I'd received a tipoff from Scott Badman in talkative mood about this place. When you see the size of it, one wonders how it's not been explored before. Or how it's not been covered in tagging eyesores. Instead it sits quietly being reclaimed by nature just outside one of London's main terminals. I told Kev about it, and together we met nearby. A suitable gap in the bushes, a look around, and the rest is history. Getting into the main building was a breeze, which is something we could have done with as it stank out pigeons. So badly that i was feeling overwhelmed. The upstairs rooms were your typical variety of locker rooms, toilets, kitchen and relaxation areas.

The views from the kitchen sink showed what else awaited us.

We then descended down to the workshop floor, ever wary of devices lurking to catch us out and inform the authorities we were there. However there was nothing. Instead the 10 tracks, or 'Roads' lead out to the mainline tracks from the workshop building. The brightly coloured Red & White steps lead down from the workshop building's first floor. Or Ground floor if entering from the road. The workshop sits in a cutting.

More use of bold colours, rarely seen in the world we live in, where shades of grey are de rigour.

Worker notice boards next to one of the roads buffers.

Wasn't quite sure as to the purpose of this room, either a mock up of a booking room, or a room with a computer terminal to check parts etc.

Each road had one of these connected to it.

The only sign I saw of the British Rail logo

Inside one of the workshop rooms, the drawers and desk still had very large spanners lying about.

Another room where tools were kept. Also signs that this may have been a rather male dominated area.

Locker room and punch-in room. More evidence of the lack of genuine living breathing females here.

GE085 seen on my second trip, his first. Also the first time I'd explored with GE085.

A rather ornate period wooden hut. Nothing of any interest inside, merely exemplifies the attraction to the exterior.

No Entry. The point where the depot joins the active mainline.

Some fisheye action, taking in the amazing roof, enhanced/ruined to some extent by the sun. Although i'd envisaged the supporting beams between the glass acting as blades of sun. Irony for you.

Looking down the depot from the active rail line end. The sun created some great light in here, i've seen replicated in other explorers pics from down here.

As can be imagined, I was pretty taken by the light play on the glass in the roof.

A full wide shot of the depot, strange how the vegetation appears to have gathered in a certain area of the roads.

Signs from the roof indicating the different tracks. The far end of the depot's open exit/entrance, now blocked by a palisade fence.

Various items left around created opportunities for sillyness. Kev had been working on a shot with a long strip of blue material, which to me reminded me of a wedding veil. Some fake flowers on top of the computer terminal shown above, and bingo, instant transvestite bride!

"Oh noes, we haz disturbed a worker. I say, let's run chaps before we are nabbed by the filth."

Explorers in the urban jungle.

Retired

The explorer train arriving on track 1, will need serious structural and psychological repairs.

Up on the roof, and a train heading off to the mainline terminal down the tracks.

Where the glass roof joins the main workshop building. A good place to practice ones balancing skills, with precarious consequences.

The endless roof, with the glass not looking as good as it does from below.

When the sun shows up the place as well as it does here, one can't help but shove in another shot of the roof and it's steel girders.

The official way into the building. Although the floors are none too sound behind that door, so i'd advise caution Mr rail worker.

Props to Teh Badman for tip off, and Kev for company and larkage.