Thameslink

Mainline route in the British railway system

This article is about the railway route. For the main operator of services on the route, see Govia Thameslink Railway. For other uses, see Thameslink (disambiguation).

Thameslink

Govia Thameslink Railway Class 700 Desiro City standing at Brighton in December 2020.

Overview
Locale|

* South East England
* Greater London
* East of England

Predecessor|

* Thameslink, 2 March 1997 – 31 March 2006
* First Capital Connect, 1 April 2006 – 13 September 2014

Current operator(s)| Govia Thameslink Railway, 14 September 2014 – 1 April 2028[1]
Website| www.thameslinkrailway.com
Route
Termini|

* Bedford
* Peterborough
* Cambridge

* Sutton
* Orpington
* Sevenoaks
* Rainham
* Horsham
* Three Bridges
* Brighton
* East Grinstead

Train number(s)| TL
Line(s) used|

* Brighton Main Line
* Chatham Main Line
* East Coast Main Line
* Midland Main Line
* Snow Hill tunnel
* South Eastern Main Line
* North Kent Line
* Sutton Loop Line

Technical
Rolling stock| 115 Class 700 Desiro City
Track gauge| 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification|

* Overhead line, 25 kV 50 Hz AC
* Third rail, 750 V DC

Track owner(s)| Network Rail
| Route map

Thameslink is a mainline route on the British railway network, running from Bedford, Luton, St Albans City, Peterborough, Welwyn Garden City, London Blackfriars and Cambridge via central London to Sutton, Orpington, Sevenoaks, Rainham, Horsham, Three Bridges, Brighton and East Grinstead. The network opened as a through service in 1988, with severe overcrowding by 1998, carrying more than 28,000 passengers in the morning peak. All the services are currently operated by Govia Thameslink Railway. Parts of the network, from Bedford to Three Bridges, run 24 hours a day, except on early Sunday mornings and during maintenance periods.[2]

The Thameslink Programme was a major £5.5 billion scheme to increase capacity on the central London section by accommodating more frequent and longer trains, and providing additional routes and destinations. The new services began operating in 2018. In 2016, new Class 700 trains started operating on the route and replaced the Class 319, Class 377 and Class 387 trains which were withdrawn and transferred elsewhere.

## Route

[edit]

Much of the original route is over the Brighton Main Line (via London Bridge) and the southern part of the Midland Main Line, plus a suburban true loop (circuit) serving Sutton. A branch via the Catford Loop Line to Sevenoaks was added in 2012. Sections to Peterborough on the East Coast Main Line, Cambridge via the Cambridge Line, Horsham on the Arun Valley line and Rainham via Greenwich were added in 2018. East Grinstead is also served during peak hours.

The route through central London (today known as Thameslink core) is via St Pancras International for connections to Eurostar and the East Midlands; Farringdon, for London Underground Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines, and the Elizabeth line; City Thameslink, which replaced the demolished Holborn Viaduct station and has a southern entrance serving Ludgate Circus; Blackfriars, for main-line rail services and the Underground District and Circle lines; and London Bridge for main-line links into Kent and Sussex and the Underground Northern and Jubilee lines. King's Cross Thameslink on Pentonville Road closed on 8 December 2007.

Trains operating the "main line" service (Bedford and Cambridge to Brighton, Peterborough to Horsham) include first-class accommodation; those operating from Luton, St Albans and Kentish Town to Sutton, Sevenoaks and Orpington are usually standard class only. When Govia operated the original Thameslink franchise these services were designated "Thameslink CityFlier" and "Thameslink CityMetro" respectively, but First Capital Connect dropped this branding. Govia Thameslink Railway now refers to these services as Route TL1 (formerly Route 6) and Route TL2/TL3 (formerly Route 7/8) respectively.

