South Eastern Trains

Former British train operator

This article is about the 2003–2006 operator. For the 2006–2021 operator, see Southeastern (train operating company, 2006–2021). For the current operator, see Southeastern (train operating company).

For other uses, see Southeastern (disambiguation) § Rail transport.

South Eastern Trains

Class 375 Electrostar at New Cross in 2006

Overview
Franchise(s)| South Eastern
9 November 2003 – 31 March 2006
Main region(s)| Greater London, Kent
Other region(s)| East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey
Fleet| approximately 350
Stations called at| 178
Parent company| Strategic Rail Authority (publicly owned)
Reporting mark| SE
Predecessor| Connex South Eastern
Successor| Southeastern
Other
Website| http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk

South Eastern Trains (stylised as Southeastern) was a publicly owned train operating company that operated the South Eastern Passenger Rail Franchise between November 2003, when it took over from Connex South Eastern, and 1 April 2006, when Southeastern began operating the new Integrated Kent franchise.

## History

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South Eastern Trains began operating the South Eastern franchise from November 2003, taking over after the franchise was removed from Connex South Eastern.[1] On 18 January 2005 the Strategic Rail Authority issued the Integrated Kent franchise Invitation to Tender to the shortlisted bidders.[2]

On 30 November 2005 the Department for Transport awarded Govia the Integrated Kent franchise. The services operated by South Eastern Trains transferred to Southeastern on 1 April 2006.[3]

## Services

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### Main lines

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The railway lines of Kent, many of which South Eastern Trains ran services on

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

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

### Suburban lines

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The suburban services (called ‘Metro’ in the SET timetables) ran 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
* Swanley
* Dartford via: North Kent Line; the Bexleyheath Line and the Dartford Loop Line.
* Bromley North Line

### Rural lines

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* Medway Valley Line, some services extended to Tonbridge.
* Sheerness Line

## Rolling stock

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South Eastern Trains inherited a fleet of Class 365, Class 375, Class 411, Class 421, Class 423, Class 508, Class 465 and Class 466s from Connex South Eastern. During its tenure South Eastern Trains introduced the remaining Class 375s into service as well as the full Class 376 fleet. All remaining Class 411, Class 421 and Class 423s were withdrawn and scrapped by October 2005,[4] while the Class 365s were transferred to West Anglia Great Northern in 2004.[5] Rolling stock was maintained at Ashford and Ramsgate depots.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Train firm loses franchise". BBC News. 27 June 2003. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
2. ^ Strategic Rail Authority (January 2005). Integrated Kent Franchise Stakeholder Briefing Document. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 November 2008. Retrieved 19 December 2008.
3. ^ "Department for Transport announces integrated Kent franchise" (Press release). Department for Transport. 30 November 2005. Archived from the original on 14 February 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
4. ^ "Last journey for slam-door train". BBC News. 7 October 2005. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
5. ^ Southern Railway E-Group (17 May 2004). "Class 365".

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to South Eastern Trains.

* Official website

Preceded by

Connex South Eastern

|  Operator of South Eastern franchise
2003–2006  | Succeeded by

Southeastern (Govia)
Integrated Kent franchise

|
|

* v
* t
* e

Train operating companies in the United Kingdom

* Rail transport in Great Britain
* Rail transport in Northern Ireland
* Passenger rail franchising in Great Britain

Current

| National|

* Arriva Rail London
* Avanti West Coast
* c2c
* Caledonian Sleeper4
* Chiltern Railways
* CrossCountry
* East Midlands Railway
* Govia Thameslink Railway
* Grand Central2
* Greater Anglia
* Great Western Railway
* Heathrow Express
* Hull Trains2
* London North Eastern Railway1
* Lumo2
* Merseyrail
* MTR Crossrail
* NI Railways3
* Northern1
* ScotRail4
* Southeastern1
* South Western Railway
* TransPennine Express1
* Transport for Wales1
* West Midlands Trains

|

International|

* Enterprise3
* Eurostar

Sub-brands|

* Gatwick Express
* Great Northern
* Island Line
* London Northwestern Railway
* Night Riviera
* Southern
* Stansted Express
* Thameslink
* West Midlands Railway

Operators not subject to franchising or concession:

* 1 Government-owned
* 2 Open-access operator
* 3 Operates on the Irish railway network and state-owned
* 4 Owned by the Scottish Government

Defunct (since 1994)

* Abellio ScotRail
* Anglia Railways
* Arriva Rail North
* Arriva Trains Merseyside
* Arriva Trains Northern
* Arriva Trains Wales
* Central Trains
* Connex South Central
* Connex South Eastern
* East Coast
* East Midlands Trains
* First Capital Connect
* First Great Eastern
* First Great Western Link
* First North Western
* First ScotRail
* First TransPennine Express
* Gatwick Express1
* Great North Eastern Railway
* Heathrow Connect
* Island Line2
* KeolisAmey Wales
* London Midland
* London Overground Rail Operations
* Midland Mainline
* National Express East Anglia
* National Express East Coast
* Northern Rail
* ScotRail (National Express)
* Silverlink
* South Eastern Trains
* Southeastern
* South West Trains
* TfL Rail
* Thameslink3
* Thames Trains
* TransPennine Express
* Valley Lines
* Virgin CrossCountry
* Virgin Trains East Coast
* Virgin Trains West Coast
* Wales & Borders
* Wales & West
* Wessex Trains
* West Anglia Great Northern
* Wrexham & Shropshire

* 1 Separate franchise until 2008; now a sub-brand of Govia Thameslink Railway
* 2 Separate franchise until 2007, now a sub-brand of South Western Railway
* 3 Separate franchise until 2006; later reintroduced as a sub-brand of Govia Thameslink Railway

Future

| Future operators|

* c2c
* Greater Anglia
* GTS Rail Operations
* South Western Railway

|

Prospective operators|

* Go-op
* Virgin Trains
* Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway

* Category
* Commons
* Maps

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