Class 377/6-7’s | 387’s interior middle lighting never on?

[AAO]

I have a question that’s been bugging me for years now regarding the lighting on Bombardiers last Electrostar trains. The Class 377/6, Class 377/7 and Class 387’s.

I have noticed that there are LED lights that run down the middle of each coach similar to that of what you see on an East Midlands Railway Class 222. But they are never on. I have never seen them on!

It baffles me because the train would look much nicer, no?

I have also noticed a similar things on South Western Railways Class 707’s. There appears to be LED lighting right above the doors in the interior, but they never light up.

Can’t seem to find any answers anywhere.

 

[superalbs]

I disagree that bright LED spotlights would make the interior look much nicer, probably much worse.

If I had to guess, they could be emergency lighting?

 

[skyhigh]

It's definitely emergency lighting. The same can be seen on new CAF units.

 

[AAO]

I disagree that bright LED spotlights would make the interior look much nicer, probably much worse.

If I had to guess, they could be emergency lighting?

I guess so but you never know it could be a warm LED light. I think the reading lamps and the spot lights would look better than the main lights.

 

[Domh245]

I think the reading lamps and the spot lights would look better than the main lights.

That sounds like a recipe for very poor lighting spread - bright (likely too bright given emergency lights) in some spots, and dark in others. The strip lights (with diffuser) give a much more even lighting coverage, which is what you really want.

 

[aleggatta]

These are very cold spots, only provided for emergency lighting. I vaguely recollect that some of these are in 'normal use' around the disabled toilet or over the gangway doors. There is quite an interesting look to the coach when you first aux on when the emergency lights are all on in the coaches with no other lighting yet energised.

 

[AAO]

Update: Everyone is pretty much right. It’s emergency lighting! Shunter Jack who works for Southern kindly gave me a detailed explanation via Twitter.

It's something that was added brought in for the 387s (if you didn't know already 377/6 & /7s are a combination of 387 and 377 parts).

These lights are for emergencies only and automatically come on when there is a loss of power.

Thanks for everyone’s help! I was just so curious for many years but now I know the answer