Further Southeastern Networker trains head to scrap
At the very time of writing further Southeastern network trains are on their way to a scrapyard in Wales.
As part of an ongoing process Class 465 and Class 466 Networkers have reached the end of their life at a tad over 30 years. The two today are heading straight from Gillingham to Newport.
In recent weeks and months others have gone to the scrapyard from storage at Ely sidings.
It’s pretty tricky to spot them at Ely as passing on a train reveals other stock. A drone is needed to capture former Southeastern stock.
The removal of some Networkers has been facilitated firstly by 30 Class 707 trains moving over from South Western Railway.
They’ve been branded as City Beams since moving over.
Stock moves
More recently some jiggery-pokery has seen more rendered surplus to requirements. Firstly Great Northern took on trains formerly operated by Greater Anglia, and in turn Great Northern cascaded stock to Southern.
In turn Southern are then giving Southeastern 13 of their trains for mid and longer distance routes, which means Southeastern are then giving up Networkers.
When all’s said and done there’s unlikely to be any net addition of stock for Southeastern who have long lacked stabling space. Southern however will see a small net increase in stock.
Much needed too given much new housing is rising in places near their stations and they lost all their Class 455 and Class 313 stock in recent years.
As for the Networkers despite a reasonable amount having left passenger service they remain the bulk of the metro fleet with more than 100 set to remain in operation for some years to come.
A tender for replacement was first issued almost three years ago, but so far no confirmed order has been made.
CAF, Alstom, Siemens, Hitachi and few other train manufacturers that could manufacture new trains to replace the Class 465 and Class 466 Networkers. I do think that it’ll be Alstom because of the Aventra/Adessia fleet that could replace the Class 465 and Class 466.
The City Beams are a downgrade from the Networkers: no toilets! Say what you like about the Networkers, at least you know you’ll be able to take a piss on one.
@A G: dealing with constantly vandalised onboard loos is expensive. I can’t blame the train operating companies for not having any. As for me, I make sure I go to to the loo before I leave. If I am heading into town, I know that the department stores have public facilities in case of need.
If you can be patient for some time, Southeastern are going to add toilets onto the “City Beam” Fleet from the 2nd half of 2026.
I think it’s about time that Southeastern should start thinking about getting rid of the Class 465 and Class 466 Networkers and to plan ahead for new rolling stocks.
Whether it will be Alstom as the preferred train operator to manufacture the new Aventra/Adessia trains for Southeastern to replace the Class 465 and Class 466 Networkers.
And to send some of the Class 377/2s back to Southern or to keep the Class 377/2 as well as keeping the Class 375, Class 376, Class 707 City Beam and Class 395 Javelin.