Thameslink and Great Northern

Thameslink and Great Northern

Overview
Franchise(s):	Part of Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern 14 Sep 2014 - 2021
Main region(s):	London, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Sussex
Other region(s):	Norfolk, Surrey, Kent
Stations called at:	129 (approx)
Stations operated:	77
Route km operated:	778.9
National Rail abbreviation:	TL (Thameslink) GN (Great Northern)
Parent company:	Govia Thameslink Railway
Website:	www.thameslinkrailway.com
Route map

Thameslink and Great Northern are the brand names used by the Govia Thameslink Railway train operating company on the Thameslink and Great Northern routes of the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise, previously operated by First Capital Connect.

History

Thameslink and Great Northern services were merged into one franchise in 2006 due to the Thameslink Programme. In 2012, it was announced that services of First Capital Connect, Southern (with Gatwick Express) and some Southeastern routes would be merged into a single franchise for the expanding Thameslink network.^[1] The Invitation to Tender was to have been issued in October 2012, with the successful bidder announced in Spring 2013 and TSGN originally due to start in September 2013. However, due to the collapse of the InterCity West Coast re-franchising process, all franchising competitions were frozen until January 2013.^[2] In January 2013 the government announced that it would extend the contract until March 2014, intending to negotiate with FirstGroup to operate the franchise on a management contract for up to two years.^[3]

In March 2013 the Secretary of State for Transport announced that the franchise would again be extended, until 13 September 2014, and that the future franchise would be a management-style contract due to the level of investment and change on the route.^[4] In September 2013 a revised invitation to tender was issued.^[5] Govia Thameslink Railway was awarded the franchise on 23 May 2014.^[6][7]

On 14 September 2014, Thameslink and Great Northern took over from First Capital Connect, serving 122 stations and operating a fleet of 226 trains. In December 2014, full control was taken of the Sevenoaks Thameslink service (this service was previously jointly operated with Southeastern).

On 21 January 2016 Transport for London announced that it intends to take over the London suburban parts of the franchise in 2021, to form a new suburban metro service.^[8]

Services

As of 13 December 2015, the current routes operated off-peak Monday to Friday are with frequencies measured in trains per hour:^[9]

Thameslink network

Thameslink
Route	tph	Calling at
Bedford - Brighton	2	Bedford, Flitwick, Harlington, Leagrave, Luton, Luton Airport Parkway, Harpenden, St Albans City, West Hampstead Thameslink, London St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, London Blackfriars, East Croydon, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges, Haywards Heath, Wivelsfield, Burgess Hill, Hassocks, Preston Park, Brighton
Bedford - Three Bridges	2	Bedford, Flitwick, Harlington, Leagrave, Luton, Luton Airport Parkway, Harpenden, St Albans City, London St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, London Blackfriars, East Croydon, Purley, Coulsdon South, Merstham, Redhill, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges
London Bridge - Brighton	2	London Bridge, East Croydon, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges, Balcombe (1tph), Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill (1tph), Brighton (Balcombe and Burgess Hill are served by alternate trains)
Luton - Wimbledon - Sutton - St Albans City (loop)	2	Luton, Luton Airport Parkway, Harpenden, St Albans City, Radlett, Elstree & Borehamwood, Mill Hill Broadway, Hendon, Cricklewood, West Hampstead Thameslink, Kentish Town, London St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, London Blackfriars, Elephant & Castle, Loughborough Junction, Herne Hill, Tulse Hill, Streatham, Tooting, Haydons Road, Wimbledon, Wimbledon Chase, South Merton, Morden South, St Helier, Sutton Common, West Sutton, Sutton, Carshalton, Hackbridge, Mitcham Junction, Mitcham Eastfields, Streatham, all stations back to St Albans City
West Hampstead Thameslink - Sevenoaks	2	West Hampstead Thameslink, Kentish Town, London St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, London Blackfriars, Elephant & Castle, Denmark Hill, Peckham Rye, Nunhead, Crofton Park, Catford, Bellingham, Beckenham Hill, Ravensbourne, Shortlands, Bromley South, Bickley, St Mary Cray, Swanley, Eynsford, Shoreham, Otford, Bat & Ball, Sevenoaks

Peak-time-only services on Thameslink routes include:

• Bedford - Beckenham Junction (4 tpd)
• Bedford - Elephant & Castle (2 tpd)
• Bedford - Orpington (1 tpd)
• Bedford - Sevenoaks (4 tpd)
• Bedford - Sutton via Mitcham Junction (4 tpd)
• Bedford - Sutton via Wimbledon (4 tpd)
• Luton - Bromley South via Catford (1 tpd)
• Luton - Sevenoaks (8 tpd)
• Selhurst - Luton (1 tpd)
• Selhurst - Bedford (1tpd)
• St Albans City - Bromley South (1 tpd)
• St Albans City - Sevenoaks (6 tpd)
• West Hampstead Thameslink - Orpington (1 tpd)

