The Anonymous Widower

Will The New Overground Lines Get New Trains?

News is starting to filter out about the takeover of the Lea Valley lines by TfL and the London Overground.  The Standard had a big article yesterday. The new map is also starting to appear in the media.

This is an extract from the Standard article.

When TfL acquires the West Anglia inner suburban services it will replace the 30-year-old carriages with 30 new four-car electric units, as well as procuring electric trains for the Gospel Oak to Barking line of the Overground.

There are also plans to upgrade 23 Overground stations by 2016.

At present the lines are served by Class 315 and Class 317 trains. It looks like the numerous Class 315 trains will be moved on, but the Class 317 trains are being refurbished. So some Class 317 trains might be retained.

But this means that there will have to be some new trains to replace the Class 315, which will probably be London Overground’s Class 378. I would suspect, there’s a cost saving on having only one class of trains on the Overground. Politicians will think it looks nicer too and gives better photo opportunities.

I like the Class 378 trains and I said so in this post. Here’s the relevant bit.

In some ways , the stars of the line are the Class 378 trains. You rarely hear of train failures and the interiors still seem pristine after nearly four years of service. And now, because of their design, they’re being extended by the simple addition of a fifth carriage in the middle.

And of course they were all designed and built in Derby!

Derby will be pleased at the thought of 120 new carriages! But will some bean counter buy too few!

My prudent ancestry says that to convert a few Class 317 trains to look like Class 378 to passengers and use them selectively might be an attractive alternative to some of the new trains. Provided of course the non-standard fleet didn’t come with a large maintenance penalty.  Remember though, that we’re very good at train refurbishment and updating in this country and underneath the grubby exterior of the current Class 317s, a set of legendary Mark 3 coaches, are struggling to get out.

January 8, 2014 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | London Overground