SWR outgoing Metro fleet withdrawals (complete)

[boiledbeans2]

That's something they've written for customers to read? Is it not mentioned anywhere else in the text?

After painfully searching the SWR website, I found a soft copy for download.

https://www.southwesternrailway.com/other/about-us/~/media/4d823d7a1a1a44bd86e7c541d81bd89c.ashx

The quote in my original post on re-baselin-ing (?) doors is on page 5. No further explanation.

 

[XAM2175]

The quote in my original post on re-baselin-ing (?) doors is on page 5. No further explanation.

I've not got a clue either!

 

[Bigfoot]

There were a number of timing trips performed pre covid that recorded times of station stops in all stocks.

Memory serves it was to find a better average timing from wheel stop and the time taken for the guard to do their release and dispatch duties and then the wheels turning again.

I believe the trips were performed at a variety of times of day. Someone else many remember more details.

 

[Juniper Driver]

looks like 458535 has finally moved away from clapham yard

Well they must have put it back.I'm pretty sure it was there yesterday.(455 in front and alive)
Seems like I'm on the naughty step…I'm confined to the Windsor Side.

 

[Goldfish62]

Well they must have put it back.I'm pretty sure it was there yesterday.(455 in front and alive)
Seems like I'm on the naughty step…I'm confined to the Windsor Side.

Windsor Side is the top link on SWR, surely?

 

[swr444]

Well they must have put it back.I'm pretty sure it was there yesterday.(455 in front and alive)
Seems like I'm on the naughty step…I'm confined to the Windsor Side.

Ah my bad! Couldn’t see it as I was leaving Clapham the other day, must have been the 455 hiding it!

 

[Juniper Driver]

Windsor Side is the top link on SWR, surely?

Arghhhhhhh!
actually I'm so used to Weybridge's now.
No Bmths for 6 weeks.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Dec 2021 ==

Ah my bad! Couldn’t see it as I was leaving Clapham the other day, must have been the 455 hiding it!

No probls!

 

[WesternBiker]

There's a separate thread for the 701 introduction:

Ah - thank you!

 

[Goldfish62]

Looking at the current issue of Modern Railways it's good to see that the SWR Class 455 has regained its usual top position as the most reliable of the ex BR EMUs and the 456 comes second with a stunning 85% improvement since last year.

Much needed seeing they're both going to have to soldier on longer than planned.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

they're both going to have to soldier on longer than planned.

If the 456s don’t disappear in February…

 

[WarrenTManager]

I was reading SWR's "Customer Report", dated September 2021 (you can find these on the timetable racks at Waterloo station). In the report, it says that SWR have "conducted a significant piece of work to re-baseline all of the doors on our inner suburban 455 stock [...]".

What does it mean to re-baseline the doors?

Replace any delaminated doors, replace components such as beech valves, full set ups essentially a C6 task.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Dec 2021 ==

Does anyone know if 456018 is outside and visible at Wimbledon please? Considering heading out that way in the near future for it and my last two 455s. Thanks in advance.

6018 is on 20RD Top Yard buffer end. Usual Gym steps spotting place should do it.

 

[Benno]

If the 456s don’t disappear in February…

8 x 456s due to move to Long Marston in January (I don’t know the date). 8 more in February and the final 8 in March. In store for 12 months then off for scrap.

 

[swr444]

8 x 456s due to move to Long Marston in January (I don’t know the date). 8 more in February and the final 8 in March. In store for 12 months then off for scrap.

So we're going to see a lot more of the 4 car 455's very soon...

 

[HamworthyGoods]

So we're going to see a lot more of the 4 car 455's very soon...

No, further 450s (cascaded from main lines due to lack of passengers) are being transferred onto the Windsor lines in February when the 456s are withdrawn.

This whole cascade out of 456s is being done to reduce unnecessary costs by having excess fleet and low passenger usage. The ultimate entry into traffic of the 701s will provide capacity for growth from the existing very low base. Seems quite a logical solution.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

No, further 450s are being transferred onto the Windsor lines in February when the 456s are withdrawn.

There are only two pairs of 455s being used on Windsor/Weybridge/Readings at the moment - all of which on Windsor - so does that not only free up eight 455s?

 

[Siemens Staines]

Since the timetable change there has rarely been more then 8 456s (4 pairs) in use on any given day so that it looks like the first stage of the cascade has already been factored in? Yesterday the eight in use were 456003,008,012,013,014,020,021,022

 

[boiledbeans2]

Replace any delaminated doors, replace components such as beech valves, full set ups essentially a C6 task.

