Connex South Central

Former English train operator

Connex South Central[1] was a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It was owned by Connex. It operated the South Central franchise from 26 May 1996 until 25 August 2001.

Connex South Central
Overview
Franchise(s)South Central
26 May 1996 – 25 August 2001
Main region(s)South
Other region(s)London, South East
National Rail abbreviationCX
PredecessorNetwork SouthCentral
SuccessorSouthern
Parent companyConnex

On 24 October 2000 the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority announced that Govia had been awarded the franchise and would operate it from 2003.[2] Govia made a deal with Connex to buy out the remainder of its franchise with the transaction completed in August 2001.[3][4][5][6]

Services

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Connex South Central ran train services from London Charing Cross, London Bridge and London Victoria to Beckenham Junction, Epsom Downs, East Grinstead, Uckfield, Caterham, Tattenham Corner, Horsham, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Brighton, Eastbourne and Ore.

It also ran train services between Hastings and Ashford, Brighton and Hastings, Brighton, Newhaven Marine and Seaford and Brighton and Southampton as well as South London suburban services serving Crystal Palace, Sutton and West Croydon.

Services between West Croydon and Wimbledon, which were operated by Connex South Central following privatisation, ceased in 1997. The line was then changed for Tramlink operation.[7]

On 2 June 1997 Connex South Central ran a new service from Gatwick Airport to Rugby via the West London and West Coast lines using Class 319s.[8] In December 2000 it ran to Watford Junction but extended southwards to Brighton.[9]

Trains

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Connex South Central had taken on a large fleet of 'slam' and sliding door diesel electric and electric multiple units. The slam-door units were not replaced under Connex, but were all later withdrawn after South Central (later rebranded Southern) took over.

Class Image Type Number Carriages Built
205   DEMU 10 2 or 3 1957–1962
207   DEMU 4 3 1962
319   EMU 20 4 1987–1988
411   EMU 3 4 1956–1963
421   EMU 107 4 1964–1972
423   EMU 59 4 1967–1974
455   EMU 46 4 1982–1985
456   EMU 24 2 1990–1991

References

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  1. Companies House extract company # 3010919 Archived 13 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine New Southern Railway Limited formerly Connex South Central Limited formerly Network SouthCentral Limited
  2. "Connex loses rail franchise" Archived 25 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine BBC News 24 October 2000
  3. Acquisition of Connex South Central Limited by Govia Limited Go-Ahead Group 30 May 2001
  4. Completion of Acquisition of South Central Franchise Go-Ahead Group 28 August 2001
  5. "Govia Southern Central goes into business". The Railway Magazine. No. 1206. October 2001. p. 12.
  6. South Central Limited Annual Accounts 29 June 2002
  7. "Croydon Tramlink". TheTrams.co.uk. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  8. "Connex Makes a Rugby Connection". Rail Express. No. 15 August 1997. p. 7.
  9. Class 319 Archived 20 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Kent Rail

Other websites

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Preceded by
Network SouthCentral
As part of British Rail
Operator of South Central franchise
1996–2001
Succeeded by
South Central