Southeastern and Hitachi Rail have signed a new maintenance contract for the Class 395 ‘Javelin’ trains, extending their partnership until at least 2027.

This deal transitions the maintenance arrangement from a Train Service Agreement (TSA) to a Technical Support & Spares Supply Agreement (TSSSA), aiming to reduce costs and improve service availability.

Southeastern’s Javelin fleet

© Southeastern

Under the new arrangement, Southeastern will take direct responsibility for maintaining the Class 395 fleet at the Ashford Train Maintenance Centre, with Hitachi Rail providing technical expertise and spare parts. This change is expected to lower maintenance costs and, in turn, reduce the burden on taxpayers.

The new contract takes effect on 12 January 2025. As part of the agreement, some Hitachi Rail staff currently working on the fleet will transfer to Southeastern under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE), ensuring continuity and retaining critical expertise.

The Class 395 fleet, which connects London St Pancras International with Ashford International and other key destinations in Kent, is Southeastern’s flagship high-speed service. The new agreement ensures no changes to services, timetables, or customer-facing aspects.

The fleet, which entered service in 2009, is undergoing a 27 million GBP refurbishment programme jointly led by Southeastern and Hitachi Rail. Work is currently more than halfway complete, with the final unit expected to return to service by spring 2025. This project currently focuses on the train interiors, but work to refresh the external livery and improve onboard customer information systems will follow.

source= https://railway-news.com/southeastern-and-hitachi-rail-sign-maintenance-deal-for-javelin-trains/