Southeastern (train company)

This article is about the current, government-owned company operating since 2021. For the former operator of the same name, see Southeastern (train company 2006–2021).

Southeastern

Overview
Franchise(s)	South Eastern 17 October 2021 – 13 October 2024
Main region(s)	Greater London, Kent
Other region(s)	East Sussex
Fleet size	410
Stations called at	180
Stations operated	164
National Rail abbreviation	SE
Predecessor	Southeastern (Govia)
Parent company	DfT OLR Holdings
Website	www.southeasternrailway.co.uk
Route map

SE Trains Limited,^[1] trading as Southeastern is a train operating company in southeast England owned by DfT OLR Holdings for the Department for Transport,^[2] On 17 October 2021, it became the franchisee for the South Eastern franchise, overtaking the company owned Southeastern. It serves the commuter routes to south-east London, most of Kent, and parts of East Sussex.

In October 2021, Govia-owned Southeastern kept £25 million instead of paying it back to Department for Transport so on 17 October 2021 it was replaced by a government-owned company with the same name.^[3]

Routes

As of June 2024, the weekday off-peak service pattern in trains per hour (tph), is:^[4]

High Speed 1[5]
Route	tph	Calling at
London St Pancras International to Faversham	1	Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International, Gravesend, Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, Sittingbourne
London St Pancras International to Ramsgate via Faversham	1	Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International, Gravesend, Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, Sittingbourne, Faversham, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Birchington-on-Sea, Margate, Broadstairs
London St Pancras International to Ramsgate via Dover Priory	1	Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Folkestone West, Folkestone Central, Dover Priory, Martin Mill, Walmer, Deal, Sandwich
London St Pancras International to Margate via Canterbury West	1	Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Canterbury West, Thanet Parkway, Ramsgate, Broadstairs
Chatham Main Line[6]
Route	tph	Calling at
London Victoria to Ramsgate via Faversham	1	Bromley South, Longfield (London-bound only), Meopham (London-bound only), Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, Sittingbourne, Faversham, Whitstable, Chestfield & Swalecliffe, Herne Bay, Birchington-on-Sea, Westgate-on-Sea, Margate, Broadstairs, Dumpton Park
London Victoria to Dover Priory via Faversham	1	Bromley South, Longfield (Dover-bound only), Meopham (Dover-bound only), Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, Newington, Sittingbourne, Teynham, Faversham, Selling, Canterbury East, Bekesbourne, Adisham, Aylesham, Snowdown, Shepherds Well, Kearsney
London Victoria to Gillingham	1	Denmark Hill, Bromley South, St Mary Cray, Swanley, Farningham Road, Longfield, Meopham, Sole Street, Rochester, Chatham
Sittingbourne to Sheerness-on-Sea	1	Kemsley, Swale, Queenborough
Maidstone Line[7]
Route	tph	Calling at
London Victoria to Ashford International via Maidstone East	1	Bromley South, St Mary Cray, Swanley, Otford, Kemsing, Borough Green & Wrotham, West Malling, East Malling, Barming, Maidstone East, Bearsted, Hollingbourne, Harrietsham, Lenham, Charing
London Charing Cross to Maidstone East (semi-fast)	1	Waterloo East, London Bridge, Swanley, Otford, Borough Green & Wrotham, West Malling
South Eastern Main Line[8]
Route	tph	Calling at
London Charing Cross to Dover Priory	1	Waterloo East, London Bridge, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Paddock Wood, Marden, Staplehurst, Headcorn, Ashford International, Westenhanger, Sandling, Folkestone West, Folkestone Central
