{{Short description|Train maintenance facility in South West England}} {{EngvarB|date=September 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox Railway Depot | name = Laira T&RSMD | image = Laira Depot goings on.jpg | image_size = | caption = Looking south from Laira Flyover | location = Plymouth, United Kingdom | coordinates = {{coord|50.3819|-4.1055|type:landmark_region:GB_scale:2000_source:Google|display=inline,title}} | grid_ref_UK = SX503557 | owner = Great Western Railway | depotcode = {{ubl|83D (1948-1963)|84A (1963-1973)|LA (1973-present)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.therailwaycentre.com/Resource_data/AllTimeShedCodes.pdf|title=The all-time guide to UK Shed and Depot Codes|date=5 May 2006|work=TheRailwayCentre.com|access-date=26 August 2016|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217221651/http://www.therailwaycentre.com/Resource_data/AllTimeShedCodes.pdf|archive-date=17 December 2013}}</ref>}} | type = Diesel, HST | opened = 1901<br />1931 Enlarged to replace Millbay shed<br />1962 Rebuilt for diesels<br />1981 Rebuilt for HSTs | closed = | original = Great Western Railway | pregrouping = Great Western Railway | postgrouping = {{unbulleted list|Great Western Railway|British Railways}} }}
'''Laira Traction and Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot''' is a railway traction maintenance depot situated in Plymouth, Devon, England. The depot is operated by Great Western Railway (GWR) and is where their fleet of {{brc|802}} InterCity Express Trains and remaining Castle Class trains are overhauled. Other trains visit for daily servicing including some operated by CrossCountry.
After sixty years as a steam depot, servicing locomotives used on the Exeter to Plymouth line that runs past the shed as well as local lines, diesels started to arrive in 1958. A diesel depot opened in 1962 and was expanded in 1981 to accommodate the High Speed Trains.
The depot code 'LA' is used to identify rolling stock based there.
==History==
=== Steam shed === Laira was the location of the temporary terminus of the South Devon Railway from 5 May 1848 when a small engine shed would have been provided. With the completion of the line to Plymouth Millbay railway station on 2 April 1849 a new shed was provided there and the facilities at Laira dismantled, although it remained a junction for the branch line to Sutton Harbour which was mixed gauge for the use of the Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway.
The Great Western Railway, which had amalgamated with the South Devon Railway on 1 February 1876, a new engine shed opened at Laira in 1901<ref name=Smith>{{cite book | last = Smith | first = Martin | title = An Illustrated History of Plymouth's Railways | publisher = Irwell Press | year = 1995 | location = Caernarfon | isbn = 1-871608-41-4 }}</ref> on a site inside a triangle of lines formed by the main line, Sutton Harbour branch, and a curve that was mainly used by London and South Western Railway trains to reach their terminus at Plymouth Friary.<ref>{{cite book | last = Baker | first = S.K. | title = Rail Atlas Great Britain & Ireland | date = 4 January 2024 | publisher = Oxford Publishing Company | isbn = 978-0-86093-553-7}}</ref> A sewerage treatment facility and poor ground conditions constrained the site of the shed to the north west corner of the triangle (near Lipson Junction) . It was adjacent to the Embankment Road with the estuary of the River Plym just the other side of the road. The shed was a {{cvt|185|ft|m}} brick roundhouse with a {{cvt|65|ft|m}} turntable in the middle. 28 lines radiated from the turntable, one for access and the remainder for stabling locomotives. Locomotives approached from the east (Laira Junction) passing a coaling stage.<ref name="Roach-1">{{cite magazine |last1=Roach |first1=Michael |title=Laira Shed, Plymouth (part 1) |magazine=British Railways Illustrated |date=2017 |volume=27 |issue=3 |pages=96–105}}</ref>
