European Railroad Discussion > Southern's new toys

Southern (the franchise that operates the lines due south out of London's Victoria station to Brighton and other south coast towns) is currently taking delivery of a new series of five car Bombardier class 377, the 377/7s, for their East Croydon to Milton Keynes service, which provides a cross London connection between South London (East Croydon) and the West Coast Mainline (Milton Keynes) . The units are identical in their internal layout to the 377/6s which Southern took delivery of last year for Metro services, but with the addition of a pantograph as the train passes from third rail territory to 25kV AC overhead between Shepherds Bush and Willesden.

Taken this evening, 377 705 on the 17:39 departure from Clapham Junction is crossing the Thames at Imperial Wharf.

---

They certainly need the extra coach, and indeed the extra coaches that will come when the platforms on the West London Line are extended. I've seen a morning rush hour four coach train fill up at Thornton Heath which is five stops before the West London Line starts. Amazing to think that, as far as passenger tains are concerned, this used to be a neglected backwater.

cricketer8for9 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Amazing to think that, as far as passenger tains are
> concerned, this used to be a neglected backwater.

Goes to show what happens when you open new route opportunities. I caught this same train on Thursday from Clapham to Shepherds Bush, there were seats when it arrived at Clapham, but at West Brompton all five cars were full and standing, I guess there were about 450 passengers on board. Even with five trains an hour in each direction the West London Line is overwhelmed at rush hour. As you say the eight car platforms and the new cars for the class 378s cannot come soon enough. Mind you with the four car 378s just being enlarged by a single car how long before TfL go back to Bombardier to build a sixth!

I understand that the 378s can't be configured for more than five carriages. It's a long and complicated but valid reason. There would also be issues extending the platforms at a number of locations (and yes I know much of the North London Line did not have a problem with 6 carriage Oerlikon stock or 501s back in the old days.)

cricketer8for9 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There would also be
> issues extending the platforms at a number of
> locations (and yes I know much of the North London
> Line did not have a problem with 6 carriage
> Oerlikon stock or 501s back in the old days.)

Yes, many of the platforms have been cut back, even the 5 car trains are causing numerous weekend closures to allow the platforms to be extended, talk about short sighted. But where extending the platforms isn't an option Selective Door Opening will have to be used.

Indeed, but it would have taken a very brave person to look forward 50 years from the 1960s to forsee the changes in London since then, and to protect infrastructure that had no apparent use just in case things changed. London's population was decreasing in the 1960s, and roads were the vision of the future.

cricketer8for9 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Indeed, but it would have taken a very brave
> person to look forward 50 years from the 1960s to
> forsee the changes in London since then, and to
> protect infrastructure that had no apparent use
> just in case things changed.

I agree to an extent, but some of the backward changes were made as recently as the late 1990s