Norwich Crown Point

Crown Point Depot. A British Rail Class 150 and LNER Thompson Class B1 No. 61264 can be seen.

Crown Point was originally the name given to an area within the city of Norwich in the United Kingdom.

The name is now more commonly associated with the Crown Point Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD) operated by National Express East Anglia. Intercity and Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) trains are serviced and maintained here. The depot code is NC.

Class 90 locomotives, Driving Van Trailers, Mark 3 carriages, Class 153 DMUs, Class 156 DMUs and Class 170 DMUs are maintained here, as well as occasional Class 158 DMU, Class 47 locomotives and 08 Shunters.

It was previously nicknamed "Clown Point" by railway enthusiasts due to the perceived poor quality of the maintenance. This perception is out of date however, with the Class 170 DMUs maintained there being (year to October 2009) the second most reliable new-generation DMUs in the UK at some 16,000 miles per 5-minute delay, while over the same period the reliability of the depot's Class 90-hauled trains was respectable in comparison with other inter-city trains. (See also the article on National Express East Anglia.)

This nickname, however, has its origins in truth. Many years ago, travelling circuses moved their goods by rail rather than by road. In order to avoid the chaos of unloading scenery and wild animals at the passenger station, a siding was built to allow the unloading to take place away from the general public. The site chosen for this "Circus Siding" is now occupied by Crown Point Depot.^{[citation needed]}

External links

An overhead view of the depot.

References

• Rail Atlas Great Britain & Ireland, S.K. Baker ISBN 0-86093-553-1

Coordinates: 52°37′19″N 1°19′03″E / 52.62207°N 1.317555°E / 52.62207; 1.317555