Allerton TMD


Allerton TMD is a railway depot situated in Allerton, Liverpool. Situated opposite Liverpool South Parkway bus and rail interchange, it is visible from trains which are travelling between the former and and the overhead passageway above platforms 1 to 4 at Liverpool South Parkway. The depot is located less than from the Freightliner intermodal terminal at Garston Docks and is also from the Stobart Rail intermodal depot in Widnes.
During the days of steam locomotive operation, the shed code was 8H between 1960 and 1963 and 8J between 1963 and 1973. Since 1973, when TOPS was introduced, Allerton's depot code has been AN.

History

During the British Rail era, Allerton depot was responsible for maintaining all of the main line and shunting locomotives which were operating in the Liverpool area, having an allocation of Class 08 diesel shunters and a wheel lathe.

Users

Merseyrail

Until 2006, when a new wheel lathe was installed at Merseyrail's Kirkdale depot, Merseyrail's Class 507 and 508 electric multiple units were regularly sent to Allerton for wheel turning, being transferred via the crossover at Hunts Cross. Other units, including Virgin CrossCountry's Class 220 and 221 diesel electric multiple units and goods wagons and locomotives, have previously been stabled here.

Northern Rail

From March 2011 until 31 March 2016, the depot was operated by Northern Rail.
In 2011, it was announced that Network Rail had purchased the then closed Allerton TMD with the intention of refurbishing and reopening the depot for servicing of Northern Rail's fleet of Class 156 Super Sprinter diesel multiple units and the planned allocation of units, which were to cascade to Northern Rail for planned electrified services. Previously owned by the English Welsh and Scottish Railway, Allerton TMD re-opened on 10 December 2011. The first Class 319 units entered traffic in March 2015 with the completion of the first phase of the North West Electrification programme.

Northern

On 1 April 2016, when the new Northern franchise period commenced, operation of Allerton transferred to Northern. The depot retained its allocation of 29 Class 156 DMUs and twenty Class 319/3 EMUs, with an additional twelve Class 319s being allocated to the depot during 2017. Whilst not on the depot's allocation, and/or units are stabled here overnight on weeknights after completing a to service.
As part of Northern's fleet renewal, Allerton's allocation will change. From 2020, it will be allocated,, and units. Allerton's allocation of Class 156 units transferred to Newton Heath in 2018, where they will replace Pacer units, which are to be withdrawn.
Northern franchise was taken over by Northern trains Ltd as an Operators last choice by the Department for Transport