Recently, I visited London for the first time in five years. Although I was very busy there, I tried to make an opportunity to ride the trains in this capital city. What was new with the railways in London?
I found a new model of commuter train, the EMU Class 387 on the Thameslink Line. According to several websites, the Class 387 was launched in 2014 to replace old models such as the Class 319. They are part of the "Electrostar" group, which also includes Classes 357, 375, 376, 377, 378 and 379. So far, a total of 84 sets, 336 carriages have been built by Bombardier Transportation. It has double electric systems, which are the 750 V DC with the third rail and the 25,000 V AC overhead.
Different from Japanese commuter trains, the maximum speed of the Class 387 is very high... 110 MPH (175 km/hour). It is probably because the gauge size (1,435 mm) is wider than those of Japanese commuter lines (1,067 mm). It is to be a bit regretted that the train speed is very low in the central part of London due to congestion of trains. Obviously, double-double tracks are insufficient in London. That is a useless treasure.
The interior of the Class 387 was my favorite. Specifically, the cross seats with folding tables were convenient for passengers. I could just relax and enjoyed the short journey to the suburban area of London City in the twilight.