## Services

[edit]

### Off-peak

[edit]

The Monday–Friday off-peak service pattern, with frequencies in trains per hour (tph), includes:

Thameslink Monday–Friday off-peak service pattern  Route | tph | Calling at

|
|

Bedford to Brighton[2][3] | 2 |

* Flitwick
* Harlington
* Leagrave
* Luton
* Luton Airport Parkway
* Harpenden
* St Albans City
* West Hampstead Thameslink
* London St Pancras International
* Farringdon
* City Thameslink
* London Blackfriars
* London Bridge
* East Croydon
* Gatwick Airport
* Three Bridges
* Balcombe
* Haywards Heath
* Wivelsfield
* Burgess Hill
* Hassocks
* Preston Park

Bedford to Three Bridges via Redhill[2][4] | 2 |

* Flitwick
* Harlington
* Leagrave
* Luton
* Luton Airport Parkway
* Harpenden
* St Albans City
* London St Pancras International
* Farringdon
* City Thameslink
* London Blackfriars
* London Bridge
* Norwood Junction
* East Croydon
* South Croydon
* Purley
* Redhill
* Earlswood
* Salfords
* Horley
* Gatwick Airport

* In the evening, this service only runs between Luton and Three Bridges

Peterborough to Horsham via Redhill[5][6] | 2 |

* Huntingdon
* St Neots
* Sandy
* Biggleswade
* Arlesey
* Hitchin
* Stevenage
* Finsbury Park
* London St Pancras International
* Farringdon
* City Thameslink
* London Blackfriars
* London Bridge
* East Croydon
* Coulsdon South
* Merstham
* Redhill
* Horley
* Gatwick Airport
* Three Bridges
* Crawley
* Ifield
* Faygate (extremely limited service in off-peak period)
* Littlehaven

Cambridge to Brighton[5][3] | 2 |

* Royston
* Ashwell & Morden
* Baldock
* Letchworth Garden City
* Hitchin
* Stevenage
* Finsbury Park
* London St Pancras International
* Farringdon
* City Thameslink
* London Blackfriars
* London Bridge
* East Croydon
* Gatwick Airport
* Three Bridges
* Haywards Heath
* Burgess Hill

London Blackfriars to Sevenoaks via Catford and Otford[7] | 2 |

* Elephant & Castle
* Denmark Hill
* Peckham Rye
* Nunhead
* Crofton Park
* Catford
* Bellingham
* Beckenham Hill
* Ravensbourne
* Shortlands
* Bromley South
* Bickley
* St Mary Cray
* Swanley
* Eynsford
* Shoreham
* Otford
* Bat & Ball

Luton to Rainham via Greenwich[7][8] | 2 |

* Luton Airport Parkway
* Harpenden
* St Albans City
* Radlett
* Elstree & Borehamwood
* Mill Hill Broadway
* Brent Cross West
* West Hampstead Thameslink
* London St Pancras International
* Farringdon
* City Thameslink
* London Blackfriars
* London Bridge
* Deptford
* Greenwich
* Maze Hill
* Westcombe Park
* Charlton
* Woolwich Arsenal
* Plumstead
* Abbey Wood
* Slade Green
* Dartford
* Stone Crossing
* Greenhithe
* Swanscombe
* Northfleet
* Gravesend
* Higham
* Strood
* Rochester
* Chatham
* Gillingham

* In the evening, this service only runs between Kentish Town and Rainham

St Albans City to Sutton via Wimbledon (loop)[2][9] | 2 |

* Radlett
* Elstree & Borehamwood
* Mill Hill Broadway
* Hendon
* Brent Cross West
* Cricklewood
* West Hampstead Thameslink
* Kentish Town
* London St Pancras International
* Farringdon
* City Thameslink
* London Blackfriars
* Elephant & Castle
* Loughborough Junction
* Herne Hill
* Tulse Hill
* Streatham
* Tooting
* Haydons Road
* Wimbledon
* Wimbledon Chase
* South Merton
* Morden South
* St Helier
* Sutton Common
* West Sutton

* Services then continue to/from St Albans City via Mitcham Junction (see below)

St Albans City to Sutton via Mitcham Junction (loop)[2][9] | 2 |

* Radlett
* Elstree & Borehamwood
* Mill Hill Broadway
* Hendon
* Brent Cross West
* Cricklewood
* West Hampstead Thameslink
* Kentish Town
* London St Pancras International
* Farringdon
* City Thameslink
* London Blackfriars
* Elephant & Castle
* Loughborough Junction
* Herne Hill
* Tulse Hill
* Streatham
* Mitcham Eastfields
* Mitcham Junction
* Hackbridge
* Carshalton

