SWR outgoing Metro fleet withdrawals (complete)

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I know what you mean. I'm struggling with the demise of the 317s. Never really liked the 319s but then the Connex units were dire. Ironically the same units are now on my doorstep in Cardiff. At least they are clean now. And the heaters work. I did have a farewell blast down to Horsham on a 456+455+456 combination just before they finished at Selhurst. On SWT I only ever did one from Ascot to Aldershot, still in Southern livery.

While I really don’t want the thread I made for Withdrawal Updates to be completely turned into a trip down memory lane, I must add that if you never travelled on them post SWT-refurbishment, you didn’t really miss much. By all means it was a smart and well-improving refurbishment, but it was when they seemed to stop being a class of their own and more of a 455 clone - particularly internally. Even under Southern they had their own unique interior, but SWT completely homogenised them with their other “red trains.”

 

[WarrenTManager]

455703 22/05/22

5703 has had a wheelset change and a motor donated from 5918. Given the length of time out, it will also need a return to service exam but is on the way back.

Another motor was yielded from 5918 that will go into another unit at some stage. The other two motors ex-5918 need to go through a modification before re-use. They have the original TSA design cooling fan in the AC motor, there was a change to a thinner fan in late 2020.

 

[The_Train]

456024 being reported as at Sims

 

[D7672]

Intact 456002,456003,006,024
456014 one vehicle intact

Scrapped
456014 one car,456004 set
Thursday 11th August 2022

 

[Ewan M]

Intact 456002,456003,006,024
456014 one vehicle intact

Scrapped
456014 one car,456004 set
Thursday 11th August 2022

Take it 455907 is now history?

 

[Siemens Staines]

458512 16/06/22

455717 27/06/22
455750 28/06/22

In service today are
458512 (2U07)
455750 + 455717 (2G08)

Out of passenger service for over a month now is
455905 04/07/22

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Aug 2022 ==

5703 has had a wheelset change and a motor donated from 5918. Given the length of time out, it will also need a return to service exam but is on the way back.

455703 is back in passenger service today on 2O11, 13/08/22 (should RUK automatically modify this post to be an edit to my post from yesterday 12/08/22)

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

5711 passed as i was comming into BAS earlier enroute Bournemouth as 5B39

 

[Class455]

Any idea if 456015 has made it’s one way journey to Newport yet?

Also, any chance the list on Page 1 could be updated please?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

5711 passed as i was comming into BAS earlier enroute Bournemouth as 5B39

What on earth was it doing at Bere Alston?

 

[Big Jumby 74]

stop being a class of their own and more of a 455 clone - particularly internally

As a fellow enthusiast I understand where you are coming from, but from my other life (as was) on the job, that is exactly what was intended. A uniform appearance, for the benefit of the 95% of passengers, who were just that, fare paying passengers just going from A to B. I was particularly proud of the paint finish that was achieved (at Bournemouth West) on the 455 refurb a few years ago, which was matched on the 456's once they came on strength.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Aug 2022 ==

What on earth was it doing at Bere Alston?

I would have used BV - just to confuse things even further

 

[D7672]

Only one vehicle of 456003 left intact and will post these end numbers image for you guys to look up and all class 456s have now been disposed of to sims newport and cannot confirm if any are intact or numbers sorry.
455s of swr are arriving by road from Wimbledon since 5918,another has arrived today but unknown ones.
The post has been closed with the southern 455s and are intact for now so hence added of the last pair and also the 456 cars on their sides Images may help you,and the last one image of 456003 before it is gone.

 

[Snow1964]

Slightly off topic, but Ian Visits is reporting some anonymous mobile phone data which suggests commuting into offices has grown back on Wednesdays and Thursdays to almost 100% pre covid

The latest wave of anonymised data intelligence from the mobile network suggests that commuting trends are stabilising as office workers and employers establish more long-term ways of working, with Wednesdays and Thursdays now the most popular days in the City.

In fact, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, commuter traffic into the City is pretty much back to pre-pandemic levels.

City commuter numbers continue to rise following the pandemic

The number of rush hour commuters into the City has doubled over the past year, although they're still down on pre-pandemic levels

www.ianvisits.co.uk

Summer holiday season is always less, but if commuter numbers return then all the service reductions are going to result in severe overcrowding. Not sure where they can find trains from unless they (seems unlikely) put loads of 701s in service quickly

 

[The_Train]

Also, any chance the list on Page 1 could be updated please?

I am trying my best to keep things updated at https://www.ukraillog.co.uk/442-466

 

[theblackwatch]

A report 'over the road' on wnxx states that two cars from 5847 were seen on the M5 yesterday, presumably heading for Sims.

