page_title: British Rail Class 377
section_title: Additional units and the Thameslink Programme
hierarchical_section_title: British Rail Class 377 / Description / Additional units and the Thameslink Programme
caption_attribution_description: English: Southern liveried Bombardier Class 377/2 Electrostar No. 377202 at Watford Junction, with a service bound for East Croydon, Gatwick Airport and Brighton
context_page_description: The British Rail Class 377 Electrostar is a British dual-voltage electric multiple unit train built by Bombardier Transportation at its Derby Litchurch Lane Works, from 2001 to 2014. The Electrostar family is the most numerous type of EMU built in the post-privatisation period of Britain's railways.
  The class forms the major part of the Govia Thameslink Railway fleet for Southern services and now also supplement some Southeastern services. They are primarily seen on services in the south of England.
context_section_description: In April 2007, as part of the Route Utilisation Strategy for the Brighton Main Line, it was announced that Southern would procure an additional 48 Class 377 carriages to replace an identical number of Class 319 carriages (12 4-car units) due to be transferred to First Capital Connect. Eleven further dual-voltage units were then added to the order, making a total of 23. They were ordered from Bombardier in March 2008 and were delivered in First's corporate colour scheme but with Southern spec interior (green seats). The units were commissioned at Southern's Selhurst depot in Croydon before being transferred to First Capital Connect's Bedford Cauldwell depot. The first of these, unit 377501, was delivered to Cauldwell depot on 27 February 2009 after making its first appearance through the Thameslink Central London core. The 377/5s operate mainly on Bedford to Brighton services but in the peaks form part of FCC's and Southeastern's new joint service to places such as Rochester and Ashford.
  Delays in the construction of the Class 377/5s for First Capital Connect saw the temporary transfer of eight of Southern's Class 377/2s to FCC to enable them to implement the planned timetable changes on 22 March 2009; the loss of these units until September 2009 was covered by the temporary cascade of a number of Class 350/1s to Southern from London Midland, which operated services between East Croydon and Milton Keynes.
  In September 2011, it was announced that Southern had begun the procurement of 130 vehicles, due to delays in the procurement of new Thameslink rolling stock that would prevent transfer of the 377/5s in time for the December 2013 timetable change. The contract was awarded to Bombardier in December 2011. The additional eight five-car units (from an option in the contract for 40 additional vehicles) are dual-voltage and known as Class 377/7.
  In December 2011, three Class 377/2 units were transferred from Southern to First Capital Connect (now Thameslink) to allow more 12-car services to be run.
  During mid-2013, the first of the new Class 377/6s arrived from Derby for type testing, and since October 2013, these units have been used in passenger service, initially in peak-hour services on the Sutton and Mole Valley lines, Epsom Downs Branch, Tattenham Corner Line and the Caterham Line.
  Southeastern received 25 Class 377 units (the 23 Class 377/5s and 2 Class 377/1s) in recent years, as specified in Department for Transport documents, published in September 2013, relating to the new combined Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern Franchise.
caption: Southern Class 377/2 No. 377202 at Watford Junction
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