* Services then continue to/from St Albans City via Wimbledon (see above)

### Peak hours

[edit]

During peak hours, the two trains per hour London Blackfriars to Sevenoaks service (from the table above) is extended through the 'core tunnel' to/from Welwyn Garden City (though a few services originate at Finsbury Park), with extra calls at City Thameslink, Farringdon, St Pancras International, Finsbury Park, New Southgate, Oakleigh Park, New Barnet, Potters Bar and Hatfield.[7][10]

As well as these services, during peak hours, several trains in each direction (approximately two trains per hour) run to/from Orpington (originating/terminating at either London Blackfriars, Luton, West Hampstead Thameslink or Kentish Town), all calling at Petts Wood in lieu of stations from St Mary Cray to Bat & Ball.[7]

In addition, there are seven trains per day in each direction that operate to/from East Grinstead (originating/terminating at either Bedford, West Hampstead Thameslink, St Pancras International or London Bridge), which, after calling at South Croydon, call at Sanderstead, Riddlesdown, Upper Warlingham, Woldingham, Oxted, Hurst Green, Lingfield and Dormans.[11]

## History

[edit]

Passenger services operated across London through the Snow Hill Tunnel from mid-Victorian times until World War I, when services terminated at Moorgate from the Midland line to the north, and at Holborn Viaduct from the south, at a time when most inner cross-London traffic had been lost to buses and trams. There were low-level platforms under the main part of Holborn Viaduct station known as the Snow Hill platforms: these can still be seen when leaving City Thameslink station travelling northwards.

On 14 June 1941, railway manager George Dow proposed in an article in the London evening newspaper The Star that new routes be built in tunnels from Marylebone south to Victoria, and from King's Cross south to Charing Cross. Both were to connect with a Paddington–Liverpool Street tunnel that he proposed, anticipating Crossrail by 40 years. He also proposed a north-east to south-west such link (Liverpool Street to Charing Cross), all giving seamless, key, main-line connections.[12]

The Snow Hill Tunnel route remained open for cross-London freight trains until 1970, when the short section between Farringdon and Holborn Viaduct was closed.

Overhead electrification, completed in 1982, allowed the northern section to run as the Midland City Line from Bedford via the Midland Main Line to St Pancras, and via the City Widened Lines to Moorgate.[a]

The Snow Hill tunnel was re-opened by British Rail to passenger trains after 72 years, with Thameslink beginning in May 1988.[13] On 29 January 1990, the section between Blackfriars and Farringdon was temporarily closed to permit the construction of a new alignment. The route through the site of the long-closed Ludgate Hill station, over Ludgate Hill to Holborn Viaduct was abandoned and demolished. The replacement route under Ludgate Hill was opened on 29 May 1990 by the Network SouthEast (sector of British Rail) concurrently with City Thameslink station, which was initially called St Paul's Thameslink but was renamed in 1991 to avoid confusion with St. Paul's station on the Underground (Central line), about 500 m (550 yd) away.

King's Cross Thameslink on Pentonville Road closed on 8 December 2007, when the Thameslink platforms at nearby St Pancras opened.

In the south the services divide: many main-line trains run almost due south through London Bridge to East Croydon and many continue to Brighton, but the other route/branch has evolved, as follows:

* From 1988 to 1991 such trains went variously
* via Bromley: to Orpington or to Sevenoaks, (both since resumed) or;
* via Herne Hill and East Croydon to Purley (off peak only).
* From 1991 to 1994, such trains went only via Elephant & Castle and Streatham to West Croydon, Wallington, Sutton, Epsom, Leatherhead and Effingham Junction, to Guildford.
* From 1994 to 1995 such trains terminated at West Croydon (cutting franchise zone-crossing due to rail privatisation).
* From the latter year such trains have run "to/from" a nominal furthest point of a true circular loop, Sutton, the Sutton loop calling at stations including Mitcham Junction, Streatham and Wimbledon.
* From 2018 the service was greatly recast and expanded following the completion of the Thameslink programme:
* A regular service to Rainham has been added.
* A regular service to Horsham has been added.
* In the north the present termini of the trains are Luton, Bedford, Cambridge, Peterborough, St Albans and in peak hours, Welwyn Garden City.

