TfL has begun operations at a new, purpose-built train depot at Old Oak Common in a major delivery milestone for London’s new railway, the Elizabeth line. The depot will house and maintain up to 42 of the Elizabeth line’s 70 new trains at a time. The maintenance infrastructure at Old Oak Common will play a critical role in the day-to-day operation of the Elizabeth line when it launches in seven months’ time, helping to transform travel across London and the South East.

Old Oak Common depot has come into service as TfL prepares for the introduction of TfL Rail services in west London later this month. As a precursor to the Elizabeth line launch in December, TfL Rail will take over the Heathrow Connect service between Paddington and Heathrow Terminals 2/3 and 4 from Sunday 20 May.

Over 30% of TfL’s new maintenance facility will be powered by an innovative renewable energy system, bringing impressive sustainability credentials to the TfL network. The hybrid renewable energy system integrates ground source heating and cooling from a combination of energy piles and 150m deep bore holes, with three different types of thermal technologies creating an innovative system which will help to control the temperature of the main depot building. Old Oak Common is the first rail depot in the UK to introduce these environmentally-friendly measures to this extent by fully integrating separate systems, which will help TfL to reduce its running costs and save over 500 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year compared to if the depot was built without these energy sources.