Siemens and Govia Thamselink Railway will now start testing the train to prepare for the fleet's entry into service initially on the Bedford – London – Gatwick Airport - Brighton corridor in spring next year.

When reconstruction of London Bridge station and other track improvement works have been completed in 2018, the Thameslink network will be expanded to include Cambridge and Peterborough, as well as other destinations in Kent and Sussex.

The fleet of 115 dual-voltage (750V dc/25kV ac) 160km/h EMUs is being supplied as 55 12-car sets, each seating up to 666 passengers, and 60 eight-car trains, which will seat 427. Testing of the first trains began at the Wildenrath test track in March 2014.

The trains are being supplied under a £1.6bn PPP finance, construction and maintenance contract between the Department for Transport and the Cross London Trains consortium of which Siemens is a member.

Thameslink interior

Interior of a standard-class Thameslink coach.