Class 700 Desiro City

The huge fleet of Class 700 EMU has being built for the upgrade of Thameslink. They have replaced a number of old (and not quite so old units) such as the Classes 317, 319 and 377. The Class 700 is designed for high reliability, rapid acceleration, short dwell time and an increase in capacity.

The Class 700 is a development of the Desiro which is already common on British rails (the Class 450 for example). As they operate on cross-London services (North-South) they are equipped for both 25kV AC OHLE and 750v DC third rail operation.
Thameslink 700 134 at Oxted


Information
Number built: 1140 (115 8 and 12 car units)
Built: 2016-19
Builder: Siemens Transportation
Engine: Siemens traction system (750v DC third rail / 25kV AC OHLE)
Formation: (700/0) Driving Motor Composite Open (DMCO)+Pantograph
Trailer Standard Open (PTSO)+Motor Standard Open (MSO)+
Trailer Standard Open (TSO)+TSO+MSO+PTSO+DMCO
(700/1) DMCO+PTSO+MSO+MSO+TSO+TSO+TSO+TSO+MSO+
MSO+PTSO+DMCO

The Class 700 was originally planned to enter service in 2012 though was delayed - however mostly due to political and legal not technical reasons. The first train arrived in the UK in 2015 and entered service in the Summer of 2016 with Thameslink.



The Class 700 comes in two versions, the 700/0 is an eight car unit and the 700/1 a twelve car unit. There are sixty 700/0s and fifty-five 700/1s. 

The Class 717 is a similar unit built for Great Northern for the Northern City Line. The Class 707 is another member of the Desiro City family operated by Southeastern Railway.
700 003 at Bedford

700 003 again this time at St Pancras International

700 004 passes through Mitcham Junction

700 007 at Catford

700 024 at London Bridge