There is the main access at the Leeds end of the depot, but also a single track that runs onto the depot from the York end. Realistically, however, Wain says that would be of little use. She believes that the depot works as it is currently, and that any improvements to the site would require significant remodelling. She suggests that perhaps that can be done during the northern electrification scheme, when Leeds to York is wired. (The line between the two cities runs past the depot.)
Wain tells RAIL that in recent months there has been a big change in attitude at Neville Hill: “We have taken a lot more focus on our own trains. There has been a lull for refurbishments, but that can change going forward.”
She says another concern is that Northern Rail is trying to bring even more multiple units on site, which she says will have an impact on capacity. Another issue that affects the depot’s operations is a particular freight train. Wain explains: “It often runs late in the morning. When that happens we have lots of late departures. We have to make sure we run to time.”
Wain has been with EMT since the franchise began in November 2007.
“I was involved in the EMT bid. We said that at the end of the franchise the HSTs would go. We believed IEP would be here, or something similar. Porterbrook expected that the HSTs would go to the scrapyard. But that hasn’t happened, and the retirement has been delayed. Now we need to think what will happen.”
Another major piece of work (ongoing since June 2013) is fitting Brush cooler groups. This involves removing the component before it undergoes a big rebuild and subsequent re-fitting. “This is a big piece of work,” she says.
She says that while the depot looks after HSTs used by both East Coast and CrossCountry, they differ in that XC’s ‘43s’ are fitted with MTU engines (as opposed to the VP185 engines fitted to the EMT fleet). Neville Hill can work on them, but an MTU fitter does visit the depot.
As for the work on the other operator’s fleets, Wain explains: “We do five or six HSTs for East Coast and 12 electric sets for them. We do overnight servicing such as washing, tanking and small exams. S-exams are carried out, which are the safety checks. These are mainly done on the electrics, while the HSTs undergo A and B exams.”
There is also an agreement whereby power cars can be hired by EC. Says Wain: “We swap them over. It is not in anybody’s interest to delay passengers.
“We are first in line for fitting the HSTs with ETCS . We are working with Hitachi for that. Hitachi has the deal with Porterbrook, and we have a lot of work to do with Hitachi. We are looking at taking a train to Old Dalby test track. This is right up at the cutting edge of signalling technology.”
Having earlier mentioned that the 40-year HSTs need a lot of TLC, could this create any problems?
She grins: “The irony has not escaped me. The test includes the hand back. I am wary of what could happen. It worries me that Network Rail is on about cyber security. It is way up there on the list.
“The HST is such a workhorse. But they have been going since the 1970s, and this is 2015 technology being added. I don’t foresee that it will be easy.”
Wain is a fan of ETCS, however: “It is the way to go. I spent two weeks in Japan on an exchange. The Shinkansen is phenomenal. Their ATC system works. They have cruise control. It gets the trains back into time. They have in-cab signalling, and that is the management and capacity that we need.”
Wain speaks about capacity from experience. Before moving to Neville Hill, she was in charge of Nottingham Eastcroft, where EMT’s 15x Sprinter fleet is based.
“When we did the High Level Output Specification fleet increase at Nottingham, we got more Class 156s. The ridership went up and then it flatlined because the extra capacity provided had been taken. Any capacity increase through a cascade will go up surely. There is an unsuppressed demand to tap into.”
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