Depots

A depot is a facility used for the storage, maintenance, or dispatch of goods, equipment, or vehicles. In transportation and logistics contexts, depots are key nodes that support operations by housing assets, staging freight, and enabling timely service. The term originates from the French dépòt, meaning a place where something is deposited or stored. In railway usage, a depot often denotes a maintenance and stabling facility for locomotives and rolling stock, while in broader usage it can refer to a storage warehouse or a distribution center.

There are several types of depots. Railway depots include engine sheds, carriage depots, and stabling yards where trains are housed, cleaned, repaired, and prepared for service. Bus depots store and maintain fleets of buses. Freight or distribution depots function as regional hubs for receiving, sorting, and dispatching goods, frequently connected to road or rail networks. Mail, customs, military, and other specialized depots also exist, serving specific kinds of assets or content. Intermodal depots coordinate multiple modes of transport and facilitate transfers between, for example, rail and road.

Common features of depots include access facilities such as loading docks or platform stables, workshops or maintenance areas, storage spaces, fuel and utilities, and security measures. They rely on inventory and asset management systems and are designed for efficient turnaround, safety, and compliance with regulations. Depots play a crucial role in public transportation networks and supply chains by ensuring assets are available, serviceable, and ready for deployment.