The UK's dirtiest Electric Depot!

Wells Green TMD is a diesel and electric depot set in Crewe, Cheshire, featuring a range of highly detailed 25kV electric locomotives in an authentic grimy, gritty atmosphere. The depot mainly undertakes routine maintenance to electric locomotives, but also contains a diesel fuelling point enabling many different varieties of locomotive to appear. Due to the rapidly changing nature of today's privatised railway, the layout is operated in two different timescales, 2002 - 2004, and 2004 - 2006.

The layout won the Diesel and Electric Modellers United Small Layout Competition back in June 2005, and at just 5' by 1' for the main scenic section, showed just how much detail could be incorporated into such a small space.

Since then however, Wells Green TMD has been subject to many improvements, both scenically and operationally. A new 3' fiddle yard has been added to the right hand end of the layout and the main board extended with a new area depicting disused sidings and wasteland. In addition to this, the OHLE has been re-worked since its exhibition debut, with the layout now controlled by DCC using the Lenz system.

Wells Green TMD, based on Crewe Electric Depot, services the entire EWS AC Electric locomotive fleet, meaning Classes 90 and 92 are common visitors. Here we can see 92028 Saint Saens and 92035 Mendelssohn awaiting their next turn of duty.

A night-time view of Wells Green TMD.

Network Rail's 86901 and 86902 call in at Wells Green TMD before moving back to Rugby.

Cheshire Police busy unravelling the mystery of the dead body found in the scrubland!

EWS' 66008 and 66042 'Lafarge Buddon Wood', stabled together in the morning sunlight.

The train crew mess room is even home to a pool table with a couple of drivers playing inside! The graffiti is all hand painted using photographs for inspiration.

Look closely and you will find the depot still portrays its origins - this Railfreight Distribution sign fades away at the location of the former depot entrance, seemingly forgotten by new owners EWS.

60017 awaits works attention on a cloudy Saturday afternoon at Wells Green TMD.

Last Updated: 25th August 2008