SWR outgoing Metro fleet withdrawals (complete)

[WWTownEnth]

Very odd they couldn’t move 5871 to WP and join it on to the drag

 

[mansonlo49]

Very odd they couldn’t move 5871 to WP and join it on to the drag

I’ve seen people saying on the Internet about this unit getting preservation

 

[WWTownEnth]

I’ve seen people saying on the Internet about this unit getting preservation

That would make sense then! Thanks.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I’ve seen people saying on the Internet about this unit getting preservation

“people saying on the Internet” doesn’t really amount to much, to be fair.
I’ve seen people saying on the Internet we’d all be dead by 2025.
I happen to be alive and kicking!

 

[Peter Sarf]

“people saying on the Internet” doesn’t really amount to much, to be fair.
I’ve seen people saying on the Internet we’d all be dead by 2025.
I happen to be alive and kicking!

The internet is where the first clues/info on most things occurring is coming from these days - unfortunately. So we have to sort through all the chaff to get to the facts or sit back and wait until it gets much more credible on the internet.

There has been talk of this lot (below) trying to preserve a 455 in the thread below. I agree, highly unlikely imo.

I would suggest discussing on that thread to keep this thread clean.

I found on a Google search someone in Derby trying to buy a 455

Class 455 Preservation Society

Our plan

www.class455preservation.co.uk

Otherwise the nearest "455 preserved" experience will be the 150 at Alton?

 

[Stephen42]

The internet is where the first clues/info on most things occurring is coming from these days - unfortunately. So we have to sort through all the chaff to get to the facts or sit back and wait until it gets much more credible on the internet.

There has been talk of this lot (below) trying to preserve a 455 in the thread below. I agree, highly unlikely imo.

I would suggest discussing on that thread to keep this thread clean.

I'd ignore that group entirely. The Southern Electric Traction Group based at Strawberry Hill has an unspecified announcement this afternoon. That's much more plausible for 455 preservation being an existing preservation group and at a third rail location. It's also close to Wimbledon so far more plausible SWR employees with past experience might volunteer to transfer that knowledge or even work on the unit itself.

Thread for it here:

SETG announces the preservation of 455871

The forum may be interested to know that Southern Electric Traction Group (SETG) has posted on their social media accounts (e.g. X and Instagram) that there will be some sort of announcement at 16:01... EDIT: as per the post below, unit 455871 has been secured for preservation: Confirmed that...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Class455]

I'd ignore that group entirely. The Southern Electric Traction Group based at Strawberry Hill has an unspecified announcement this afternoon. That's much more plausible for 455 preservation being an existing preservation group and at a third rail location. It's also close to Wimbledon so far more plausible SWR employees with past experience might volunteer to transfer that knowledge or even work on the unit itself.

Thread for it here:

SETG announces the preservation of 455871

The forum may be interested to know that Southern Electric Traction Group (SETG) has posted on their social media accounts (e.g. X and Instagram) that there will be some sort of announcement at 16:01... EDIT: as per the post below, unit 455871 has been secured for preservation: Confirmed that...

www.railforums.co.uk

They have now announced they have acquired 455871 for preservation! Great news

 

[The_Train]

They have now announced they have acquired 455871 for preservation! Great news

Great news indeed! Is this now officially withdrawn from service with SWR?

 

[nctd2306]

Great news indeed! Is this now officially withdrawn from service with SWR?

This unit has been withdrawn yes.

 

[The_Train]

This unit has been withdrawn yes.

Yeah, just seen a video from Tim Dunn on Instagram. They have done very well to keep this under wraps, especially moving it from Wimbledon to Strawberry Hill without anyone seemingly spotting it

The video I saw also showed a naming ceremony with the unit now carrying the name "Roy Watts MBE" following its arrival at its new home

 

[43096]

Great news indeed! Is this now officially withdrawn from service with SWR?

It was taken off lease and sold to SETG by Porterbrook. It remains with active registration on the system.

 

[matt]

For the preservation of 455871 please use this thread https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/setg-announces-the-preservation-of-455871.298702/post-7678806

 

[midland1]

Does that mean that 5873 was the last one to go north, I've got a fair few shots of them now in the Leicester area.

 

[ainsworth74]

Please use the linked thread above for all matters relating to the annoucement that 455871 has been preserved by SETG.

 

[Stephen42]

Does that mean that 5873 was the last one to go north, I've got a fair few shots of them now in the Leicester area.

Yes of the ones that finished service last year. The only 455s now with SWR are the 6 455/7s that remain on lease doing occasional ad hoc workings.

 

[800001]

77742 and 61560 part of 455708 observed parked up on low loaders in the holding area on the roundabout at junction 24 of the M1 (East midlands airport junction).

 

[Alxxxs]

458/5s really have only a few sockets compared to other trains from broadly the same generation and their locations are very awkward. Still obviously infinitely more than on 455s

 

[WWTownEnth]

I think that’s it for scrap moves until the end of March. The other sox units are being held back until then to cover for defective 701s

 

[Warrior2852]

There seems to be a single end coach vehicle sitting in some sidings at Derby Litchurch Lane (spotted from the main road), does anyone know what that's about? Was too far away to see any details beyond that it had the roof profile of either a /7 or a /9 and it was just one coach, no idea what's happened to the other three.

