Class 707 to Southeastern Dates

[rdlover777]

To be fair it’s only the suburban stock that they care nothing for. The Electrostars are quite nice.

you say that but the 395s are still running with the same seats they had when first entering service

 

[Goldfish62]

you say that but the 395s are still running with the same seats they had when first entering service

I was on one recently and struck by how good they still look after all these years. They are really very well looked after.

 

[59CosG95]

I was on one recently and struck by how good they still look after all these years. They are really very well looked after.

That's because it's Hitachi doing the work, rather than SE doing it in-house (as at Slade Green & Ramsgate).
GA did have Siemens doing the 360s at Ilford before they took maintenance in-house - reliability went down after that.

 

[DA1]

Who knows how long it will be until James and the other drivers start their training?

Training has been well under way for quite a few weeks now.

That's because it's Hitachi doing the work, rather than SE doing it in-house (as at Slade Green & Ramsgate).

The Hitachi depot is now run by SE.

 

[59CosG95]

Training has been well under way for quite a few weeks now.

The Hitachi depot is now run by SE.

Ahh, hadn't realised. SE's not my patch!

 

[Chiltern006]

hows this? own photoshop

 

[traji00]

hows this? own photoshop

Good job — It looks like the same yellow as on the 700s.

 

[Milo T.K]

hows this? own photoshop

Looks good however I prefer the current yellow on the 707s

 

[Goldfish62]

hows this? own photoshop

Looks good. Another idea, because the 707s have compliance headlights so do not technically require a yellow warning panel would be to have it pale blue, same as the door colour.

 

[class379]

What is the long term plan for the 707s?
Will more be ordered as a bulk replacement for older trains like the networkers and/or 376s?

 

[Goldfish62]

What is the long term plan for the 707s?
Will more be ordered as a bulk replacement for older trains like the networkers and/or 376s?

Doubt if there's a long term plan yet.

Reading the railway press, general consensus seems to be that due to the parlous state of railway finances there's unlikely to be any large orders for new rolling stock for the foreseeable future.

Make do and mend for as long as possible I should imagine.

 

[MotCO]

Doubt if there's a long term plan yet.

Reading the railway press, general consensus seems to be that due to the parlous state of railway finances there's unlikely to be any large orders for new rolling stock for the foreseeable future.

Make do and mend for as long as possible I should imagine.

The contrary view could be that the Government, as owner of GBR, may wish to place orders with British factories to safeguard their futures and not cause any unemployment in a 'red wall' constituency (Newton Aycliffe now held by a Conservative, if I recall correctly). Besides, would new trains be more energy efficient, and cheaper to run?

 

[Wolfie]

The contrary view could be that the Government, as owner of GBR, may wish to place orders with British factories to safeguard their futures and not cause any unemployment in a 'red wall' constituency (Newton Aycliffe now held by a Conservative, if I recall correctly). Besides, would new trains be more energy efficient, and cheaper to run?

HMG can certainly rewrite the rules on competition in UK. Of course that probably means that UK companies in any field, unless in a specialist niche, will struggle to make any export sales whatsoever to foreign public sector organisations when other countries reciprocate but.....

 

[Goldfish62]

The contrary view could be that the Government, as owner of GBR, may wish to place orders with British factories to safeguard their futures and not cause any unemployment in a 'red wall' constituency (Newton Aycliffe now held by a Conservative, if I recall correctly). Besides, would new trains be more energy efficient, and cheaper to run?

There are suggestions that Alstom/Hitachi are favoured for the HS2 contract, so that would secure Derby and Newton Aycliffe for the time being.

Re new trains being cheaper, not necessarily. The leasing costs are more for a start. The rush to buy new trains was a result of unsustainable franchise bids where new trains attracted a high score in the quality element of the bid evaluation. Nothing to do with existing stock needing to be replaced in many circumstances.

 

[Mikey C]

The 707s only make up a small percentage of the current 376/465/6 fleet. Any replacement order will be so big that compatibility with the 707s won't be a major consideration, they might decide to replace them as well

 

[CFRAIL]

I believe we'll see a sizeable 707 type order to replace the 465/66 fleet and potentially 376 too. The 375's have all the wiring looms I believe so could have external cameras retrofitted like the 377's have... ready for a DOO railway?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I believe we'll see a sizeable 707 type order to replace the 465/66 fleet and potentially 376 too. The 375's have all the wiring looms I believe so could have external cameras retrofitted like the 377's have... ready for a DOO railway?

I heard Siemens have stopped making them

 

[LOL The Irony]

hows this? own photoshop

Looks better than the actual front end proposed by SE. (Not that that's particularly difficult, as SE just slapped the yellow on the front without any care for the lines of the cab)

 

[Energy]

I heard Siemens have stopped making them

I keep on hearing this and I don't know why, it is still on Siemens' website, just because they aren't making any right now (because there aren't any on order) doesn't mean they wont make any in the future.

 

[Mollman]

I heard Siemens have stopped making them

If the order was big enough I'm sure they can - it might be an update version e.g. 379 vs 375

 

[brad465]

I believe we'll see a sizeable 707 type order to replace the 465/66 fleet and potentially 376 too. The 375's have all the wiring looms I believe so could have external cameras retrofitted like the 377's have... ready for a DOO railway?

Ordering a large single fleet would ideally need to be of 4/8/12 car capability as many of Southeastern's routes are either 8 or 12 car, so 376s would definitely be a suitable move out. 707s would also have to go in such an order, unless they were going to be reconfigured. I think given the variety of route train lengths, 4 car units would be ideal, as opposed to the 8 and 12 fixed formations of 700s, as resilience and flexibility is improved.

 

[londonteacher]

Anyway Class 707 and fleet replacement is speculation and probably worthy of it's own thread.

In my opinion whether SE is the short or long term home of the 707 it's a great addition!

 

[Mag_seven]

Just a reminder that this thread is to discuss the dates that the Class 707s are moving across to South Eastern. If anyone wants to discuss anything else they are welcome to start a new thread in the appropriate forum section.

 

[theageofthetra]

Nice spot! There's also a video up on YouTube already of it passing Sidcup:

Why do the the accessible area with a yellowish band? Many will assume it's first class?

 

[RichJF]

Why do the the accessible area with a yellowish band? Many will assume it's first class?

On the 375s/377s it's a purple band above the door.

Nothing like keeping it confusing eh?

 

[fgwrich]

Nice spot! There's also a video up on YouTube already of it passing Sidcup:

They do look very smart in Blue but, I wonder why they added the dark grey window band?

 

[theking]

Saw one of these at New Cross, already has white scratches down the sides where foliage has damaged the wrap.

Shame as it looks much better than the SWT red.

Although they need to get rid of the yellow front

 

[Goldfish62]

They do look very smart in Blue but, I wonder why they added the dark grey window band?

Perhaps to match the ribbon glazing of the Electrostars.

 

[northernbelle]

Perhaps to match the ribbon glazing of the Electrostars.

It's a feature of the livery - the Class 395s also have dark grey window surrounds as do the Networkers on their white based livery.

 

[Goldfish62]

It's a feature of the livery - the Class 395s also have dark grey window surrounds as do the Networkers on their white based livery.

True about the 395s, but the Networkers are not in current SE livery so it's just coincidence that their evolved Connex livery has a black window band.