SWR Class 458 to be retained

[Big Jumby 74]

The 1020 Waterloo to Reading was a single 450. It appears to have come in from Weybridge as booked, with the 1003 arrival from Reading (a pair of 458/4) working the 1022 to Weybridge. They stepped up a pair of 450s coming in from Portsmouth for the 1350 to Reading.

From your observations some of the diagrams have changed since my time, no surprise given all that has been happening of course, but the 458's being the minority fleet in this instance, may be indicative of a reason for a possible swap planned for later in the day. Only those directly involved will know!

 

[Snow1964]

The planners will have a 'plan' to work to for each weekend, and will utilise the stock that they have available to them on paper. On occasions this may be dictated to them by special events, such as rugby at Twickenham, or Hampton Court flower show etc.

An example of this is the women's World Cup rugby at Twickenham on 27th September. Seems to require a thinning out of Chessington services and Guildford via Cobham services and Ascot-Aldershot and Guildford-Farnham services.

Not clear if this is due to lack of trains on SWR, or lack of staff employed.

London Waterloo to Windsor
Services will depart earlier from Windsor through most of the day (at xx:21 and xx:51).

London Waterloo to Chessington South
Between 0917 and 2017, the xx:17 London Waterloo to Chessington South services will not run.
Between 1004 and 2104, the xx:04 Chessington South to London Waterloo services will not run.

London Waterloo to Guildford via Cobham
Between 0833 and 2033, the xx:33 London Waterloo to Guildford via Cobham services will not run.
Between 1004 and 2204, the xx:04 Guildford to London Waterloo via Cobham services will not run.

Ascot to Aldershot
Between 0830 and 1930, the xx30 Aldershot to Ascot service will not run.
Between 0823 and 2023, the xx23 Ascot to Aldershot service will not run.

Farnham to Guildford
Between 0753 and 2053, the xx53 Guildford to Farnham service will not run.
Between 0704 and 2004, the xx04 Farnham to Guildford service will not run.

Between 0823 and 2023, the xx23 Guildford to Farnham service will terminate at Aldershot.
Between 0834 and 2034, the xx34 Farnham to Guildford service will start from Aldershot.

In what can only be designated as an open insult to passengers on these routes, SWR has decided to call the weblink for these reductions "planned improvements..." (see name of link below)

Planned Improvements & Engineering Works | South Western Railway

Get information on our planned engineering works and rail network improvement information.

www.southwesternrailway.com

 

[Vexed]

In what can only be designated as an open insult to passengers on these routes, SWR has decided to call the weblink for these reductions "planned improvements..." (see name of link below)

I doubt it's a conscious decision. They've put a planned service alteration on a page that is nearly always contains just engineering work. I suppose they could call it something generic like "services alterations", but 99% of the time "planned improvements" is closer to the truth*.

*most of these so called "improvements" are just maintenance/renewal work so it is a stretch to call it improvements!

 

[swr444]

Do you know / can you say what they're booked for Monday?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 Aug 2025 ==


Makes sense, maybe it was meant to run with 533 but it's out of service for whatever reason.

The Shepperton diagram they've been on the past few weeks.

 

[Boalbads]

The Shepperton diagram they've been on the past few weeks.

Makes sense, do you think there's any chance it'll be on a Chessington service next weekend?

 

[Goldfish62]

Makes sense, do you think there's any chance it'll be on a Chessington service next weekend?

The pair were on their usual Reading diagram this last Saturday. Don't know about Sunday, or next weekend for that matter.

 

[Ian Hardy]

Makes sense, do you think there's any chance it'll be on a Chessington service next weekend?

It won't be as there aren't any Chessington services running next weekend (06 & 07/09/25) as the SWML is closed between Waterloo and Byfleet and New Haw for engineering work, to get to Chessington South you will have the delights of a rail replacement bus from Clapham Junction instead:
https://www.southwesternrailway.com...ts/weekly-engineering-works/week25262324a.pdf

 

[Boalbads]

It won't be as there aren't any Chessington services running next weekend (06 & 07/09/25) as the SWML is closed between Waterloo and Byfleet and New Haw for engineering work, to get to Chessington South you will have the delights of a rail replacement bus from Clapham Junction instead:
https://www.southwesternrailway.com...ts/weekly-engineering-works/week25262324a.pdf

Lovely! maybe the weekend after...

