Are there projects/uses being planned for the stored 465/2 and /9?

[SolomonSouth]

I'm wondering what's exactly going on with these. The situation has been puzzling me for some time.

The 465/2 have been in storage since 2021 - so ages, basically. They could have easily scrapped them all years ago. Yet, they seem very reluctant to scrap them if possible. The only one that has been scrapped is 465235 which was used as a parts donor. 237 has been sold off IIRC. 236 and 238-250 still exist and have not been part stripped at all - they look just like they did when they first left service. I'm very curious as to why they haven't long since scrapped all the 465/2 - even after moving them to Ely, they still only targeted 466s for scrap. (Speaking of which - 465241, 242 and 247 have been left behind at Worksop. No clue why. If anyone knows why, please let me know).

It's a similar story with the stored 465/9 - they have been stored since late 2023 - admittedly nowhere near as long, but definitely long enough to have already been scrapped. Even after they moved to Ely, they have been spared, with the 466s they were dragged with went to scrap instead of them. Some 466s even went to scrap straight from service, which never happened with any 465/9, or /2 for that matter. No 465/9s have been part stripped either - 465235 and a few 466 are the only units that have been part stripped.

I just want to know - is there any particular reason why they are so reluctant to get rid of them even after all this time? Since they won't ever be coming back to service, they could long since have scrapped/part stripped all of them, yet they haven't. Anyone know why they have been so keen to cling on to the stored Met-Cam 465s? To me, it just seems odd, that's all.

 

[brad465]

237 as you say got sold to ROMIC, they themselves put it up for sale in separate carriage form for non-rail uses, though I have no idea whether they found a home, or if not, will do. The three 2s at Worksop are apparently still on lease, I'm guessing they are future parts' donors now 235 is more or less done with. Everything else, probably scrap whenever Angel Trains fancy sending them.

 

[SolomonSouth]

It does confuse me though. Why wait so, so long to scrap the units?

 

[D365]

It does confuse me though. Why wait so, so long to scrap the units?

If my understanding is correct, Angel Trains has a long term agreement at Ely. Similar to how Porterbrook had a long term agreement at Long Marston before purchasing the site outright. Therefore, I would deduce that the long term storage of Class 465 units comes at no significant loss to Angel.

 

[SolomonSouth]

If my understanding is correct, Angel Trains has a long term agreement at Ely. Similar to how Porterbrook had a long term agreement at Long Marston before purchasing the site outright. Therefore, I would deduce that the long term storage of Class 465 units comes at no significant loss to Angel.

Thanks for the information. Funny thing is they seem happy to start disposing of 466s for some reason. I wonder if the 466 are in a poorer condition or something?

 

[Helvellyn]

If Angel Trains had low storage costs at Ely they maybe took a punt to keep the units in case of further traffic uplifts needing Southeastern to short-term lease extra stock (DfT veto excepted). In that case the 465/9s were probably viewed as a better option than 466s to hang on to.

 

[SolomonSouth]

If Angel Trains had low storage costs at Ely they maybe took a punt to keep the units in case of further traffic uplifts needing Southeastern to short-term lease extra stock (DfT veto excepted). In that case the 465/9s were probably viewed as a better option than 466s to hang on to.

Probably due to the fact that they are PRM compliant and 466s aren't.

It is important to note they've also hung onto most 465/2 - 236 and 238-250 still exist and have not been stripped for parts. Surely at this point the length of time in storage has been too great for the units to ever move again? I mean it has been years, and we know how much the 379 are struggling after years of storage, let alone a train that is nearly 20 years older and less reliable to begin with...

 

[brad465]

The problem these units have is they are not cleared to operate anywhere beyond SE turf, so neither Southern or SWR would take them on, even though there are unit shortages that could be filled, particularly while waiting for the 701s to finally get into widespread service. Apparently clearance issues include signalling interference without remedial work, which would be took expensive and resource-intensive for a small fleet only expected to get a few years. Therefore their best hope for future service is for a huge demand uptick in passengers with SE and enough stabling space being available to bring some back on top of everything already here.

 

[SolomonSouth]

If many BRELS have issues it could help to bring them (the stored /2 and /9) back - currently we have five that I know are stuck and probably broken as they have not moved for ages.

178 and 005 are still on the wall siding since December last year, 160 has been stuck in the same spot in Slade Green for about a month now I think, 188 is stuck just behind it (with 466008), and 184 stuck a siding behind that. No idea what's wrong with any of these units or if they will be repaired or dragged. If they are dragged it may help the stored /2 and /9s case.

If any more BRELS are stuck that I haven't seen - say, in Gillingham or Faversham sidings - please say. Of course many BRELS are running around with a motor off (about one in every two I get on or see has at least one off, nowhere near as big a proportion of /9s suffer from this either), but I suspect this is not the end of the world as a unit can run on 3/4 motors. It'll just be a little slower is all.

 

[SolomonSouth]

It seems that 465249 has now gone for scrap. Not sure how many more /2 will go or when. No /9s have been scrapped yet either.

 

[ls2270]

465244 and 465246 are being hauled by 37800 today as 5Q66 0852 Ely to Kingsbury EMR.

 

[SolomonSouth]

Seems that the 465/2 are being done away with first. I can imagine the remaining 466 and /9 will shortly follow them to scrap.