SWR 455 twilight diagrams/workings

[Class 317]

When did any 455s last run to Basingstoke? I can't remember ever seeing one there, or even hearing of them going there, but then I don't often go that way

An SWR staff member on the train thought it was May 2024.

 

[Flange Squeal]

When did any 455s last run to Basingstoke? I can't remember ever seeing one there, or even hearing of them going there, but then I don't often go that way.

There were quite a few runs to/from Basingstoke during the ASLEF strike, with celebrity BR blue/grey 5868 making it on at least one of the days.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Here's 455 732 leading their final run up from Epsom a few moments ago.

It's a still from a 28 second WhatsApp video, but the forum software doesn't seem to be able to upload it.

 

[DelW]

An SWR staff member on the train thought it was May 2024.

There were quite a few runs to/from Basingstoke during the ASLEF strike, with celebrity BR blue/grey 5868 making it on at least one of the days.

Thanks both, not as long ago as I thought it might have been then.

 

[35B]

Which one, the 12:06 or the 17:06 as the 07:06 would have been far to early for them. The 22:06 hasn't run yet.

1706

 

[vuzzeho]

And for the final time…

It was nice to see people come together for this. I’m glad I made it!

 

[EYFanatic]

I see the driver took the units onto the depot with tones

Going to be strange next time I go to London and not have a 455 run open to me. Of note, the topic "CLASS 455" was briefly trending on twitter

 

[AY1975]

There were quite a few runs to/from Basingstoke during the ASLEF strike, with celebrity BR blue/grey 5868 making it on at least one of the days.

Did a 455 ever run to Alton or even Farnham in service? Or anywhere south of Guildford on the Portsmouth Direct Line?

 

[Kite159]

Did a 455 ever run to Alton or even Farnham in service? Or anywhere south of Guildford on the Portsmouth Direct Line?

They have run to Haslemere, although not booked

 

[ls2270]

They have run to Haslemere, although not booked

Around ten years ago, there was for a couple of years a booked morning working from Haslemere to Waterloo on weekdays, 2P96 0600ish if i remember correctly.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I managed the last two return trips. The 22:06 to Hampton Court, back to Waterloo, Chessington South, Wimbledon.
Mad dash for a bus to Morden and then 157 to near Croydon.

I would say a full coach worth of enthusiasts mainly in the leading coach each way.

There were a few interested passengers.I got chatting 30 something lady who was quite visibly sad and decided to over ran her destination to stay with the train to Chessington South. By then the horn was being "tested".

While i waited for my but at Wimbledon I could hear 455732 horn as it made its way to Wimbledon Park.

I will miss the 455s.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

I will miss the 455s.

It'll be strange not seeing them, but being long retired and (my) rail travel limited these days, it is what it is. Been there many times before in my day (starting with the SUB's) so it's just another change in the progress of life!
Having posted a few of my 455 pics on here over these last few years, I have decided to donate them and others I have, not that they are many, and certainly not of the standard that many publishers want, to a group that may appreciate them (some ex colleagues) for their archive/interest/use as they see fit - did I hear anyone mention 5871 !

That's another retirement project I've just assigned myself to do in a long list of things to do? I am my own worst enemy...

 

[MboroFC]

So is it definite that there will be no more 455s in passenger service now?

 

[Steven Taylor]

Some recollections of the last day...20th March

1) When the 1754 Hampton Court left Thames Ditton, one of the the adjacent Thames Ditton Miniature Steam Railway`s locomotives gave several long blasts on the whistle, making a lovely sound as we joined the main line.

2) There was a great atmosphere on the train. You could talk to almost anybody and have a good response. The were several young people on board the 1754 making a lot of noise.

3) I was told by the driver that the train reached a top speed of 77 mph. Not bad at all. We kept to time on the Basingstoke run by full power between stops with heavy braking approaching each station with no coasting, except for a slow run between Hook and Basingstoke with 10 minutes allowed for the 5 mile journey.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Around ten years ago, there was for a couple of years a booked morning working from Haslemere to Waterloo on weekdays, 2P96 0600ish

In SWT days 2P96, 0600 Haslemere was never booked base plan wise for 455. In its early days that service was booked 5 car 444, having run down from Guildford at 05+36, but due to demand was soon increased to 8 car 450 (formed from 05+07 ex Farnham shed), but there is something in the back of my head that says it did run as 455 (but only as far as Guildford) for a period under STP (Short term plan) rules.

To elaborate: 2P96 was a new service AFAIR, introduced sometime after 2006 but certainly in place by 2011 (as a 5 car 444), and if my memory is correct (and don't bank on that!) initially it was run as an 0600 Haslemere to Guildford on a STP basis, utilising one of the 8 car 455 formations that stabled at Guildford each night, and on arrival at Guildford, formed its booked suburban diagram start from Guildford, primarily to judge the popularity of an 0600 departure from Haslemere.

Having proved its worth, the stock plans were revised to make the 0600 a through service to Waterloo using a 444 as above.

The other possibility for a 455 working the 0600 as a through service to Waterloo, would only have been on a STP basis, due (possibly) to engineering work alterations etc, but this was never the case (AFAIR) in SWT days?
SWR days I can't comment on.

 

[Frontera2]

I believe a 455 made it to Southampton once in passenger service, a very long time ago but it happened in major disruption. Happy to be proved wrong of course, but I have a vague memory of it from when I worked at SWT

 

[442Haz]

I seem to remember some years back, and I mean some years back there was a strike day that saw the units running in 12 car formation to Basingstoke or Guildford/Woking. It was a skeleton service as a 12 car 455 whizzed past my shuttle train from Surbiton to Clapham Junction. Barely any stations were being served too from memory.

 

[Goldfish62]

I seem to remember some years back, and I mean some years back there was a strike day that saw the units running in 12 car formation to Basingstoke or Guildford/Woking. It was a skeleton service as a 12 car 455 whizzed past my shuttle train from Surbiton to Clapham Junction. Barely any stations were being served too from memory.

I remember that. If it's the same strike they were also running fast services between Ascot and Waterloo. We went through Clapham Junction at a rate of knots!

 

[Mainline421]

I believe a 455 made it to Southampton once in passenger service, a very long time ago but it happened in major disruption. Happy to be proved wrong of course, but I have a vague memory of it from when I worked at SWT

A 707 did once, 455s have run all the way Weymouth out of service though

 

[Matt Taylor]

It wasn't uncommon for 455s to berth overnight in platform three at Haslemere if there was an engineering block at Guildford.

 

[442Haz]

Yep - we're not going mad. Confirmed by drivers on a related FB post. Shame I never rode or got a pic of such a formation. I do remember it absolutely belting it though.