Southeastern to run services North of London

As described earlier this week, the Thameslink Programme being implemented by operator First Capital Connect is to enable through services from Kent to destinations north of London (Cambridge, Bedford, etc.). These services are due by 2015, but could arrive as soon as 2011. However, it has now come to light that the December 2009 timetable change for both First Capital Connect and Southeastern could bring a limited amount of these services into operation in late-2009 and early-2010.

Part of the Thameslink Programme works is the rebuilding of Blackfriars station, and as such the bay platforms for terminating Southeastern services from Sevenoaks are not available, and trains will have to continue to a turn-back position North of London, at present the station selected is Kentish Town. However, this necessitates the use of Dual-Voltage Rolling Stock for running north of Farringdon, where the power supply switches from the 750v DC Third-Rail to the 25kV AC Overhead system. At present, Southeastern is to lease 20 Trainsets of the Class 319 Dual-Voltage Electrical Multiple Unit when they are cascaded from First Capital Connect when they have procured their new rolling stock, in the form of Dual Voltage Class 377 Electrostars.

The plan at present is to extend all services from Sevenoaks to Blackfriars (and City Thameslink in the peaks) to Kentish Town, reinstating to some extent the Luton-Sevenoaks services lost at the privitisation of British Rail and the break-up of Network Southeast. Also, it is reccomended by Network Rail from the December 2009 timetable change up to the full completion of the Thameslink Programme and implemetation of FCC services to Kent, to operate 2 trains per hour (peak) from the Thameslink route via Elephant & Castle and Catford, duplicating the Blackfriars-Sevenoaks services upto Bromley South, and then along the Chatham Main Line to Swanley, where one train would go to Maidstone East, and another to somewhere in the Medway Towns (Rochester, Chatham, or Gillingham). It is not yet known if these trains will originate at Bedford, Luton, or elsewhere.

The Southeastern services from Sevenoaks to Kentish Town will begin in December 2009 when the rebuilding of Blackfriars station begins. The First Capital Connect services are at present only a reccomendation from Network Rail, but if they do go ahead they will also begin in December 2009, or early 2010.