Top speed of Thameslink and Southeastern rolling stock

[Jack D]

Hi all,

On my journey home last Friday I saw a label on a Thameslink service saying its top speed is 100 MPH. I was wondering at what point would a Thameslink train need to go that fast and do they ever do so on a regular basis?

Same question for Southeastern trains as I occasionally take them.

Kind regards,

 

[JonathanH]

I was wondering at what point would a Thameslink train need to go that fast and do they ever do so on a regular basis?

North of London they run at 100mph, South of London they don't.

Running at 100mph is quite important where they share the fast line with long distance services, for example north of Cricklewood on the Midland Main Line until they return to the slow line, and north of Alexandra Palace on the East Coast Main Line.

 

[Trainguy34]

Hi all,

On my journey home last Friday I saw a label on a Thameslink service saying its top speed is 100 MPH. I was wondering at what point would a Thameslink train need to go that fast and do they ever do so on a regular basis?

Same question for Southeastern trains as I occasionally take them.

Kind regards,

On Southeastern, the only 100mph section is Tonbridge - Ashford Int'l, but lots of the Chatham Mainline after Medway is 90mph, even reaching 95 at one point!

 

[zwk500]

Thameslink trains regularly run at 100mph when operating the faster (not stopping) services on the Midland Mainline and East Coast main lines. E.g. Cambridge-Brighton. The Brighton line was 100mph for a while but I think has now been reduced to 90mph for all units. 377s have reached 100mph on the Brighton line on specially authorised runs.

Southeastern services can only run at 100mph on the Tonbridge-Ashford line, but I think do manage the ton. SWR also run 100mph on the third rail between Weybridge and Eastleigh.

 

[Jack D]

North of London they run at 100mph, South of London they don't.

Ah, I've lived all my life in South London which would explain why I've only seen Southeastern High Speed and Eurostar go that fast.

 

[JonathanH]

Ah, I've lived all my life in South London which would explain why I've only seen Southeastern High Speed and Eurostar go that fast.

You may want to have a look at line speeds on the diagrams available in the pdf copies of the Sectional Appendix here

National Electronic Sectional Appendix - Network Rail

The National Electronic Sectional Appendix contains detailed information useful to operators about network capability, as well as other data.

www.networkrail.co.uk

Scroll down to where it says "Sectional Appendix PDF copies"

 

[craigybagel]

On Southeastern, the only 100mph section is Tonbridge - Ashford Int'l, but lots of the Chatham Mainline after Medway is 90mph, even reaching 95 at one point!

Thameslink trains regularly run at 100mph when operating the faster (not stopping) services on the Midland Mainline and East Coast main lines. E.g. Cambridge-Brighton. The Brighton line was 100mph for a while but I think has now been reduced to 90mph for all units. 377s have reached 100mph on the Brighton line on specially authorised runs.

Southeastern services can only run at 100mph on the Tonbridge-Ashford line, but I think do manage the ton. SWR also run 100mph on the third rail between Weybridge and Eastleigh.

There's a small bit of 100mph running north of Tonbridge as well, through Hildenborough. It also extends further east than Ashford, to just east of Westenhanger.

IIRC the only 100mph section on the Brighton line was a short section near Three Bridges, and was only for Class 319s. It has been removed for a while now.

 

[brad465]

On Southeastern, the only 100mph section is Tonbridge - Ashford Int'l, but lots of the Chatham Mainline after Medway is 90mph, even reaching 95 at one point!

Where does it do that? I don't recall seeing anything above 90 on the Chatham mainline.

100mph between Tonbridge and Ashford is not seen much in passenger service due to the calling patterns along there. I suspect trains that skip Pluckley can reach it between Headcorn and Ashford, as that's over 10 minutes of running; possibly also the handful of services that skip Marden. Otherwise it's only on ECS moves and engineering work diversions (where Maidstone East line trains run fast from Paddock Wood-Ashford), that sustained 100mph running is seen here.

East of Ashford apparently the 395s cannot draw enough power eastbound to reach 100mph, despite running fast to Folkestone West, however westbound they can as they get downhill assistance.

 

[notadriver]

Where does it do that? I don't recall seeing anything above 90 on the Chatham l

Yes where was it going 95 east of the Medway towns ?

 

[Trainguy34]

Where does it do that? I don't recall seeing anything above 90 on the Chatham mainline.

There's a small section according to OpenRailwayMap just west of Teynham.

 

[zwk500]

There's a small section according to OpenRailwayMap just west of Teynham.

That 95mph is not reflected in the latest Sectional Appendix

 

[Magdalia]

North of London they run at 100mph, South of London they don't.

Running at 100mph is quite important where they share the fast line with long distance services, for example north of Cricklewood on the Midland Main Line until they return to the slow line, and north of Alexandra Palace on the East Coast Main Line.

Brighton-Cambridge and Horsham-Peterborough trains both run at 100 mph between just north of Alexandra Palace and Woolmer Green. The latter also run at 100 mph between Huntingdon and Peterborough.

The class 700s that work some Kings Cross-Kings Lynn/Ely trains will run at 100 mph between just north of Alexandra Palace and Hitchin.

 

[Trainguy34]

That 95mph is not reflected in the latest Sectional Appendix
View attachment 183291

Hmm, will probably update that when I get a chance then.

 

[clockend]

Southeastern is 140mph….

 

[GEC465]

Southeastern is 140mph….

Only on highspeed.... Generally max is 100 around Ashford but mostly 90 everywhere else

 

[Dumpton Park]

I was on a Sunday Tonbridge to "Sandwich" on June 15 that (to my surprise) went non-stop from Tonbridge to Ashford (not done that for many a year!) and for curiousity's sake I happened to check on my phone - the 375s certainly made 100 for a while.

DP