Private company

South Eastern Trains

Former British train operator

South Eastern Trains (stylised as Southeastern) was a state-owned British train operating company that operated the South Eastern Passenger Rail Franchise between November 2003, when it took over from Connex South Eastern, and 1 April 2006, when London & South Eastern Railway began operating the new Integrated Kent franchise.2 It is part of Strategic Rail Authority.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

2003Founded1
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Photo: Chris McKenna ( Thryduulf ), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons4

South Eastern Trains (stylised as Southeastern) was a state-owned British train operating company that operated the South Eastern Passenger Rail Franchise between November 2003, when it took over from Connex South Eastern, and 1 April 2006, when London & South Eastern Railway began operating the new Integrated Kent franchise.2

The story

South Eastern Trains began operating the South Eastern franchise from November 2003, taking over after the franchise was removed from Connex South Eastern. On 18 January 2005 the Strategic Rail Authority issued the Integrated Kent franchise Invitation to Tender to the shortlisted bidders.

On 30 November 2005 the Department for Transport awarded Govia the Integrated Kent franchise. The services operated by South Eastern Trains transferred to London & South Eastern Railway on 1 April 2006.

From Wikipedia’s article on South Eastern Trains, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Products and brands

Main lines

From London termini (London Victoria, London Bridge, London Charing Cross, London Blackfriars and London Cannon Street) unless otherwise stated;

North Kent Line – services via Dartford to Gillingham

Chatham Main Line – services to the Kent Coast via Bromley South and Chatham, dividing at Faversham to Ramsgate and Dover

Swanley to Ashford (via Maidstone East) Line

Read the full text

South Eastern Main Line – services to the Kent Coast via Ashford and Sevenoaks

Ashford to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) line

Ashford to Ramsgate (via Folkestone and Dover) line (Kent Coast Line)

Hastings Line (Hastings via Tunbridge Wells)

London Bridge to Tunbridge Wells (via East Croydon and Redhill) – uses part of the Brighton Main Line

Horsham to Tunbridge Wells (via Gatwick and Redhill) – uses part of the Brighton Main Line

Suburban lines

The suburban services (called ‘Metro’ in the SET timetables) ran to:

Sevenoaks: two services – one via Grove Park, and one via Bromley South

Hayes line

Mid-Kent Line

Orpington via Lewisham and via Bromley South

Swanley

Dartford via: North Kent Line; the Bexleyheath Line and the Dartford Loop Line.

Bromley North Line

Rural lines

Medway Valley Line, some services extended to Tonbridge.

Sheerness Line

From Wikipedia’s article on South Eastern Trains, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Subsidiaries and ownership

Parent company

  • Strategic Rail Authority

From Wikidata.1

Timeline

  1. 2003Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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