Thanks for the explanation.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Dec 2021 ==

Looking at the current issue of Modern Railways it's good to see that the SWR Class 455 has regained its usual top position as the most reliable of the ex BR EMUs and the 456 comes second with a stunning 85% improvement since last year.

Much needed seeing they're both going to have to soldier on longer than planned.

So it is rather mind-boggling that the most reliable trains are being withdrawn soon (especially the 456).

 

[RealTrains07]

So it is rather mind-boggling that the most reliable trains are being withdrawn soon (especially the 456).

Especially since the 456s are much younger than the 455s aswell.

Very surprising that the 456s are going so soon yet the 701s seem to be a very long time away from even being close to entering service

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Very surprising that the 456s are going so soon yet the 701s seem to be a very long time away from even being close to entering service

There simply aren’t the passenger numbers since covid to justify extending the lease on 456s beyond what was originally anticipated.

 

[TEW]

There simply aren’t the passenger numbers since covid to justify extending the lease on 456s beyond what was originally anticipated.

You probably wouldn't agree with that if you lived on the Epsom line. OK, passengers aren't regularly unable to board them as 8-cars but prior to the latest drop in passenger numbers again they weren't that far off that.

 

[swr444]

You probably wouldn't agree with that if you lived on the Epsom line. OK, passengers aren't regularly unable to board them as 8-cars but prior to the latest drop in passenger numbers again they weren't that far off that.

having their service cut from 4 to 2 tph and most days around 50% of trains running as 6 or 4 cars, their capacity has been slashed enormously. just before the latest WFH advice was put out t that many a times passengers were left behind, so yes completely agree with you there

 

[Goldfish62]

There are only two pairs of 455s being used on Windsor/Weybridge/Readings at the moment - all of which on Windsor - so does that not only free up eight 455s?

I assume further 458s may be displaced from Reading services to allow 10-car trains on those services that really need it.

From my own experience Reading could get away with 100% 8-450 for the time being.

 

[Mr T]

Replace any delaminated doors, replace components such as beech valves, full set ups essentially a C6 task.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Dec 2021 ==


6018 is on 20RD Top Yard buffer end. Usual Gym steps spotting place should do it.

Many thanks. Was going to head down today but the 455s I'm after are not out so will pencil in a trip next week. Cheers!

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

No, further 450s (cascaded from main lines due to lack of passengers) are being transferred onto the Windsor lines in February when the 456s are withdrawn.

This whole cascade out of 456s is being done to reduce unnecessary costs by having excess fleet and low passenger usage. The ultimate entry into traffic of the 701s will provide capacity for growth from the existing very low base. Seems quite a logical solution.

Certainly logical if the leases are up and holding them in store for 12mths also sensible given the current uncertainty on 701's and how long WFH will be govt guidance. In the long run i just can't see why they are wasting more money on the 458's its very clear that SWR has more than sufficient rolling stock to cover the timetable proposed from Dec 2022.

 

[M-Train]

Is the unit shortage that acute? Because 456012 is out in service alone!

 

[sharpinf]

Is the unit shortage that acute? Because 456012 is out in service alone!

Think that's an RTT gremlin, looking at Tiger for it's current working 2J27 to Hampton Court says the service has 8 coaches. SWR worry about gapping so don't think the 456s have ever worked as a 2 car since they came from Southern

 

[TEW]

Showing as 456012+456008+455706. You're correct, 2-car 456s are not permitted to run solo on SWR. A pair of them is the minimum.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

It would appear that the Alton line has been given back one of their beloved 444 diagrams (albeit different to the pre-2019 ones and this time TEN carriages not five)

0854/1524 to Alton (and interworking Basingstoke stoppers) have been 10-444 every day since the railway restarted after Christmas; I only mention this in the thread I made for Metro services because I expect this to be as a result of the requirement for more 450s on the Reading lines. Said Alton diagram formerly was 12-450.

I rather selfishly love this change, as a user of the Alton line when not at Uni, and someone who did appreciate the admittedly undeserved booked 444s.

 

[150249]

444s are amazing!

 

[Siemens Staines]

In addition to those units listed as Stopped or Long-term out of use (#138) the following have not been seen during my random monitoring of RTT during December which may or may not mean that they are long term out of service;

455849 (19/11)

456002 (16/11)
456006 (18/11)
456015 (30/11)
456023 (16/11)

458518 (23/11)

On the positive side a couple of units have returned to service;
455850
455864