Southeastern (train operating company)

Southeastern is a train operating company that began operations in south-east England on 1 April 2006, replacing the former publicly-owned operator South Eastern Trains. They serve Kent, parts of East Sussex, and operate south-east London commuter routes. The London termini of their services are Charing Cross, Blackfriars, Cannon Street, and Victoria. Southeastern operate on 773 miles (1237 km) of track, with 178 stations. 82% of their train services run into London.

The company’s formal name, under which they mounted their bid for the franchise, is London and South Eastern Railway. They are continuing to use the logo of the preceding company, and appear not to have any present plans to change the livery of their trains, which their predecessors inherited in turn from Connex South Eastern.

Southeastern is owned by Govia, who also operate the South Central franchise (which overlaps with Southeastern in some areas) under the name Southern.

Franchise

Since privatisation the franchise to run trains in this area has changed hands three times. The first company to win the franchise in 1996 was Connex, which operated under the name Connex South Eastern. The company gained bad publicty and their franchise was cut short in 2003. On 21st November 2003 train services were taken over by South Eastern Trains, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Strategic Rail Authority until an alternative bidder could be found.

Train routes

Main lines

From London termini (Victoria, London Bridge, Waterloo East, Charing Cross, Blackfriars, and Cannon Street) unless otherwise stated;

North Kent Line: services via Dartford to Gillingham
Chatham Main Line: services via Bromley South and Chatham, dividing at Faversham to Ramsgate and Dover
Ashford via Maidstone East Line
Ashford via Sevenoaks (see London to Ashford to Dover Line)
- Ashford to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) line
- Kent Coast Line: Ashford to Ramsgate (via Folkestone and Dover)
Ashford via Croydon East and Redhill — uses part of the Brighton Main Line
Hastings Line (Hastings via Tunbridge Wells)
London Bridge to Tunbridge Wells (via Redhill and East Croydon) — uses part of the Brighton Main Line
Horsham to Tunbridge Wells (via Gatwick and Redhill) — uses part of the Brighton Main Line

Suburban lines

The suburban services run to:

Sevenoaks: two services — one via Grove Park, and one via Bromley South
Hayes line
Mid-Kent Line
Orpington via Lewisham and via Bromley South
Dartford via: North Kent Line, the Bexleyheath Line, and the Dartford Loop Line
Bromley North Line

Rural lines

Medway Valley Line, some services extend to Tonbridge, and occasionally to Gatwick Airport
Sheerness Line

Rolling stock

Southeastern operate a fleet of about four hundred trains, all of which are electrical multiple units.

- bgcolor=#f9f9f9	Class	Top speed		Number	Cars per set	Seat layout	Number of seats	Routes operated	Built	- bgcolor=#f9f9f9	mph	km/h
Class 375/3 Electrostar Express	Class	100	160	Number	Cars per set	Seat layout	Number of seats	Routes operated	Built	10	3	2+2	176 seats (164 std + 12 first)	Entire network	2001-2002
Class 375/6 Electrostar Express	100	160	30	4	2+2	242 seats (218 std + 24 first)	Entire network	1999-2001
Class 375/7 Electrostar Express	100	160	15	4	2+2	242 seats (218 std + 24 first)	Entire network	2001-2002
Class 375/8 Electrostar Express	100	160	30	4	2+2	242 seats (218 std + 24 first)	Entire network	2004-2005
Class 375/9 Electrostar Outer suburban	100	160	27	4	2+3	277 seats (253 std + 24 first)	Entire network	2003-2004
Class 376 Suburban Electrostar	75	120	36	5	2+2	344 seats (216 std + 12 tip-up + 116 perch)	Metro routes	2004-2005
Class 465 Networker	75	120	147	4	?	?	Non-Metro routes	?
Class 466 Networker	75	120	43	2	?	?	Non-Metro routes	?
Class 508	75	120	12	3	?	?	Medway Valley Line and extension on to Tonbridge, and Gatwick Airport / Horsham, Sheerness Line	?

Future expansion

Southeastern will operate the high-speed domestic services (including the Olympic Javelin service that is to run during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London) that will run from London St Pancras to the coast on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link following the line’s completion. The new company have made a point of advertising part-owner SNCF’s experience operating and integrated high-speed train services on the French TGV network.

A fleet of twenty-eight six-carriage Shinkansen-derived high-speed ‘A-trains’ have already been ordered from Hitachi for this route. £250 Million Contract Signed for New High Speed Train Fleet for Kent SRA, 1/6/05 This is Hitachi’s first train sale in Britain. They will be known as Class 395 when in service.

High-speed services are expected to begin in December 2008, but the first four trains are to be delivered in 2007 for testing and driver training.[http://www.govia.info/doc/thefastfuture/timeline.html The Channel Tunnel Rail Link Countdown to 2009] Govia, 2005.

The first train will be named after Dame Kelly Holmes, a British gold-medal athlete, with further trains to be named after British personalities associated with speed.

The company plans to operate up to ten trains per hour at peak times, with four trains per hour off-peakSoutheastern Newsletter Summer 2006:

Routes

Peak Hours

Route	Stations called
London-Ebbsfleet - 2 tph	London St Pancras, Stratford, Ebbsfleet
London-Rochester - 3 tph	London - Rochester; London St Pancras, Stratford, Gravesend, Higham, Strood, Rochester
London - Broadstairs - 3 tph	London St Pancras, Stratford, Ebbsfleet, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, Sittingbourne, Faversham, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Birchington on Sea, Margate, Broadstairs
London - Folkestone/Margate - 2 tph	London St Pancras, Ebbsfleet, Ashford (train divides)
	Ashford, Wye, Canterbury West, Sturry, Minster, Ramsgate, Broadgate, Margate
	Ashford, Sandling, Folkstone West, Folkestone Central

Off Peak Hours

Route	Stations called
London-Sittingbourne - 2 tph	London St Pancras, Stratford, Ebbsfleet, Gravesend, Higham, Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, Sittingbourne
London - Margate - 1 tph	London St Pancras, Wye, Canterbury West, Sturry, Minster, Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Margate
London - Folkstone - 1 tph	London St Pancras, Sandling, Folkestone West, Folkestone Central

References

External links

Southeastern official web site
alwaystouchout.com on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (includes information about the planned domestic services)

Post-privatisation British railway companies | Transport in Kent | Go-Ahead Group companies

Southeastern

Gourt Home::Gourt :: Southeastern (train operating company)