London Charing Cross to Ramsgate via Canterbury West	1	Waterloo East, London Bridge, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Paddock Wood, Marden, Staplehurst, Headcorn, Pluckley, Ashford International, Wye, Chilham, Chartham, Canterbury West, Sturry, Minster, Thanet Parkway
Hastings Line[9]
Route	tph	Calling at
London Charing Cross to Hastings	2	Waterloo East, London Bridge, Orpington, Sevenoaks, Hildenborough (1tph), Tonbridge, High Brooms, Tunbridge Wells, Frant (1tph), Wadhurst, Stonegate (1tph), Etchingham (1tph), Robertsbridge (1tph), Battle, Crowhurst (1tph), West St Leonards (1tph), St Leonards Warrior Square Hildenborough, Frant, Stonegate, Etchingham, Robertsbridge, Crowhurst, and West St Leonards are all served by the same trains.
Medway Valley Line[10]
Route	tph	Calling at
Strood to Paddock Wood via Maidstone West	2	Cuxton, Halling, Snodland, New Hythe, Aylesford, Maidstone Barracks, Maidstone West, East Farleigh, Wateringbury, Yalding, Beltring
Metro - North Kent Line[11]
Route	tph	Calling at
London Cannon Street to London Cannon Street via Greenwich and Woolwich Arsenal (clockwise)	2	London Bridge, Deptford, Greenwich, Maze Hill, Westcombe Park, Charlton, Woolwich Dockyard, Woolwich Arsenal, Plumstead, Abbey Wood, Belvedere, Erith, Slade Green Services continue to/from London Cannon Street via Bexleyheath (see below).
London Cannon Street to Dartford via Lewisham and Woolwich Arsenal	2	London Bridge, New Cross, St Johns, Lewisham, Blackheath, Charlton, Woolwich Dockyard, Woolwich Arsenal, Plumstead, Abbey Wood, Belvedere, Erith, Slade Green
Metro - Bexleyheath Line[12]
Route	tph	Calling at
London Cannon Street to London Cannon Street via Bexleyheath (anticlockwise)	2	London Bridge, New Cross, St Johns, Lewisham, Blackheath, Kidbrooke, Eltham, Falconwood, Welling, Bexleyheath, Barnehurst, Slade Green Services continue to/from London Cannon Street via Woolwich Arsenal and Greenwich (see above).
London Victoria to Gravesend via Bexleyheath	2	Denmark Hill, Peckham Rye, Nunhead, Lewisham, Blackheath, Kidbrooke, Eltham, Falconwood, Welling, Bexleyheath, Barnehurst, Dartford, Greenhithe
London Charing Cross to Dartford via Bexleyheath	1	Waterloo East, London Bridge, Lewisham, Blackheath, Kidbrooke, Eltham, Falconwood, Welling, Bexleyheath, Barnehurst
Metro - Sidcup Line[13]
Route	tph	Calling at
London Charing Cross to Dartford via Lewisham and Sidcup	2	Waterloo East, London Bridge, Lewisham, Hither Green, Lee, Mottingham, New Eltham, Sidcup, Albany Park, Bexley, Crayford
London Charing Cross to Gravesend via Sidcup	2	Waterloo East, London Bridge, Hither Green, Lee, Mottingham, New Eltham, Sidcup, Albany Park, Bexley, Crayford, Dartford, Stone Crossing, Greenhithe, Swanscombe, Northfleet
Metro - South Eastern Main Line[14]
Route	tph	Calling at
London Cannon Street to Orpington via Grove Park	2	London Bridge, New Cross, St Johns, Hither Green, Grove Park, Elmstead Woods, Chislehurst, Petts Wood
London Charing Cross to Sevenoaks via Grove Park	2	Waterloo East, London Bridge, Lewisham, Hither Green, Grove Park, Elmstead Woods, Chislehurst, Petts Wood, Orpington, Chelsfield, Knockholt, Dunton Green
Grove Park to Bromley North (branch line)	2	Sundridge Park
Metro - Hayes Line[15]
Route	tph	Calling at
London Charing Cross to Hayes	4	Waterloo East, London Bridge, Lewisham (2 tph), Ladywell, Catford Bridge, Lower Sydenham, New Beckenham, Clock House, Elmers End, Eden Park, West Wickham
Metro - Chatham Main Line[16]
Route	tph	Calling at
London Victoria to Orpington via Beckenham Junction	2	Brixton, Herne Hill, West Dulwich, Sydenham Hill, Penge East, Kent House, Beckenham Junction, Shortlands, Bromley South, Bickley, Petts Wood

