SWR Class 458 to be retained

[Goldfish62]

It says 16 units forming 8 sets will be brought in the next few weeks, wouldn’t surprise me if it ends up being all 28 when the refurbs are done.

If I'm not mistaken Weybridge via Hounslow requires 8 sets, so presumably all dedicated here?

 

[swr444]

If I'm not mistaken Weybridge via Hounslow requires 8 sets, so presumably all dedicated here?

I guess that is the plan, would free up a good amount of 450s

 

[TEW]

If I'm not mistaken Weybridge via Hounslow requires 8 sets, so presumably all dedicated here?

With more in the peak with the Hounslow Loop services running? I suspect we will still see some 450 work in order for some crew to maintain route knowledge as 458/4 traction knowledge, paticularly for drivers, will not be universal.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

This does indicate to me that SWR have no incentive to do the best they can. Realistically they are forced to realise they are not in it for the long term even if they might have wanted to be. Nationalisation or just running it for DfT mean they need to save money for themselves where they can and do the minimum to get what DfT want and will pay for. So SWR are going to stick to simple and avoid investment where they can.

Got to face up to the fact that imminent change means dissolution and confusion. The railways are going to be going through a tricky phase perhaps ?.

Maybe worth creating a new thread if this post triggers a desire for general discussion not specific to 458s.
Apart from that the apparently glacial introduction of 458/4s might be a symptom of the above.

Appease the staff and the railway will find a way through the transition its what we do (well used to do!)

 

[Peter Sarf]

Reverting to software at least a decade old risks losing other essential fixes.

I did wonder how much has been added to the original 5car software since it was converted out of 4car software. The older the 4car software use is the more risk of being out of date. It would depend which is the more major change 5car to 4car or re-doing any changes made to 5car since conversion from 4car.

I have been in situations where it was easier to go back several software versions to get to before some badly done software changes. How well did the 5car software work ?.

 

[Wolfie]

I did wonder how much has been added to the original 5car software since it was converted out of 4car software. The older the 4car software use is the more risk of being out of date. It would depend which is the more major change 5car to 4car or re-doing any changes made to 5car since conversion from 4car.

I have been in situations where it was easier to go back several software versions to get to before some badly done software changes. How well did the 5car software work ?.

It feels rather like damned if you do and damned if you don't. I can certainly understand the attraction of reverting to an established baseline with the required functionality.

 

[norbitonflyer]

First pair planned in passenger service from next week:
2R90 0531 Hounslow to Waterloo
2S09 0622 Waterloo to Weybridge
2S18 0802 Weybridge to Waterloo
2S45 1522 Waterloo to Weybridge
2S54 1703 Weybridge to Waterloo
2V55 1837 Waterloo to Twickenham

2R90 cancelled this morning "due to a problem with the train".

2S09 currently "at platform" at Waterloo (having arrived as 5S09 from Wimbledon depot) but RTT not letting on what it is.

 

[brownandrew15]

Departure board at Hounslow said the 2R90 was cancelled due to vandalism.
There was one member of SWR management (I presume) and the guard waiting, I think they were getting a taxi back to Waterloo

 

[london96]

2R90 cancelled this morning "due to a problem with the train".

2S09 currently "at platform" at Waterloo (having arrived as 5S09 from Wimbledon depot) but RTT not letting on what it is.

Saw it at Vauxhall the back carriage number was 67621.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Saw it at Vauxhall the back carriage number was 67621.

That's part of unit 458421. So it looks like it did get into service after all.

EDIT - RTT now showing as units 422 and 421

 

[DCtrains]

On the First train this morning (2S09) the aforementioned 2R90 was likely caped as the unit blatantly wasn’t on feltham depot this morning, smells very nice with the new carpets and seat covers. Worth also noting that the first class interior doors strangely have aventra door buttons

 

[brownandrew15]

the unit blatantly wasn’t on feltham depot this morning

There is a pair of 458/4s in Feltham depot currently - they look like they moved there yesterday (23rd) morning as 5C99 from Wimbledon via Clapham

 

[norbitonflyer]

There is a pair of 458/4s in Feltham depot currently - they look like they moved there yesterday (23rd) morning as 5C99 from Wimbledon via Clapham

Notable that one of the pair working today (421,422) is not one of the three listed in post 3,034 as intended to be used on these services (418/420/422). Would it be corre t to infer that the pair at Feltham are 418/420?

 

[Goldfish62]

A by-product of all this seems to be a reduction to just one all-day pair of 455s on Reading services. Hopefully that will also shortly disappear.

 

[DCtrains]

A by-product of all this seems to be a reduction to just one all-day pair of 455s on Reading services. Hopefully that will also shortly disappear.

I severely doubt this, the introduction on these units only frees up a single 8/450.

 

[43096]

Notable that one of the pair working today (421,422) is not one of the three listed in post 3,034 as intended to be used on these services (418/420/422). Would it be corre t to infer that the pair at Feltham are 418/420?

