The final Class 700 has been completed by Siemens in Krefeld, Germany, meaning all 115 electric multiple units ordered by the Department for Transport for the Thameslink programme have been built.
Eight-car 700060 was the final EMU to roll off the production line, and will move to Wildenrath for testing before moving to the UK by May. It means 1,140 vehicles have been built.
Rail Minister Jo Johnson called the completion of 700060 “an important milestone” in the Thameslink programme. During peak production at Krefeld two vehicles per day were completed.
The first ‘700’ was completed some five years ago, and the EMUs entered traffic with Govia Thameslink Railway in June 2016, and as of March 9 there were 102 in the UK (996 vehicles) of which 99 were in traffic. Siemens says 68 trains per day are in traffic, completing around 800,000 miles per month. The fleet has achieved 8.5 million miles in traffic so far. The manufacturer said the 100th set was due to be accepted by GTR next week, with all 115 due to be available by traffic by the summer.
- The full story will be in RAIL 849, published on March 28, and available digitally from March 24.
- To read about the start of Thameslink trains using the Canal Tunnels, read RAIL 848, published on March 14, and available digitally from March 10.
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AndrewJGwilt1989 - 09/03/2018 11:50
Thameslink could also extend to other towns & cities in the Southeast in May with the Class 700’s now dominating the entire Thameslink Network that has replaced the Class 319’s, Class 387’s and Class 377’s. Great achievement from Siemens. Next on their production line is to manufacture the new Class 717’s for Great Northern that will replace the Class 313’s from the end of this year.
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AndrewJGwilt1989 - 11/03/2018 15:57
Thameslink will expand to other towns and cities in the Southeast and Eastern England such as Cambridge, Peterborough, Kings Lynn, Ely, Hertford North, Stevenage, Potters Bar, Welwyn Garden City, Gillingham, Rochester, Faversham, Gravesend, Orpington, Littlehampton, Arundel, Crawley, Horsham, Ashford (Ashford International), Dartford and other towns & cities along the Thameslink Network. And some of Southeastern’s outer-suburban services are likely to be taken over by Thameslink. When the May timetable is introduced with Class 700060 to join with the rest of the Class 700 fleets. But massive achievement from both Siemens and Govia Thameslink Railway (TSGN) franchise.
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