Engineering synergy: Publicly owned train operators co-ordinate maintenance plans to improve depot efficiency
Train operators in public ownership have begun co-ordinating their maintenance plans at Heaton depot in Tyne & Wear in an efficiency drive that is expected to be rolled out across the country.
Northern is the depot facilities manager for the site on the outskirts of Newcastle, but it is also used by LNER and TransPennine Express to carry out maintenance on their respective fleets.
Until now, the three operators’ engineering teams scheduled their work independent of each other, which sometimes caused capacity issues and bottlenecks as they all attempt to park train carriages and maneuver them on and off the site.
During timetable change moments, the problem is exacerbated as established routines are upended.
But now, the three operators, who are publicly owned under DfT Operator (DFTO) – are collaborating on a single depot plan to maximise capacity, engineering facilities and track movements at the site.
Tricia Williams, managing director of Northern, said: “Congestion at major depots has been a problem for many years, with different train operators developing maintenance timetables in isolation to suit their own business requirements - despite the fact these are shared facilities with operational limitations.
“Being part of DFTO has enabled Northern, along with LNER and TransPennine Express, to work together to deliver a safe and workable plan that meets operator’s engineering requirements whilst simultaneously maximising the depot’s capacity, which is particularly important at timetable change moments when fleet maintenance routines are in flux.”
The rail minister, Lord Hendy, said: “This is exactly the kind of efficiency that public ownership delivers, with operators working together under one roof to cut waste and improve coordination where it matters.
“By bringing operators into public ownership we’re building a better railway that works for passengers and that delivers better performance, higher revenue and lower costs, leading to growth, jobs and homes as part of this Govts plan for change.’
Garry Roseby, Heaton TrainCare Centre manager, said: "Working together in this way will enable all of the DFTO operators not only to pool their resources more effectively, but to share learning and experiences across teams to create a more efficient TrainCare Centre."
Following the success at Heaton, DFTO plans to roll-out out the approach to other depots managed by its operators.
Neville Hill in West Yorkshire, which is an engineering base for LNER and Northern, is next in line.