Hainault Depot

Hainault depot is a traction maintenance depot on the London Underground Central line, between Hainault and Grange Hill stations in the London Borough of Redbridge, England. Construction began in 1939, but was delayed by the onset of the Second World War, and was not completed until 1948. It has stabled three generations of trains, Standard stock, 1962 stock and 1992 stock. It has also housed trains of the experimental 1960 stock, both when it was conventionally controlled and during trials of Automatic Train Operation in preparation for the construction of the Victoria Line. Some of the 1967 stock destined for the Victoria Line was also stabled at the depot while its ATO equipment was tested and commissioned on the Woodford to Hainault Branch.

Until the advent of the 1992 stock, the depot faced a particular problem caused by the Hainault loop, and the fact that underground stock was handed. Trains could enter the depot from the Woodford direction or the Newbury Park direction. To prevent operational problems caused by the handedness, trains normally had to re-enter service in the same direction as they had left service, and reforming of trains within the depot was complicated by trains facing in both directions. In addition to service trains, the depot hosted a train of 1960 stock, owned by Cravens Heritage Trains, during the 1990s, and still hosts a train of 1962 stock, owned by the same group. The 1960 stock train was moved to Ruislip depot when the Central Line was upgraded for Automatic Train Protection and a new system of ATO in 1996, but the 1962 stock is being restored at Hainault.

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