SWR Class 458/4s: fleet status and withdrawal updates

[Phil R]

Your continued posting is much appreciated, SS. From a pedantic point of view I would like to get one in for the year before they go (a couple of aborted attempts so still haven't yet done so), also want to show a work colleague one of these in action as they do get mentioned in our place, your intel will help me in my cunning plan if I can get my act together soon enough!

 

[Siemens Staines]

Three pairs of 458/4 allocated to passenger services vice 701 today (Thursday 20.08.26).

458404 + 458423
05:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 06:49
07:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 07:56
08:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 09:23
09:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 10:26
10:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 11:49
12:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 12:56
13:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 14:20
14:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 15:26
15:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 16:49
17:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 17:58
18:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 19:19
19:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 20:26
20:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 21:49
22:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 22:56
23:05 Windsor & Eton Riverside to Staines due 23:19
Will be formed of 8 coaches instead of 10.
Last Updated:20/08/2026 06:07

458402 + 458426
06:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 07:22
07:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 08:26
08:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 09:53
10:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 10:56
11:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 12:20
12:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 13:26
13:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 14:49
15:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 15:56
16:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 17:19
17:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 18:28
18:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 19:49
20:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 20:56
21:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 22:19
22:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 23:26
23:37 Windsor & Eton Riverside to Staines due 23:51
Will be formed of 8 coaches instead of 10. Accessible toilet facilities are reduced.
Last Updated:20/08/2026 05:40

458412 + 458428
05:26 Staines to Reading due 06:14
06:39 Reading to London Waterloo due 08:07
08:18 London Waterloo to Reading due 09:43
10:09 Reading to London Waterloo due 11:35
11:52 London Waterloo to Weybridge due 13:08
13:33 Weybridge to London Waterloo due 14:58
15:18 London Waterloo to Reading due 16:42
20:18 London Waterloo to Reading due 21:41 (typo of 2C65 vice 2C56 17:09 Reading to London Waterloo)
18:48 London Waterloo to Reading due 20:14
20:39 Reading to London Waterloo due 22:05
22:22 London Waterloo to Weybridge due 23:38
Will be formed of 8 coaches instead of 10.
Last Updated:20/08/2026 04:35

 

[Invincible]

Many thanks for this, I wonder whether the 458s will still be in service in September?

The lease expires in 2027, guess if finished early all the 458s will be moved by Porterbrook to say Long Marston, or some some other site if Long Marston is already full?

 

[brad465]

The lease expires in 2027, guess if finished early all the 458s will be moved by Porterbrook to say Long Marston, or some some other site if Long Marston is already full?

The 350/2s have a future at Northern and there are more 350/2 carriages than 458 carriages, so all that needs to happen is for 350/2s to start going over to Northern at least for training runs and there'll be space if there currently isn't any.

 

[43096]

The 350/2s have a future at Northern and there are more 350/2 carriages than 458 carriages, so all that needs to happen is for 350/2s to start going over to Northern at least for training runs and there'll be space if there currently isn't any.

That rather depends if Porterbrook will accept them back before the lease end. If SWR hand them back early they’d be perfectly entitled to charge storage costs as part of early lease termination.

 

[Siemens Staines]

It was mentioned up-thread by @WimFit (#205) that the final 458/4s to go in to warm store would do so at Wimbledon. Consequently there will be no associated ECS move with going in to store. It is now over two weeks since 458421 (05.08.26) and over one week since 458415 (12.08.26) were last in passenger service. So I do wonder if they are now in warm store? Alternatively of course, they may be under/awaiting repair.

Two pairs of 458/4 are allocated to passenger services vice 701 today (Friday 21.08.26).

