British Rail Class 375
| British Rail Class 375 Electrostar | |
|---|---|
 London & South Eastern Railway Class 375 leaving Ramsgate EMU Depot | |
 The interior of a refurbished Class 375 | |
| In service | 2000–present |
| Manufacturers | |
| Built at | Derby Litchurch Lane Works |
| Family name | Electrostar |
| Replaced | |
| Constructed | 1999–2005 |
| Refurbished | 2015–2018 |
| Number built | 140 |
| Number in service |
|
| Formation |
|
| Capacity |
|
| Owner | Eversholt Rail Group |
| Operator | Southeastern |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 20.39 m (66 ft 11 in) (end cars) 19.98 m (65 ft 7 in) (middle cars) |
| Width | 2.80 m (9 ft 2 in) [citation needed] |
| Height | 3.78 m (12 ft 5 in) [citation needed] |
| Maximum speed | 100 mph (161 km/h) |
| Weight | 133.1 t (131.0 long tons; 146.7 short tons) (375/3) 173.6 t (170.9 long tons; 191.4 short tons) (Others) [citation needed] |
| Traction motors | 6–8 × 250 kW (340 hp) |
| Power output |
|
| Acceleration | 0.62 m/s2 (1.4 mph/s) |
| Electric systems |
|
| Current collection |
|
| Coupling system | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Notes/references | |
| Sourced from unless otherwise noted. | |
The British Rail Class 375 Electrostar is an electric multiple unit train that was built at Derby Litchurch Lane Works, thirty units by Adtranz from 1999 to 2001, and 110 units by Bombardier Transportation (successors to Adtranz) from 2001 to 2004. The class form part of the Electrostar family of units, which also includes classes 357, 376, 377, 378, 379 and 387, the most numerous type of EMU introduced since the privatisation of British Rail.
These units form the basis of Southeastern's mainline fleet.
Description
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Introduced into service in 2000, these trains are owned by Eversholt Rail Group (formerly HSBC Rail) and leased to Southeastern for operation from London to Kent and parts of East Sussex.
The Class 375 is the principal train used by Southeastern, and replaced the slam-door Mark 1 derived stock, which were more than 40 years old and did not meet modern health and safety requirements and replaced the 16 Class 365s which were transferred to WAGN in 2004. All units have been converted from Tightlock to Dellner couplers.
Refurbishment
In 2015, 112 units, around one third of the now 15-year old fleet of 367, were refurbished at Bombardier's Derby Litchurch Lane Works. The work included an exterior repaint, new carpets and lino flooring, as well as removing and re-covering every seat.
Accidents and incidents
- On 8 November 2010, a passenger train operated by unit 375 711 overran Stonegate station, on the Hastings Line in East Sussex, due to low railhead adhesion in the leaf fall season and maintenance errors in respect of the train's sanding apparatus. The train continued to slide beyond the station for 2 miles 36 chains (3.94 km). Following the incident, Southeastern reduced the interval that the sand hoppers were to be refilled from seven days to five days.
- On 24 November 2014, the front carriage of unit 375 611 caught fire from faulty electrical insulation pots at Charing Cross Platform 6. There were no injuries, though both the track and leading carriage required repairs, part of the rail being melted.
- On 26 July 2015, units 375 703 and 375 612 formed a train that collided with a herd of cattle on the line at Godmersham, between Wye and Chilham, Kent. The leading carriage of 375 703 was derailed. There were no injuries amongst the 70 passengers and crew on board.
- On 5 January 2018, unit 375 815 hit a fallen tree near Herne Bay. Though damage was sustained to the leading carriage, there were no injuries.
- On 24 October 2018, shortly before midnight unit 375 301 leading 375 906 hit a car abandoned on a level crossing between Teynham and Faversham. The car caught fire and the leading carriage of 375 301 sustained damage to its corridor, bogie and coupling.
- On 13 July 2025, units 375 905 and 375 608 formed a train that collided with a van on a level crossing between Teynham and Sittingbourne.
Operations
Main lines
Class 375s work the following main line routes:
- Charing Cross – Tunbridge Wells and Hastings fast and local services
- Charing Cross – Dover Priory and Ramsgate via Ashford International.
- Victoria – Ramsgate and Dover Priory via Chatham
- Cannon Street - Ramsgate/Broadstairs via Chatham (peak hours only)
Outer suburban
Class 375s also work the following outer suburban Southeastern routes interchangeably with Class 377/5 and Class 465/9 units:
- Charing Cross – Tunbridge Wells
- Victoria/ Charing Cross – Ashford International and Maidstone East,
- Victoria - Dover Priory via Denmark Hill and Gillingham (Kent)
- Victoria - Canterbury East/ Faversham (Sundays only)
Medway Valley Line
Class 375/3 Electrostar units started operating services on the Medway Valley Line from May 2012 to January 2016, and then from September 2016 to the present day. Previously Class 466 Networkers were the regular units on this line with the occasional Class 465 Networker or 4-car 375 Electrostar being used as a substitute. The Networkers are no longer used on this route as the Class 466s are now non-compliant with the new PRM-TSI law and the volume of traffic cannot support Class 465s or 4-car Class 375s/377s Electrostars.
