Thameslink BR Class 700 Out Now!

Jan 27, 2022

Modern commuting doesn’t get any better than this, experience the state-of-the-art Desiro City on some of the UK’s busiest rail services with the Thameslink BR Class 700 for Train Simulator!

Head to Steam

The Thameslink Programme, a phrase that London commuters have been familiar with for over a decade, was the radical transformation of commuter travel through the centre of London. The plan? Upgrade and expand the Thameslink network with better cross-city connections, as well as longer and more frequent trains made up of a brand new fleet of rolling stock.

The hunt for new trains started back in 2008, bidders needed to offer trains with a high standard of specifications, and provide new maintenance and storage facilities for the vast new fleet. Ultimately Siemens was chosen, with their Desiro City platform, a development of the Desiro UK range which already existed in the form of the Class 350, 360, 380, 450 and 444.

With the first delivered in 2015, and the growing fleet entering service in 2016, the new Class 700 is a revolutionary EMU. 115 were ordered in a mix of 8 and 12-car formations, doubling the size of the old Thameslink fleet. Each unit is lighter, more efficient, has better performance, and can soak up commuters by their thousands. A new bogie design reduced energy consumption and wear on the track compared to older trains. Each coach is connected with a wide gangway, allowing for better movement inside, a spacious accessible area features in the middle of every unit, the passenger doors are wider and open faster. Air-con in the summer is second to none, and they are fitted with the latest design of passenger information systems which in real-time offer onward travel information and passenger load per coach. It’s safe to say that the Class 700 was the biggest step-change in London commuter rail travel since the introduction of EMUs themselves.

Capable of dual-voltage, 100 mph operation, the Class 700 Desiro City is able to serve a variety of routes both north and south of the Thames, and as such is suitable on a plethora of Train Simulator routes:

-Chatham Main Line: London Victoria & Blackfriars - Dover & Ramsgate
-London to Brighton
-South London Network
-East Coast Main Line London-Peterborough
-Midland Main Line London-Bedford

A revolution in every right, 2018 winner of Train of the Year, and serving London, Kent, Sussex, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire frequently day-by-day, the Class 700 has become a staple of London commuting in recent years, with a bright future on the horizon, and it can now be experienced in Train Simulator!

700049 and 2 classmates populate the modern and iconic London Blackfriars, which is situated directly over the River Thames (above). After departing towards Elephant & Castle, 049 curves onto the Catford Loop, meeting a Southeastern service along the way (below).

The weather has taken a chilly turn as 700055 approaches Gravesend. Thameslink services stretch far and wide connecting commuter towns throughout London and the home counties, and 9P87 is no exception having left Bedford some 2 hours ago!

Under the fading light 700042 eases into Chatham on a service bound for Luton. Thameslink took over services in Medway in Summer 2018, replacing Southeastern's Charing Cross - Gillingham services in favour of increased connectivity through the Thameslink core and onto the Midland Main Line.

The cab of the Class 700 is as state-of-the-art as one can get, from ergononic switches to the screens, and the central position of the driver's seat offers a stunning panoramic view of the track ahead.

Take to the rails across multiple routes! The Thameslink network is vast, and on the Brighton Main Line, 12-car Class 700s operate an intense timetable, running between Southern and Gatwick Express services since their introduction in 2016, having replaced the Class 319s.

The Class 700 is also a common sight along the East Coast Main Line, serving various stations all the way up to Peterborough and Cambridge, sharing tracks with railways icons such as the HST.

Thameslink and the Midland Main Line go hand-in-hand, services that originate as far away as Brighton and Rainham eventually make their way onto this classic line, calling at all the stations which East Midlands services otherwise race through. The introduction of the Class 700s saw an incredible boost to capacity along this line, and all others it came to operate on.

Connecting the dots between the Thameslink core and East Croydon, the South London Network also plays host to the Class 700. As Southern and London Overground operate on the slow lines, Thameslink race through the middle, offering fast and frequent services for commuters keen to be on time. All this action and more can be had with the Thameslink BR Class 700 for Train Simulator!