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Class 455 on Reading Waterloo Services

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JonathanH

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Mike bello said:
Not the most amazing things to be on...
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Probably because the working in question is resourced from Wimbledon or Staines and that is the stock that was available. Other than the lack of a toilet (that only a handful of people will use), nothing really wrong with sending them to Reading - speed isn't an issue, seats are the same as those in 450s.
 
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JonathanH said:
Probably because the working in question is resourced from Wimbledon or Staines and that is the stock that was available. Other than the lack of a toilet (that only a handful of people will use), nothing really wrong with sending them to Reading - speed isn't an issue, seats are the same as those in 450s.
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Nope, it’s because the 442s are not yet in service so 450s are being pulled off other workings to cover. There is some slack in the 455 fleet so they are covering a 450 turn on the Reading line.
 
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JonathanH

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43096 said:
Nope, it’s because the 442s are not yet in service so 450s are being pulled off other workings to cover. There is some slack in the 455 fleet so they are covering a 450 turn on the Reading line.
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Yes, so the Reading line is the best place to make a 455 vs 450 substitution because frankly it doesn't really matter in terms of anything important to the primary objective of getting people places.
 
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JonathanH said:
Yes, so the Reading line is the best place to make a 455 vs 450 substitution because frankly it doesn't really matter in terms of anything important to the primary objective of getting people places.
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That and it’s a fixed 8-car turn so no risk of having to split and join. There may also be crew knowledge issues with using them on other 450 turns and that’s before things like maximum speed are considered.
 
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TEW

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43096 said:
That and it’s a fixed 8-car turn so no risk of having to split and join. There may also be crew knowledge issues with using them on other 450 turns and that’s before things like maximum speed are considered.
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Biggest constraint on the Windsor Lines is the short platform at Virginia Water on the up line from Weybridge meaning that 8-car 455s cannot work that route. Weybridge and Hounslow Loop trains interwork at Waterloo so 8-car 455s are ruled out for the Hounslow Loop basically, which would probably the most suitable line for them to substitute on. They are used on a few peak time Hounslow Loop services. I believe there is a Waterloo to Windsor diagram running as 8-455 at present too.
 
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Tedy

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On Monday night a 455 was working Waterloo to W&E Riverside which piqued my curiosity.
 

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There is currently an 8-455 berthing overnight after a late Windsor and forming a Windsor diagram all day the following day, before going to Clapham and swapping with the overnighter.

There is no planned 455 work to Reading on weekdays. Weekends on an ad hoc basis.

Edit: I should probably clarify following a question from someone in private that the actual positions are a bit more nuanced than the above. The planned stock allocations do not take into account the additional sets of 442s which are unavailable, however the additional changes on a daily basis is fairly consistent and involves a pair of Reading diagrams being subbed 8-455 vice 8-450. I have simply overlooked that so my apologies. For all intents and purposes these are "planned" changes but not in an official capacity.
 
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Dren Ahmeti said:
What’s even more interesting is that diagram is STP’d (Short Term Planning) as 8-455 vice 5-707 vice 8-450.
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And yesterday, due to a trespass incident delaying the inward working, the 1720 Waterloo - Reading was 8-455 (off 5K49) vice 8-455 vice 5-707 vice 8-450!
 
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JohnRegular

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Travelled on the Reading line for the first time recently and found myself on a 455 for 2 of the 4 journeys made (one of which was a Windsor train, the other a Reading train). I didn't realise this was unusual, but I have no issues with the trains (maybe even better than a 458).
 
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JonathanH

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Mike bello said:
They were previously 4 car class 455 on that route in the 90s and 00s
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At that time Early and Winnersh had short platforms so it was only possible to run 4-car 455s to Reading. Basically evenings after about 9pm from Waterloo and all day 4tph on Saturdays, other than Rugby days when the slam door trains ran.

Part of the idea for running 455s in the evenings was for passenger safety and reduce the risk of vandalism.
 
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Bikeman78

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JonathanH said:
At that time Early and Winnersh had short platforms so it was only possible to run 4-car 455s to Reading. Basically evenings after about 9pm from Waterloo and all day 4tph on Saturdays, other than Rugby days when the slam door trains ran.

Part of the idea for running 455s in the evenings was for passenger safety and reduce the risk of vandalism.
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That was the official company line at the time. Was the Reading line especially bad for unruly behaviour? After a few years they reverted to VEPs all day every day. Perhaps Wimbledon got fed up of cleaning up urine on the 455s? Waterloo to Reading was the longest booked run for 455s, exceeding Victoria to Horsham by around 10 minutes.
 
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AY1975

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I recently travelled on a Class 455 on a Waterloo-Reading train on a Sunday. Luckily I was only making a short journey so the lack of toilets wasn't an issue for me, but might have been for anyone making longer journeys!

I've seen a few reports of 455s turning up on the Waterloo-Reading line recently. Does anyone know how widespread this is?

By contrast, the next day I travelled on a 458 on a Windsor & Eton-Waterloo. The 458s are more comfortable and do have toilets (though they are often out of order).
 
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JonathanH

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AY1975 said:
I've seen a few reports of 455s turning up on the Waterloo-Reading line recently. Does anyone know how widespread this is
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It is nothing new or that uncommon. While they don't have booked workings there, 455s occasionally go to Reading when they are the only stock available or for operational reasons.

It used to be quite common after rugby events as Twickenham as they would get booked on an extra train and somehow end up in the normal cycle of units.

They won't work diagrams that start or end at Farnham but anything else (Waterloo, Clapham Yard, Wimbledon, Staines) probably doesn't cause an issue.
 
Siemens Staines

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At present the following turn is fairly solid 2*455 on weekdays;

2C11 0650 Waterloo - Reading
2C22 0842 Reading - Waterloo
2C25 1020 Waterloo - Reading
2C36 1212 Reading - Waterloo
2C39 1350 Waterloo - Reading
2C50 1542 Reading - Waterloo
2C53 1720 Waterloo - Reading
2C96 1852 Reading - Staines
 
Class455

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I had a 455 on a Windsor to Waterloo service tonight, was very surprised to see it turn up!
 
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swt_passenger

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Class455 said:
I had a 455 on a Windsor to Waterloo service tonight, was very surprised to see it turn up!
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That’s possibly a booked working, there’s an 8.455 been booked for a couple of evening return trips since the May timetable. Dep Waterloo 1824 and 2028; Dep Windsor 1923 and 2153.
 
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TEW

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There's also been an 8-455 covering an all day Windsor diagram regularly too.
 
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Mitchell Hurd

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I saw a 455 at Reading on Friday 28th June or on the Friday (either way, it was in the afternoon).

Personally I don't think there's anything wrong with the 455's. The only problem I found with them when on 2 of these 3 years back is the jerk when accelerating. Other than that they're fine.

At least they have windows which in this weather I'd appreciate.
 
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TEW

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The SWR units are much smoother when first accelerating now they have been retractioned. Unfortunately the windows just do not cut it in the Summer, they open too narrowly and the trains get up too little speed to get any kind of breeze through the trains, and as such they get and stay very hot.
 
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