### Franchise owners

[edit]

As of the early 1990s privatisation of British Rail, Thameslink was franchised to Thameslink, a subsidiary of Govia.

By late 1998, more than 28,000 passengers were carried at morning peak times.[14]

From 1 April 2006, the franchise was taken over by First Capital Connect along with some services that had been WAGN's.[15] The branding of most trains, stations, and signs was changed to match the name of the new company, but City Thameslink and West Hampstead Thameslink were not renamed as Thameslink referred to the route.[b] After criticism of the loss of the apt name for this group of routes,[16] First Capital Connect's publicity began calling this set of services its "Thameslink route" to distinguish it from the former WAGN services.

On 14 September 2014, Govia Thameslink Railway took over operations from First Capital Connect.[17]

## Thameslink Programme

[edit]

Main article: Thameslink Programme

St Pancras International Thameslink platforms opened in 2007 Blackfriars new cross-river platforms

Given the network's success, realised plans arose to upgrade the network to cope with persistent peak-time overcrowding.[18] Network Rail obtained planning permission and legal powers in 2006,[19] funding was secured in July 2007[20] and construction began in October 2007.[21] Plans included rebuilding the station buildings at Farringdon (in conjunction with the Crossrail project) and West Hampstead Thameslink, total rebuild of London Bridge and Blackfriars stations, two new underground platforms at St Pancras International, a new tunnel north of St Pancras International to the East Coast Main Line to allow through services to Peterborough and Cambridge, and platform lengthening. A new 8- and 12-carriage fleet of Class 700 trains began in 2016. The new services on to the Great Northern route began initially on 8 March 2018,[22] with the full timetable being introduced in May 2018.

The London and South East Route Utilisation Strategy published in July 2011 laid out a provisional 24tph timetable. South of London it would provide four trains to Brighton (one semi-fast, one stopping) and two each to Three Bridges, Horsham, East Grinstead, Caterham, Tattenham Corner, Tunbridge Wells, Ashford International, Maidstone East, Sevenoaks and Bellingham. North of London there would be eight semi-fast trains to Bedford, four stopping trains to St Albans, two stopping and two semi-fast trains to Luton, two semi-fast trains to Peterborough, two semi-fast trains to Cambridge and four stopping trains to Welwyn Garden City.[23]

Below is a provisional timetable solely for services running through the 'Thameslink core' tunnel. This 'provisional timetable' was proposed before the upgrade and has not yet been achieved. See Services section above for the current service pattern.

Regional Routes

No.  | Northern terminus  | Central London  | Southern terminus  | Length  | Times (core)
1  | Bedford | semi-fast  | via London Bridge | Brighton | fast  | 12-car  | All day

3  | Bedford | semi-fast  | via London Bridge | Gatwick Airport (via Redhill)  | semi-fast  | 12-car  | All day

5  | Peterborough | semi-fast  | via London Bridge | Horsham (via Redhill)  | semi-fast  | 12-car  | All day[c]

7  | Cambridge | semi-fast  | via London Bridge | Brighton | fast  | 12-car  | All day[c]

9  | Cambridge | stopping  | via London Bridge | Ashford International (peak only)
Maidstone East (off-peak)  | semi-fast  | 8-car  | All day[d]

11  | Bedford | fast  | via London Bridge | East Grinstead | stopping  | 12-car  | Peak only

13  | Bedford | fast  | via London Bridge | Littlehampton (via Hove)  | fast  | 12-car  | Peak only

Commuter Routes
No.  | Northern terminus  | Central London  | Southern terminus  | Length  | Times
15  | Luton | all stations[e] | via London Bridge | Rainham (via Greenwich)  | all stations[f] | 8-car  | All day

17  | St Albans City | all stations  | via Elephant & Castle | Sutton (via Mitcham Junction)  | all stations  | 8-car  | All day

