Decision on new Southeastern trains due from September
Long awaited plans to order new train for Southeastern could be decided in coming months according to the latest information from the rail company.
Many Metro services are operated by Networker trains now approaching 35 years of age, and any new order requires approval by the Department for Transport.
The process got going back in 2022 when a tender notice was issued, with full fleet introduction listed at the time as being complete by October 2027.
That won’t now happen, with any fleet introduction set to take a number of years if approved. The early 2030s now appear more likely.
The latest is that Southeastern are “in the process of preparing the Full Business Case for submission to Government for approval”. They state “we do not expect the Government approvals process to be completed until September 2026 – this step precedes the appointment of a preferred bidder.”.
How many and what type of stock is as yet unknown. Back in 2022 the invitation to tender covered a wide variance in potential carriages, from 350 to 570, with an option for up to 70 additional vehicles.
Delays
Given the delays seen on just about every new fleet introduction in the past, any new order is quite likely to run late ensuring the Networkers reach 40 years of age.
Some recent examples of extremely long delays include the Class 701s at South Western Railway and Class 810s on East Mindland Trains.
In London and away from natrional rail the DLR fleet introduction is far behind schedule and the Picadilly line fleet is also running late.
The liklihood of delays increases the more complex a train becomes, and the next Southeastern fleet is set to include batteries alongside third rail.
And that’s if the order is even approved. You never know with the Department for Transport.
There’s also the quesiton of whether trains ar eordered directly by government or via a private leasing company. That been a point of controversy with nationalising rail and the future introduction of Great British Railways.
As Andy Burnham has visited Alstom Litchurch Lane train manufacturing plant and he wants to keep jobs continuing and for Alstom to manufacture new trains. I do think that Alstom would love to manufacture new Adessia trains for Southeastern and to replace the Class 465 and Class 466 Networkers which are 35 years old.
New trains for Southeastern is ideal so that they can start to get rid of the Networker trains which are 35 years old. And with CAF, Alstom, Siemens, Stadler and Hitachi who are currently bidding to manufacture new trains. And the Class 377/1 to be transferred back to GTR Southern.
The 377s were brought in to replace the 465 diagrams off from Maidstone east line and VIC – GLM services.
Suppose that Southeastern wants to keep the Class 377 which is good for them. As Southern have enough rolling stock and they have the Class 387 that some have been cascaded from Great Northern.
We most certainly do not have enough!
So Southeastern wants to retain some of the Ex-Southern Class 377/1s that Southern replaced them with the Class 387/1s. Which some were cascaded down from Great Northern and some from GWR.
Not just Southeastern who needs new trains but Northern is also planning on replacing their older trains with new trains (ie Class 382, Class 780 and Class 781) to replace the Class 323, Class 319, Class 153, Class 155 and Class 769. And also ScotRail who also are bidding on new trains and to replace the Class 318, Class 320 and Class 334.
I personally do think that new trains is optional for Southeastern as the Class 465 and Class 466 are reaching their lifespan. And I do think it’s great to see the new trains coming into service in the next couple years. I do some of the Class 465 and Class 466 do get preserved and the rest of the rolling stock to be sent for scrap.
There were talks on Southeastern to lease the Class 458/4s which some have been sent for storage and could be cascaded to Southeastern on hire. Until new trains have been built.
Sorry I meant to say was “And some of the Class 465 and Class 466 do get preserved and the rest of the rolling stock to be sent for scrap”.
I think it’s time that Southeastern needs new trains and to get rid of the Class 465 and Class 466 Networkers which are slowly decaying. I think that Southeastern are in desperate need of getting new trains whoever wins the bid to manufacture the new DC 3rd Rail battery trains.
I think there may be one person posting as about three different identities on here.