The Class 700 Trains Are Coming
I could add hopefully to the title of this post.
Thameslink needs the Class 700 trains currently being built and tested by Siemens.
When fully delivered these trains will not only fully replace the current Class 319 trains and the stop-gap Class 387 trains, but the Class 365 trains that work the Cambridge and Peterborough services into Kings Cross, which after Thameslink is completed will go through the tunnel to the Deep South.
So what do we know of the delivery schedule?
This set of blog posts from Sparky Scrum gives a good insight into the Class 700 trains and some tantalising clues. Take this for example.
Siemens are now busy constructing the units and doing its various testing to get the fleet delivered on time. That includes next year sending TOC staff on do the initial training on the fleet on a real track at full speed the Desiro City is capable off. This will speed their introduction when they arrive for passenger service early 2016. With 115 trains to deliver by the end of summer 2018, we’re will see a peak introduction of units of 1 per week by the end of 2016. The first service train on the GN into Kings Cross is expected in 2017. There is many interesting and exciting time ahead for Thameslink. This year sees the revealing of that vision with the trains now public and in a few months the winner bidder will be announced.
If nothing else, everybody seems to be being professional. One train delivery a week sounds impressive. If it happens!
So by the end of 2018, if their delivery schedule is met, there will be sixty eight-car and fifty-five twelve-car Class 700 trains churning through the tunnels under London at twenty trains an hour.
I’ll believe that when I see it, but there will be substantial numbers of Class 700 trains running between Bedford, Cambridge and Peterborough in the North to Brighton, Sutton and Sevenoaks in the South, by December 2018.
If deliveries go to plan, this will release the current fleet of forty Class 365 trains, twenty-nine Class 387 trains, thirteen Class 321 trains, possibly up to thirty five Class 319 trains and some other stock like some Class 377 trains.
Add to this that Porterbrook have now ordered another possibly twenty trains, it would seem that by the end of 2018, we should have more than enough electric trains to provide new electric services. Provided of course, that Network Rail can get the wires up.
The Anonymous Widower 
If the class 700 will replace the forty Class 365 trains, twenty-nine Class 387 trains, thirteen Class 321 trains, possibly up to thirty five Class 319 trains and some other stock like some Class 377 trains, does that mean 19 class 365 will go to northern rail provided that 21 class 365 will go to GWR?
Comment by bob smith | November 5, 2015 |
If we assume that Great Western electrification is running late, then who knows, what will go where?
I do think that as Northern are losing some Class 323 trains to London Midland, that sending some of the Class 365 trains to the north will happen! Leeds and Manchester need trains to run their Metro networks.
Comment by AnonW | November 5, 2015 |
The class 700 will replace the class 387/1. These latter will go to Greater Northern to replace class 317 and class 321.
http://www.pressreader.com/uk/rail-uk/20160716/281891592617685
The class 365 will stay with GTR. And some of the class 377 may go to Southeastern.
Comment by bob smith | August 18, 2016 |