Adelaide Depot
Adelaide Depot is a significant railway maintenance facility operated by Northern Ireland Railways. It is situated adjacent to Adelaide [railway station (Northern Ireland)|Adelaide railway station] along the Belfast–Dublin railway line in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The depot primarily serves as a maintenance, refuelling, washing, and stabling location for NIR's diesel multiple unit fleet.
History
Constructed between April 2011 and September 2012, the Adelaide Depot occupies the site of a former freight terminal. The £15.6 million project, executed by GRAHAM Construction, was completed on time and within budget over 18 months. The depot received a Gold Award from the Considerate Constructors Scheme and a commendation from RICS for Design and Innovation.This state-of-the-art facility was developed to relieve pressure on Translink’s existing train maintenance operations and to support its growing fleet of Class 3000 and Class 4000 trains. Translink’s Fleet Engineer, Richard Noble, highlighted the importance of the facility as a modern and well-designed space that accommodates staff needs and efficient component movement.
Facilities
Spanning 20,000 m², Adelaide Depot comprises a 5,100 m² maintenance building and 1,600 meters of railway track. It includes a two-road running shed, five stabling sidings, a fuelling apron, train washing systems, and sidings allocated for Permanent Way equipment.The depot is engineered to support train lengths up to 138 meters and features six operational roads with a cumulative track length of around 2,000 meters. Six pit roads are available for regular and emergency maintenance. Other facilities include:
- Three fuelling tanks with a combined capacity of 105,000 litres using Banlaw safety fittings
- A 9,000-litre AdBlue tank with ZVA forecourt nozzle
- Sanding silos with 4-inch quick-release fittings
- A train wash capable of handling 20-tonne axle loads