| British Rail Class 376Electrostar | |
|---|---|
 Class 376 atLondon Bridge | |
 The refreshed interior of a Class 376 unit | |
| In service | 16 August 2004 – present |
| Manufacturer | Bombardier Transportation |
| Built at | Derby Litchurch Lane Works |
| Family name | Electrostar |
| Replaced | |
| Constructed | 2004–2005[1] |
| Number built | 36 |
| Formation |
|
| Capacity |
|
| Owners | Eversholt Rail Group[2] |
| Operators | Southeastern |
| Depots | |
| Specifications | |
| Car length |
|
| Maximum speed | 75 mph (121 km/h)[1] |
| Acceleration | 0.66 m/s2 (1.5 mph/s)[2] |
| Electric system(s) | 750 VDCthird rail |
| Current collection | Contact shoe |
| Safety system(s) | |
| Coupling system | Dellner 12[1][3] |
| Multiple working | Within class |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge |
TheBritish Rail Class 376Electrostar is a class ofelectric multiple unit passenger train that was manufactured byBombardier Transportation at itsDerby Litchurch Lane Works. It is part of theElectrostar family, which are the most common EMUs introduced since theprivatisation of British Rail. The units were ordered byConnex South Eastern and introduced in 2004/2005 bySouth Eastern Trains to replaceClass 465 andClass 466, which were transferred to Outer Suburban services to Kent to replace theClass 423 slam-door trains.
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It is a derivative of theClass 375 Electrostar specially designed for use on the high-volume metro routes running fromCentral London, and throughSoutheast London toKent. The changes are mostly focused on increasing the trains’ capacity and decreasing station dwell times. The Class 376's doors are wider to allow more passengers to board at once, and are metro-style sliding pocket doors which are faster and more reliable than the Class 375'splug doors, although they do not close flush with the bodyside and hence are less aerodynamic and do not provide as much thermal insulation. The units have 2 sets of double doors per side in each carriage. Also, these trains do not haveair conditioning, with hopper style windows available for ventilation. In order to provide more standing room, the trains also have fewer seats, more handrails, and no on-board toilets (South Eastern promised to provide additional facilities in their stations to compensate) and, as a consequence, these trains are limited to in-service journey times of 1 hour.
Class 376 units have five coaches, and unlike the Class 375, they have full-width cabs instead of gangways at the ends of the train; as a result, it is not possible to walk between two coupled Class 376 units. The cab front is also smooth and ‘step free’ to reduce the dangerous problem oftrain surfing in Southeast London.
Despite being numbered in the 300s, currently all Class 376 units can only operate on the DC third rail network. However, like most newer trains in the United Kingdom usingthird rail power, one carriage in each unit has a recess in its roof where apantograph can be fitted, so as to allow for the units to run additionally onoverheadAC traction power if ever required in the future.
In early 2025 it was announced that all 36 Class 376 units would undergo a mid-life refresh. Changes include a new exterior wrap in the current blue Southeastern livery on the exterior, newLED lighting, refurbished seating, at-seat power, USB sockets and newer, blue paintwork and design in the interior. The work is being conducted at Southeastern'sGillingham andSlade Green depots.
The first partially refurbished unit, 376 027, re-entered service on 16 April 2025 with the unit having been fully refurbished by 27 November 2025.[4][5]
All Class 376 trains are allocated toSlade Green Depot,[6] but due to the high volume of work there, these trains are sent toRamsgate EMUD for routine maintenance.[7]
| Class | Operator | No. built | Year built | Cars per unit | Unit nos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 376 | Southeastern | 36 | 2004–2005 | 5 | 376001–376036 |
A train formed by units 376 002 and 376 035 was one of eleven trains thatstalled and became stranded in the Lewisham area on 2 March 2018. Passengers self-evacuated the train after conditions on board became intolerable due to lack of heating, toilets and communication.[8][9][10]
On 10 July 2018, 376 030 partially derailed atGrove Park depot.[11]