A small railway station known as Laira Halt was opened on the adjacent main line on 1 June 1904 but closed again on 7 July 1930.<ref>{{cite book| last = Oakley| first = Mike| title = Devon Railway Stations| publisher = The Dovecote Press| year = 2007| location = Wimbourne| isbn =978-1-904349-55-6}}</ref>
Initially Laira was only used for goods locomotives but after the passenger locomotive shed at Millbay closed in 1924 it became very crowded. In 1931 a new {{cvt|210|ft|m}} long and {{cvt|67|ft|m}} wide shed with four tracks was brought into use just south of the original roundhouse, funded by a government loan under the Development (Loan Guarantees and Grants) Act 1929 (20 & 21 Geo. 5. c. 7). This became known as the 'Long Shed' or 'New Shed'.<ref name=LA91>''Laira '91'', InterCity Laira (1991)</ref> At the same time additional sidings were laid near the coaling stage (which was doubled in length) and a second track connected to give a separate exit route from the roundhouse. The new shed was built over part of the area previously used by the sewerage treatment facility. A new line connected Laira Junction with Mount Gould Junction (the southern point of the triangle of lines surrounding the shed. This line became known as the 'Speedway' and allowed locomotives to turn on the triangle rather than on the turntable inside the roundhouse.<ref name="Roach-2">{{cite magazine |last1=Roach |first1=Michael |title=Laira Shed, Plymouth (part 2) |magazine=British Railways Illustrated |date=2018 |volume=27 |issue=4 |pages=142–149}}</ref>
During World War II a covered extension was added on the south side of the coaling stage to give an additional place to refuel locomotives.<ref name="Roach-2"/> In 1947 some steam locomotives were converted to burn oil rather than coal. Oil tanks were installed alongside the siding to the south of the Long Shed.<ref name="Fisher">{{cite magazine |last1=Fisher |first1=Alex |title=Pioneering Laira |magazine=Railways Illustrated |date=2017 |issue=178 |pages=56–62}}</ref>
===Diesel shed=== [[File:Laira Depot Plymouth. - geograph.org.uk - 818770.jpg|thumb|A view from the south in 1972. The carriages are standing where fuel oil was piped from wagons into the storage tanks. Two 'Westerns' stand outside the long servicing shed. The main maintenance shed is the taller building behind.]] Warship Class diesel-hydraulic locomotives started to appear in 1958 and were at first accommodated in the Long Shed alongside steam locomotives until the diesel maintenance depot had been finished.<ref name=LA91/> The Laira marshalling yard alongside Embankment Road was closed in 1958 to make room for carriage sidings and a new diesel shed, which was fully opened on 13 March 1962, although parts had been in use since 1960.<ref name=Reed>{{cite book | last = Reed | first = Brian | title = Diesel-Hydraulic Locomotives of the Western Region | publisher = David and Charles | year = 1975 | location = Newton Abbot | isbn = 0-7153-6769-2 | pages=87–94}}</ref>
Laira was designed for the servicing and heavy maintenance of the diesel-hydraulic locomotives favoured by the Western Region of British Railways, the first of the region's purpose designed large diesel depots. It also handled the local diesel electric shunter and DMU fleets, although servicing of the latter was done initially at Belmont sidings at Millbay.<ref name=Reed/>
The diesel shed was in reinforced concrete and comprised three adjoining buildings. The servicing and maintenance building that covers roads 1–4 is on the western side of the shed; number 1 road is equipped with a wheel lathe and lifting jacks for bogie changes. The central building was the Heavy Maintenance Shed; engines can be removed and repainting undertaken on the two roads, numbers 5 and 6. The final three roads were another servicing shed on the eastern side of the site.<ref name=LA91/> Beside this was a small covered area with fuelling points outside in the yard, supplied by a 45,000 gallon fuel tank.<ref name=Reed/> A small group of buildings behind the shed house stores and a workshop for shed equipment.<ref name="Fisher"/> Carriage washing takes place south of the shed at Mount Gould.
