Beckton Traincare Depot from Armada Way

Image: © Marathon Taken: 20 Apr 2012

Beckton Traincare Depot is the principal railway maintenance depot for the Docklands Light Railway. Originally, Poplar DLR depot was the primary maintenance depot, but construction of the DLR Beckton extension, which opened in 1994, required more maintenance facilities, and Beckton provided more space in which to both construct larger facilities and gave easier road access for rolling stock delivery. It was built on the site of the former Beckton Gasworks, and originally catered for 45 trains. Between 2005 and 2006 the depot received extensions and upgrades including more sidings and improved signalling. DLR rail access is from spurs from the running lines from the Beckton branch (in both directions). The road access to the site is off a roundabout in Armada Way as seen here. Beckton Gasworks was once the largest gasworks in the world. It was built between 1868 and 1870 by the Gas, Light & Coke Company and the name of the works, and subsequently the community which developed to house its workforce, came from Simon Adams Beck, the Governor of the company at the time it was started. At its peak it employed over 5,000 people. Coal gas production was run down with the introduction of North Sea Gas, and ceased at Beckton in the early 1970s.

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