SWR outgoing Metro fleet withdrawals (complete)

[Islineclear3_1]

Good evening,
Are there any withdrawn 455s other than 5741/5903? I’ve heard that 5856 and 5708 are scrap candidates but confirmation is yet to come.

If one 701 is entering service every week than that replaces 2 x 455 units. Clapham Yard was nearly all 701 units this morning; including 002.

 

[Class455]

Good evening,
Are there any withdrawn 455s other than 5741/5903? I’ve heard that 5856 and 5708 are scrap candidates but confirmation is yet to come.

5856 was last seen on August 11th, and last I heard it had a fault that was being looked into. Not sure if it’s been deemed beyond repair or not.

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

If one 701 is entering service every week than that replaces 2 x 455 units. Clapham Yard was nearly all 701 units this morning; including 002.

At this rate I’d be surprised if the 455’s aren’t either completely withdrawn or placed into reserve when the December timetable change happens

 

[SEtrains]

If one 701 is entering service every week than that replaces 2 x 455 units. Clapham Yard was nearly all 701 units this morning; including 002.

5856 was last seen on August 11th, and last I heard it had a fault that was being looked into. Not sure if it’s been deemed beyond repair or not.


At this rate I’d be surprised if the 455’s aren’t either completely withdrawn or placed into reserve when the December timetable change happens

Thank you

 

[DBS92042]

Good evening,
Are there any withdrawn 455s other than 5741/5903? I’ve heard that 5856 and 5708 are scrap candidates but confirmation is yet to come.

5741/5903 reported as formed up and ready to leave for scrap tomorrow

 

[Bigfoot]

Yes I was there. I was waiting for the following train. Fitters on board and word was a traction motor failure

MA Faliure, Motor Alternator. Not traction...

 

[Islineclear3_1]

MA Faliure, Motor Alternator. Not traction...

Thanks. Just pleased it wasn't the following service....

Hope it can be fixed; otherwise next for the scrap line maybe...

 

[Snow1964]

Reported in 701 thread there are 19 class 701s in service today

That suggests now more 701s than 455s (assuming 455s normally in pairs) so about 17 trains.
Obviously by vehicles 190 class 701 is lot more than around 140 class 455s in service. Looking more like might be no 455s after December timetable change

 

[Siemens Staines]

That suggests now more 701s than 455s (assuming 455s normally in pairs) so about 17 trains.

There was actually only 11 pairs of 455 in use this morning, although I think two more pairs come out for the evening peak only. The combination of the reduced August timetable and the Kew Bridge block freeing up some 450s have contributed to this.

 

[mansonlo49]

Scrap move on the way now to Newport

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Looking more like might be no 455s after December timetable change

Would wager that may well be the target date SWR are driving towards, with any 701 shortfall mopped up by 458's in a selected way on those routes they are cleared for. Just a thought?

 

[Goldfish62]

Would wager that may well be the target date SWR are driving towards, with any 701 shortfall mopped up by 458's in a selected way on those routes they are cleared for. Just a thought?

Another thought is given that there's never been a requirement for all 127 450s on the mainline (there has always been a significant allocation on the Windsor lines) use some of these "surplus units", eg on the through Camberley line peak services for instance. Then SWR can get shot of the 458s as well.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Aug 2025 ==

There was actually only 11 pairs of 455 in use this morning, although I think two more pairs come out for the evening peak only. The combination of the reduced August timetable and the Kew Bridge block freeing up some 450s have contributed to this.

Waiting at Feltham for my train home earlier, three consecutive trains - Windsor - Weybridge - Reading - all 701s.

 

[The_Train]

Scrap move on the way now to Newport

Is this 5741/5903 as reported yesterday?

 

[Siemens Staines]

There was actually only 11 pairs of 455 in use this morning, although I think two more pairs come out for the evening peak only. The combination of the reduced August timetable and the Kew Bridge block freeing up some 450s have contributed to this.

Having now seen today's evening peak allocations on RTT, there are actually three extra pairs of 455 in the evening peak. i.e 22 units in the morning peak, 28 units in the evening peak. Of note, is that one of this evenings extra units is 5707 which has been out of traffic for a month.

 

[mansonlo49]

Is this 5741/5903 as reported yesterday?

should be，haul by 37800 to Newport

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Another thought is given that there's never been a requirement for all 127 450s on the mainline (there has always been a significant allocation on the Windsor lines) use some of these "surplus units", eg on the through Camberley line peak services for instance. Then SWR can get shot of the 458s as well.

Thinking from an SWR (ie present situation) you may well be correct re 450's, but 120 from 127 was in past times the maximum that could ever be used (by contract) on a day by day basis, and this did drop now and again (during SWT days) so that specific mods could be undertaken, without interfering with the seven units on routine maintenance etc., eg conversion to 450/5, and then return to standard format (with 1st class) during the original 10 car introduction (458/5 etc), fitting of new dampers fleet wide, etc etc. Those initiatives can't be undertaken by robbing the maintenance guys of their bread and butter for months on end, otherwise the train service would start to suffer sooner than many would realise.
Think I've said before, but the service level as it was pre covid, was, and would again, if reverted to a similar context/format (and not enhanced as per SWR's bid) still be coverable, EMU wise, by 444/450 and 701 alone.

