South West Trains' Fleet division has been named Maintenance Team of the Year at the 2004 National Rail Awards. But what does daily life at the depot actually involve?
As you board your morning South West Trains service, spare a thought for the person who has spent the night painstakingly inspecting the undercarriage of your train for signs of wear and tear. Or for the teams who go through each carriage changing lights, repairing torn seat cushions, checking fire extinguishers and even vacuuming the door pockets to remove debris that might prevent the doors from functioning properly. These are the unsung heroes of South West Trains, members of the Fleet division, who are responsible for maintenance and train presentation. Seldom—if ever—in the spotlight, the division is currently basking in the glory of being named Maintenance Team of the Year at the 2004 National Rail Awards, an accolade that has brought this part of the company some much-deserved recognition.
Just under 700 employees make up South West Trains’ Fleet division, which comprises several depots across the network (see box opposite). Each is purpose-built to deal specifically with a particular class of train—something unique in the rail industry. For example, Wimbledon depot—presently the largest with approximately 228 employees—is responsible for maintaining the Class 455s that run on suburban routes into London and the remainder of the old slam-door stock, while Northam currently deals with the new fleet of Desiros. This degree of specialisation fosters an unrivalled sense of pride in their work among employees, as Mac Mackintosh, Engineering Director, South West Trains, explains: “We like to say that Fleet own the trains. We have members of staff who come in on their days off just to check on a particular train. That’s how passionate they feel—in the same way that people get very attached to their cars. That’s the spirit you need for this job and that’s why we won the award.”
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