Bombardier Electrostar

Electrostar trains are the new standard on many of London’s commuter routes.

Interior of a Southeastern electrostar (Class 375).

The Electrostar is an electric multiple-unit passenger train manufactured by Bombardier Transportation, formerly ADtranz. Since the privatisation of British Rail, it has become the most common new EMU in Britain, where different variants referred to as Class 357, Class 375, Class 376, and Class 377 are most common on the high-volume commuter routes in South London and to the Sussex and Kent coasts. It shares the same bodyshell and core structure as the Turbostar, which is in turn the most common post-privatisation diesel multiple unit. Most of the Electrostar fleet were assembled at Bombardier’s Derby works.

The Electrostar has also been selected for use on the Gautrain system in South Africa, a new railway between Johannesburg, Pretoria, and the Johannesburg International Airport. The trains will be assembled by UCW Partnership in South Africa from components made in Derby. [1]

TfL announced in August 2006 that it had ordered 48 three- and four-car Electrostar trains for the London Overground service, which will replace the Class 313 & Class 508 on the North London Line and West London Line in 2009 and will provide the opening service on the new East London Line extension in 2010. These have been categorised by Network Rail as Class 378.

Electrostar variants

Class	Image	Operator	Introduced	Number	Power	Carriages	Door configuration	End gangways
357		c2c	1999	72	AC electric	4	"Plug" style	No
375*		Southeastern	1999	112	DC electric**	3 or 4	"Plug" style	Yes
376		Southeastern	2000	36	DC electric**	5	Wider "metro" style	No
377*		Southern	2001	182	DC electric**	3 or 4	"Plug" style	Yes
378 (Building)	File:Ldn Ovrgrd Train.jpg	London Overground	2009	44	Dual Voltage***	4	Wider "metro" style	No

* Classes 375 and 377 differ only in their coupler configuration and other minor fittings; all Southern units built as Class 375 have since been converted to Class 377 couplers and re-classed. Minor differences in interior trim remain.
** Forty-five units of the 375/6 and 377/2 sub-classes are configured for dual-voltage operation, and others have been constructed so as to allow future conversion to AC power.
*** Class 378 is being constructed in two separate batches - 24 four car units designated as Class 378/0 with dual voltage capability will be utilised on the North London Line and West London Line, while 20 four car units designated Class 378/1 that are DC electric only will be utilised on the East London Line.

Electrostar routes

Southeastern

The 375 Electrostar is the backbone of the Southeastern fleet, seeing services on most of its lines originating from its London termini (Victoria, Charing Cross, Cannon Street and London Bridge) including;

• Chatham Main Line
  • Maidstone East Line
• South Eastern Main Line
  • Hastings Line
  • Ashford to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) line
  • Kent Coast Line
• North Kent Line
• Limited use on London Bridge to Tunbridge Wells via the Brighton Main Line and Redhill to Tonbridge Line service.

On the outer suburban portions of these above routes, Class 465/9 (Networkers) support the electrostars, but they do not work in multiple together.

The 376 Electrostar is the backbone the metro route in suburban London, operating over the London portion of the above lines from the London Termini (including Blackfriars) out to Dartford and Sevenoaks);

• North Kent Line (to Dartford)
• Bexleyheath Line (to Dartford)
• Dartford Loop Line (to Dartford)
• Chatham Main Line (to Sevenoaks)
• Maidstone East Line (to Sevenoaks)
• South Eastern Main Line (to Sevenoaks)
• Hayes Line

This leaves the few rural lines (Medway Valley Line, Sheerness Line and Redhill to Tonbridge Line) operated by Class 508s assisted by Class 466s (2 car Networkers) who also operate solely on the Bromley North Line.

Southern

Main lines

• Brighton Main Line (Victoria–Gatwick-Brighton)
• East Coastway (Brighton–Eastbourne/Hastings)
• West Coastway (Brighton–Portsmouth/Southampton)
• Arun Valley Line (Victoria–Horsham/Littlehampton/Chichester)
• West London Line (Brighton–Watford Junction) (Using Dual Voltage class 377/2)

Outer suburban

• London Victoria–Horsham via Dorking
• London Victoria–East Grinstead
• London Bridge–Horsham via East Croydon

The 377s are sometimes found on suburban duties at peak hours, such as:

• London Victoria–Dorking via Sutton
• London Victoria–Epsom Downs

377s can be also found running overnight on Southern London Victoria–Brighton duties at 1:00am and 4:00am, calling at Clapham Junction, East Croydon, Horley, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges.

External links

• Southern Electric fleet review - Electrostars