455's at Reading - how rare?

[davetheguard]

Yesterday (Sat), I saw a 455 at Reading forming the 09.12 to Waterloo. See the picture below accompanied by a Turbo and HST. Presumably this was a consequence of short term stock changes caused by the 458's conversion to 5 cars?

I have never seen one here before: is this a first, or has it happened occasionally before? I note that the unit was able to display "Reading" on its destination blind.

 

[Juniper Driver]

I've worked them down there before although it's rare.On a side note I worked 450100 on two Kingston rounders (yesterday) which has been rarer for me than working a 455 to Reading.450's round the Kingston Loop will probably will become more common now with the platform extensions.I also worked a 455 8 car down there once where the platfoms wern't long enough (before being extended) and a special not to stop between Reading and Wokingham)

It has indeed got "Reading" and "Ascot" on the destination blind but no "via Richmond 38" or "via Hounslow 37" which is disappointing.

Nice pics.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

I've seen it once on the way back from Pembroke Dock and thought the same question.

 

[BestWestern]

Been happening quite a lot lately, seen plenty of them.

 

[LLivery]

I've been on one to Richmond which was terminating at Reading, I don't think its that rare anymore

 

[Dr_Intoxicated]

I caught it last night from Twickenham to Feltham. I was planning to catch the Windsor but the Reading service was running about 10 mins late.

 

[TEW]

As others have said it's pretty common at the moment. There are either 3 or 4 458/0s that have been sent to Doncaster but I believe only 2 458 diagrams have been removed, the 2 on Guildford-Ascot services. That means the fleet is being stretched a little at the moment.

 

[hassaanhc]

For two days in a row during the week there was 8024 or something like that on the Guildford-Ascot which left a 4 car on Reading as it was split from there.
As much as I'd love to do a 455 to Reading, I can't help but think that maybe they should have tried to pool together 450100 on the Kingston line and 450560 on Hounslow with the 455 set being split instead? :?

 

[TEW]

Those 450s probably had to couple to other 450s later in the day or something. The Reading services are very operationally simple as they are all 8-car sets all day. So if you put a pair of 455s on there there's no risk of them having to couple to a 458 later in the day. As a rule SWT don't join or split 455s in service as it can be a bit of pain if the jumpers are connected on the wrong side. They only really get joined and split on Weekend early mornings and late evenings.

 

[hassaanhc]

Those 450s probably had to couple to other 450s later in the day or something. The Reading services are very operationally simple as they are all 8-car sets all day. So if you put a pair of 455s on there there's no risk of them having to couple to a 458 later in the day. As a rule SWT don't join or split 455s in service as it can be a bit of pain if the jumpers are connected on the wrong side. They only really get joined and split on Weekend early mornings and late evenings.

Ah, that's a pretty good reason goes to show there is usually more to things than it first seems :P

 

[Juniper Driver]

I saw a 159 6 car at Reading platform 4 last year.Must say I was a bit stunned but chatted with the driver and he/she said they were on Route Learning for the MPV's.Had never seen one down there before.

 

[David Goddard]

It would have been on there all day - I saw a 455 formation for the 11:42 which would be the same diagram.

 

[swt_passenger]

I saw a 159 6 car at Reading platform 4 last year.Must say I was a bit stunned but chatted with the driver and he/she said they were on Route Learning for the MPV's.Had never seen one down there before.

This would have been the 6 car set that normally stables at Basingstoke in the off-peak, which was able to take on the route learning diagram from Woking having run empty from Waterloo. The reason they had to use a DMU was that the eventual MPV circuits (driven by SWT drivers as part of the SWT/NR alliancing) covered the non electrified North Downs line - which is part of the Wessex route, and apparently SWT drivers also ended up in Redhill via Guiildford.

 

[Lockwood]

455driver got lost?

 

[455driver]

455driver got lost?

Been away for the weekend at Crewe for the DRS open day.
Thanks for showing concern though.

 

[ExRes]

455driver got lost?

Rumour he was seen in Reading ............

