Rolling Stock
South Central inherited a fleet of Class 205, Class 207, Class 319, Class 421, Class 423, Class 455 and Class 456s from Connex South Central. Southern inherited a Class 73 and Class 460 Junipers from Gatwick Express.
A franchise commitment was to replace all the Mark 1 slam door stock resulting in Southern ordering 28 three-carriage, 139 four-carriage and 15 four-carriage, dual-voltage Class 377 Electrostars in September 2001 and March 2002 to replace the Class 421, Class 422 and Class 423s.
In August 2002 Southern ordered nine two-carriage and six four-carriage Class 171 Turbostars to replace the Class 205 and Class 207s. In 2006 a tenth two-carriage Class 171 was transferred from South West Trains.
In 2007 Southern ordered twelve four-carriage, dual-voltage Class 377/5 Electrostars to replace the remaining twelve Class 319s for transfer to First Capital Connect. In March 2008 Go Ahead purchased (rather than lease through a ROSCO) a further eleven Class 377/5s. However all twenty-three ended up being sublet to First Capital Connect to provide extra stock for the Thameslink Programme Key Output 0 changes from March 2009.
In order to provide stock to operate the extended Gatwick Express services to Brighton, in 2008 Southern leased seventeen Class 442 Wessex Electrics that had last been withdrawn by South West Trains in early 2007. After retaining the franchise in 2009, Southern leased the remaining seven Class 442s. The last of the Class 460 Junipers were withdrawn in September 2012.
To release Class 377/3s for use on London suburban services, Southern introduced a fleet of ex London Overground Class 313s for use on the Coastway lines from May 2010.
In 2011 Southern announced that, due to the delays in the procurement of the new trains for the Thameslink Programme, the 23 Class 377/5s on sub-lease to First Capital Connect would not be returned on time to deliver the operator's planned capacity increases, due to begin with the December 2013 timetable change. As a consequence, Southern began a process to procure 130 new carriages. It was announced in December 2011 that Bombardier had been awarded contract to supply 26 five-carriage Class 377/6s. In November 2012 it was announced an option for an additional 40 carriages was being exercised.
Read more about this topic: Southern (train Operating Company)
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