The Anonymous Widower

Before Overground – Long Platforms And Eight-Coach Trains

When the London Overground was created in 2007, the Class 378 trains were delivered as just three car trains. Partly this was because, a lot of the platforms couldn’t handle longer trains. These trains and platforms have grown to accommodate the increase in traffic. The Class 378 trains are now going to five cars and in some documents Transport for London is talking about six cars in the future.

The Lea Valley Lines are generally worked by a mixture of four and eight car Class 315 and Class 317 trains and unlike the original Overground, the platforms are long.

An 8-Car Class 315 At Bruce Grove

Wikipedia states this on the Overground’s future fleet.

TfL announced its Invitation To Tender for a total of 39 four-car EMUs in April 2014, with 30 required for the Cheshunt and Chingford routes, 8 for the Gospel Oak to Barking, and 1 for the Romford to Upminster.

So it looks like trains on the Lea Valley Lines will be 4-car, that at times will work in pairs as 8-car units, as they do now!

I don’t think London Overground will mind the two different lengths of trains, as on the Lea Valley Lines, there is no platform length issues and eight-car trains are easily created.

I suppose the only speculation left, is to see who wins the order for the new trains. I gave my fourpennyworth in this post. I still think that it would be better for London Overground to have a one class fleet. But who knows? I certainly don’t!

September 29, 2014 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Before Overground, Lea Valley Lines, London Overground