Great Northern network

Great Northern
Route	tph	Calling at
London King's Cross - Cambridge and King's Lynn (fast)	2	London King's Cross, Cambridge; 1tph extended to King's Lynn calling at Waterbeach, Ely, Littleport, Downham Market, Watlington and King's Lynn
London King's Cross - Peterborough (semi-fast)	2	London King's Cross, Finsbury Park, Potters Bar (1tph), Hatfield (1tph), Welwyn Garden City (1tph), Welwyn North (1tph), Knebworth (1tph), Stevenage, Hitchin, Arlesey, Biggleswade, Sandy, St Neots, Huntingdon, Peterborough (Stations served hourly are all served by the same train)
London King's Cross - Cambridge (semi-fast)	2	London King's Cross, Finsbury Park, Potters Bar (1tph), Hatfield (1tph), Welwyn Garden City (1tph), Welwyn North (1tph), Knebworth (1tph), Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City, Baldock, Ashwell and Morden (1tph), Royston, Meldreth (1tph), Shepreth (1tph), Foxton (1tph), Cambridge (Stations served hourly are all served by the same train)
London Moorgate - Welwyn Garden City (stopping)	3	London Moorgate, Old Street, Essex Road, Highbury & Islington, Drayton Park, Finsbury Park, Harringay, Hornsey, Alexandra Palace, New Southgate, Oakleigh Park, New Barnet, Hadley Wood, Potters Bar, Brookmans Park, Welham Green, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City
London Moorgate - Hertford North and Letchworth Garden City (stopping)	3	London Moorgate, Old Street, Essex Road, Highbury & Islington, Drayton Park, Finsbury Park, Harringay, Hornsey, Alexandra Palace, Bowes Park, Palmers Green, Winchmore Hill, Grange Park, Enfield Chase, Gordon Hill, Crews Hill, Cuffley, Bayford, Hertford North; 1tph extended to Letchworth Garden City calling at Watton-at-Stone, Stevenage, Hitchin and Letchworth Garden City

Peak-time-only services on Great Northern routes include:

• London Kings Cross - Ely (5 tpd)
• London Kings Cross - Huntingdon (2 tpd)
• London Kings Cross - Royston (10 tpd)
• London Moorgate - Hitchin via Hertford North (2 tpd)
• London Moorgate - Gordon Hill (10 tpd)
• London Moorgate - Stevenage via Hertford North (12 tpd)

Rolling Stock

Current fleet

Interior of a new Class 700 train. These trains have been rolled out onto the Thameslink route since 20 June 2016.

A recently overhauled Class 319 train with new passenger information systems on the Thameslink route

The interior of a new Thameslink Class 387 train

All Thameslink rolling stock is electrically powered dual-voltage units using 25 kV AC overhead power north of Farringdon and 750 V DC third rail to the south.

Thameslink

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Carriages	Number	Routes operated	Built
			mph	km/h
Class 319		EMU	100	161	4	52	Three Bridges ↔ Bedford Sutton ↔ St Albans City / Luton (both routes) Sevenoaks ↔ West Hampstead Thameslink (occasionally Brighton ↔ Bedford and Brighton ↔ London Bridge)	1987–88 1990
Class 377/2 Electrostar		EMU	100	161	4	9	Brighton / Three Bridges ↔ Bedford Brighton ↔ London Bridge (peak hours: Ashford International / Rochester ↔ Bedford)	2002–03
Class 377/5 Electrostar		EMU	100	161	4	23		2008–09
Class 387/1		EMU	110	177	4	13	Brighton / Three Bridges ↔ Bedford Brighton ↔ London Bridge	2014–15
Class 700/0		EMU	100	161	8	14	Brighton / Three Bridges ↔ Bedford Brighton ↔ London Bridge	2015–18
Class 700/1		EMU	100	161	12	15	Brighton / Three Bridges ↔ Bedford Brighton ↔ London Bridge	2015–18

Great Northern

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Carriages	Number	Routes operated	Built
			mph	km/h
Class 313		EMU	75	120	3	44	London Moorgate / London King's Cross ↔ Welwyn Garden City / Hertford North / Stevenage / Letchworth Garden City	1976–77
Class 317		EMU	100	161	4	12	London King's Cross ↔ Peterborough / Cambridge	1981–82
Class 321		EMU	100	161	4	13	London King's Cross ↔ Peterborough / Cambridge	1989–90
Class 365		EMU	100	161	4	40	London King's Cross ↔ Peterborough / Cambridge / King's Lynn	1994–95
Class 387/1		EMU	110	177	4	16	London King's Cross ↔ Peterborough / Cambridge	2014-15

1: ^ The Northern City Line between Moorgate and Drayton Park is also electrified at 750V DC using third rail.

Future rolling stock

In 2011 the consortium Cross London Trains Ltd. consisting of Siemens Project Ventures, 3i Infrastructure plc and Innisfree Ltd was announced as preferred bidder with Siemens to manufacture and maintain the rolling stock to run on the Thameslink routes from 2016. This was a politically controversial decision as the competing bidder Bombardier Transportation had a train factory in the UK.^[10] Both the procurement process and final close of contract were significantly delayed, resulting in the expected first delivery date moving from 2012 to 2016. The trains are known as Class 700s and the £1.6 billion contract to manufacture and provide service depots for the trains was finalised in mid 2013.^[11] A fleet of 115 8- and 12-car trains are expected to enter service between 2016 and 2018. Associated rolling stock depots are being built at Hornsey and Three Bridges.

Because of the delay in procuring the Class 700 trains, 29 Class 387 trains were ordered for the Thameslink route, facilitating the release of existing Class 319 trains to newly electrified routes. Delivery was completed in 2014 and the trains entered service later that year. The order includes provision for an extra 140 vehicles.^[5][12] It was originally planned that once the Class 700s begin entering service, the Class 387s would be transferred to Great Western Railway for use on routes in the Thames Valley.^[13] However a change of plans saw GWR order an entirely new fleet of Class 387s with the ex-Thameslink examples expected to be cascaded to the Great Northern routes upon delivery of the Class 700s.^[14][15] This will allow Great Northern to operate fast services at up to 110 mph, something which the old fleet was incapable of.

In addition to the introduction of the new Class 700 units, GTR also plan to procure a further 25 new 6-car trains for use on Great Northern suburban services that originate from London Moorgate, replacing the 40-year-old Class 313 trains.^[16][17] In December 2015 it was announced that Siemens would be providing these new trains as a follow-on to the Class 700 order.^[18][19]

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Carriages	Number	Routes operated	Built	Years operated
			mph	km/h
700/0 & 700/1		EMU	100	161	8	46	Thameslink route Great Northern route	2015–	June 2016 (Thameslink) 2017 (Great Northern)[20]
					12	40
717[21]		EMU	100	161	6	25	Moorgate routes	TBC	From 2018

Franchise commitments

The logo at the start of the franchise.

An example of widescale upgrade works at Harpenden station including the extension of platforms for 12 carriage trains, a new footbridge with lifts, new waiting rooms, brighter lighting, new ticket gates and automatic passenger information screens

This franchise is different from other franchises let since privatisation in 1996. Now the operator, in this case Govia, gives all revenue to the government, rather than paying set premiums. The Department for Transport will pay Govia, totalling around £8.9bn over the franchise period of seven years, from the expected revenues of £12.4bn. With this Govia expects to make a 3% profit, and the risks on costs will be Govia's, while the DfT will profit or lose from fluctuations in revenue.^[16]

Govia plans to invest £50m in all 239 stations it will manage. It plans to:^[22]

• Enhance all 239 stations including improving access, replace electronic information screens and working with local authorities on the redevelopment of St Albans and Luton stations.
• Increase staffing hours at many stations, with the 100 busiest stations staffed from first to last train, like London Overground stations.
• Extension of 'the key' smartcard which Southern has been introducing.
• Provide 104 stations with free wifi.
• £1.5m on station access improvements including increased cycle storage and electrical vehicle charging points.

Other plans include:^[23]

• Half-hourly King's Lynn to London services
• Direct Peterborough, Cambridge, Welwyn Garden City and Finsbury Park to Tattenham Corner, Caterham, Horsham services.^[24]
• Increasing Great Northern suburban services to four trains per hour via Enfield Chase and New Barnet
• Great Northern suburban services to run to Moorgate at weekends and on weekday evenings
• 50% increase in capacity from Uckfield to London in the peaks.
• Doubling overnight Thameslink services
• Sevenoaks Thameslink services to run on Saturdays
• Working to extend Oyster to Epsom, Gatwick Airport, Luton Airport Parkway, Welwyn Garden City and Hertford North^[25]
• Class 387 Electrostars for King's Lynn express services, releasing Class 317s, 321s and some Class 365s for newly electrified routes elsewhere.^[26]
• Creating an Alliance arrangement with Network Rail in 2016, like South West Trains.^[27]

Performance

Govia and Thameslink passenger numbers 2011 to 2016, annual rolling average^[28][29]

In February 2015, Thameslink and Great Northern came at the bottom of Which? magazine's Best and worst UK train companies customer survey, scoring a customer satisfaction score of 43%. Thameslink and Great Northern was also scored 2/5 stars in each of the specific categories covered by the survey (including Reliability, Punctuality and Cleanliness of toilets) - which is the worst performance of any UK train operator.^[30]

Passenger numbers on Govia Thameslink Railway (which also includes Southern and Gatwick Express) have risen from 262 million annually in 2010/11 to 327 million annually in 2015/16.^[29]

References

External links

• Media related to Govia Thameslink Railway at Wikimedia Commons
• Thameslink and Great Northern website

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