Class 379 EMUs being readied for use on Great Northern from early 2025

All 30 Class 379 electric multiple units (379001-030) have now been accepted by Govia Thameslink Railway for use on its Great Northern operations out of London King’s Cross to King’s Lynn and Peterborough.

GTR told RAIL it was originally anticipated introducing the first 379s to passenger service in December, but this is now set to be early January.

In terms of training GTR staff, little is needed as the units are essentially the same as the Class 387s that have been in use with the operator for a decade.

GTR added: “A one-day conversion/familiarity course has been agreed and is about to start. It will encompass all the Great Northern driver depots.

“In a few places, the introduction of the ‘379s’ will provide extra services to meet an increase in demand post-COVID. In others, they will release existing Class 387s, which could work with both overhead and third rail power, to support passenger services across the South East.

“The three Great Western Railway ‘387s’ (387172-174) are on lease until the end of the GTR franchise and will stay with us.”

The Porterbrook-owned ‘379s’ aren’t compatible to work in multiple with Class 387s, so will run as a self-contained fleet. They can rescue one another, but can’t run in passenger service together.

They were introduced by Greater Anglia in 2010, but were withdrawn in 2022 and sold by Akiem to Porterbrook in 2024.