British ROSCO Porterbrook has acquired a fleet of 30 Class 379 Electrostar trains from Greater Anglia. It aims to lease these trains to Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) for use on the Great Northern route, following an announcement made on March 12, 2024.
The Electrostar EMU fleet, constructed in 2011, has the potential to remain in service for at least another two decades. The move to transition these vehicles to Porterbrook's management is intended to align with GTR's operational needs and future service demands.
With this addition, GTR's fleet, in collaboration with Porterbrook, will grow significantly. The Class 379s will join an already extensive lineup of 962 Class 377s and 260 Class 387s, creating the largest Electrostar fleet in the UK. This fleet has been instrumental in facilitating travel for passengers across London, Surrey, Sussex, the Great Northern, and Gatwick routes over the years.
The initiative is part of a broader strategy to meet the increasing passenger demand and enhance service delivery across GTR's network. The incorporation of the Class 379s is expected to play a role in supporting GTR's business objectives, including the aim to provide improved service quality to its customers.
Greater Anglia has recently significantly upgraded its fleet with new Alstom Aventra and Stadler FLIRT trainsets, freeing up Electrostar fleet for this transaction.
