The Class 455 Farewell Tour

[FRSZMZ56]

455 farewell tour teaser posted on the SWR Twitter account: https://x.com/SW_Help/status/1986393915801452883

 

[LUYMun]

And confirmed by SWR on Facebook

Class 455 Farewell


Network tour on Sunday 21 December.


Tickets on sale from Monday 10 November at www.branchline.uk

 

[brad465]

What are the chances of on the day alterations putting a 455 to Basingstoke or Haslemere? I assume it’s a regular occurrence where both members of crew sign 455 stock?

The railtour linked above includes Haslemere among special routes being included, so if you want to go there on it or at least to see it there, you're in luck.

 

[UP13]

Judging by the dates on their Instagram Story graphic, it seems they're confident they wont see 2026:
View attachment 191812

Edit: They've now deleted the posts from both Facebook and Instagram

Edit 2: Now re-posted again with a link to a dedicated 455 farewell page on their website: https://www.southwesternrailway.com/travelling-with-us/our-trains/farewell-455s

Do you need to be a BLS member or can non-members buy ticket?

My son and I are very keen to get on it but worried it will sell out very quickly

 

[norbitonflyer]

Suppose 5701 will be a candidate ? Time will tell. Thanks again.

Why 5701? It's neither the first (that was 5801) or the last (5920)

 

[sad1e]

And confirmed by SWR on Facebook

View attachment 191811

Will definitely be booking tickets for this.

I wonder if it would be possible to send them down to Bournemouth on the tour, considering they are cleared all the way down there and do run down there semi regularly.

To be honest I'm quite sad that after 5868's withdrawal they didn't put another 455 in a heritage livery , I would have liked to have seen one in NSE.

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

Do you need to be a BLS member or can non-members buy ticket?

My son and I are very keen to get on it but worried it will sell out very quickly

This tour can be purchased irrespective of membership. Fixtures that are only available for members are listed as such on the website.

 

[dodger]

Is possible that the stock went to Bournemouth depot on 5B39 today.

Dodger

 

[sad1e]

Is possible that the stock went to Bournemouth depot on 5B39 today.

Dodger

Wouldn't be surprised, some of the 455's aren't in the best condition internally and they may have sent it there for some intensive cleaning.

Wouldn't exactly want to go on a all day tour on a mucky 455.

 

[Invincible]

Will definitely be booking tickets for this.

I wonder if it would be possible to send them down to Bournemouth on the tour, considering they are cleared all the way down there and do run down there semi regularly.

To be honest I'm quite sad that after 5868's withdrawal they didn't put another 455 in a heritage livery , I would have liked to have seen one in NSE.

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


This tour can be purchased irrespective of membership. Fixtures that are only available for members are listed as such on the website.

BLS Fixtures List

400 tickets on sale 10th Nov at 11am at £45.50 each
The website seems to still being updated with details.

The problem is with 455 preservation is there is no where easy to run them, why the Watercress line has gone with a diesel 150, or store them as static units. So far Network rail have not confirmed they have 5868 as a training unit and it is still at Derby

 

[DelW]

The problem is with 455 preservation is there is no where easy to run them, why the Watercress line has gone with a diesel 150, or store them as static units. So far Network rail have not confirmed they have 5868 as a training unit and it is still at Derby

Possibly one could run push/pull with a class 33, though obviously the sound wouldn't be there? Or are they incompatible?

The preservation history of DC third rail units does show how problematic it is though.

 

[TFT YouTube]

A Branch Line Society & SWR Railtour, Tickets On Sale Monday November 10th 10am On The Branch Line Society Website, 400 Tickets Available.

Sunday 21st December 2025

Traction:
455701
455868

Route:
 TBC

RTT Links:
TBC

 

[jfollows]

BLS Fixtures List

SWR are bidding farewell to their Class 455 fleet, as the last of the red trains are finally withdrawn after 42 years of service.

Built by British Rail Engineering Limited at their workshop in York between 1982 and 1985, they entered service on what is now SWR’s suburban network on Monday 28 March 1983. They have gone on to travel many millions of miles, transporting customers from the likes of Guildford, Twickenham and Windsor to and from London Waterloo.

In recognition of their role in the lives of millions of customers, their popularity with rail enthusiasts, and to mark the end of an era on the British railway network, SWR and the Branch Line Society will run a special charter service.

The 'Class 455 Farewell’ tour will include some familiar places on the suburban network, such as Epsom and Kingston, along with a few special routes and locations, such as the District Line’s branch between East Putney and Wimbledon, plus Haslemere on the Portsmouth Direct Line*.

