Colchester engine shed was a motive power depot located in Colchester in the county of Essex in the UK. The original depot dated back to the opening of the Eastern Counties Railway (ECR) in 1843 and a second engine shed was built following the opening of the Eastern Union Railway in 1846. The ECR shed closed and the EUR shed was in use until November 1959 when the line was electrified and Colchester station rebuilt. A smaller two track engine shed was provided south of the station and after closure in the 1990s it was used for the stabling of diesel and electrical multiple units. It is currently known as Colchester Carriage Servicing Depot and units can be washed externally and cleaned internally on site.
In 2018 Greater Anglia returned the former two-track shed to operational use and this entry covers both sheds.
Early days (1839 - 1862) The Eastern Counties Railway opened a two-track railway on 20 June 1839 from a temporary terminus at in Mile End, Middlesex, as far as in Essex. The following year this was extended into Shoreditch (later renamed Bishopsgate). The line was extended to Colchester and, on 25 February 1843, a special inspection train left Shoreditch for Colchester. However, the train was stopped at Brentwood as a timber viaduct at Mountnessing had subsided and it was unsafe to continue. On 7 March 1843 goods trains started operation followed by the commencement of passenger services on 29 March.
An ECR engine shed was established in the area to the west of the station. The Eastern Union Railway (EUR) arrived in 1846 and they also established an engine shed, this time to the east of the ECR station which they shared. The early history of this structure was unhappy in that a fire on 25 January 1850 destroyed the engine house and three locomotives.
The ECR took over operations of the EUR and the former EUR engine shed became the sole engine shed at Colchester from 1854.
By the 1860s the railways in East Anglia were in financial trouble and most were leased to the Eastern Counties Railway (ECR). Although they wished to amalgamate formally, they could not obtain government agreement for this until 1862, when the Great Eastern Railway (GER) was formed by the amalgamation.
Great Eastern Railway (1862-1922)
Under Great Eastern Railway (GER) organisation Colchester shed fell under the Ipswich engine shed area. At this time it had the code COL.
In 1866 GER minutes recorded problems with the water supply and agreement was reached with the Colchester Water works Company to meet increased demand. The original turntable was in need of replacement and the GER sanctioned a new 45 foot table in March 1869.
The shed site was on a very restricted site north of Colchester railway station and west of the Great Eastern Main Line. The shed itself consisted of a single track shed with a turntable located to the south. The shed could only hold three locomotives and the locomotive superintendent made suggestions for expanding facilities and ensuring locomotives were not inadvertently left on the main line.
In 1877 the shed site was able to hold eight locomotives although further improvements were sanctioned.
Twelve years later in June 1889 a report suggested increasing the accommodation by nine further engines. The contract was awarded in August 1890 and a new three road brick shed with a slated north light roof was built. The original shed road became a through road whilst the other two were dead end sidings. In 1891 further improvements were also made to the water supply.
During World War I the turntable was replaced by a 65 foot model suitable for the longer more powerful locomotives operating in the area. The depot site was increased with additional siding space to enable locomotives that would have been stabled in coastal areas to be stabled inland (to avoid coastal bombardment).
Until 1920 maintenance was either carried out in the open, a lean to or a converted box wagon. A new maintenance area was provided in that year.
London & North Eastern Railway (1923-1947) Following the Railways Act 1921 the NER became part of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) on 1 January 1923. The table below shows the allocated locomotives on that date - all locomotives were of GER origin. The table also shows the allocation 24 years later shortly before nationalisation.