A Southeastern Metro commuter train has been given a retro makeover to mark the 200th anniversary of the British railway network.
The Networker train has been restored to the red, white and blue Network SouthEast colour scheme that it had when it was introduced to SE London’s railways in the early Nineties.
Introduced in 1986, Network SouthEast was the unified name for the rail network across southeast England. Services were modernised, new trains were introduced and dilapidated stations refurbished to improve conditions for commuters and boost off-peak travel, which at the time was at very low levels.
The Networker train was introduced from 1992 to replace worn-out slam-door stock from the 1950s that served southeast London and north Kent.
The state-of-the-art trains in their “Signal toothpaste” livery were, at the time, meant to herald a whole new design to be used across the region, but progress was halted by privatisation of the network, which began in 1994.
Some stations still have elements of Network SouthEast signage in place three decades on, and the revamped train carries its three-stripes logo on the front.
Most of the trains are still in use now, forming the backbone of the Southeastern Metro service as well as running some services in Kent.
The retro train is named after Chris Green – the railway executive who founded Network SouthEast – and will be used in regular passenger service as well as for charity rail tours and other Railway 200 events. Green attended an unveiling ceremony at Charing Cross on Tuesday morning with Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, the rail minister, and Steve White, Southeastern’s managing director.
Green said: ““I remain immensely proud of everything Network SouthEast accomplished and the foundations it built for today’s railway – particularly in and around south-east London and parts of Kent. We showed what can be achieved by working together across track and train and putting customers at the heart of our decision making.
“Today’s event was a wonderful reminder of that period of time and an opportunity to recognise the role the Networker fleet played in developing Network SouthEast, as well as the role the fleet continues to play across Southeastern today. I am grateful for today’s recognition and I look forward to more strides forward in the coming years, too.”
White said: “The Southeastern railway can trace its roots back to 1836 and throughout this year we will be holding a series of Railway 200-themed events to commemorate how the railway has helped our region live, work and grow.
“Moreover, we want to appeal to a new generation of talent in our communities to consider a career in rail and to join us in writing the next chapter in our history, with a new generation of trains, as we work to build a railway which is purposeful and delivering economic growth, decarbonisation and social mobility.”
While the retro train’s colour scheme is largely faithful to that of the original livery, some details were missing from the original technical drawings and changes have had to be made to fit modern accessibility rules. In particular, the doors are grey rather than the Nineties blue design.
After more than three decades, the Networkers’ days are numbered, as Southeastern has announced plans to replace them.In December a number of carriages were put up for sale to be used as cafes or classrooms, while rail enthusiasts reported earlier this month that a handful had been taken away to be scrapped.
Railway 200 commemorates the 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway’s public opening in 1825. The London & Greenwich Railway was the first steam line in the capital in 1836, with Deptford the oldest surviving station. Services did not reach Greenwich until two years later.
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