458404 + 458423
05:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 06:49
07:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 07:56
08:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 09:23
09:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 10:26
10:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 11:49
12:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 12:56
13:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 14:20
14:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 15:26
15:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 16:49
17:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 17:58
18:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 19:19
19:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 20:26
20:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 21:49
22:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 22:56
23:05 Windsor & Eton Riverside to Staines due 23:19
Will be formed of 8 coaches instead of 10.
Last Updated:21/08/2026 05:41

458412 + 458428
06:27 Twickenham to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 06:59
07:26 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 08:24
08:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 09:26
09:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 10:49
11:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 11:56
12:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 13:19
13:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 14:26
14:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 15:51
16:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 16:58
17:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 18:19
18:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 19:28
19:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 20:49
21:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 21:56
22:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 23:19
Will be formed of 8 coaches instead of 10.
Last Updated:21/08/2026 05:45

 

[adc82140]

That rather depends if Porterbrook will accept them back before the lease end. If SWR hand them back early they’d be perfectly entitled to charge storage costs as part of early lease termination.

Which I guess is why they are being stored at SWR facilities. The early termination of the lease will probably cost the same as paying the remainder of the lease (same as coming out of a phone contract early), so at least storing on their own turf won't incur charges whilst not paying for mileage based maintenance.

I wonder of there will be occasional runs out of Bournemouth and Strawberry Hill to stop the rot setting in.

 

[moley]

It is likely that early termination of the lease is all or nothing. As other have said, an early termination fee likely doesn’t save much money and is likely to be a reducing fee as we approach the contractual end date.

So all the time that SWR can make use of 2 or 3 pairs to avoid cancellations, they may as well retain them. As 701 availability (maybe including 701/5) increases and the train plan can be delivered with confidence without the 458s, I’d expect to see them returned.

 

[Peter Sarf]

It is likely that early termination of the lease is all or nothing. As other have said, an early termination fee likely doesn’t save much money and is likely to be a reducing fee as we approach the contractual end date.

So all the time that SWR can make use of 2 or 3 pairs to avoid cancellations, they may as well retain them. As 701 availability (maybe including 701/5) increases and the train plan can be delivered with confidence without the 458s, I’d expect to see them returned.

Makes sense. Not sure return is likely to be early given that all but five of the 701/5s have been delivered so space seems to be available somehow (I am surprised). Perhaps Farnham will get 458s for storage once the 701/5s get into service and need to be nearer to London (Strawberry Hill and Wimbledon).

Also if the 28 x 458/4 have to be returned en-masse as some suggest then I wonder why the 458/5s have not already joined their sub-class mates at Long Marston ?.
(I wonder why the last two 458/5s are still hanging around anyway)

 

[Siemens Staines]

One pair of 458/4 allocated to passenger services vice 701 today (Sunday 23.08.26).

458402 + 458412
08:09 London Waterloo to Reading due 09:32
09:54 Reading to London Waterloo due 11:18
11:39 London Waterloo to Reading due 13:02
13:24 Reading to London Waterloo due 14:48
15:09 London Waterloo to Reading due 16:32
16:54 Reading to London Waterloo due 18:18
18:39 London Waterloo to Reading due 20:02
20:24 Reading to London Waterloo due 21:48
22:39 London Waterloo to Reading due 00:02
Will be formed of 8 coaches instead of 10.
Last Updated:23/08/2026 05:45

The set has not departed from Wimbledon yet, 15 mins after it should have done. So this could change?

 

[Goldfish62]

One pair of 458/4 allocated to passenger services vice 701 today (Sunday 23.08.26).

458402 + 458412
08:09 London Waterloo to Reading due 09:32
09:54 Reading to London Waterloo due 11:18
11:39 London Waterloo to Reading due 13:02
13:24 Reading to London Waterloo due 14:48
15:09 London Waterloo to Reading due 16:32
16:54 Reading to London Waterloo due 18:18
18:39 London Waterloo to Reading due 20:02
20:24 Reading to London Waterloo due 21:48
22:39 London Waterloo to Reading due 00:02
Will be formed of 8 coaches instead of 10.
Last Updated:23/08/2026 05:45

The set has not departed from Wimbledon yet, 15 mins after it should have done. So this could change?

Now on its way into Waterloo, running late.

 

[Siemens Staines]

Two pairs of 458/4 allocated to passenger services today (Monday 24.08.26). Neither are shown as short-formed on journeycheck.

