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Thameslink (route)

Thameslink
700110 - London Blackfriars 3T13.JPG
Overview
Type Commuter rail, Suburban rail
System National Rail
Status Operational
Locale East of England
Greater London
South East England
Termini Bedford/Luton/St Albans
Brighton/Sutton/Sevenoaks
Stations 68 (additional stations at peaks)
Services 5
Operation
Opened 1988
Owner Network Rail
Operator(s) Thameslink
Depot(s) Bedford Cauldwell Walk
Bedford
Cricklewood
Three Bridges
Rolling stock Class 319
Class 377 Electrostar
Class 700 Desiro City
Technical
Number of tracks 2–4
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in) standard gauge
Electrification 25 kV 50hz AC
750 V DC third rail
Operating speed 100 mph (160 km/h) maximum

Thameslink is a 68-station main-line route in the British railway system running 225 km (140 mi) north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport, with a suburban loop serving Sutton, Mitcham and Wimbledon and a suburban line via Catford and Bromley South to Sevenoaks. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than 28,000 passengers in the morning peak. Almost all the services are currently operated by Thameslink.

The Thameslink Programme is a major £5.5 billion scheme to extend the service to a further 100 stations and to greatly increase capacity on the central London section to accommodate more frequent and longer trains, scheduled for completion in 2018. In 2016, new Class 700 trains started operating on the route and are gradually replacing the Class 319, Class 377 and Class 387 trains which are being transferred elsewhere.

Much of the route is over the Brighton Main Line (London Bridge branch) and the southern part of the Midland Main Line. There is also a suburban loop through Sutton and Wimbledon and a branch over the Catford Loop Line to Sevenoaks.


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