Thameslink Programme - Key Output Zero

Pictures are of FCC unit 377501 (the first of 23 Electrostars to be deliveried) departing platform four at Blackfriars. The unit was returning to Selhurst before going onto Derby the following day.

As the Thameslink programme is now under way the first major step of the programme is about to begin and is going to have massive affect on the customers using the Thameslink route and also SouthEastern's customers on the services that currently terimate in Blackfriars.

The Thameslink Programme was broken down into three output phases. The first, Key Output Zero hits on the 23rd March. This will see the bays at Blackfriars horded off and the station rebuilt while serving trains. Moorgate will lose its Thameslink branch and Barbican will lose mainline trains and become a London Underground station only. Sevenoaks services will be extended northways with all but 5 services going as far as Kentish Town with some peak working going even futher. The current SouthEastern trains to (AM peak) and from (PM peak) Blackfriars will be extended as far as Bedford.

To achieve this First Capital Connect (FCC) are gaining additional stock to run all these extra services. Now this is where the problems arise. Due to massive problems Bombarbier have had with some suppliers being out of business. This has also affected the London Overground 378s. Because of the fact that now building work has started and the Thameslink Programme can not be put back any futher, a train cascade is now taking place to ensure that FCC can cope with the demands of a Key Output Zero (KO0) timetable. FCC will now recieve eight 377/2 Electrostar (which are actually the same as the 377/5 FCC are waiting to be deliveried). This would mean that Southern are multiple units short. To this end they are getting some 375 Electrostars from SouthEastern, Dual Voltage 350/1s from London Midland and using some 442 EMUs to cover their services.

The bad news is this is now enough units to cover everything so the following services are going to be DC only Networkers services instead of going futher north. All will terimate at City Thameslink.

AM Peak
0740 Sevenoaks to (Kentish Town) City Thameslink
*8 car 319 now 6 car Networker (465 + 466)
0752 Sevenoaks to (Luton) City Thameslink
*8 car 319 now 8 car Networker (465 x2)

PM Peak
1650 (Luton) City Thameslink to Sevenoaks
* 8 car 319 now 8 car Networker (465 x2)
1808 (Kentish Town) City Thameslink to Sevenoaks
* 8 car 319 now 8 car Networker (465 + 466 x2)
1906 Sevenoaks to (Kentish Town) City Thameslink
* 8 car 319 now 8 car Networker (465 x2)

Ther is also an extra train that will start at Farringdon. This is because the unit will be formed of two 4 car 317 units that are AC only so are unable to work south of Farringdon. The units will run the following service

1816 Farringdon to Bedford
St Pancras International 1820, St Albans 1842, Harpenden 1848, Luton Airport Parkway 1854, Luton 1857, Harlington 1905 and arrive at Bedford 1920

The joint SouthEastern/FCC services will including the following as well as the Sevenoaks services. These will use 4 or 8 car 319 trains to achieve this

AM Peak
2 trains from Orpington via Catford
2 trains from Orpington via Herne Hill
2 trains from Bromley South via Catford
1 train from Beckenham Junction via Herne Hill
1 train from Kent House via Herne Hill

PM Peak
1 train to Orpington via Catford
2 trains to Beckenham Junction via Herne Hill

Long distance services will be as follows

AM Peak
0609 Bearstead to Bedford via Maidstone East
0623 Ashford International to Bedford via Maidstone East
0729 Rochester to bedford

PM Peak
1622 Bedford to Gillingham via Herne Hill
1646 Bedford to Bedford via Maidstone East
1700 Bedford to Gillingham via Herne Hill

So the Fleet for FCC Thameslink come KO0 will be as follows

317 x2 (borrowed from FCC Great Northern route)
319 x86 (the whole 319 fleet)
377/2 x8 (Borrowed from Southern)
377/5 x2 (with a futher 21 to be deliveried during 2009)

This leaves a total of 10 peak trains that are four car units which are as follows

AM Peak
0629 Luton to Sevenoaks
0816 Brighton to Bedford

PM Peak
1507 Brighton to Bedford
1534 Sevenoaks to Bedford
1537 Brighton to Bedford
1544 Luton to Sutton
1613 St Albans to Wimbledon
1711 London Bridge to Brighton
1740 Sutton to St Albans
1757 Wimbledon to Luton
1842 London Bridge to Brighton

Once all 23 377/5 Electrostars are deliveried all AM peak services will be of 8 car units and only six 4 car services in the PM peak. Although there is more than planned 4 car services the capacity remains silmar to the planned KO0 timetable.