I’ve been keeping a close watch every day on the performance of the 442s since they’ve been used on 9B88 and 9B85. With the exception of a few (three that I’ve seen) arrivals at Waterloo or Poole, they have always arrived late. I am discounting - to be fair - the ones which have been affected by disruption due to emergency services dealing with incidents.
Given that thus far they have been used on a, pretty much, straight run (the SWML), it remains to be seen how they will perform on a winding, undulating ‘direct’ line. True they are to be re-tractioned, but is this imminent realistically?
Some of us have said from the off that SWR made a mistake in taking these 30 year old trains. In retrospect, others will agree while those who remain nostalgic about ‘days gone by’ will always have emotional attachment to these units.
The livery is poor, and gives a ‘Tesco value’ impression of SWR. This could be improved with a bit of imagination. Sadly the company appears to have none. I hope I will be proved wrong and that it will be improved. The interiors were supposed to be ‘as new’. However even these are disappointing. The seats and carpets may be new, but the poor condition of other visible aspects gives the impression of ‘half a job’.
We’ll see how they perform on the Portsmouth line and for how long. Ultimately, tho, these 1980s trains will be overtaken by technological innovation and regulations.
