Initial plans

The initial plans by London Overground were for route proving with Class 710s to begin in January 2018, with driver training on the Gospel Oak-Barking (GOBLIN) and Watford Junction-London Euston routes starting the following month.

The first ‘710’ was due to enter passenger traffic in March, with a full ‘710’ service from May.

The West Anglia Inners were due to receive their first ‘710’ in passenger traffic in June. Transport for London had advertised that the final ‘710’ from the initial order would be delivered in November, with all the ‘legacy’ stock withdrawn by the end of the year.

LO’s ‘legacy fleet’ includes eight two-car Class 172/0s on the GOBLIN service (172001172008), and these will move to West Midlands Trains in the autumn.

Seventeen four-car Class 315s are used on the West Anglia Inners (315801-315817). Dating from 1980-81, these will be scrapped apart from one that will be retained for the Upminster branch.

Fourteen four-car Class 317s are also used on the West Anglia Inners (317708710/714/719/723/729/732, 317887-892). These date from 1981-82 and are also likely to be scrapped.

LO has a further 57 five-car Class 378s it uses on the East London, North London, South London and West London lines. They will be replaced by ‘710s’ on the Watford-Euston route.