Designated and designed as the major shed for the region, it was constructed as a heavy maintenance repair shop. The associated locomotive Factory had access to heavy lifting equipment, and engineering facilities to maintain, repair and overhaul all types of GWR locomotive. Locomotives could be put into the Factory roads by means of a traversing table at the East (Exeter and London) end. The last British Rail steam engine to be overhauled in the workshops was ex-GWR 4500 Class number 4566, outshopped on 15 July 1966. Although some steam engines belonging to the private Dart Valley Railway company were overhauled in the factory after it had closed to BR work, and the old steam shed was also used to do some work on these privately owned engines.