A brief time line summary of the planned 458/5 roll out, now just over a decade ago. How time flies! The planning for the 458/5 roll out in a detailed train service manner took several years, the diagrams for these units on their intended inner area Windsor routes various (not Readings) being finalised during 2013. This followed on from what had been a very busy period for those in planning and elsewhere during 2012 (hope I don't need to spell that out
).
January 2014: A base plan DRAFT CWN showing the planned final train plan (including all 458/5, 10 car 455/456 & 707 on their intended services) and all associated other stock alterations, was issued to those involved with the project and others within the industry who needed to know, so those concerned would have a feel for where the plan was heading, during the (as yet to come) roll out.
Formations concerned as follows;
Readings majority 10 car 458 with 3 x 8 car 450* (* reduced to 2 x 8 car 450 post p.m. peak).
Weybridge/Hounslow rounders - a mix of 5 & 10 car 707 (the term 707 had not been acquired at this date. They were known as DC - Desiro City), a small number of 10 car 458 and a few 8 car 450.
Windsor and Eton's - 3 x 10 car 458 and 2 x 10 car DC/707.
The roll out was originally planned to take place between March 2014 and May 2015 (as far as my input was concerned), and internal documentation relating to same was issued in house to that effect. This timescale slipped, due largely to the corrosion matters found at Doncaster, but I no longer have precise details, so am not going to comment further on that aspect.
May 2015 base plan:
Readings a mix of 8-458 and 8-450.
Weybridge/Hounslow rounders a majority of 450 (both 4 and 8 car) with a few 5 & 10 car 458.
Windsor and Eton's 2 x 10 car 458 and 3 x 8 car 450.
December 2015 base plan:
Readings all 8 car 450 with one exception, a new service, 1935 ex Waterloo formed 5 car 458, returning empty to Waterloo at 21+07.
Weybridge/Hounslow rounders a mix of 10 car 458 and 5 car 458 with a handful of 8 car 450's.
Windsor and Eton's all 10 car 458 except the last two Down services (2258 & 2328 ex Waterloo) that ran as 5 car 458 each, combining at Windsor for the next day's first Windsor departure (0553).
That is how the plan then largely remained until the DRAFT (and subsequently) FINAL issue of the December 2017 base plan (below), which coincided with the gradual roll out of the 707's.
Readings majority 10 car 458, 3 x 8 car 450 and 1 x 5 car 707 (1935 ex Waterloo etc).
Weybridge/Hounslow rounders a majority of 10 or 5 car 707, with a limited number of 10 car 458 and 8 car 450.
Windsor and Eton's 3 x 10 car 458 and 2 x 10 car 707.
In other words the plan as worked up in 2013, came to fruition by the time the 707 roll out had taken place, with a few tweaks no doubt, but essentially as was and hence just a snap shot of how Long Term Planning works. It's not always about May and December alone!
PS (my BOLD): must be remembered that the 458/5 were planned to be introduced in pairs as they were due to replace 8 car trains, and a plan of phased introductions was worked up, in order that all relevant alterations could be published STP with every new pair to service - approximately every two weeks, so for those reading this and having travelled during those times, your experience may not match the base plan details I have listed above.
Was 5-JUP ever used? Weird but quite nice looking aesthetically compared to the "ugly ducklings" they resemble now. I only remember them on test runs, Readings and Guildfords but then I only used SWT out of London