After the withdrawal of steam from the area in 1964, the roundhouse was closed on 13 June 1965 and the area used for additional siding space.<ref name="Roach-3">{{cite magazine |last1=Roach |first1=Michael |title=Laira Shed, Plymouth (part 3) |magazine=British Railways Illustrated |date=2018 |volume=27 |issue=4 |pages=220–227}}</ref><ref name=Smith/><ref>{{cite book | last = Cooke | first = R A | title = Track Layout Diagrams of the GWR and BR WR: Section 12, Plymouth | publisher = R A Cooke | year = 1979 | location = Harwell}}</ref> This area was later modernised and fenced off in readiness for servicing the Nightstar Channel Tunnel sleeper coaches, but the proposed service from {{stnlnk|Plymouth}} to Paris Gare du Nord never materialised.<ref name="Fisher"/>
On 30 September 1981 a new shed, {{cvt|240|m|ft}} long was opened on the site of the smaller servicing shed on the east side of the site. This can accommodate the eight coaches and two {{brc|43|dab=HST}} power cars of a High Speed Train set.<ref name=LA91/> An additional covered track was later added in preparation for the proposed Nightstar services.<ref name="Fisher"/>
After the replacement of High Speed Trains on London services, one road in the shed was leased to Hitachi to maintain the {{Brc|800}} and {{Brc|802}} 'InterCity Express Trains' (IETs) that replaced them. A number of Class 43s continued to be based at Laira to operate four-coach services to {{stnlnk|Penzance}} and {{stnlnk|Cardiff Central}}. In Edinburgh, the depot at Craigentinny was no longer able to maintain CrossCountry's Class 43s as the space was needed by Hitachi for IETs so the 12 power cars and 5 sets of coaches were transferred to Laira.<ref name=MR10-22>{{cite magazine|last1=Walmsley |first1=Ian |title=40 years unbeaten |magazine=Modern Railways |date=October 2022 |pages=42–48}}</ref> CrossCountry will withdraw its Class 43s by October 2023 when their lease ends.<ref name=cc-hst>{{cite magazine |title=CrossCountry HSTs to bow out this year |magazine=Modern Railways |date=April 2023 |page=10}}</ref> Great Western Railway has started to reduce the number of its Class 43-powered services in December 2022 with the aim of withdrawing most of them by December 2023. The space freed will allow them to move the maintenance of all their Class 802s to Laira.<ref name=gwr-hst>{{cite magazine |title=GWR HSTs to go in December |magazine=Modern Railways |date=January 2023 |page=98}}</ref><ref name = laira >{{cite news | url = https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/class-802-maintenance-moves-to-plymouth-as-quest-for-better-availability-goes-on/63996.article | work = Railway Gazette | title = Class 802 maintenance moves to Plymouth as quest for better availability goes on | date = 24 April 2023 | access-date = 27 April 2023}}</ref>
==Historic allocation== Up to the 1960s Laira had an allocation that consisted of a wide variety of Great Western Railway motive power, including 4073 'Castle' Class and 6000 'King' Class express passenger locomotives. The following lists give summaries for various years. {|class="wikitable" ! Type ! 1929<ref>{{cite book |last= Harrison |first= Ian |title= Great Western Railway Locomotive Allocations for 1921 |year= 1984 |publisher= Wild Swan Publications |location= Upper Bucklebury |isbn= 0-906867-21-5 |page= 23}}</ref> ! 1934<ref>{{cite book |last= Pocock |first= Rev. Nigel |author2=Harrison, Ian |title= Great Western Railway Locomotive Allocations for 1934 |year= 1987 |publisher= Wild Swan Publications |location= Didcot |isbn= 0-906867-34-7 |page= 39}}</ref> ! 1950<ref name=MPDs>{{cite book |last= Bolger |first= Paul |title= WR |series= BR Steam Motive Power Depots |year= 1983 |publisher= Ian Allan |location= Shepperton |isbn= 0-7110-1311-X |pages= 37–39}}</ref> ! 