But, again as I have also mentioned elsewhere, things have changed, and patronage may be a tad different these days, not to mention the issue of 158/159 approaching their twilight years and all that that may entail, so things are different now. That said, I believe the first initiative in all of this must be to get the entire 701 fleet (as ordered) up and running to cover the entire suburban service group (Readings included - sorry) , but as intended. Until that is accomplished, there may still be doubt as to what can be achieved with the remining fleets - eg: how many 444/450 will actually be needed for the wider main line service group? Much of the future may well still be based on assumptions.

Therefore how long do the 458's stay on the books - or will they be required to replace 450's off loaded to this suggested WoE line battery initiative? If this latter scheme is a serious contender, it would make more sense (number of units, bespoke crew/maintenance knowledge) for the 458's to replace the 158/159 fleet perhaps? The numbers don't quite add up I admit, so some form of timetable revision would be required, and also that old chestnut of 12 car 458 still being too long for most platforms at Waterloo as things stand.

Interesting times indeed.

 

[Juniper Driver]

Scrap move on the way now to Newport

Saw that waiting at Wimbledon depot, approx 1035am.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Are there any plans to purchase 67301 (from 5913) and re-unite it with 60300 at the East Kent Railway?

Also, does anyone know which is the rebuilt end of 67301; i.e. the former cab end? I've been trying to search online but Wolverton did such a good job. At one end is a recessed handle just above the bogie (sorry, can't remember what this handle does) and I don't think it's this end

 

[45115xeTO]

Rather surprised to see 5707 return - it's my 'last one' so hope to catch it in the next few days. It's just about to go empty to WD to Woking so hope it comes back out later. Was certain that was off to Newport...

 

[WarrenTManager]

Are there any plans to purchase 67301 (from 5913) and re-unite it with 60300 at the East Kent Railway?

Also, does anyone know which is the rebuilt end of 67301; i.e. the former cab end? I've been trying to search online but Wolverton did such a good job. At one end is a recessed handle just above the bogie (sorry, can't remember what this handle does) and I don't think it's this end

The end closest to A1/2 and D1/2 doors I believe is the former cab end.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

The end closest to A1/2 and D1/2 doors I believe is the former cab end.

Thank you for clarifying. I am captioning up photos I took at the weekend and like my day job - detail is everything...

.... remembering also the ol' days when I used to (with permission) take photos of carriages being rebuilt at Slade Green and Selhurst with cabs being swapped around etc.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Aug 2025 ==

Is 5851 finished? I note on RTT it isn't paired with 5913 any more and it's not allocated to anything today

 

[nctd2306]

Is 5851 finished? I note on RTT it isn't paired with 5913 any more and it's not allocated to anything today

I could ask the same question of 5862, it is no longer paired with 715 and isn't in use today as far as I can see.
It has also only been used on low milage peak diagrams for the last few weeks...

 

[SEtrains]

I could ask the same question of 5862, it is no longer paired with 715 and isn't in use today as far as I can see.
It has also only been used on low milage peak diagrams for the last few weeks...

5708/5727/5856 have also not seen service for a while so it will be interesting to see what units go on the next scrap drag.

 

[bb21]

If I read correctly 5848 will now be scrapped and not re-enter service.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

So about fifty/fifty-one left operational… do they really need twenty-five pairs at this stage?

 

[Bikeman78]

17 pairs out today including 5714+5742 which did the 1550 Waterloo to Reading and return.

5701+5717
5702+5709
5705+5718
5706+5732
5707+5728
5710+5871
5712+5716
5713+5738
5714+5742
5715+5920
5719+5853
5720+5721
5730+5860
5731+5849
5735+5873
5739+5913
5864+5914

 

[Class455]

If I read correctly 5848 will now be scrapped and not re-enter service.

So sounds like the MA fault it had at Clapham Junction on Monday was sadly terminal.

 

[Snow1964]

So about fifty/fifty-one left operational… do they really need twenty-five pairs at this stage?

The Barnes bridge closure, and school holiday thinning out end next week, so slightly more needed.

However there are 15 weeks to go until December timetable change, if one new 701 enters service each week, and perhaps a second one every 4 or 5 weeks, then going to be down to no 455s by new timetable

 

[Class455]

Haven’t seen 5870 out in a while, is that another 455 on the scrap line?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Haven’t seen 5870 out in a while, is that another 455 on the scrap line?

According to RTT 5870 is currently working up from Woking

 

[Feathers44]

From a passenger perspective I’d rather they get rid of the 450s from metro services before scrapping more 455s but I can see how that comes with a financial penalty.