400 tickets will go on sale on the Branch Line Society’s website at 11am on Monday 10 November, costing £45.50 each. The profits will go to three charities, The Alex Wardle Foundation, Macmillan, and The Railway Children.

Please check back for updates!

*The tour will start and finish at London Waterloo. The final route is subject to change and will be confirmed shortly before the date of the tour. More information will be available on the Fixtures page in due course.

 

[frankmoh]

I thought 5868 was consigned to the scrap yard! Good to see it will be back for the farewell tour.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I thought 455 868 was withdrawn? It's supposedly been off lease since 6th August hasn't it?

Where does it say that one will be used? I've just had a look at the Branch Line Society website and I can't see any mention of that unit?

 

[TFT YouTube]

I thought 455 868 was withdrawn? It's supposedly been off lease since 6th August hasn't it?

Where does it say that one will be used? I've just had a look at the Branch Line Society website and I can't see any mention of that unit?

I believe it's staying at Derby Litchurch Lane for repairs.

 

[SEtrains]

Traction:
455701
455868

Isn’t 455868 now owned by network rail and pending a trip to Basingstoke?

 

[43096]

View attachment 191907
A Branch Line Society & SWR Railtour, Tickets On Sale Monday November 10th 10am On The Branch Line Society Website, 400 Tickets Available.

Sunday 21st December 2025

Traction:
455701
455868

Route:
 TBC

RTT Links:
TBC

There is nothing in any BLS notice about which units will be used for this. Unless you can provide a specific, credible source, I would suggest everyone else treats it with a large pinch of salt.

 

[sad1e]

Traction:
455701
455868

Isn't 5868 currently withdrawn at Derby. How would SWR even use it on the farewell tour as I believe it's off lease from them and has been handed back to Porterbrook.

 

[frankmoh]

Isn't 5868 currently withdrawn at Derby. How would SWR even use it on the farewell tour as I believe it's off lease from them and has been handed back to Porterbrook.

Isn't Porterbrook known to be quite amicable when it comes to preservation? 150231 and the 205s come to mind.

 

[TFT YouTube]

Isn’t 455868 now owned by network rail and pending a trip to Basingstoke?

No it's not, there's new plans for that now.

 

[sad1e]

No it's not, there's new plans for that now.

Any evidence or is this just wibble ?

 

[TFT YouTube]

Any evidence or is this just wibble ?

Well I can confirm with you that this is from a reliable source who's been right on a number of things in the past.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Well I can confirm with you that this is from a reliable source who's been right on a number of things in the past.

Good old Ricky down at the pub that knows a guy that knows another guy that knows someone that works at Litchurch Lane works.

 

[Class15]

Good old Ricky down at the pub that knows a guy that knows another guy that knows someone that works at Litchurch Lane works.

Yeah, also this is the same forum member that said this:

43047, 43055, 90026, 20118, 20132 scheduled to be on this move:
https://share.google/zUzEVKslS5PvD8peH

Followed by this happening:

Well it wasn’t:

37409 / Mk1 Barrier 6394 / Pullman Mk3 TF 41182 / Mk1 Barrier 6393.

So I’d definitely take this with more than a pinch of salt.

 

[UP13]

I know the route won't be confirmed for a while, but will there be toilet breaks at some of the stations?

 

[sad1e]

I know the route won't be confirmed for a while, but will there be toilet breaks at some of the stations?

I wouldn't bet on it. irrc the Southern 455 farewell didn't have any.

 

[SEtrains]

Isn't 5868 currently withdrawn at Derby. How would SWR even use it on the farewell tour as I believe it's off lease from them and has been handed back to Porterbrook.

It has indeed been handed back to porterbrook so I reckon that this 5868 info is wibble. Surely it makes no sense to replace 455868s traction motors or whatever faulty parts led to its withdrawal.

 

[frankmoh]

I wouldn't bet on it. irrc the Southern 455 farewell didn't have any.

Was the route taken by the Southern Farewell as long?

Anyways, there are ample toilets at Waterloo.

 

[Geogregor]

South Western Railway is bidding farewell to Class 455 trains, and there will be a special farewell tour in December.

Save the date: Class 455 train farewell tour in December

South Western Railway (SWR) is bidding farewell to its red-liveried Class 455 trains, and there will be a special farewell tour in December.

www.ianvisits.co.uk

 

[davews]

No start time from Waterloo is suggested in the publicity. Getting to Waterloo early on a Sunday is not that easy for some of us.... But having travelled on plenty of 455s I am not too excited about this tour anyway.