Another Southern train transfers to Southeastern as further Networkers scrapped
A further Southern train has switched to Southeastern as part of an ongoing rolling stock cascade with three so far switching.
Southeastern are set to see 13 trains in total move across from Southern which is seeing Networkers head off to the scrapyard, whilst Southern are to receive around 25 trains from Great Northern giving a net addition of twelve trains.
The third (of 13) class 377s is transferred to @Se_Railway today from our neighbours on @SouthernRailUK
This will help reduce the amount of non air conditioned fleet on our network and create a more uniform mainline fleet consisting mainly of 375/377s electrostars👇 https://t.co/iTGDZ3JZxN
— Steve White (@SteveWhiteRail) May 3, 2025
Great Northern are taking on 30 trains in long-term storage formerly used by Greater Anglia. That also gives Great Northern a net addition of five trains.
In recent years Great Northern had seen their Networkers, built for the Southeastern network (or Network SouthEast as it was back then) head to scrap.
Last week another two units (465248 and 465240) made their final journey to be broken up at Newport.
Southeastern benefit
For Southeastern passengers it’s unlikely any Metro routes will benefit though mid and long distance journeys will see more further trains in use with air conditioning and plug sockets.
Metro routes saw 30 trains move over from South Western Railway in recent years.
In time eight trains on the Ashford via Maidstone route will see former Southern trains enter service with timetable changes coming on the 18th May.
Despite some Networkers being scrapped they remain the largest fleet on Southeastern Metro services by some distance, and a tender is out for their replacement as the oldest are now well over 30 years of age.
As the Class 379 Electrostars are in service and are being used on the Letchworth Garden City service. I do think that Great Northern should allow them to run to King’s Lynn, Peterborough and Cambridge to & from London King’s Cross and GN to stop using Thameslink’s Class 700. Apart from Thameslink operating from Peterborough and Cambridge to Gatwick Airport, Brighton, Horsham and Littlehampton (via Redhill).
The Class 379s that Great Northern have received will help to increase more extra capacity on the Peterborough, Cambridge and King’s Lynn routes in & out of London King’s Cross. And to work alongside with the Class 387s that Great Northern wants to keep that some of the Class 387s have been cascaded down to Southern.
The class 377 is an improvement on the clapped out Networker, but Southeastern is doing the bare minimum unlike other networks that are leasing new rolling stock.
Well Southeastern have asked Alstom to manufacture the Adessia rolling stocks similar to the Aventra rolling stocks. And the Adessia could be built as 5-Car with gangway corridors so that 2 5-car trains will merge together to work as 10-Car formation. Which would be suitable for long distance commuter and outer-suburban services.