Southeastern News

Since the middle of May Class 395s have been cleared to run on AC and DC out of a possession under their own power. During the first week of June 395001 was out between approximately 22:00 and 04:30 the next morning making test runs in the Ashford, Ramsgate and Gillingham area. It is also believed it made a trip towards London, but only as far as the Wennington Crossovers ( just short of Dagenham) which is the present limit of the clearance of this class until the immunity of the signaling on the District Line is proven.

The following week 395001 made it to Tonbridge from Ashford on successive evenings.

It has been reported that Class 395 driver training and ''shadow'' running should commence within the next month or two.

Colin Price was out with his camera at Tonbridge three evenings running. The top picture shows 395001in platform 2 on 8th June and the following two pictures on 9th June.  The bottom picture, digitally lightened, shows 395001 approaching Tonbridge on 10th June.

The fourth unit, 395004, was delivered from Southampton to Dollands Moor ovenight 11th into 12th June and then tripped to Ashford on the 13th (overnight engineering work preventing a delivery direct to the depot).

Southeastern's first built-in-Japan class 395 "Javelin" unit landed in the country, at Southampton Docks, on 23rd August 2007. Its first "flight" on Network Rail, albeit not under its own power, was the 21+24 Southampton to Ashford move on 30th August. 395001 is seen here being hauled through Orpington station in the early hours of Friday morning. This unit wears Southeastern's new dark blue livery and the legend on the side reads "www.hitachi-rail.com".
photograph by Colin Price