19  | St Albans City | all stations  | via Elephant & Castle | Sutton (via Wimbledon)  | all stations  | 8-car  | All day

21  | Luton (peak only)
Kentish Town (off-peak)  | all stations  | via Elephant & Castle | Orpington (via Catford)  | all stations  | 8-car  | All day[g]

23  | Welwyn Garden City (peak only)
London Blackfriars (off-peak)  | stopping  | via Elephant & Castle | Sevenoaks (via Catford and Otford)  | all stations  | 8-car  | All day[h]

## Rolling stock

[edit]

Main articles: Thameslink and Great Northern § Thameslink, and British Rail Class 700

All rolling stock used on Thameslink is electrically powered dual-voltage units using 25 kV AC overhead power north of Farringdon and 750 V DC third rail to the south.[1]

### Current fleet

[edit]

#### Class 700

[edit]

Class 700 trains replaced all of the existing fleet in 2018 Interior of the new Thameslink Class 700 trains

Class 700 trains were delivered between 2015 and 2018, providing an additional 14,500 seats.[clarification needed][24] Siemens Mobility was named preferred bidder on 16 June 2011, with the Desiro City train family.[25] The contract was signed in June 2013[26] for 1,140 carriages, with 55 twelve-car and 60 eight-car trains. The depots are at Hornsey and Three Bridges.[25] The Three Bridges depot opened in October 2015 and the first trains entered service in spring 2016. All units are now in service, having replaced the Class 319 and Class 387 fleets.

Family  | Class  | Image  | Type  | Top speed  | Number  | Carriages  | Routes operated  | Built

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

mph  | km/h
Siemens Desiro | 700 Desiro City |  | EMU | 100  | 161  | 60  | 8  | All Thameslink services  | 2015–2018
55  | 12

### Past fleet

[edit]

#### Class 319

[edit]

86 Class 319s worked the Thameslink route from 1987 to 2017

Rolling stock used on Thameslink included the 86 Class 319 trains built between 1987–1988 and 1990. These are electrically powered dual-voltage four-car units rated to carry 289, 308 or 319 passengers. Four Class 319 trains had been transferred from Southern in December 2008 and the last four followed in March 2009, from which point they were all on Thameslink. The last was withdrawn in August 2017.[27]

#### Class 377

[edit]

First Capital Connect acquired 23 four-coach Class 377 sets during 2009 on sublease from Southern, for the Thameslink route for additional capacity and to allow some of the Class 319 trains to be released for the Catford Loop service to Sevenoaks, now jointly operated with Southeastern under Key Output 0 of the Thameslink Programme.[28]

#### Class 317

[edit]

Class 317 units built in the early 1980s were still in use when services into Moorgate ceased in March 2009: the last timetabled service ran from Farringdon to Bedford on 9 October 2009.

#### Class 387

[edit]

Due to delays in the new Class 700 fleet, the DfT and Southern ordered 116 electric dual-voltage 110-mile-per-hour (180 km/h) carriages (29 trains) with the option for another 140 carriages (35 trains).[29][30] The tender for the new Class 387 trains was won by Bombardier and the first set entered service in December 2014, with all in service by May 2015. By 2018, all units were replaced by the new Class 700 fleet with the Class 387 fleet moving over to the Great Northern brand.[31][full citation needed]

## 2014 franchise

[edit]

The invitation to tender for the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise was expected to be issued in October 2012, with the contract commencing in September 2013. On 29 March 2012, the Department for Transport announced Abellio, FirstGroup, Govia, MTR Corporation and Stagecoach Group had pre-qualified to bid for the franchise.[32]

Due to problems with the InterCity West Coast tendering process, the process was delayed, with the new franchise delayed until September 2014. The new franchise includes the South Central franchise currently operated by Southern and certain routes from the Integrated Kent Franchise currently operated by Southeastern.[33]

On 23 May 2014, it was announced that the franchise has been awarded to Govia Thameslink Railway.[34] The new Thameslink Southern & Great Northern franchise[17] will include both the Thameslink Great Northern and South Central franchises.

Govia Thameslink Railway began operations on 14 September 2014, with the former First Capital Connect routes Thameslink and Great Northern.

