Southeastern City Beam trains to have toilet installed
Southeastern have announced that City Beam trains used on the Metro network will see toilets installed.
The 30-strong fleet have now fully moved over from South Western Railway displacing some 30-year-old Networkers to store and scrap.

The addition of toilets as their predecessors had ensures no net loss of facilities, though 36 Class 376s lack toilets and won’t be added in their upcoming refurbishment.
Class 707 City Beams are leased from Angel trains while the 376s are leased from Eversholt.
Facilities
Things have gone full circle with toilets now being installed on Metro fleets such as SWRs Arterio Class 701s. For a period in the 2000s and 2010s some Metro fleets were ordered without them including the 376s and 707s.
When the Class 376s entered service toilets were refurbished or built at Southeastern Metro stations to compensate – though they weren’t always usable and in some stations often closed.

I recall, for example, a toilet block built at Abbey Wood station near the now demolished pedestrian walkways. The rebuilt station now has toilets inside.
A reason given for the lack of toilets in the original Class 376 order from Connex was to maximise passenger capacity on busy Metro stock.
Toilets to be installed on City Beams will be large, accessible units. Many of the 707s sister units built by Bombardier (now Alstom) include toilets so it shouldn’t be too difficult.
Mark Johnson, Engineering Director at Southeastern, said:
“We know how important it is for customers to be able to simply and quickly access toilets when they are travelling. Last year, we welcomed the final two City Beams into our fleet and despite being our newest trains, we know there was still more we could do to make them even better for customers and installing customer toilets is an important step in that direction. We are looking forward to detailed design work for the toilets starting in the coming weeks and the first units entering customer service in the future.”
So apparently it’s been decided that Southeastern does want toilets fitted on the Class 707 City Beam. If so then why not install toilets on the Class 376 Metrostar units.
Since Siemens built the Class 707 which South Western Railway hired them before cascading them to Southeastern. That South Western Railway ordered the Class 701 Arterio.
I assume it’s either an easier and cheaper process for the 707s (newer train, closer to other Desiro City models so the equipment will be easier to procure) or there’s a feeling that its a worthwhile investment given they are early in the life-cycle unlike the 376 Metrostars?
Would have been better if toilets were first installed on those trains in the first place. Since Siemens built and manufactured the Class 707. But it’s nice to see that Southeastern and Siemens to add toilets onto the Class 707 City Beam trains. Maybe the Class 376 could also have toilets fitted.