Southeastern announces 'mid-life refresh' for Class 376 fleet

At-seat power sockets, LED lighting and a new blue livery are all planed for Southeastern’s Class 376s.

The operator has announced a ‘mid-life refresh’ for the 36 electric multiple units which have been operating its Metro services since 2004.

The refurbishment will be done in two stages, with LED lighting and the Southeastern blue livery applied at Ashford Maintenance Centre. The first unit is due to emerge from there in the spring. Meanwhile, the interior refresh, which includes refurbished seats, will start in the summer at Grove Park depot in south east London.

Mark Johnson, Engineering Director at Southeastern, said: “The mid-life refresh will deliver better journeys for our customers and keep these trains in tip-top condition for years to come.

“This builds on the upgrades across our other fleets, and the newer trains we are bringing in, as well as the ongoing procurement of new trains to replace our older Networkers."

The five-car ‘376s’ are not fitted with toilets, and none will be fitted during the refurbishment.

Southeastern’s Managing Director, Steve White, said the package was a “step forward”, but added: “Any new trains we bring onto our railway will have toilets including the recently transferred Class 377s from GTR (Govia Thameslink). There is currently no funding to retrofit toilets or air con to this fleet.”