458404 + 458423
2C03 0526 Staines to Reading
2C14 0639 Reading to London Waterloo
2C17 0818 London Waterloo to Reading
2C28 1009 Reading to London Waterloo
2S31 1152 London Waterloo to Weybridge
2S40 1333 Weybridge to London Waterloo
2C45 1518 London Waterloo to Reading
2C56 1709 Reading to London Waterloo
2C59 1848 London Waterloo to Reading
2C70 2039 Reading to London Waterloo
2S73 2222 London Waterloo to Weybridge

458402 + 458412
2U05 0609 Staines to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U12 0656 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U15 0803 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U22 0923 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U25 1033 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U32 1153 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U35 1303 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U42 1423 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U45 1533 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U52 1653 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U55 1803 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U62 1923 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U65 2033 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U72 2153 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U75 2303 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside

 

[Peter Sarf]

Two pairs of 458/4 allocated to passenger services today (Monday 24.08.26). Neither are shown as short-formed on journeycheck.

458404 + 458423
2C03 0526 Staines to Reading
2C14 0639 Reading to London Waterloo
2C17 0818 London Waterloo to Reading
2C28 1009 Reading to London Waterloo
2S31 1152 London Waterloo to Weybridge
2S40 1333 Weybridge to London Waterloo
2C45 1518 London Waterloo to Reading
2C56 1709 Reading to London Waterloo
2C59 1848 London Waterloo to Reading
2C70 2039 Reading to London Waterloo
2S73 2222 London Waterloo to Weybridge

458402 + 458412
2U05 0609 Staines to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U12 0656 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U15 0803 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U22 0923 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U25 1033 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U32 1153 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U35 1303 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U42 1423 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U45 1533 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U52 1653 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U55 1803 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U62 1923 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U65 2033 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U72 2153 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U75 2303 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside

Curious to know, where do these stable overnight (before and then after) ?.

I see 51 701/0s are in service today so the end must be nigh.

And thanks once again for reporting the last workings.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Curious to know, where do these stable overnight (before and then after) ?.

First diagram: Started empty from Feltham depot, finishes empty to Wimbledon depot

Second diagram: Started empty from Staines sidings, finishes empty to Feltham depot

 

[Peter Sarf]

First diagram: Started empty from Feltham depot, finishes empty to Wimbledon depot

Second diagram: Started empty from Staines sidings, finishes empty to Feltham depot

Thanks. So Staines loses a pair and Wimbledon gains a pair. Does that rotate all week or does it indicate something ?.
Probably mixed up with other (701) diagrams but makes me think once out at certain places the relevant 458/4 pair are bound to be used for a certain number of days.

That's enough (over) thinking for me this morning.

 

[WWTownEnth]

Not wishing to be too premature about this but is a farewell tour likely?

 

[Peter Sarf]

Not wishing to be too premature about this but is a farewell tour likely?

I think at this stage with the 455s it felt like there was more of a following ?.

 

[WWTownEnth]

Not wishing to be too premature about this but is a farewell tour likely?

I think at this stage with the 455s it felt like there was more of a following ?.

Yes I agree. They were far more iconic, served many more routes and had been around a lot longer.

 

[Goldfish62]

Not wishing to be too premature about this but is a farewell tour likely?

Yes I agree. They were far more iconic, served many more routes and had been around a lot longer.

There was a farewell tour for the 458/0s in 2015 which was fully booked and very popular with younger enthusiasts.

 

[Peter Sarf]

There was a farewell tour for the 458/0s in 2015 which was fully booked and very popular with younger enthusiasts.

Oh yes. A full eleven years ago so I would expect more interest by now.
Though they had iconic front ends back then !.

 

[Goldfish62]

Oh yes. A full eleven years ago so I would expect more interest by now.
Though they had iconic front ends back then !.

A matter of opinion whether the front ends were iconic. Pig ugly springs to mind more.

 

[adc82140]

Thing is, the 455s were headed for scrap, so the farewell tour really was towards rhe end of their life. There is still the possibility at this stage that they could go somewhere else.

