page_title: British Rail Class 319
section_title: Thameslink
hierarchical_section_title: British Rail Class 319 / Former operations / Thameslink
caption_attribution_description: English: The first Class 319/4 to be refreshed by First Capital Connect - No. 319425 at Bedford
context_page_description: The British Rail Class 319 is a dual-voltage electric multiple unit train capable of operating on 25 kV 50 Hz AC from overhead wires or 750 V DC from a third rail. They were built by British Rail Engineering Limited's Holgate Road carriage works for use on north-south cross-London services.
  Built in two batches in 1987–88 and 1990, the units were primarily used on the then-new Thameslink service operating from Bedford to Brighton and various other destinations south of London. The majority of the fleet remained in use on the Thameslink route after its reshaping and privatisation in 1997. Some of the fleet was also used by Connex South Central and latterly Southern on various other services operating out of London Victoria, including flagship expresses to Brighton.
  Since delivery of new Class 700 rolling stock for Thameslink services commenced in 2015, the Class 319 units have been redeployed for use in North West England on newly electrified lines but will be replaced in 2022 by surplus Class 323 units.
  Of the 86 Class 319s built, 34 remain in active service, nineteen with Northern Trains and fifteen with West Midlands Trains.
context_section_description: With the first units entering service for Thameslink in 1988, Class 319s were a mainstay on the Thameslink network for almost three decades. In early 2015, the first batch of units were withdrawn from the network after being displaced by Class 387 units.
  Twenty Class 319/3s transferred to Northern Rail for newly electrified lines in the North West, with the first units entering service in March 2015 after a light refurbishment. A further seven units left the network in 2015, transferring to London Midland to replace their Class 321 units, which had transferred to Abellio ScotRail.
  Since the introduction of the new Class 700 units in June 2016, Class 319s departed the network as new trains have entered service. A further batch of twelve units transferred to the North West of England for service with Arriva Rail North, with the remainder being placed into storage at Long Marston. The six remaining Class 319 units were withdrawn from Thameslink service on 27 August 2017, around 30 years after their initial introduction to service.
  Since their withdrawal, a number of additional units have been allocated to Northern and West Midlands Trains to boost capacity.
caption: The first refurbished Class 319/4 for First Capital Connect was 319425, seen here at Bedford
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