced on 6th May 1957 (ref: RCTS’ The Railway Observer, June 1957); full electric timings on that route commenced on 12th May 1986 (ref: The Railway Magazine, July 1986). As for No. 375830, this unit was named "City of London" at Cannon Street on 21st December 2004, to mark completion of the 112th and final Class 375 Electrostar for what was then called "South East Trains" (ref: The Railway Magazine, March 2005). The unit was returned to Ramsgate from Derby Litchchurch Lane after refurbishment and having an all-over blue colour scheme applied, on 10th March 2008 (ref: The Railway Magazine, May 2018). © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

Seen from the "Hastings" DEMU is the remote-controlled battery-powered vehicle that hauls units over the wheel lathe. Built by French firm "Société Sculfort Muller & Pesant", the vehicle is guided by two sensors. © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

Class 37 No. 37254, seen here wearing Colas Rail’s yellow, orange, and black livery, was one of eight Class 37 diesels put up for sale by "Harry Needle Railroad Company" in early 2003, on the condition that buyers were from the heritage sector and not commercial main line operators (ref: The Railway Magazine, May 2003). The locomotive ended up on a site in Sellinge, Kent, where it was restored, and was subsequently transferred by road to the Spa Valley Railway on 27th March 2008 (ref: The Railway Magazine, June 2008). In 2015, No. 37254 was purchased by "Colas Rail" and left the Spa Valley Railway to be returned to main line use (ref: The Railway Magazine, October 2015). © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

"Robel Bahnbaumaschinen" of Germany specialises in manufacturing railway maintenance vehicles. Between 2015 and 2018 (inclusive), the company supplied Network Rail with eight Type 69.40 "Mobile Maintenance Systems" (MMS) sets, such as that pictured above, each comprising three vehicles: a Mobile Maintenance Unit (MMU), Intermediate Car, and Traction Supply Unit (TSU) (ref: The Railway Magazine, August 2023). The procurement of these sets formed part of Network Rail’s objective of improving the safety of personnel working on the track. For example, the MMU has walls that can extend beyond the boundaries of the vehicle’s floor, which can provide track gangs shelter from the weather and passing trains. © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

This is arguably the most well-known steam locomotive based on the Bluebell Railway in Sussex. No. 55 "Stepney", which dates from 1875, was last returned to working condition in time for celebrating the Bluebell Railway’s 50th anniversary in May 2010 (ref: The Railway Magazine, July 2010). In the first half of 2014, "Stepney" ceased to be an active locomotive due to a series of major parts being deemed life-expired (ref: The Railway Magazine July 2014). The engine was, however, cosmetically restored as a static exhibit in 2015 to the livery seen here (ref: The Railway Magazine, July 2015). © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

Rebuilt Merchant Navy Class No. 35028 "Clan Line" had made the journey down from Stewarts Lane, Battersea. The locomotive has been based at Stewarts Lane since 1999, having moved there after eleven years at Southall (ref: The Railway Magazine, June 1999). At the time (and, indeed, still), much of the engine’s work involved hauling charters — including the VSOE British Pullman — out of Victoria, and moving to Stewarts Lane eliminated complex movements between that terminus and Southall. Purchased for preservation direct from British Rail, rather than via a scrap merchant, a trained crew supplied by freight operator Deutsche-Bahn (DB) operate the locomotive on the main line. © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

Visiting from the Spa Valley Railway was Bulleid Class 12 diesel-electric shunter No. 15224. Arriving at Hither Green Depot from Ashford in the week ending 12th November 1949 (ref: RCTS' The Railway Observer, December 1949), the locomotive was sold by British Rail to the National Coal Board in 1971 (ref: The Railway Magazine, August 1983), and then purchased from the latter’s Snowdown Colliery, Kent, for preservation in 1983 (ref: The Railway Magazine, October 1983). On entering preservation, the locomotive was initially stored in a siding in Hove Goods Yard (ref: The Railway Magazine, August 1983); it soon moved to Preston Park (ref: The Railway Magazine, October 1983). Eventually, No. 15224 moved to the Lavender line at Isfield; finally, a move to the Spa Valley Railway was made on 21st January 1998 (ref: The Railway Magazine, April 1998). © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

Beyond the official Hornby website, on which is promoted a model, it is difficult to piece together a history of this 0-4-0 diesel hydraulic shunter. It was built by "Sentinel (Shrewsbury) Limited" in 1962; this firm had been absorbed by Rolls-Royce of Derby in late 1956, after the latter bought the shares of previous owner "Metal Industries Limited" (ref: The Birmingham Post, 1st September 1956). Identified as works number 10089, the locomotive was part of a standard range of Rolls-Royce 230 HP 0-4-0 diesel shunters, many of which were produced for the National Coal Board. No. 10089 was overhauled and received the livery seen here in 2007, becoming the depot’s shunter. The locomotive was named "Chiaki Ueda", after Hitachi Rail’s then Chairman of Europe. The locomotive formerly had "HITACHI Inspire the Next" emblazoned on both cab sides (the outline can just be seen), below the name plate; however, this was removed some time between 2019 and 2022, when Hitachi branding was also taken down from the depot building. © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

In 1999, the then railway infrastructure owner “Railtrack” placed a £40 million order with German firm “Windhoff” for the construction of twenty-five “Multi-Purpose Vehicles” (MPV) (ref: The Railway Magazine, November 1999). These MPV sets each comprise two vehicles coupled together, with cabs; sandwiched in-between the latter is a flatbed, upon which different modules can be placed for tasks such as weed spraying, de-icing, and sandite treatment. At the event were Nos. DR98905 and DR98955, wearing legacy "Railtrack" green and blue livery, but with “Network Rail” logos. © David Glasspool

24th August 2025

BR Mk 2a Brake First Corridor (BFK) No. 17096 is the "Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society’s" support coach for "Clan Line". Formerly a Network SouthEast vehicle, it was reported in the October 1999 edition of "The Railway Magazine" that the carriage had been preserved. It was subsequently registered on "Railtrack" under the MBCS Private Owner stock pool at Stewarts Lane (ref: The Railway Magazine, July 2000). The name "Mercator" was bestowed on No. 17096 in 2008 (ref: RCTS’ The Railway Observer, July 2008). On the right is Plasser & Theurer tamper No. DR75201. © David Glasspool