## Thameslink 2

[edit]

Railfuture, an organisation campaigning for better rail services for passengers and freight, has proposed an additional north–south route, connecting the Brighton Main Line to routes north of London, via East Croydon, Lewisham, Canary Wharf, and Stratford.[35]

## See also

[edit]

* Crossrail – project to build the east–west Elizabeth line route through London
* West London Line – the North West-South route across London
* Réseau Express Régional (RER) – the similar cross city rail network in Paris
* Cross-City Line – a similar north–south route across Birmingham
* Rail transport in Great Britain

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ This service was colloquially known as the Bedpan Line from the contracted names of the terminal stations, as had happened with the Bakerloo line. In general limited-stop trains served St Pancras, and all-stations trains Moorgate.
2. ^ King's Cross Thameslink kept the Thameslink suffix until it closed on 8 December 2007.
3. ^ a b Hourly on Sundays.
4. ^ On Sundays, service will run hourly between Cambridge and Kings Cross only; it will not run through the core section or on to Maidstone.
5. ^ Except for Kentish Town, Cricklewood and Hendon.
6. ^ Except for Woolwich Dockyard, Belvedere and Erith.
7. ^ No service on Sundays.
8. ^ An all-day service will operate between London Blackfriars and Sevenoaks only, with no service through the core outside of peak hours.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "National Rail Contract Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern" (PDF). Department for Transport. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
2. ^ a b c d e "C: Bedford, Luton and St Albans to London, Sutton, the Medway Towns, East Croydon, Gatwick Airport and the South Coast | Timetable valid from Monday 11 December 2023 until Monday 27 May 2024". timetables.thameslinkrailway.com. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
3. ^ a b "Q: London, Croydon and Gatwick Airport to Haywards Heath and Brighton". timetables.thameslinkrailway.com. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
4. ^ "O: London and Croydon to Redhill, Reigate, Tonbridge, Gatwick Airport and Three Bridges". timetables.thameslinkrailway.com. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
5. ^ a b "A: King's Lynn, Ely, Cambridge, Peterborough and Stevenage to London, Gatwick Airport, Horsham and Brighton". Thameslink. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
6. ^ "P: London, Croydon and Gatwick Airport to Crawley and Horsham". timetables.thameslinkrailway.com. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
7. ^ a b c d "E: Sevenoaks, Swanley, Orpington, Bromley South and Catford to London".
8. ^ "F: The Medway Towns, Gravesend, Dartford and Woolwich to London and Luton".
9. ^ a b "H: Sutton and Wimbledon to London via Streatham and Tulse Hill".
10. ^ "B: Stevenage, Hertford North, Enfield Chase, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield and Potters Bar to London".
11. ^ "N: London and Croydon to Oxted, East Grinstead and Uckfield".
12. ^ Dow, Andrew (1 January 2005). Telling the Passenger Where to Get Off. Capital Transport Publishing. pp. 52–55. ISBN 9781854142917.
13. ^ "Station Name: Snow Hill/Holborn Viaduct Low Level". Disused Stations News. Subterranea Britannica. 8 December 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
14. ^ "Sustained Passenger Growth in London" (Press release). Strategic Rail Authority. 29 March 1999. Retrieved 17 June 2008.[permanent dead link]
15. ^ "Department of Transport announces winner of Thameslink/GN franchise" (Press release). Central Office of Information News Distribution Service. 13 December 2005. Retrieved 17 June 2008.[permanent dead link]
16. ^ "Letter from TfL to FCC". Narkive.com. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
17. ^ a b "New rail franchising deal set to transform passenger services across London and south east" (Press release). Department for Transport. 23 May 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
18. ^ Network Rail. "Thameslink Programme". Retrieved 18 October 2006.
19. ^ "The £3.5bn Thameslink Project clears major hurdle" (Press release). Network Rail. 18 October 2006. Archived from the original on 4 March 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
20. ^ Coward, Andy (15 August 2007). "Cross-river rail to boost Capital". Rail Magazine. No. 572\. Peterborough. pp. 40–43.
21. ^ "Work begins on Thameslink project". BBC News. 24 October 2007. Retrieved 24 October 2007.
22. ^ "First direct trains from Cambridge to Brighton via central London launch". Evening Standard. 8 March 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
23. ^ London and South East Route Utilisation Strategy (PDF) (Report). p. 72\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 December 2013.
24. ^ "Thameslink gets 14,500 more seats". BBC News. 9 April 2008. Retrieved 1 June 2008. "The deal, announced by Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly, will mean the current 720-carriage Thameslink fleet increasing by 380 carriages. A contract for the new carriages is expected to be awarded in summer 2009, with the first train in service by 2012."
25. ^ a b "Siemens beats Bombardier to Thameslink train order". Railway Gazette International. London. 16 June 2011. Archived from the original on 19 June 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
26. ^ "Siemens Thameslink deal to create up to 2,000 new jobs". Department for Transport. 27 June 2013.
27. ^ "Thameslink replaces last of 30 year old Class 319 fleet". Rail Technology Magazine. 1 September 2017. Archived from the original on 15 September 2017.
28. ^ "Do we really have to wait until 2012 and 2015 for some relief to the overcrowding?". First Capital Connect. 20 October 2008. Archived from the original on 9 November 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
29. ^ "Boost to train builders". Department for Transport. 21 December 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
30. ^ "Procurement of New Rolling Stock" (Press release). Archived from the original on 29 March 2013.
31. ^ "Trio of GTR Class 387/1s readied for move to Great Northern duties". Rail Magazine. 16 July 2016.
32. ^ "UK franchise pre-qualified bidders announced". Railway Gazette International. London. 29 March 2012.
33. ^ "Thameslink Southern & Great Northern Invitation to Tender" (PDF). Department for Transport. 26 September 2013.
34. ^ "Govia wins Thameslink rail franchise". BBC News. 28 January 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
35. ^ "Railfuture – Thameslink 2".