Rolling stock

Current fleet

Family	Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Carriages	Routes operated	Built
				mph	km/h
Bombardier Electrostar	375/3		EMU	100	160	10	3	Main line routes	1999–2005
	375/6					30	4
	375/7					15
	375/8					30
	375/9					27
	376			75	120	36	5	Metro routes	2004–2005
	377/5			100	160	23	4	Main line routes	2008–2009
Hitachi AT300	395 Javelin			140	225	29	6	High Speed 1 services	2007–2009
Networker	465/0			75	120	50[17]	4	Main line and metro routes	1991–1994
	465/1					47[17]
	465/9					25[17]
	466					29[17]	2	Main line and metro routes	1993–1994
Siemens Desiro	707 City Beam			100	160	30[18]	5	Metro routes	2015–2018

Past fleet

In May 2022, two Class 377/1 units were sent from Southeastern back to Southern.^[19]

Family	Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Carriages	Routes operated	Year withdrawn
				mph	km/h
Bombardier Electrostar	377		EMU	100	160	2	4	Main line routes	2022

Future Fleet

In May 2024 Southeastern wanted new trains to replace the Class 465 and 466 units. CAF, Hitachi, Stadler, Siemens and Alstom are currently bidding to be the builder of the trains.^[20][21]

References

1. "SE Trains Limited". Companies House. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
2. "Company information". www.southeasternrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
3. Topham, Gwyn; Kollewe, Julia (28 September 2021). "Government to take over Southeastern after 'serious' breach of franchise". the Guardian. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
4. "Train Timetables". Southeastern. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
5. "Timetable 8: High Speed Lines". Southeastern. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
6. "Timetable 2: London to the Medway Towns, Sittingbourne, Sheerness, Faversham, Ramsgate and Dover". Southeastern. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
7. "Timetable 3a: London to Ashford via Maidstone East". Southeastern. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
8. "Timetable 1: London to Dover and Ramsgate via Tonbridge and Ashford". Southeastern. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
9. "Timetable 4: London and Sevenoaks to Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Battle and Hastings". Southeastern. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
10. "Timetable 3b: Tonbridge, Paddock Wood and Maidstone West to Strood". Southeastern. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
11. "Timetable 5a: London to Dartford, Gravesend and the Medway Towns via Woolwich". Southeastern. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
12. "Timetable 5b: London to Dartford via Bexleyheath". Southeastern. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
13. "Timetable 5c: London to Dartford and Gravesend via Sidcup". Southeastern. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
14. "Timetable 6b: London to Bromley North, Orpington and Sevenoaks via Grove Park". Southeastern. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
15. "Timetable 6a: London to Catford Bridge, Elmers End and Hayes". Southeastern. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
16. "Timetable 7: London to Bromley South, Orpington and Sevenoaks via Herne Hill". Southeastern. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
17. Cite error: The named reference MR910 was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
18. "City Beam fleet complete as last two trains come into customer service" (Press release). London & South Eastern Railway. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
19. "Units numbers 377 163 and 377 164 transfer from Southeastern to Southern exact dates. - a Freedom of Information request to SE Trains Limited". WhatDoTheyKnow. 13 December 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
20. Mansfield, Ian (16 May 2024). "Southeastern set to overhaul its Metro Services with a fleet of new trains".
21. Holden, Michael (15 May 2024). "New trains on the way for London passengers?". RailAdvent. Retrieved 15 May 2024.

Other websites

Media related to Southeastern at Wikimedia Commons

Preceded by Southeastern (Govia) South Eastern franchise	Operator of Integrated Kent franchise 2006 – 2021	Succeeded by Southeastern (SE Trains)
Incumbent
	New creation HS1 Domestic Services