Say farewell to the Class 508s ....

[466.networkers]

... on Southeastern that is!

After 10 years on Southern rails, Southeastern are finally getting rid of the Class 508s.
A website has been set up with details of the fleet, and also a page where you can register your interest for a railtour around the 508's old (and curent) stomping ground(s). Click here for the website.

I for one are happy about this, their legendary unreliability was rather annoying, especially when it was the middle of winter!
With regards to the railtour, I may join it at Sheerness (my local station) and go for one last trip up the Sheerness Line, and also take some photos.

Class 508/2 - 3rd August 1998 - 13th December 2008. Won't be sadly missed.

 

[Juniper Driver]

Where are they going?

Quite like these as 315's were new when I started on the railways and they are sort of related to the 508's.

 

[5872]

... on Southeastern that is!

After 10 years on Southern rails, Southeastern are finally getting rid of the Class 508s.
A website has been set up with details of the fleet, and also a page where you can register your interest for a railtour around the 508's old (and curent) stomping ground(s). Click here for the website.

I for one are happy about this, their legendary unreliability was rather annoying, especially when it was the middle of winter!
With regards to the railtour, I may join it at Sheerness (my local station) and go for one last trip up the Sheerness Line, and also take some photos.

Class 508/2 - 3rd August 1998 - 13th December 2008. Won't be sadly missed.

This news has been around for about a week now , thanks for remind me I almost forgot, not going to miss this one

 

[westcoaster]

they have only just refurbed some off them, dont see the point getting rid off them, what are they being replaced with 375's (3 car)?

 

[Juniper Driver]

They will go somewhere else at a guess just like the piggies.

 

[westcoaster]

not many places they can go, could go over to you guy's and doll's at swt.

 

[466.networkers]

They are being replaced by Class 465 Networkers that are being freed up by FCC and the Thameslink Project, the 465s will be used to increase the number of carriages on Metro services, I hope the Medway Valley Line and my line (Sheerness Branch) get 465s instead of 466s as the extra carriges would be welcome, especially when there are over 150 schoolchildren to ferry to Sittingbourne in the weekday mornings (imagine 150 rowdy kids on a 466! hock

 

[455/8]

i hope they don't come over to SWT i hate the 508 carriages on the 455 7xx's as it is they're horrible and you get nothing but complaints about the doors on them also when i'm walking through the train on a 455 if i am in the ex-508 NDT pulling in to a station i run for the nearest pannel in the next coach cos i really can't stand them imagine if i had to work a whole train of those carriages

Alan

 

[djw1981]

Merseyrail need the capacity........

 

[westcoaster]

networkers are not allowed on the line between london bridge and redhill, so 465/466 must be displacing some electrostars on to this route, or are southern taking over this route.

 

[First class]

I think you will find we get most of them up here in Merseyside... great, trains from down south haha, that will be fun.

I'm not too sure how it will all work, because our PTE would almost certainly refurbish them like the rest of the fleet, so expensive already. The TMD at Kirkdale has no room left, and Birkenhead had no room left ages ago... some stock even has to be stabled at stations like Rock Ferry/ Hooton.

It all makes sense though with Merseyrail increasing the Chester frequency by 100% in December, when they have a shortage of workable units.

Merseyrail will no doubt see some of these units, unfourtunately for us.

I suppose that the existing 507s/508s could be coupled to make most services 6-car which would be a welcome addition. The reliability of Merseyrail is extremely good, partly because they are rebuilt, not just cosmetically, but key engineering changes were made during the refurbishment. If these SouthEastern units are as unreliable as you make out, then I would imagine theres going to be problems up here. Then again, our new fleet is due in 2011/2012, so god knows

 

[CraigS]

and also a page where you can register your interest for a railtour around the 508's old (and curent) stomping ground(s).

I didn't realise Hastings was on the 508s old or current stamping ground.

 

[paul1609]

networkers are not allowed on the line between london bridge and redhill, so 465/466 must be displacing some electrostars on to this route, or are southern taking over this route.

London Bridge to Tonbridge is being axed in December. It will become a Redhill to Tonbridge shuttle operated by Southern

 

[djw1981]

With EMU's, station stabling is less of an issue, with correct diagramming, as there is a less frequent exam schedule, and no need for fuelling. Do 508's have CET? The main issue with station stabling is vandalism, and there are some benefits such as reduced ECS moves.

Certainly FSR undertake a fair bit of stabling at stations, or sidings near stations (which are not depots) - Airdrie, Edinburgh (east end bays for cl322) and Helensburgh spring to mind, and IIRC both Motherwell, Yoker depot and Ayr EMU depot are for EMU stabling only, with all maintenance being undertaken at Shields / Corkerhill depots. Similarly the stock from the reopened A-B line will also be maintained at Shields, with a stabling depot at Bathgate, and stabling overnight in Edinburgh.

 

[P156KWJ]

hopefully they will either be transferred to MerseyRail or set on fire (sorry - can't stand them!) but they've done a sterling job considering the areas they work.

 

[466.networkers]

Do 508's have CET?

The 508s have no on board toilet facilities whatsoever, yet a smaller 466 does .... :roll:

A question I would like to ask is - what will happen when a Class 466 breaks down on my line and needs a replacement unit? Seeing as the 508s are the current replacements, what will replace the replacements as theit replacements? Or are the 466s going to be subsituted for 465s that will be freed up by the Thameslink Project?

 

[Class315]

Maybe the Reason Why The 466's have toilets and the 508's dont is because the 508's are older trains compared to 466's

 

[Z12XE]

Dont the 466s generally have their bog locked out of use, as aren't the 4-car variants having theirs removed?

 

[Juniper Driver]

not many places they can go, could go over to you guy's and doll's at swt.

Doubt it,they aren't compatible with 455's at a guess.

The 508 coach on a 455 is a weird one was it called the adopted coach or something?

 

[Andrew Tiffin]

I hope they will get transferred to London Overground.

 

[5872]

Doubt it,they aren't compatible with 455's at a guess.

The 508 coach on a 455 is a weird one was it called the adopted coach or something?

Yeah its from a 508 and only used in 455/7s, 3 coach 455s would be weird:-? 8)

 

[Juniper Driver]

Yeah its from a 508 and only used in 455/7s, 3 coach 455s would be weird:-? 8)

I know and I also remember when 5912 was in Wimbledon for years,when some 455's had tread brakes and 5918 received a new coach,it had an experimental one with plug doors at one time.

 

[djw1981]

I hope they will get transferred to London Overground.

I thought they were getting the new cl378 and getting rid of their cl313 and 508 - see http://www.lorol.co.uk/lorol/About-Us/New-Rolling-Stock/

 

[class 313]

London Overground are getting rid of their 313s and 508s.

 

[First class]

Is there any chance of merseyrail getting 313s as a temporary measure?

 

[D306]

I highly doubt it

 

[class 313]

I highly doubt it

You could be highly wrong too.

When London Overground get the Electrostars there's not many places that the 313s can go to.

 

[P156KWJ]

FCC / NXEA?

 

[D306]

Don't think anyone will want to purchase 20 year old trains

 

[westcoaster]

could even go to northern, take the dc shoes off they can go to any operator that operates ac services