## Further reading

[edit]

* Freitag, Leslie (August 1988). "Thameslink underway". RAIL. No. 83\. EMAP National Publications. p. 11\. ISSN 0953-4563. OCLC 49953699.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thameslink.

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Transport in London

Companies and
organisations|

| Transport for
London (TfL)|

| London Underground|

* Night Tube
* Bakerloo
* Central
* Circle
* District
* Hammersmith & City
* Jubilee
* Metropolitan
* Northern
* Piccadilly
* Victoria
* Waterloo & City

|

London Rail|

* Docklands Light Railway
* Elizabeth line
* Tramlink
* London Overground
* North London
* East London
* South London
* West London
* Gospel Oak to Barking
* Lea Valley
* Romford–Upminster
* Watford DC

London Buses|

*   * East London Transit
* Superloop
* Night buses

Other|

* Coach station
* Cycle hire
* Dial-a-Ride
* IFS Cloud Cable Car
* London River Services
* London Streets
* Source London
* Taxi and Private Hire office

Bus operators|

* Arriva Herts & Essex
* Arriva London
* Arriva Southern Counties
* Go-Ahead London
* Blue Triangle
* Docklands Buses
* London Central
* London General
* Metrobus
* Metroline
* RATP Dev Transit London
* London Sovereign
* London Transit
* London United
* Stagecoach London
* East London
* Selkent
* Thameside
* Transport UK London Bus
* Uno

River operators|

* Lower Thames and Medway Passenger Boat Company
* Uber Boat by Thames Clippers
* Thames River Services
* Westminster Passenger Services Association

Train operators|

* Arriva Rail London
* Avanti West Coast
* c2c
* Caledonian Sleeper
* Chiltern Railways
* East Midlands Railway
* Eurostar
* Govia Thameslink Railway
* Gatwick Express
* Great Northern
* Southern
* Thameslink
* Grand Central
* Great Western Railway
* Greater Anglia
* Stansted Express
* Heathrow Express
* Hull Trains
* MTR Elizabeth line
* London North Eastern Railway
* London Northwestern Railway
* Lumo
* South Western Railway
* Southeastern

Other|

* Global Infrastructure Partners
* Heathrow Airport Holdings
* Port of London Authority

