Southerns' Class 455 refurbishment

[ert47]

I've read around the forums of several refresh programmes taking place with Southern and Southeastern rolling stock.

One of which caught my attention was the rumour of Southerns 455s receiving a refresh and/or having new handrails installed.

While Southeasterns 375 refreshes were put on hold until after the games, I was surprised to spot a 455 with a "ring" installed in the boarding area (the proper name of this part of the train escapes me right now). I was on the train next to it and was due to depart so was unable to find out what unit it was.

Does anyone have any idea what unit it was and whether there will be any other improvements to the carriages?

Thanks

 

[Southern]

455803 seemed to look quite shiny (and may have seemed brand new to the unfamiliar) when I passed it yesterday between Clapham - Wandsworth.

 

[ushawk]

The 455s are just new flooring and handrails with a repaint, certainly time for a repaint !!!!

No new seating/covers.

 

[fgwrich]

I have to admit, im not so keen on the new Blue flooring:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...10392764.90362.116390365085358&type=3&theater

Somehow it just dosent seem to fit with the rest of Southerns colour scheme / interiors, nor have they removed that rather stupidly placed grab handle in each door corner - SWT found that by removing this, it allowed the doors to open slightly wider?

 

[ushawk]

This is what it looks like on the inside - better picture.

 

[ert47]

This is what it looks like on the inside - better picture.

Thanks for the pic! The floor certainly looks a bit sliptastic (probably isn't)

If you paint the hand rails pink and change the seating, it'll look very "First" like wouldn't it?

 

[swt_passenger]

... nor have they removed that rather stupidly placed grab handle in each door corner - SWT found that by removing this, it allowed the doors to open slightly wider?

I think removing the vertical pole just allowed more people to get through the wider gap in the same time, I don't think it changed the actual door opening distance as such.

 

[MCR247]

I thought it was more technical than that? At least it was made to sound like more when people were bashing the southern refurb

 

[gage75]

will have to keep an eye out for it

 

[cjohnson]

Travelled on one of these yesterday (took a while to realise - it was early in the morning!)

What's a bit odd is the grab-rail 'ring' around the vestibule area (see photo in post 4) - it's actually quite low down! I'm fairly short, but it looks like anyone above 6'1" or so needs to duck to move into that area. Certainly there were a few people on that packed 455 yesterday whose head-tops were above the ring-line.