 

[norbitonflyer]

it had the roof profile of either a /7 or a /9

There is a difference - the /7s (and /8s) have an individual rainstrip over each door, whareas the /9s have a single rainstrip running the full length of the carriage. Comparison here

The only exception was the ex-class 210 TSO in 5912, which kept its original individual railstrips. (Second vehicle in this picture)

(The Oxshott repalcement in unit 5913 was more extensively modified)

 

[swt_passenger]

There seems to be a single end coach vehicle sitting in some sidings at Derby Litchurch Lane (spotted from the main road), does anyone know what that's about? Was too far away to see any details beyond that it had the roof profile of either a /7 or a /9 and it was just one coach, no idea what's happened to the other three.

They get split to go to the final scrapping site by road?

 

[Warrior2852]

They get split to go to the final scrapping site by road?

Oh has them going to Litchurch Lane been normal for the withdrawals? I haven't been following the withdrawal particularly closely, I just saw it in Derby, thought it was odd that a 455 coach was there, and figured this was the thread to ask about it in as it ending up there was probably related to something to do with the withdrawals.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Feb 2026 ==

There is a difference - the /7s (and /8s) have an individual rainstrip over each door, whareas the /9s have a single rainstrip running the full length of the carriage.

It was too far away to see a detail like that, all I could tell from squinting was the front wasn't a /8.

 

[CR165022]

Oh has them going to Litchurch Lane been normal for the withdrawals? I haven't been following the withdrawal particularly closely, I just saw it in Derby, thought it was odd that a 455 coach was there, and figured this was the thread to ask about it in as it ending up there was probably related to something to do with the withdrawals.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Feb 2026 ==


It was too far away to see a detail like that, all I could tell from squinting was the front wasn't a /8.

Well, all the /9s are already gone, so would have been a /7

 

[swt_passenger]

Oh has them going to Litchurch Lane been normal for the withdrawals? I haven't been following the withdrawal particularly closely, I just saw it in Derby, thought it was odd that a 455 coach was there, and figured this was the thread to ask about it in as it ending up there was probably related to something to do with the withdrawals.

I think it’s been the normal since they switched to Wards; after the Unimetals site (formerly Sims) went into receivership in late November.

 

[boiledbeans2]

There is a difference - the /7s (and /8s) have an individual rainstrip over each door, whareas the /9s have a single rainstrip running the full length of the carriage. Comparison here

The only exception was the ex-class 210 TSO in 5912, which kept its original individual railstrips. (Second vehicle in this picture)



(The Oxshott repalcement in unit 5913 was more extensively modified)

Wow, well spotted. Never noticed that difference! The /9's single rainstrip appears much higher than the /7's individual rainstrips. Is it as effective that high up? As the /9s are newer, I guess this is supposed to be an improved design?

 

[Stephen42]

Potentially a withdrawal this week. ROG have a published path from Wimbledon to Derby Litchurch Lane for Thursday, the loco would come down tomorrow direct to Wimbledon. These moves have been 455s in the past with GBRF doing 701 related moves.

Realtime Trains | 0O87 0939 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 25/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 0O87 0939 departure from Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 25/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5Q58 1022½ Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs to Derby Litchurch Lane | 26/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q58 1022½ departure from Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs to Derby Litchurch Lane on 26/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Rail_Sussex]

Potentially a withdrawal this week. ROG have a published path from Wimbledon to Derby Litchurch Lane for Thursday, the loco would come down tomorrow direct to Wimbledon. These moves have been 455s in the past with GBRF doing 701 related moves.

Realtime Trains | 0O87 0939 Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 25/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 0O87 0939 departure from Derby R.T.C.(Network Rail) to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 25/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5Q58 1022½ Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs to Derby Litchurch Lane | 26/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q58 1022½ departure from Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs to Derby Litchurch Lane on 26/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Whats are left to be moved apart from the 6 operational units still being used adhoc?

 

[Stephen42]

Whats are left to be moved apart from the 6 operational units still being used adhoc?

There aren't any other 455s left. I wouldn't be surprised if SWR feel all 6 are no longer required. They haven't run all 6 in service together for a month now and hard to see it happening again soon. Wimbledon Park isn't awash with space and would free up a road for other stock.

No inside knowledge and speculation on my part based on the path being recently published.

 

[Rail_Sussex]

There aren't any other 455s left. I wouldn't be surprised if SWR feel all 6 are no longer required. They haven't run all 6 in service together for a month now and hard to see it happening again soon. Wimbledon Park isn't awash with space and would free up a road for other stock.

No inside knowledge and speculation on my part based on the path being recently published.

Thanks for the confirmation. Let’s see what happens Thursday

 

[Goldfish62]

There aren't any other 455s left. I wouldn't be surprised if SWR feel all 6 are no longer required. They haven't run all 6 in service together for a month now and hard to see it happening again soon. Wimbledon Park isn't awash with space and would free up a road for other stock.

No inside knowledge and speculation on my part based on the path being recently published.

Given that four 701s have entered service in the past few weeks, the most recent one this morning, it feels like a luxury still having any 455s left.