Airports|

| Within London|

* City
* Heathrow
* London Heliport
* Military: Northolt
* Private: Biggin Hill

|

Outside London|

* Gatwick
* Luton
* Southend
* Stansted

Major stations|

| Central area|

* Baker Street
* Bank-Monument
* Blackfriars
* Bond Street
* Cannon Street
* Charing Cross
* City Thameslink
* Earl's Court
* Elephant & Castle
* Euston
* Farringdon
* Fenchurch Street
* Green Park
* King's Cross
* Liverpool Street
* London Bridge
* Marylebone
* Moorgate
* Oxford Circus
* Paddington
* St Pancras International
* Tottenham Court Road
* Vauxhall
* Victoria
* Waterloo
* Waterloo East
* Westminster

|

Other|

* Barking
* Bromley South
* Canary Wharf
* Clapham Junction
* Ealing Broadway
* East Croydon
* Finsbury Park
* Heathrow stations
* Highbury & Islington
* Lewisham
* London City Airport
* Richmond
* Stratford
* Surbiton
* Sutton
* Upminster
* West Ham
* West Hampstead stations
* Whitechapel
* Willesden Junction
* Wimbledon

Roads|

| Motorways|

* M1
* M4
* M11
* M25 London Orbital
* Former: M41 (West Cross Route)
* A40(M) (Westway)
* A102(M) (East Cross Route)

|

Ring roads|

* London Inner Ring Road
* North Circular Road
* South Circular Road

Charging|

* Congestion charge
* Low emission zone
* Ultra Low Emission Zone

Ticketing|

* Freedom Pass
* Oyster card
* Travelcard

Other|

* Cycle routes
* History of public transport authorities
* Accessibility of transport in London
* London Transport Museum
* Places for London
* Port of London
* Regent's Canal
* Thameslink
* Trams
* Trolleybuses
* Windsor House

Former BR sectors|

* British Rail
* InterCity
* Network SouthEast

* Category
* Portal

* v
* t
* e

Airport rail links and people mover systems in the United Kingdom

Rail and metro links

In service|

| London airports|

* London City Airport
* Docklands Light Railway
* Gatwick Airport
* Brighton Main Line
* Gatwick Express
* Heathrow Airport
* Heathrow Express
* Elizabeth line
* Piccadilly line
* Luton Airport
* Thameslink
* East Midlands Railway
* Luton Airport Express
* London Southend Airport
* Shenfield–Southend line
* London Stansted Airport
* West Anglia Main Line
* Stansted Express

|

Airports outside London|

* Birmingham Airport
* Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford line
* Edinburgh Airport
* Edinburgh Trams
* Manchester Airport
* Airport Line
* Styal Line
* Newcastle International Airport
* Tyne & Wear Metro
* RailAir
* Southampton Airport
* South West Main Line

Under construction/proposed|

* Bristol Airport Rail Link
* Glasgow Airport Rail Link
* Heathrow Airport transport proposals
* Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway railway station

Defunct|

* Birmingham Maglev
* Edinburgh Airport Rail Link
* Heathrow Connect
* TfL Rail

Automated people movers

In service|

* Birmingham Airport
* Air-Rail Link
* Gatwick Airport
* Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit
* Heathrow Airport
* Heathrow Terminal 5 Transit
* Ultra (rapid transit)
* Luton Airport
* Luton DART
* London Stansted Airport
* Stansted Airport Transit System

Under construction/proposed|

* Birmingham Airport
* HS2 automated people mover

* Rail transport in the United Kingdom
* Air transport in the United Kingdom

* 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
* London Overground
* Avanti West Coast
* c2c
* Caledonian Sleeper4
* Chiltern Railways
* CrossCountry
* East Midlands Railway
* Elizabeth line
* Govia Thameslink Railway
* Grand Central2
* Greater Anglia
* Great Western Railway
* Heathrow Express
* Hull Trains2
* London North Eastern Railway1
* Lumo2
* Merseyrail
* 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 operator of last resort
* 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|

* Grand Union

|

Prospective operators|

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

* Category
* Commons
* Maps

*[tph]: trains per hour
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template