 

[Siemens Staines]

Two pairs of 458/4 are shown allocated to passenger services today on journeycheck (Tuesday 25.08.26).

458402 + 458412
05:26 Staines to Reading due 06:14
06:39 Reading to London Waterloo due 08:07
08:18 London Waterloo to Reading due 09:43
10:09 Reading to London Waterloo due 11:35
11:52 London Waterloo to Weybridge due 13:08
13:33 Weybridge to London Waterloo due 14:58
15:18 London Waterloo to Reading due 16:42
17:09 Reading to London Waterloo due 18:37
18:48 London Waterloo to Reading due 20:14
20:39 Reading to London Waterloo due 22:05
22:22 London Waterloo to Weybridge due 23:38
Will be formed of 8 coaches instead of 10. Accessible toilet facilities are reduced.
Last Updated:25/08/2026 05:10

458404 + 458423
06:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 07:29
07:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 08:52
09:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 09:56
10:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 11:19
11:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 12:26
12:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 13:49
14:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 14:58
15:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 16:19
16:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 17:28
17:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 18:49
19:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 19:56
20:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 21:19
21:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 22:26
22:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 23:49
00:03 London Waterloo to Staines due 00:43
Will be formed of 8 coaches instead of 10.
Last Updated:25/08/2026 04:59

 

[WimFit]

A matter of opinion whether the front ends were iconic. Pig ugly springs to mind more.

And a huge pain in the backside, time consuming and often dangerous to deploy / un-deploy. The best thing we did to those units was change the nose end gangways.

 

[Goldfish62]

And a huge pain in the backside, time consuming and often dangerous to deploy / un-deploy. The best thing we did to those units was change the nose end gangways.

And they look better for it!

 

[43096]

And they look better for it!

The 458/0s would have looked better with black paint across the gangway between the windows. It was mocked up at Washwood Heath (there is a photo somewhere) but SWT decided against for some reason.

 

[Peter Sarf]

And they look better for it!

The original front ends on the 458/0s reminded me of entrances to air rail shelters. Solid and yet uninviting.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Oh yes. A full eleven years ago so I would expect more interest by now.
Though they had iconic front ends back then !.

They also had less route clearance restrictions as /0s than as /4s, so a tour taking them away from the Windsor side would have to factor those in too.

 

[Peter Sarf]

They also had less route clearance restrictions as /0s than as /4s, so a tour taking them away from the Windsor side would have to factor those in too.

There will certainly be no blast down the PDL of course !.

 

[Siemens Staines]

Two pairs of 458/4 are allocated to passenger services today on journeycheck (Wednesday 25.08.26).

458404 + 458423
06:09 Staines to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 06:26
06:56 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 07:54
08:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 08:56
09:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 10:19
10:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 11:26
11:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 12:49
13:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 13:56
14:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 15:22
15:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 16:26
16:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 17:49
18:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 18:58
19:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 20:20
20:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 21:26
21:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 22:49
23:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 23:56
Will be formed of 8 coaches instead of 10.
Last Updated:26/08/2026 04:56

458402 + 458412
06:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 07:29
07:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 08:52
09:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 09:56
10:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 11:19
11:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 12:26
12:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 13:49
14:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 14:58
15:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 16:19
16:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 17:28
17:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 18:49
19:03 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 19:56
20:23 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 21:19
21:33 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside due 22:26
22:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 23:49
00:03 London Waterloo to Staines due 00:43
Will be formed of 8 coaches instead of 10. Accessible toilet facilities are reduced.
Last Updated:26/08/2026 04:51

For the record, yesterdays two pairs ended
458402 + 458412 17:09 Reading to London Waterloo due 18:37 (terminated at Ashford*)
458404 + 458423 17:53 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo due 18:49 (terminated at Staines)

* 2C56 was in the signal berth at Ashford although it shows this morning as terminating at Staines which was its last booked stop, unless it never quite made it to Ashford?

All subsequent trains were cancelled due to the lineside fire near Feltham.