GWR TO OPEN ITS DOORS AT OLD OAK COMMON DEPOT

Published at 02:00 on Sunday 26th March 2017
Tags: GWR, Old Oak Common, Open Day, Charity

A line-up of diesel electric engines at the Old Oak Common Open Day on 18th August 1991, featuring (from right to left) Class 50 No. D400, Class 47/4 No. 47484 'Isambard Kingdom Brunel' and Dutch-liveried Class 31 No. 31568. While the former Old Oak Common locomotive depot has gone, GWR will be opening its doors at the adjacent HST facility in September. 50002

On 17th March, exactly 111 years since opening in 1906, GWR announced that its Old Oak Common (OOC) Depot will be opened to members of the public for one day this summer.


Celebrating its contribution in maintaining the Legends of the Great Western, the Depot will hold an open day, to be marketed as ‘OOC111’, on 2nd September.

On display will be a unique collection of trains and locomotives, both old and new, which make up the Great Western ‘God’s Wonderful Railway’. The full line-up for the event will be announced in the coming months.

During its 111-year history, the depot and its dedicated, highly skilled staff have maintained everything from the 'Kings' and 'Castles' of the steam era, to the diesel-powered 'Westerns' and 'Warships'. In 1976, the depot was the maintenance hub in the Western region for the newly introduced High Speed Trains, the iconic trains that changed the face of Intercity travel in the UK.

Tickets will go on sale shortly and demand is expected to be high for this unique event.

All profits will go to the depot’s chosen charity Place2Be, which provides mental health support for children in schools and whose patron is HRH The Duchess of Cambridge.

GWR's previous open day in May last year at St Philips Marsh Depot raised over £20,000 for charity.

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