Class 456's on the move?

[Juniper Driver]

Two x456 seen @ Brookwood up slow approx 1330.Unknown numbers heading towards Woking.:-?

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Two x456 seen @ Brookwood up slow approx 1330.Unknown numbers heading towards Woking.:-?

I suspect that they were the sick ones and yet again more cancellations on the Ascot line, due to train fault.

When are they going to learn NOT to put these pieces of junk on that line, they're suburban units, not outer suburban one's they're not fit for purpose unless you fit them with either a good old camshaft or new electronic AC traction system.

 

[Juniper Driver]

I suspect that they were the sick ones and yet again more cancellations on the Ascot line, due to train fault.

When are they going to learn NOT to put these pieces of junk on that line, they're suburban units, not outer suburban one's they're not fit for purpose unless you fit them with either a good old camshaft or new electronic AC traction system.

I've rarely driven them but I have heard they are underpowered.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

I've rarely driven them but I have heard they are underpowered.

If there was an award for understatement of the year, you would have just won it.

The slightest bit of damp or rain, they spin/slip/slide. They lock at certain speeds and then get the train version of hiccups, I've lost count of the number of times I've had to almost stop the train and then restart it, so that it will go above 40 mph.

It seems that there's some serious traction issues with them.

 

[hassaanhc]

If there was an award for understatement of the year, you would have just won it.

The slightest bit of damp or rain, they spin/slip/slide. They lock at certain speeds and then get the train version of hiccups, I've lost count of the number of times I've had to almost stop the train and then restart it, so that it will go above 40 mph.

It seems that there's some serious traction issues with them.

A few months ago I was on one (as part of a 456+456+455 hybrid) where on pullaway the motors cut out then back in a couple of seconds later, did that a few times then settled on one or the other until the next stop. And I didn't hear anything from the other 456 when I listened to it pull away after getting off.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

They're always going kaput.

They should put some old traction equipment on them albeit temporarily to improve them. They took the chopper control equipment off of the 59xx series because of reliability issues back in the late 80's or early 90's.

Their reliability is now very good, which sort of speaks volumes about the old chopper control stuff.

 

[Juniper Driver]

They're always going kaput.

They should put some old traction equipment on them albeit temporarily to improve them. They took the chopper control equipment off of the 59xx series because of reliability issues back in the late 80's or early 90's.

Their reliability is now very good, which sort of speaks volumes about the old chopper control stuff.

I remember that,they also had tread brakes.Hit Vauxhall one day a bit hard one day years ago and it stopped easily.

 

[455driver]

I remember that,they also had tread brakes.Hit Vauxhall one day a bit hard one day years ago and it stopped easily.

Some had chopper control, others were fitted with tread brakes, no units had chopper control and tread brakes, it was one or the other.

I have got a list somewhere of which ones had which but cant find it at the moment.

 

[Juniper Driver]

Some had chopper control, others were fitted with tread brakes, no units had chopper control and tread brakes, it was one or the other.

I have got a list somewhere of which ones had which but cant find it at the moment.

Oh well,I can't remember what was what,it was in the 90's AFAIR.

 

[physics34]

Yep underpowered...saying that I never had a failure in 11 years of driving them. There were compressor issues at one point I think, when a mod went wrong.... A venting valve would freeze open in cold weather.

 

[Deepgreen]

Not to mention the toilets freezing and ending up OOU permanently!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Some had chopper control, others were fitted with tread brakes, no units had chopper control and tread brakes, it was one or the other.

I have got a list somewhere of which ones had which but cant find it at the moment.

I think it was 455 916 to 455 920 inclusive that had the chopper control and 455 912 that had the tread brakes? That might be wrong as it's off the top of my head; I can check tonight when I can look at my old Combined Volumes.

 

[fgwrich]

If there was an award for understatement of the year, you would have just won it.

The slightest bit of damp or rain, they spin/slip/slide. They lock at certain speeds and then get the train version of hiccups, I've lost count of the number of times I've had to almost stop the train and then restart it, so that it will go above 40 mph.

It seems that there's some serious traction issues with them.

I just about know exactly what your talking about - They don't seem to do hills very easily do they? I had a few pairs on the Guildford - Ascots a few weeks back (Only doing Guildford to Ash Vale fortunately), one of the slowest journey's I've had on SWT for some time! One unit alive and seemingly working well, the other seemed almost as dead as the usual expression!

 

[455driver]

I think it was 455 916 to 455 920 inclusive that had the chopper control and 455 912 that had the tread brakes? That might be wrong as it's off the top of my head; I can check tonight when I can look at my old Combined Volumes.

That sounds about right Peter, maybe 913-915 had tread brakes as well, there was a small gap in one of the series though.

