GBRF Depot at March

Bramleyman · GBRF Depot at March

News has it in the latest Rail magazine that GBRF are proposing to use a now disused depot in March East sidings as a Servicing/Repair depot, but no date given for it opening. This is Great news for the town and nice to see if it does come off, which I sincerely hope it does.

Bramleyman

Taken from the Cambs Times dated last Friday, 24 August 2007.

FRESH rail jobs are on their way to March with the news that derelict yards left empty for 15 years are to be turned into a maintenance depot for diesel locomotives.

The March Downside Yard has been snapped up by fast expanding GBRf, part of FirstGroup plc, which plans to transfer much of the routine maintenance on its 27 Class 66/7 locomotives from Stoke on Trent.

The company, already successfully running the Whitemoor distribution depot which opened three years ago, expects to save both time and money by not sending the work to the Potteries on a regular basis.

Paul Taylor, of GBRf, said talks had taken place with Fenland District Council about the proposed move and the company was confident of its future in the town.

"We are talking now about timescales," he said. "In the long term I am sure it will bring extra employment to the town."

County and district councillor John West welcomed the initiative to re-vitalise this part of the rail network locally.

"This is a great rail town with a great rail tradition," he said. "This news can only boost our chances of even more investment, and even more jobs, in the future."

Although only low-grade maintenance is coming to March, described by the company as 'C' exams, it will mean a much busier time for the rail yards, which back on to a number of homes.. A previous depot at March was closed 15 years ago after enjoying a busy and prosperous period.

Richard Clinnick, of Rail Magazine, said: "The previous depot at March formed part of the Whitemoor Yard and closed in 1994, being demolished two years later.

"The depot had, at one stage, a sizeable allocation of locomotives, most notably Class 31s and 37s, but the end of the Speedlink operation brought about the demise of the yard, with the depot following."

But March will get none of the heavy maintenance work on GBRf's locomotives. That is staying in Wembley.

Bramleyman

This depot opened this week according to Cambs Times newspaper.