1959<ref name=MPDs/> |- | {{whyte|2-8-0}} | 1 × 2800 Class<br />5 x 3000 'R.O.D.' Class | 4 × 2800 Class<br />1 x 3000 'R.O.D.' Class<br />1 x 4700 Class | 1 × 2800 Class<br />2 x 2884 Class<br />1 x 4700 Class<br />1 x WD 2-8-0 Class | 2 × 2800 Class<br />2 x 2884 Class<br />1 x 4700 Class |- | {{whyte|4-6-0}} | 10 × 4000 'Star' Class | 10 × 4073 'Castle' Class<br />8 x 4900 'Hall' Class<br />8 x 6000 'King' Class | 3 × 1000 'County' Class<br />1 x 4000 'Star' Class<br />18 x 4073 'Castle' Class<br />9 x 4900 'Hall' Class<br />10 x 6000 'King' Class<br />2 x 6800 'Grange' Class<br />2 x 6959 'Hall' Class<br />4 x 7800 'Manor' Class | 3 × 1000 'County' Class<br />11 x 4073 'Castle' Class<br />5 x 4900 'Hall' Class<br />9 x 6000 'King' Class<br />5 x 6800 'Grange' Class<br />2 x 6959 'Hall' Class<br />3 x 7800 'Manor' Class |- | {{whyte|2-6-0}} | 3 × 2600 'Aberdare' Class<br />5 x 4300 Class | 3 × 2600 'Aberdare' Class<br />4 x 4300 Class | 3 × 4300 Class | 4 × 4300 Class |- |{{whyte| 2-6-2|T}} | 1 × 3100 Class<br />3 x 4500 Class | 3 × 3150 Class<br />2 x 4400 Class<br />3 x 4500 Class<br />2 x 4575 Class | 3 × 3150 Class<br />2 x 4400 Class<br />5 x 4500 Class<br />5 x 4575 Class<br />1 x 5100 Class | 1 × 4500 Class<br />7 x 4575 Class<br />3 x 5100 Class |- |{{whyte| 0-6-0}} | none | none |1 × 2251 Class | none |- | {{whyte|0-6-0|T}} | 5 × 850 Class<br />6 x 1076 Class<br />2 x 1813 Class | 6 × 850 Class<br />2 x 1076 Class<br />1 x 1361 Class<br />2 x 1854 Class<br />1 x 2021 Class<br />2 x 6400 Class<br />1 x 5700 Class | 4 × 1361 Class<br />1 x 2021 Class<br />21 x 5700 Class<br />7 x 6400 Class<br />1 x 9400 Class | 3 × 1361 Class<br />1 x 1600 Class<br />8 x 5700 Class<br />6 x 6400 Class<br />3 x 9400 Class |- | {{whyte|4-4-0}} |none | 5 × 3300 'Bulldog' Class | none | none |- | {{whyte|0-4-2|T}} | none | none | none | 2 x 1400 Class |- | Diesel | none | none | none |See below |- |} [[File:Laira - CrossCountry 43378 and GWR 43198.JPG|thumb|CrossCountry and Great Western Railway Class 43s in the carriage sidings beside the depot.]] The depot was designed to maintain and service the Western Region of British Rail's diesel-hydraulic locomotives. It became strongly associated with the 'Western' Class. The first 14 of these were delivered new to Laira in 1961 and 1962. They were transferred to other depots after a few months but Laira received a fresh allocation in 1964 and by October 1971 the whole fleet of 74 locomotives were based here.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Clarke |first1=David |last2=Jennison |first2=John |title=Diesels in depth: Westerns |date=2007 |publisher=Ian Allan |isbn=978-0-7110-3250-7 |pages=61–64}}</ref> Withdrawals started in 1973 and the last were withdrawn in 1977.{{sfn|Clarke|Jennison|2007|p=86}}
By this time British Rail Class 50 diesel-electric locomotives had taken over many of their duties. These were later given warship names in the same manner as the first diesel hydraulics. A fleet of DMUs was also stationed here for operating the branch lines in Devon and Cornwall.<ref name=LA91/>
Since the Privatisation of British Rail the allocation has largely consisted of Class 43 power cars for High Speed Trains along with some {{brc|08}} shunting locomotives. The DMUs in Devon and Cornwall were based at Cardiff Canton TMD for several years, but in December 2007 Laira had an allocation of two-car Class 150 and single-car Class 153 DMUs.<ref>''Fleet and Lineside News'', Rail Magazine, 16 January 2008</ref> After a while these were transferred to a reopened Exeter Traction Maintenance Depot.<ref>{{cite book |last= Marsden |first= Colin J |title= Rail Guide |edition= 2010 |year= 2010 |publisher= Ian Allan |location= Hersham |isbn= 978-0-7110-3457-0 |pages= 45–48}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable" ! Type ! 1959<ref>{{cite book |last= Harris |first= Roger |title= The Allocation History of BR Diesels and Electrics |edition= 2nd |year= 1985 |publisher= Roger Harris |location= Bromsgrove }}</ref> ! 1974<ref>{{cite book |title= BR Locoshed Book |edition= 1975 |year= 1975 |publisher= Ian Allan |location= London |isbn= 0-7110-0641-5}}</ref> ! 1988<ref>{{cite book |editor= Morrison, Brian |title= British Rail Motive Power Combined Volume |edition= 1988 |year= 1988 |publisher= Ian Allan |location= London | isbn=0-7110-1776-X}}</ref> ! 