The first Class 387/1s were ordered for the Thameslink route, which enabled the existing Class 319s to be transferred to Northern Rail for use on the newly electrified Manchester Victoria to Liverpool via Newton-le-Willows route.

On behalf of the Department for Transport, Southern issued an OJEU notice in December 2012 with proposals received in January 2013.
The invitation to tender for the fleet was released the following month with final offers being submitted by 18 June 2013.
Southern announced it had signed a deal with Bombardier on 30 July 2013 for 29 four carriage units.
The deal also included an option for 140 carriages which have since been taken up with 108 for Gatwick Express and 32 for Great Western Railway.

In October 2015, Porterbrook placed a speculative order for 80 carriages.
Fifty-six were later leased to Great Western Railway and the remaining 24 to c2c as 387/3s.
The first Class 387/1s were ordered for the Thameslink route, which enabled the existing Class 319s to be transferred to Northern Rail for use on the newly electrified Manchester Victoria to Liverpool via Newton-le-Willows route.
On behalf of the Department for Transport, Southern issued an OJEU notice in December 2012 with proposals received in January 2013. The invitation to tender for the fleet was released the following month with final offers being submitted by 18 June 2013. Southern announced it had signed a deal with Bombardier on 30 July 2013 for 29 four carriage units. The deal also included an option for 140 carriages which have since been taken up with 108 for Gatwick Express and 32 for Great Western Railway.
In October 2015, Porterbrook placed a speculative order for 80 carriages. Fifty-six were later leased to Great Western Railway and the remaining 24 to c2c as 387/3s.
British Rail Class 387