A BIG reshuffle of existing rolling stock is taking place in parts of Britain as new builds start to come on stream.

Much of the train ‘cascade’ is taking place to coincide with changes in the winter timetable from 14 December.

As planned in 2006, Southeastern’s remaining six active Class 508 three-car emus will join their six sister units in store as Southern takes over responsibility for the Tonbridge to Redhill line using Class 377 Electrostar trains.

Meanwhile, an influx of 60 Class 377 and Class 319 coaches is due on to Southeastern next March as a result of Thameslink expansion. These will provide an extra 4,000 morning peak seats and 3,500 in the evenings.

A programme of Southeastern platform lengthening is in prospect for 2011, after which more trains compatible with the Class 376 fleet of Electro-stars will be needed.

Built for BR’s South Western Division services as the first of a new generation of sliding-door stock, the originally four-car Class 508 units relinquished one of their coaches to incoming Class 455 trains, then were shipped north as three-car sets for Merseyrail services.

When they became surplus in the Liverpool area in the early 1990s, BR’s South Eastern Division saw their potential for Tunbridge Wells-Tonbridge-Redhill-Gatwick Airport services and for the Medway Valley and Isle of Sheppey.

Elsewhere, 17 ex-South West Trains Class 442 five-car units are being refurbished and reliveried at Wolverton works for Southern’s extended Gatwick Express services to Brighton.

London Midland’s redundant Class 321s will be cascaded to First Capital Connect services to Peterborough, Cambridge and elsewhere as new Desiros come into service over the coming months.

Virgin Trains has relinquished its two Adelanti dmu sets in favour of Class 90 loco-hauled Mark 3 coaches for its Friday 18.35 Euston to Preston service and standby use.

And on the loco front, four Virgin Trains Class 57s, displaced from Pendolino haulage between Crewe and Holyhead by Super Voyagers, have been hired by Arriva Trains Wales for its refurbished Mark 3 coaches on the new Holyhead to Cardiff ‘One Wales’ service.

Two are thought to be going into ATW livery, with the other pair refurbished in a more neutral colour scheme.