Class 466 Status - Surviving units and services worked

[Wandering Mage]

Hi all, had a look through RailUk forums and didn't find any active threads for the 466s.

For context, I was down in the London area just this week and plan to return in around February and I didn't see too many 466s kicking around, I've only seen them on the peak and evening Charing Cross to Tunbridge Wells services and I believe they also work some Hayes services? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

It would be much appreciated if an updated fleet list existed, the services they're running on and any news about these units and the 465/9s.

Cheers

One of the pics I got, 466002 working a semi-fast Tunbridge Wells to Charing Cross (I put Cannon Street by accident whoops!)

 

[JonathanH]

the services they're running on

Booked workings are shown on the diagrams on the Southeastern website, actual workings are shown on RTT.

https://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/freedom-of-information

You can now download information below in PDF format that is commonly requested under the FOIA.

Looks like only a few out today

466022+466042+465042
2D84 1450 Orpington to London Victoria
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P16569/2025-10-25/detailed

465046+466023+465157
2A45 1539 Dartford to London Cannon Street
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P15523/2025-10-25/detailed

 

[frankmoh]

Hi all, had a look through RailUk forums and didn't find any active threads for the 466s.

For context, I was down in the London area just this week and plan to return in around February and I didn't see too many 466s kicking around, I've only seen them on the peak and evening Charing Cross to Tunbridge Wells services and I believe they also work some Hayes services? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

It would be much appreciated if an updated fleet list existed, the services they're running on and any news about these units and the 465/9s.

Cheers

One of the pics I got, 466002 working a semi-fast Tunbridge Wells to Canon Street

They do run some Hayes services from my own eyes but its usually just peaks. Mostly 376s or 707s for the timetabled 10-car services now.

 

[brad465]

They are a dwindling number; as it happens I've heard 466002 has been part-stripped now so could be off for the chop soon (though the uncertainty over Newport might delay that). I believe about 20-25 remain with SE, but only around 15 are diagrammed Mon-Thu. Fri-Sun they are rare, and if they're out it's normally an ad-hoc basis. Despite this, there have been multiple instances this year of 2x 466s and a 465 forming an 8-car somewhere.

Mon-Thu on Tunbridge Wells' services you're practically guaranteed to see one, and Hayes and Sidcup line services have a couple allocated to them. The 17:51 Charing X-Gillingham via Sidcup also is usually 10-car, the stock usually is on a Tunbridge Wells' diagram in the morning peak. The 05:55 Gillingham-Cannon St is also usually a 6-car, which then goes onto rounder services.

 

[Phil R]

Generally lost in the Southeastern metro fleet replacement thread.
21 currently remain with Southeastern.

 

[Wandering Mage]

They are a dwindling number; as it happens I've heard 466002 has been part-stripped now so could be off for the chop soon (though the uncertainty over Newport might delay that). I believe about 20-25 remain with SE, but only around 15 are diagrammed Mon-Thu. Fri-Sun they are rare, and if they're out it's normally an ad-hoc basis. Despite this, there have been multiple instances this year of 2x 466s and a 465 forming an 8-car somewhere.

Mon-Thu on Tunbridge Wells' services you're practically guaranteed to see one, and Hayes and Sidcup line services have a couple allocated to them. The 17:51 Charing X-Gillingham via Sidcup also is usually 10-car, the stock usually is on a Tunbridge Wells' diagram in the morning peak. The 05:55 Gillingham-Cannon St is also usually a 6-car, which then goes onto rounder services.

I think I did see a 466+466+465 on one of the Cannon Street circulars but I didn't have time to grab a picture unfortunately....

Seems my suspicions are correct and most of them don't work during the day besides the few on Sidcup/Hayes and possible 466+466+465 combos. Let's hope that their numbers don't go down too much in the near future as they're rare enough already!

Speaking about rare workings, I found out about the 2M87/1D94 working which is a 6 car 466+465 job, which takes them from Blackfriars (rare SE territory) to Bechenham Junction then they return to Victoria, I wonder if they use the Smithfield sidings for this purpose?

Booked workings are shown on the diagrams on the Southeastern website, actual workings are shown on RTT.

https://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/freedom-of-information

Looks like only a few out today

466022+466042+465042
2D84 1450 Orpington to London Victoria
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P16569/2025-10-25/detailed

465046+466023+465157
2A45 1539 Dartford to London Cannon Street
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P15523/2025-10-25/detailed

Thanks, I think this will prove helpful, also it's great that RTT show allocations for SE services but isn't foolproof, much to my dissapointment 465909 and 465908 were mixed up which made it more difficult to get a photo of the latter.

Any additional information will be appreciated, I might consider setting up a fleet list which people can contribute to.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Oct 2025 ==

Generally lost in the Southeastern metro fleet replacement thread.

Ta, would you happen to have a link for that? I coudn't find anthing after searching on Google for it

 

[Phil R]

Seems my suspicions are correct and most of them don't work during the day besides the few on Sidcup/Hayes and possible 466+466+465 combos. Let's hope that their numbers don't go down too much in the near future as they're rare enough already!

As alluded to above, a couple more going shortly. Will be down to 16 early in the new year (then stabilising).

Speaking about rare workings, I found out about the 2M87/1D94 working which is a 6 car 466+465 job, which takes them from Blackfriars (rare SE territory) to Bechenham Junction then they return to Victoria, I wonder if they use the Smithfield sidings for this purpose?

No, they go into the bays at Blackfriars.

Ta, would you happen to have a link for that? I coudn't find anthing after searching on Google for it

Currently on the front page here:

Southeastern metro fleet replacement/improvement

Just 466016, which is the one you saw. Been there about four years now, stored as part of the initial downsizing of the fleet from 43 to 38 (the other 4 were at Worksop). Much appreciated.

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Wandering Mage]

As alluded to above, a couple more going shortly. Will be down to 16 early in the new year (then stabilising).


No, they go into the bays at Blackfriars.


Currently on the front page here:

Southeastern metro fleet replacement/improvement

Just 466016, which is the one you saw. Been there about four years now, stored as part of the initial downsizing of the fleet from 43 to 38 (the other 4 were at Worksop). Much appreciated.

www.railforums.co.uk

Thanks for this, seems that a fleet list does exist after all! With SE having 25 466s and only requiring 15, it makes sense that there's been an influx in scrapings recently from Gillingham as well as the clear out of Ely. Although the remaining 16 as you say will probably last a good few years since we don't have any details of replacements yet.

 

[ScotGG]

Will losing more 466s mean no scope to increase some of the peak 8 or 10 car working to 10 or 12 in future?

I also wonder if SE have any plans to double some of the 5-car peak workings out of London Bridge and do they have the available 376 or 717 stock?