Southern is the brand name used by the Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) train operating company on the Southern routes of the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise in England. It is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead and Keolis, and has operated the South Central franchise since August 2001 and the Gatwick Express service since June 2008. When the passenger rail franchise was subsumed into GTR, Southern was split from Gatwick Express and the two became separate brands, alongside the Thameslink and Great Northern brands.
A pair of Southern Class 377s at London Victoria Platforms 18 and 19 awaiting departure to Eastbourne and Reigate
A sign at Brighton station showing the name change from South Central to Southern in August 2004.
Southern exterior signage at Norwood Junction station (now replaced by London Overground signage)
Image: Class 171 Hastings 13745676313
Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (TSGN) is a management contract for the provision of passenger services on the Thameslink and Great Northern routes to Bedford, Luton, Peterborough, King's Lynn, Cambridge, London King's Cross, London Moorgate, Sutton, Wimbledon and Brighton, as well as the whole Southern network and the jointly operated First Capital Connect Southeastern services, which were added to the franchise on 25 July 2015, with the Southern and Gatwick Express brands retained.
Thameslink Class 700 at Blackfriars, in February 2016.