 

[WesternBiker]

Slightly off topic, but Ian Visits is reporting some anonymous mobile phone data which suggests commuting into offices has grown back on Wednesdays and Thursdays to almost 100% pre covid

Summer holiday season is always less, but if commuter numbers return then all the service reductions are going to result in severe overcrowding. Not sure where they can find trains from unless they (seems unlikely) put loads of 701s in service quickly

That's interesting, but I think it is going to take a while for the trends to settle. My former office (a non-financial HQ) is still doing 1 day a week (different departments on different days), and they're looking at reducing the estate to match: accommodation for 200 instead of 700.

The above analysis implies the City will retain sufficient office space to enable everyone to come in for just two days a week, which seems an inefficient use of space. But we're getting very off topic... Suffice to say I think the 701s are going to be needed sooner rather than later - and the seating-standing ratio is potentially going to be better attuned to future demand than the current stock.

 

[The_Train]

Seen images of carriages from 5736 on low loaders today, seemingly heading for Sims

 

[Elorith]

A report 'over the road' on wnxx states that two cars from 5847 were seen on the M5 yesterday, presumably heading for Sims.

Seen images of carriages from 5736 on low loaders today, seemingly heading for Sims

Per @WarrenTManager last month, both those units were supposed to be stored, so that is interesting if no time is being wasted with them both being sent to scrap.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Aug 2022 ==

Slightly off topic, but Ian Visits is reporting some anonymous mobile phone data which suggests commuting into offices has grown back on Wednesdays and Thursdays to almost 100% pre covid

City commuter numbers continue to rise following the pandemic

The number of rush hour commuters into the City has doubled over the past year, although they're still down on pre-pandemic levels

www.ianvisits.co.uk

Summer holiday season is always less, but if commuter numbers return then all the service reductions are going to result in severe overcrowding. Not sure where they can find trains from unless they (seems unlikely) put loads of 701s in service quickly

I can believe that. Mondays and Fridays still rather quiet on my trains, but Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays definitely are very busy again now.

 

[D7672]

I am not promising to post often with disposals to sims,but any heads up on the road movements is if time permits nip round and look what's there,of which I will report on this forums site

 

[WarrenTManager]

One I missed to mention, 8511 is back in traffic.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Are the Class 450s back on the Cobham line? Just passed one at Horsley - would be nice if they are.

 

[Phil R]

Are the Class 450s back on the Cobham line? Just passed one at Horsley - would be nice if they are.

Looks like 450042 + 450117 on the 1934 Guildford - Waterloo all shacks via Cobham, according to Realtime Trains. Normally a 455, maybe a shortage or a Bank Holiday feature.

 

[swr444]

Are the Class 450s back on the Cobham line? Just passed one at Horsley - would be nice if they are.

they won't come back unless the 707s leave and the sheppy line gets 455's

 

[TEW]

Looks like 450042 + 450117 on the 1934 Guildford - Waterloo all shacks via Cobham, according to Realtime Trains. Normally a 455, maybe a shortage or a Bank Holiday feature.

It is a booked 8-450 diagram today. Not uncommon for different stock to turn up on Suburban services on Bank Holidays to balance stock.

 

[Ewan M]

Has any more 456s been sent to their doom at Newport in recent times?

 

[Juniper Driver]

I had 458532 and 458535 on two Kingston Rounders yesterday and they were as good as gold.Nice to see 535 out and about again.Rare for me to do Kingston Rounders on any other stock apart from 455s.

 

[Siemens Staines]

As it is the first of the month, it is time for me to post an update of the list of 458 & 455 that I have not recorded working in passenger service for over a month. This is with the last date that I have noticed them appear on a passenger train on RTT. This date is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate, but it shouldn't be out by more than a day or so, bar any typos on my part.

458509 27/03/22
458513 23/04/22
458514 19/07/22
458519 07/04/22
458522 09/10/21
458529 25/08/21 (now out of use for over a year)
458533 28/01/22
458536 31/07/22

List excludes Off-lease 458507,517,534

455716 10/05/22
455722 18/05/22
455729 15/07/22
455850 27/06/22
455852 25/07/22
455856 21/05/22
455866 17/07/22
455901 26/07/22
455905 04/07/22
455916 25/07/22

List excludes Off-lease and/or Scrapped 455704,726,736,740,847,855,907,918

 

[D7672]

Has any more 456s been sent to their doom at Newport in recent times?

All scrapped

 

[43102EMR]

All scrapped

Aren’t there some at Long Marston?

 

[43096]

Aren’t there some at Long Marston?

Not any more, I don’t believe. They’ve all been removed from registration on the system.

 

[Ewan M]

In that case, RIP (rest in pieces) the Class 456s!