2010<ref>{{cite book|last= Marsden|first= Colin J.|title= Rail Guide|edition= 2010|year= 2010|publisher= Ian Allan Publishing|location= Hersham|isbn= 978-0-7110-3457-0| pages=45–57}}</ref> |- | Main line | 3 × {{Brc|22}}<br />5 x {{Brc|41|dab=Warship Class}}<br />4 x {{Brc|42}} | 12 × {{Brc|25}}<br />11 x {{Brc|46}}<br />10 x {{Brc|50}}<br />54 x {{Brc|52}} | 6 × {{Brc|37}}<br />26 x {{Brc|43|dab=HST}}<br />30 x Class 50 | 30 × Class 43 |- | Shunting | 2 × {{Brc|03}}<br />6 x {{Brc|08}} | 2 × Class 03<br />7 x Class 08 | 13 × Class 08 | 3 × Class 08 |- | DMU | | 5 × Class 101 3-car<br />3 x Class 116 3-car<br />2 x Class 118 3-car<br />6 x Class 119 3-car<br />1 x Class 119 2-car<br />1 x Class 120 2-car<br />2 x Class 122 1-car<br />1 x Class 122 {{abbr|DTS|Driving Trailer Second}} | 9 × Class 101 2-car<br />4 x Class 108 2-car<br />2 x Class 118 3-car<br />3 x Class 118 2-car<br />1 x Class 121 1-car<br />3 x Class 122 1-car<br />2 x Class 121 {{abbr|DTS|Driving Trailer Second}} | none |- |}
==Servicing== In addition to repairs and overhauls of the trains allocated to the Laira, the depot undertakes daily serving on other classes of train. In 2022 these were<ref name=MR10-22/> * Allocated to Laira: ** {{Brc|43|dab=HST}} 'Castles' (3 sets, 6 power cars) ** {{Brc|43|dab=HST}} 'High Speed Trains' (2 sets, 4 power cars for CrossCountry) * Allocated to other depots ** {{Brc|800}} and {{Brc|802}} 'InterCity Express Trains' (17 sets) ** {{Brc|150}} DMUs (2 sets) ** {{Brc|220}} and {{Brc|221}} CrossCountry 'Voyagers' (6 sets for CrossCountry)
During 2023 both Class 43 fleets were run down but Class 802s were allocated to Laira.<ref name=gwr-hst/><ref name=cc-hst/>
==Shed codes== thumb|right|A shed plate carried by a Laira engine The following shed codes have been used to identify locomotives allocated to Laira: {| |- !align="left"|LA |Great Western Railway|| |- !align="left"|83D |British Railways||from 1949 |- !align="left"|84A |British Railways||from 1963 |- !align="left"|LA |British Rail||from 1973 |} {{Clear}}
==Named locomotives== Locomotives named after Laira depot have been: {|class="wikitable sortable" !class=unsortable|Image !Name !Locomotive !Company !Class !Name carried !class=unsortable|Notes |- |150px |''Laira'' |3338 |GWR |Bulldog |1900-1930 | {{whyte|4-4-0}} steam locomotive. Renumbered 3326 in 1912.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Reed |first1=P.J.T. |title=The locomotives of the Great western Railway (Part 7) |date=1954 |publisher=Railway Correspondence and Travel Society |page=30}}</ref> |- |150px |''Pride of Laira'' |43179 |BR |{{nowrap|Class 43}} |1991-2017 |Named during a depot open day.<ref name="Fisher"/><ref name=MRI>{{cite magazine |last1=Marsden |first1=Colin J. |magazine=Modern Railways Illustrated - Loco Directory |title=TOPS numbered diesel classes |date=2018 |publisher=Key Publishing |page=83}}</ref> |- | |''{{no wrap|Laira Diesel Depot}}'' |08644 |GWR (First) |{{Brc|08}} |2015- |{{sfn|Marsden|2018|p=40}} |- |150px |''Pride of Laira'' |08641 |GWR (First) |Class 08 |2017- |{{sfn|Marsden|2018|p=40}} |- |150px |''Laira Diesel Depot'' |43184 |CrossCountry |Class 43 |2023 | |}
==References== {{reflist|33em}}
==Further reading== *{{cite magazine|title=From 'Warships' to HSTs|first=John|last=Hunt|magazine=Rail Magazine|issue=330|publisher=EMAP Apex Publications|date=6–19 May 1998|pages=30–35|issn=0953-4563|oclc=49953699}}
==External links== {{commons category|Laira Traction Maintenance Depot}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20130125203318/http://www.plymouthdata.info/Railways-Laira%20MPD-Yard.htm Encyclopedia of Plymouth History – Laira Motive Power Depot and Yard]
{{Great Western Railway}} {{City of Plymouth}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laira Traction and Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot}} Category:Railway depots in England Category:Rail transport in Devon Category:Great Western Railway Category:Transport in Plymouth, Devon Category:Transport infrastructure completed in 1962