My Idea for: 313s to Southeastern?

[ScotGG]

With the 313s going off-lease from Great Northern in coming months are they able to operate on Southeastern routes - perhaps 3 cars on branches?

Purely hypothetical I know and unlikely being a micro fleet but just wondering.

Even a few more Networker carriages going spare to lengthen Metro routes would be welcome. There's barely any 12-car services and quite a few 8. Areas like Lewisham continue to see massive growth in housing.

They may be old and most other franchise areas would turn their noses up but when the daily ride is a battered and tatty Networker without a refrub in 25 years then a 313 is not any worse.

Also, how many trains are freed up by the 2 tph Thameslink to Rainham starting in May and what services will they strengthen?

 

[317666]

As far as I'm aware, the GN 313s are limited to 30mph when running on third rail - I'm sure someone with more knowledge will be able to tell you why!

 

[urpert]

It’s funny that when Connex briefly ran some 508s they actually gave them a half-decent return, making them more pleasant than Networkers...

 

[swt_passenger]

As far as I'm aware, the GN 313s are limited to 30mph when running on third rail - I'm sure someone with more knowledge will be able to tell you why!

It’s probably a limitation of the DC part of the route and not the stock.

 

[urpert]

It’s funny that when Connex briefly ran some 508s they actually gave them a half-decent return, making them more pleasant than Networkers...

Refurb, obviously!

 

[The_Engineer]

No chance. Of all the stock coming off lease Class 313 and 314 are first in the queue for the scrap yard......

 

[hooverboy]

No chance. Of all the stock coming off lease Class 313 and 314 are first in the queue for the scrap yard......

so they need to butcher them and use them on the island line if they are going for £1 each!

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Who would maintain them? Surely it would be more sensible to transfer some more 377s from Southern as more of their services are worked by Cl 700?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It’s probably a limitation of the DC part of the route and not the stock.

Sort of; it's to do with the end of the line at Moorgate.

 

[whoosh]

They have a speed limiter fitted. I'm sure it could be removed.

 

[apk55]

A class 313 is practically identical to a 3 car 506/507 except for the addition of transformer rectifier on the center trailer car and some changeover switches. The speed limit on DC is a speed sensitive switch that kills power above 30MPH and can be easily removed. Performance on DC would be as the 506/507 units

 

[JonathanH]

It’s funny that when Connex briefly ran some 508s they actually gave them a half-decent return, making them more pleasant than Networkers...

They really didn't give them a half-decent refurb, just a change of seat covers with the original seats and an area for bikes. They may well have been kept clean inside for the 10 years or so that they ran but there was nothing special about the 508s on Connex / South Eastern and no way better than a Networker.

A non-standard fleet of 313s isn't the way forward for Sheerness, the Medway Valley and Bromley North which is presumably what the OP is thinking of. I'm sure that the locals wouldn't want to see PEP stock back.

 

[700007]

It would be miles better than the garbage Southeastern uses at the moment so more than happy to see it happen.

 

[JonathanH]

It would be miles better than the garbage Southeastern uses at the moment so more than happy to see it happen.

What?

If the Networkers are exterminated in the next franchise there will be people on here complaining that they haven't done a full 40 year stint.

I can't imagine any way in which a GN 313 (or even a Southern 313) could be considered better than a Networker other than they aren't the stock currently in use and it would add some variety.

 

[physics34]

gotta remember the age of these units. There will be structural and corrosion issues with units this old which would make prolonging their life financially impractical. ..hence you notice most stock has a 25-35 year max lifespan

 

[SPADTrap]

A 313 also wouldn't meet PRM standards post 2019 would it?

 

[Domh245]

The GN units don't, although the Southern units do.

 

[RichJF]

You're probably better off transferring the 458s/707s to Southern Metro, moving 4 car 377s down to Coastway, then in turn moving the 377/3s & surplus 4 car 377s over to SE for their branch lines.

 

[SEClass375]

You're probably better off transferring the 458s/707s to Southern Metro, moving 4 car 377s down to Coastway, then in turn moving the 377/3s & surplus 4 car 377s over to SE for their branch lines.

That could free up some of the 465/9s on the Tunbridge Wells stoppers because you may have enough 375s to run as a 10 car formation (4+3+3) because if all the 377/3s get transferred, SE will have 38 3 car 375/377s.
How many 10 car formations are needed for the Tunbridge Wells stoppers?

 

[D365]

so they need to butcher them and use them on the island line if they are going for £1 each!

The whole point of Island Line (once again) is that mainline stock won't fit Ryde Tunnel.

I'll be very surprised if the next Kent franchise does receive further cascades for their existing routes. Aventras will be the order of the day for finally taking the metro routes to 12 car operation.