On Saturday 18 October, local train operator c2c Railway opened the doors to its East Ham depot for over 90 competition winners for the first time. The event was part of the 2025 Railway 200 celebrations marking 200 years of the railway in the UK, and over 800 people had applied for the chance to take part in the unique depot tour.

The day began with a private train from Fenchurch Street station to East Ham depot, giving visitors the opportunity to see c2c’s fleet up close and meet the team behind the scenes. East Ham depot is home to 74 class 357 trains and 12 class 720/6 trains, which collectively cover around seven million miles each year while being cleaned and serviced daily for commuters and leisure travellers.

Stuart Browning, c2c Safety & Operations Director, said: “We received a huge amount of interest about the depot open day and it’s been great to see so much excitement and interest from our communities. We would love to do more of these events in the future!” The depot, originally opened in 1961, has facilities to replace wheels, pantographs and air conditioning modules as well as many smaller components essential to modern trains.

Peter Hubbard, c2c Rolling Stock Specialist, added: “As part of the Railway 200 celebrations, we welcomed over 90 lucky rail enthusiasts to East Ham depot – for our first open day since it opened in 1961. Guests arrived on three special trains from Fenchurch Street and were given guided tours by the c2c Fleet team, showcasing everything from cab access to the wheel drop and waste systems. Staff from c2c Operations, Alstom and Bidvest were on hand to explain how the trains work and are maintained, answering hundreds of questions throughout the day. Thanks also to the generosity of attendees through a c2c sealed bid auction, we raised over £1,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. It was a fantastic day enjoyed by all!”

Image: c2c