 

[Railengineer]

455's soon to be heading for Weymouth as well

 

[yorksrob]

Yesterday (Sat), I saw a 455 at Reading forming the 09.12 to Waterloo. See the picture below accompanied by a Turbo and HST. Presumably this was a consequence of short term stock changes caused by the 458's conversion to 5 cars?

I have never seen one here before: is this a first, or has it happened occasionally before? I note that the unit was able to display "Reading" on its destination blind.

Not rare enough when I lived in Reading in the early noughties. They were always putting some crummy 455 on on the weekends instead of a comfortable slammer.

 

[455driver]

Rumour he was seen in Reading ............

Oh no he wasnt!

At least not for a week!

 

[Monty]

Rumour he was seen in Reading ............

I have it on good authority he was in Crewe last weekend.

There was a 4 car 455 on the Readings this morning with a couple of 4 car 458s, we must be really getting short of Junipers as they are sent for rebuilding....

 

[hassaanhc]

This diagram reported to be 455+455 today:

2C09 0620 London Waterloo to Reading due 0740
2C20 0812 Reading to London Waterloo due 0934
2C23 0950 London Waterloo to Reading due 1110
2C34 1142 Reading to London Waterloo due 1304
2C37 1320 London Waterloo to Reading due 1440
2C48 1512 Reading to London Waterloo due 1634
2C51 1650 London Waterloo to Reading due 1810
2C62 1842 Reading to London Waterloo due 2004
2C65 2020 London Waterloo to Reading due 2140
2C76 2212 Reading to London Waterloo due 2334
2C79 2350 London Waterloo to Reading due 0104

List of services first published on SWT website, other info from RTT

 

[JonathanH]

This diagram reported to be 455+455 today:

2C09 0620 London Waterloo to Reading due 0740
2C20 0812 Reading to London Waterloo due 0934
2C23 0950 London Waterloo to Reading due 1110
2C34 1142 Reading to London Waterloo due 1304
2C37 1320 London Waterloo to Reading due 1440
2C48 1512 Reading to London Waterloo due 1634
2C51 1650 London Waterloo to Reading due 1810
2C62 1842 Reading to London Waterloo due 2004
2C65 2020 London Waterloo to Reading due 2140
2C76 2212 Reading to London Waterloo due 2334
2C79 2350 London Waterloo to Reading due 0104

List of services first published on SWT website, other info from RTT

In contrast, 450093 worked 2K37 1427 London Waterloo to London Waterloo via Wimbledon, Kingston and Richmond today.

 

[hassaanhc]

In contrast, 450093 worked 2K37 1427 London Waterloo to London Waterloo via Wimbledon, Kingston and Richmond today.

I saw that, well on its previous service the 1301 the other way round
5701+5737 are the Reading 455s.

 

[ValleyLines142]

On a similar note, have 444s made it to Reading or 458s to Weymouth/Portsmouth?

I've seen 458s at Eastleigh and Northam I think.

 

[455driver]

458s go to Bournmouth for interior work (as do the 455s) so they get down there regularly enough.

458s wont normally get to Portsmouth because the crews down there dont sign them, it is possible using a Woking or Guidford crew but I dont know how far down there they are cleared (Haslemere rings a bell).

 

[swt_passenger]

In the latest NR gauge capability info I can find online, (which may of course no longer be up to date), 444s are not gauge cleared between Virginia Water and Reading. This is not surprising as there are major limitations on 23m stock such as Mk3 coaches through Ascot anyway. They obviously do run between Virginia Water and Waterloo on diversions.

 

[455driver]

They obviously do run between Virginia Water and Waterloo on diversions.

With some very severe speed restrictions in certain places, 5mph through Staines platform 1 is one.

 

[al.currie93]

455driver got lost?

Been away for the weekend at Crewe for the DRS open day.
Thanks for showing concern though.

You drove your 455 to Crewe? I'm very impressed

On a complete tangent I was also at that open day :P

 

[455driver]

On a complete tangent I was also at that open day :P

Bit wet wasnt it!

 

[Juniper Driver]

With some very severe speed restrictions in certain places, 5mph through Staines platform 1 is one.

I didn't know this,what stock?