 

[swr444]

4 car 455 vice 5 458 on a Reading diagram this morning.

 

[Goldfish62]

4 car 455 vice 5 458 on a Reading diagram this morning.

That's the one which went over to 8 458/4 back in July.

 

[nctd2306]

There are also a pair of 455s covering a 2S/2C diagram this evening, starting with 2S53, ending at Feltham depot, which presumably means they'll be out in place of a 458 again tomorrow somewhere on the Windsor side...

 

[Goldfish62]

There are also a pair of 455s covering a 2S/2C diagram this evening, starting with 2S53, ending at Feltham depot, which presumably means they'll be out in place of a 458 again tomorrow somewhere on the Windsor side...

Showing on RTT as a 14 coach 455-458/5-458/5 combo on RTT.

 

[MasterPhillips]

The 0539 from Reading to Waterloo this morning was stuck at Reading on platform 5 until around 1230. According to RTT was 458411 and 414. Apparently the emergency brake activated just after the train began to move off. Was stuck on the platform until fitters arrived.

They eventually departed as two seperate 4 cars (5Y02 and 5Y04 to Clapham sidings.) Departing at 1130 and 1230.

 

[swr444]

There are also a pair of 455s covering a 2S/2C diagram this evening, starting with 2S53, ending at Feltham depot, which presumably means they'll be out in place of a 458 again tomorrow somewhere on the Windsor side...

at least the up 2S leaves Weybridge at 1910 meaning it has a minimal wait time at Virginia water with the doors locked shut

 

[Siemens Staines]

Showing on RTT as a 14 coach 455-458/5-458/5 combo on RTT.

Now showing as 455715 + 455724 + 455719 with a 19L start, but I think the 12-car formation is equally unlikely to be true!

 

[swr444]

Now showing as 455715 + 455724 + 455719 with a 19L start, but I think the 12-car formation is equally unlikely to be true!

724 + 719

 

[Siemens Staines]

Thank you. I knew one of the three would be an erroneous allocation but no idea which one.

 

[Boalbads]

Double 458/4 pair tracking on Shepperton on RTT, unsure if it's true - thought Shepperton was mainline and therefore they weren't cleared?

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Double 458/4 pair tracking on Shepperton on RTT, unsure if it's true - thought Shepperton was mainline and therefore they weren't cleared?

Shepperton services are going via Twickenham and doubling back at Kingston due to engineering works today.

 

[SWT_USER]

Double 458/4 pair tracking on Shepperton on RTT, unsure if it's true - thought Shepperton was mainline and therefore they weren't cleared?

It hasn't stopped them before

 

[Boalbads]

It hasn't stopped them before

True but wasn't that a diversion

 

[TrainLifeGB]

What's happening with 458533? Has it finally finished with South Western Railway?

 

[WimFit]

Double 458/4 pair tracking on Shepperton on RTT, unsure if it's true - thought Shepperton was mainline and therefore they weren't cleared?

They are cleared to Shepperton, just not via the main.

 

[Boalbads]

They are cleared to Shepperton, just not via the main.

Ah makes sense

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Sep 2025 ==

/4 pair running +20, a 450 has taken its departure from Waterloo (450028 trailing), hopefully the pair still runs to shepperton later, was hoping to go on it and get some photos

 

[Bigfoot]

It hasn't stopped them before

They are cleared with many many restrictions on the mainline. Easier to just not run them that way for simplicity

 

[Boalbads]

They are cleared with many many restrictions on the mainline. Easier to just not run them that way for simplicity

Do you know what those restrictions are?

 

[Bigfoot]

Do you know what those restrictions are?

Yup.

 

[WimFit]

Do you know what those restrictions are?

They’re restricted in platform 10/11 at Clapham.

 

[ollie2391]

They’re restricted in platform 10/11 at Clapham.

how come?

 

[Boalbads]

The /4s fit shepperton well - when its not +20...