Thameslink

Thameslink
Overview
Locale
Predecessor
Current operator(s)Govia Thameslink Railway, 14 September 2014 – 1 April 2028[1]
Websitewww.thameslinkrailway.com Edit this at Wikidata
Route
Termini
Train number(s)TL
Line(s) used
Technical
Rolling stock115 Class 700 Desiro City
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification
Track owner(s)Network Rail
Route map
Thameslink

Thameslink is a mainline route on the British railway network, running from Bedford, Luton, St Albans City, Peterborough, Welwyn Garden City, London Blackfriars and Cambridge via central London to Sutton, Orpington, Sevenoaks, Rainham, Horsham, Three Bridges, Brighton and East Grinstead. The network opened as a through service in 1988, with severe overcrowding by 1998, carrying more than 28,000 passengers in the morning peak. All the services are currently operated by Govia Thameslink Railway. Parts of the network, from Bedford to Three Bridges, run 24 hours a day, except on early Sunday mornings and during maintenance periods.[2]

The Thameslink Programme was a major £5.5 billion scheme to increase capacity on the central London section by accommodating more frequent and longer trains, and providing additional routes and destinations. The new services began operating in 2018. In 2016, new Class 700 trains started operating on the route and replaced the Class 319, Class 377 and Class 387 trains which were withdrawn and transferred elsewhere.

  1. ^ "National Rail Contract Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern" (PDF). Department for Transport. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference BedfordLondonTimetable was invoked but never defined (see the help page).