There is no 418 yet, it’s still in traffic as 518 (on Windsors today).

 

[Siemens Staines]

A by-product of all this seems to be a reduction to just one all-day pair of 455s on Reading services. Hopefully that will also shortly disappear.

I am not certain, but I think this may only be because there is a pair of 458/5 on 2C07 0550 Waterloo - Reading diagram instead of 2*455? There are 7 seven pairs of 458/5 in use this morning and I doubt that the number of booked 458/5 diagrams should have increased from 12 last week to 14 this week, but others will know a lot better than me. I think that the by-product of the 458/4 diagram is that the afternoon single 455 diagram on Windsor/Weybridge drops out, with a pair of 450 sitting spare on Wimbledon until the afternoon, which effectively is the other half of the 701 diagram. The pair of 450 sitting on Wimbledon throughout the morning peak is what happened prior to the June t/t change.

 

[DCtrains]

Yes, 2U37 and U44 are today 8/450 vice 4/455, I’ll ask around to see whether it’s still booked as 455. As for the 458/5 diagrams, one would assume either 455s weren’t available on depot this morning, or were likely affected by engineering work and disruption yesterday, as a lot of stock was outstabled

 

[Goldfish62]

I severely doubt this, the introduction on these units only frees up a single 8/450.

Irrespective of explanations given above for today specifically, the number of all-day 455s on Reading services had already reduced from 3 pairs to 2 pairs from the start of the new timetable.

 

[swr444]

As mentioned before, there will be 8x 8-458/4 diagrams on the Weybridge / Hounslow rounders in a few weeks time. so in theory the 455s should completely disappear from the readings which in turn should help with the short formed 455 services we have been seeing the past week or two.

 

[Siemens Staines]

Irrespective of explanations given above for today specifically, the number of all-day 455s on Reading services had already reduced from 3 pairs to 2 pairs from the start of the new timetable.

You are absolutely correct on this and this is was due to the pair of 450s that were sitting spare on Wimbledon Park in the morning being used on 0620 Waterloo - Reading which had been 2*455 until the t/t change. This would have been fine if the 701 had stayed out all day, as had been indicated prior to the t/t change, but for whatever reason that has not happened. This is what led to the hole in the afternoon after the 701 drops out and hence the single 455 diagram, which hopefully the use of the 2*458/4 rectifies.

 

[Goldfish62]

You are absolutely correct on this and this is was due to the pair of 450s that were sitting spare on Wimbledon Park in the morning being used on 0620 Waterloo - Reading which had been 2*455 until the t/t change. This would have been fine if the 701 had stayed out all day, as had been indicated prior to the t/t change, but for whatever reason that has not happened. This is what led to the hole in the afternoon after the 701 drops out and hence the single 455 diagram, which hopefully the use of the 2*458/4 rectifies.

Ah, many thanks for the explanation!

 

[RealTrains07]

Looking forward to see photos. Ive also just seen SWR have put out a video on their twitter now X page

 

[Mzzzs]

At Waterloo the 15:22 is delayed.
Check on RTT it’s late arriving from depot.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jun 2024 ==

It’s arrived very nice
It’s running fast too to barnes the guard has announced.

 

[norbitonflyer]

At Waterloo the 15:22 is delayed.
Check on RTT it’s late arriving from depot.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jun 2024 ==

It’s arrived very nice
It’s running fast too to barnes the guard has announced.

Pity I was waiting for it at Vauxhall.........

 

[Goldfish62]

Pity I was waiting for it at Vauxhall.........

I see it only missed Vauxhall and Queenstown Road in the end given it only departed 4 min late according to RTT.

 

[Mzzzs]

Pity I was waiting for it at Vauxhall.........

Well the run fast to barnes hasn’t happened we are now resuming normal stopping pattern from Clapham control changed there mind

 

[SWT_USER]

Looking forward to see photos. Ive also just seen SWR have put out a video on their twitter now X page

Yes. Surprisingly they didn't lead with 'Look at our new shorter trains! 10 cars has become 8 for a more cosy commute..'

Good that the first pair have entered service, hopefully the introduction ramps up more quickly than it has with the 701's.

 

[Goldfish62]

Looking forward to see photos. Ive also just seen SWR have put out a video on their twitter now X page

A frankly barmy video to put out. As can be seen from the responses on X it's raising a lot of awkward questions. Would have been best just to keep quiet about it.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Yes. Surprisingly they didn't lead with 'Look at our new shorter trains! 10 cars has become 8 for a more cosy commute..'

They also shy away from saying this is a stop gap for the newer trains likely because they've got no clue how long said stop gap will last...

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jun 2024 ==

A frankly barmy video to put out. As can be seen from the responses on X it's raising a lot of awkward questions. Would have been best just to keep quiet about it.

I found it very odd that they decided to put a video out about it, would've made sense if they were putting it on the Portsmouth..