brand new 319 029 inside Selhurst Depot. 03/1988.
319 029 is seen in the brand new inspection shed built at Selhurst for the Thameslink trains and at the time of this shot they were being tested and used for driver training between London Bridge and East Croydon.
With the reopening of Snow Hill tunnel between London Blackfriars and Farringdon on 16th May 1988 BR Network Southeast had pre-ordered a large fleet of dual voltage EMU's designated class 319 to operate the new "Thameslink" service. This reinstated cross London line linked the 25kV AC Midland electrified lines from Moorgate and St.Pancras to Bedford with the larger Southern Region 750v DC third rail network.
The initial order was for 60 4-car sets but this was extended to 86 4-car sets after the line was completed as demand was high from the outset. The Thameslink concept was largely seen as an extension of the existing suburban network north and south of the Thames hence the class 319/0's were built without first class accommodation. The final build of 26 sets were designated class 319/1 and had first class accommodation and these were intended for Bedford to Brighton trains only.
After privatisation in 1996 the fleet inherited by the new franchisee called 'Thameslink Rail Ltd' was 20 sets short as they remained with "Connex South Central" which was something of a nonsense as it meant the 25kV ability was now redundant on these units. That was until the Rugby service via the West London line was introduced by CSC some years later. With Thameslink only having 40 class 319/0's out of 60 built they set about a total refurbishment programme starting in 1998 with the 319/0's being refurbished with first class and designated class 319/4 'City Flyer' and the 319/1's with first class were rebuilt without it and designated class 319/3 'City Metro'. This meant the larger TL fleet of 40 sets now had first class and the smaller class 319/3 fleet didn't this was because the new franchise map saw suburban services to Sevenoaks, Oprington and Guildford dropped with the core route being mainline Bedford to Brighton with a 15min frequency and the suburban being Luton to Luton via Sutton half hourly each way so a 15min frequency on the core section between Streatham and Luton.
brand new 319 029 inside Selhurst Depot. 03/1988.
319 029 is seen in the brand new inspection shed built at Selhurst for the Thameslink trains and at the time of this shot they were being tested and used for driver training between London Bridge and East Croydon.
With the reopening of Snow Hill tunnel between London Blackfriars and Farringdon on 16th May 1988 BR Network Southeast had pre-ordered a large fleet of dual voltage EMU's designated class 319 to operate the new "Thameslink" service. This reinstated cross London line linked the 25kV AC Midland electrified lines from Moorgate and St.Pancras to Bedford with the larger Southern Region 750v DC third rail network.
The initial order was for 60 4-car sets but this was extended to 86 4-car sets after the line was completed as demand was high from the outset. The Thameslink concept was largely seen as an extension of the existing suburban network north and south of the Thames hence the class 319/0's were built without first class accommodation. The final build of 26 sets were designated class 319/1 and had first class accommodation and these were intended for Bedford to Brighton trains only.
After privatisation in 1996 the fleet inherited by the new franchisee called 'Thameslink Rail Ltd' was 20 sets short as they remained with "Connex South Central" which was something of a nonsense as it meant the 25kV ability was now redundant on these units. That was until the Rugby service via the West London line was introduced by CSC some years later. With Thameslink only having 40 class 319/0's out of 60 built they set about a total refurbishment programme starting in 1998 with the 319/0's being refurbished with first class and designated class 319/4 'City Flyer' and the 319/1's with first class were rebuilt without it and designated class 319/3 'City Metro'. This meant the larger TL fleet of 40 sets now had first class and the smaller class 319/3 fleet didn't this was because the new franchise map saw suburban services to Sevenoaks, Oprington and Guildford dropped with the core route being mainline Bedford to Brighton with a 15min frequency and the suburban being Luton to Luton via Sutton half hourly each way so a 15min frequency on the core section between Streatham and Luton.