Yes, they are 3 units (360/1s) coupled without gangway connection.
I think you are not the only one who once had high hopes for the current EM operator only to find the shoddy state things are in now. A little of it is possible to blame on covid but most of it is not.
The point in the rumour I posted for is that this involves different units (350/2s; same generic Desiro type) that have through gangways; they are still 4car but can walk through the whole train, 8car or 12car.
The rumour suggests that a /possible/ reason for EMR / DfT / whoever holding back on 2+2 reseating of the current EMR 360/1s is IF they are getting those 350/2s then they'd only have to repeat the reseating exercise as these are 2+3 too.
(On a railway crank point, the EMR 360/1s are not ex Southend airport; they never ever routinely worked the Southend line; they were primarily Clacton and Walton, with some Ipswich and Harwich workings; excuse the rail gen on this forum but it needed clarfication re SEN airport).
Re. more travellers using Thameslink than EMR - the discounted London direction rail tickets sold through EasyJet are not accepted by EMR, only valid on Thameslink. So with EasyJet being a significant factor Luton, it is not surprising Thameslink carries proportionately more than EMR do.
Have not the faintest idea how such a barmpot ticket arrangement came about but thats the modern railway for you.
None of this is helping Luton airport pax at all. Poor show all round.
Last edited by D7666; 19th Nov 2022 at 00:01.