 

[Juniper Driver]

That sounds about right Peter, maybe 913-915 had tread brakes as well, there was a small gap in one of the series though.

I do believe you are right.Was it in Locoshed or some other trainspotting publication?

How long was 5912 in store before they fixed it up and got it back in service again?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Chopper control:

455 912
455 916
455 917
455 918
455 919
455 920

Tread brakes:

455 913
455 914
455 915


That's from the 1990 Combined Volume.

 

[Juniper Driver]

Wow,they were a mixed batch.So I take it 5912 didnt show as (s).(Stored).I know it was in Wimbledon and one coach was being used to store seats in.

 

[theblackwatch]

By my reckoning there are only 3 or 4 Class 456s still running in Southern colours, 456008/13/21/22, although I think one of them may have now gone to Wolverton. Has anyone seen which ones have been working in the past week or so?

 

[hassaanhc]

Wow,they were a mixed batch.So I take it 5912 didnt show as (s).(Stored).I know it was in Wimbledon and one coach was being used to store seats in.

5912 had a TSO fitted with plug doors for a while, later scrapped, hence why its current TSO is former Class 210 vehicle 67400.

CLASS 455 TRAILER STANDARD 71731
On the 5th October 2005 class 455 TS 71731 was scrapped at Alstom Eastleigh. This car had an interesting history.
In connection with the Crossrail project two class 455 trailer standards were modified to take plug doors. Car number 71731, originally from unit 5918, was fitted with doors by Westinghouse and 71732, originally from unit 5919, with doors from Faiveley. Both cars ran in passenger service in this condition, 71731 in units 5905 and 5912 and 71732 in 5918. After an extended period in service it was found that the modification weakened the overall structure. 71732 was strengthened and re-fitted with sliding doors and remains in service in unit 5918. (5918 ran as a three car unit without 71732 between April 2000 and February 2001). However, when 5912 went to Eastleigh for overhaul in December 1998 71731 was removed and placed into "spare". Pictorial evidence indicates that since it was unusable it was cannibalised for parts. However latterly 71731 was found one final job - as a demonstrator of the new bright red suburban livery for South West Trains' refurbished 455 units, the refurbishment being done at Alstom Eastleigh.

http://www.southernelectric.org.uk/features/rolling-stock/455/index.html

 

[WarrenTManager]

By my reckoning there are only 3 or 4 Class 456s still running in Southern colours, 456008/13/21/22, although I think one of them may have now gone to Wolverton. Has anyone seen which ones have been working in the past week or so?

Four left. All available yesterday.
6011 went up last week

 

[theblackwatch]

Four left. All available yesterday.
6011 went up last week

Thanks, I see you refer to them in the traditional Southern Region way!

 

[Paulwoking]

456021/022 passed through Woking on Sunday and took the Guildford Line

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Thanks, I see you refer to them in the traditional Southern Region way!

...whih confuses me completely every time I see it being done!

 

[Juniper Driver]

...whih confuses me completely every time I see it being done!

Actually I'm used to it,the clapham yard shunters use the format.I seem to remember units being renumbered at Ilford many years ago to avoid confusion.

 

[theblackwatch]

Actually I'm used to it,the clapham yard shunters use the format.I seem to remember units being renumbered at Ilford many years ago to avoid confusion.

I recall when the first 4-CEP units were refurbished, they had 4115xx numbers, but it didn't last long and they soon reverted to 15xx series numbers.

 

[Juniper Driver]

I recall when the first 4-CEP units were refurbished, they had 4115xx numbers, but it didn't last long and they soon reverted to 15xx series numbers.

That's right and I remember 315's were renumbered from 315/0's to 315/8's.

 

[WarrenTManager]

6021 was split awaiting lorries that should have come this evening.

6022 was spare.

6008/6013 in traffic.

That's all that's green. 6021 going up normally means one back on Thursday/Friday. 6009 should be nice and red now.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Thanks, I see you refer to them in the traditional Southern Region way!

It means at Salisbury they have an almost Deltic-esque allocation that includes 9001-9022!

 

[Juniper Driver]

By my reckoning there are only 3 or 4 Class 456s still running in Southern colours, 456008/13/21/22, although I think one of them may have now gone to Wolverton. Has anyone seen which ones have been working in the past week or so?

Two were stabled outside Wimbledon shed last weekend.Couldn't get the numbers though.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

The green pair outside Wimbledon last weekend were 456021 & 022

 

[HarleyDavidson]

The green pair outside Wimbledon last weekend were 456021 & 022

I hope they do something with traction systems on them, they were awful last time I took them out, with more pushing & shoving, clanging & banging than you'd find in a bedroom on Valentine's Day night.

Then one would give up, then the other, then the duff one would kick back in or they'd stick at low speed. :roll: