Southeastern’s former Networker train leaves storage – to head abroad?
Networker in Slade Green sidings
So here’s a turn up for the books.
One of Southeastern’s former Networker trains previously in storage at Ely has taken a trip to Great Yarmouth to a company that sells withdrawn stock abroad.
ROMIC have shown a video of the train having arrived on a lorry. But being third rail, where could the Class 465 operate?
ROMIC have yet to say, and state it’s for “a new project we have coming up”. The company were behind the export of High Speed Trains to Mexico after their withdrawal in recent years. They even use the hash tag “#Class43” in a video of Networkers.
Networkers
A number of Networkers were withdrawn from Southeastern services when trains were let go by South Western Railway in advance of that network seeing new stock – which is running years late.
Those trains were branded as “City Beams” on arrival with 28 out of 30 now in service. That saw some of the 30 year old Networkers head to storage.
It was only the 465/2 variety that was sent packing. When Networkers were ordered construction was split between two businesses; BREL built most of the stock while Metro-Cammell built another variant (465/2s) which went into storage.
There were subtle difference between the two. One example being air vents above seats on BREL stock which didn’t exist on Metro-Cammell. All the BREL-built stock also saw new Hitachi traction equipment installed around 15 years ago while the others didn’t.
Some Metro-Cammell stock does still run including the two-car 466’s and the 465/9s which were revamped to include a first class section and orange interior.
By far the most pleasant inside (and better maintained at least in terms of passenger ambience) they too could head to storage or scrap soon.
That’s due a potential cascade of stock as Great Northern send trains to Southern who in turn send some to Southeastern
But before all that news will hopefully emerge of what plans there are for Southeastern’s former stock. Suggestions?
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Put the into battery operation for non electrified routes to displace/replace class 156 units?
Could be a trial of that. Experience with conversions of old District line stock with Vivarail and the 319s not great.