Sheerness line
From December 2019, Class 375/3 units replaced Class 466 units on the Sheerness line due to the latter being non-compliant with the new PRM-TSI law.
Fleet details
| Class | Type | Operator | No. in traffic | Year built | Cars per unit | Unit nos. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 375/3 | Express & outer suburban | Southeastern | 10 | 2001–2002 | 3 | 375301–375310 | Formed DMOC-TOSL-DMOS.
Units 375311–375338 were transferred to Southern, converted from Tightlock to Dellner couplers, and renumbered 377301–377328. |
| 375/6 | 30 | 1999–2001 | 4 | 375601–375630 | Dual-voltage units.
Originally formed DMOC-PTOSL-MOSL-DMOC. Refurbished to DMOS-PTOSL-MOCL-DMOS. | ||
| 375/7 | 15 | 2001–2002 | 375701–375715 | Originally formed DMOC-TOSL-MOSL-DMOC.
Refurbished to DMOS-TOSL-MOCL-DMOS. | |||
| 375/8 | 30 | 2004–2005 | 375801–375830 | ||||
| 375/9 | 27 | 2003–2004 | 375901–375927 | Refurbished to DMOC-TOSL-MOSL-DMOC with 3+2 seating in Standard class. First class was at both ends of the train prior to its removal. |
Illustrations
Named Units
Some units have received names:
- 375304 Medway Valley Line 1856-2006
- 375608 Bromley Travelwise
- 375610 Royal Tunbridge Wells
- 375611 Dr William Harvey
- 375619 Driver John Neve
- 375623 Hospice in the Weald
- 375624 White Cliffs Country
- 375701 Kent Air Ambulance Explorer
- 375703 Dickens Traveller
- 375710 Rochester Castle
- 375714 Rochester Cathedral
- 375810 Celebrating 40 years of the Tonbridge to Hastings Line electrification
- 375822 King Harold II – Proudly connecting our communities to the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum
- 375823 Ashford Proudly served by rail for 175 years
- 375829 Verena Holmes (1889–1964) Woman in Engineering
- 375830 City of London
References
- ↑ System Data for Mechanical and Electrical Coupling of Rail Vehicles in support of GM/RT2190 (PDF). London: Rail Safety and Standards Board. 22 June 2011. p. 4. SD001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
- 1 2 "Southern Electrics Group". Archived from the original on 2 February 2014.
- 1 2 "CLASS 375". eversholtrail.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 April 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
- ↑ "Class 375". www.kentrail.org.uk. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012.
- ↑ "One third of our trains start midlife refresh". Southeastern. 20 May 2015. Archived from the original on 31 May 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ↑ "Station overrun at Stonegate, East Sussex" (PDF). Rail Accident Investigation Branch. 8 November 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
- ↑ "Southeastern Train catches fire at Charing Cross Station". Rail Technology Magazine. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
- ↑ "Southeastern Train travelling between Chilham and Wye derails after hitting cattle". Kent Online. Kent Messenger Group. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
- ↑ "Derailment at Godmersham, Kent 26 July 2015" (PDF). Rail Accident Investigation Branch. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
- ↑ "Train hits car near Teynham". KentOnline. 25 October 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
- ↑ "Collision between a passenger train and a van at Bax level crossing 13 July 2025" (PDF). Rail Accident Investigation Branch. Retrieved 9 November 2026.
- ↑ Nurden, John (12 December 2019). "Santa to ride new Sheppey trains this Saturday". KentOnline. KM Group. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
- ↑ "First Class travel". southeasternrailway.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Electrostar Fleet Lists". Modern Locomotives Illustrated. No. 194. April 2012. pp. 88–95.
- 1 2 "Class 375 namings register Rochesters' heritage". Rail. No. 810. Peterborough: Bauer Consumer Media. 28 September 2016. p. 24. ISSN 0953-4563. OCLC 49953699.
- 1 2 Butlin, Ashley (November 2026). "Multiple Units". Stock update. The Railway Magazine. Vol. 171, no. 1508. p. 81.
- ↑ "Ashford International Station celebrates 175-year milestone". Newcastle upon Tyne: Southeastern. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ↑ Butlin, Ashley (July 2023). "Multiple Units". Stock Update. The Railway Magazine. No. 1468. p. 87.
- ↑ "Kent-born trailblazer Verena Holmes honoured with train naming on International Women in Engineering Day as Southeastern looks to boost number of women in engineering roles". Newcastle upon Tyne: Southeastern. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
Further reading
