Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
I've certainly got pictures of last built 455 920 in blue and grey...You beat me to it.Yes, they entered into service two years before Network Southeast launched. My earliest 455 photos, are all in blue grey.
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SWR Metro fleet permanent withdrawals
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Big Jumby 74
Established Member
Deepgreen
Established Member
Sorry - I meant to say 'near' the start rather than "at". Corrected.
boiledbeans2
Member
What does the red paint do and why is it only on half the gangway and not the full gangway?
Would it be subsequently painted over with black paint?
Goldfish62
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2010
- Messages
- 11,840
Great photo!
UP13
Member
- Joined
- 27 Jul 2018
- Messages
- 391
Interesting seeing the older stock behind the 455 in that photo and then thinking about the stock it now brushes shoulders with.
Interesting to think about how it straddles across seemingly very different eras of rolling stock.
Big Jumby 74
Established Member
Red oxide paint was/is used as a protective layer to prevent early onset of corrosion in the form of surface rust, which any metal will suffer from the very start of its processed life if left bare and unprotected by a coat of paint and/or grease.
The gangway is effectively in two parts, but I am not familiar with the components or production line that was in place at the time, so can't comment on that aspect.
The red oxide was just left to wear off, which wouldn't take long after a few attachments with gangways deployed, and any protection that was/is needed would then be undertaken within the daily maintenance regime.
A glimpse at colour photos of the likes of 4-VEP units, when new, will show the exact same application of red oxide paint.
The gangway is effectively in two parts, but I am not familiar with the components or production line that was in place at the time, so can't comment on that aspect.
The red oxide was just left to wear off, which wouldn't take long after a few attachments with gangways deployed, and any protection that was/is needed would then be undertaken within the daily maintenance regime.
A glimpse at colour photos of the likes of 4-VEP units, when new, will show the exact same application of red oxide paint.
AlistairCowell
Member
- Joined
- 10 Jan 2018
- Messages
- 356
My mum had just texted me that vehicle 77818 (5903) has been sighted on the M8 Motorway near Kingston Bridge (Glasgow).
It is heading eastbound, but not sure where it is off to.
It is heading eastbound, but not sure where it is off to.
Sun Chariot
Established Member
Your mum is a legend
My elderly parents were just able to distinguish Mallard and Flying Scotsman - but that was it. 
Big Jumby 74
Established Member
Most of the detail is now lost to me, other than the few photos I took for my own interest at the time, but I was one of those who was involved in the introduction of both 508 and 455 types, and the associated disposal of 4 SUB and 4 EPB's. From a published (ACWN - Altered (daily) Carriage Working Notice) angle the stock (type) changeover was usually planned for a weekend on a short term plan basis, when either an 8 SUB or 8 EPB would arrive at (eg: Wimbledon depot) at finish of play on a Friday or Saturday night, we would amend the entry in the relevant ACWN to be shown to read something along the lines of;
Berth For disposal 8 SUB 23+xx (from) Waterloo (due) 23+xx. (my bold, it may not be the exact wording we used, but something along those lines)
In the next day ACWN, the relevant diagram would be issued to show 8 508 (or 8 455) as appropriate. If this (paper exercise) changeover was planned to take place on a depot (eg; Wimbledon depot), that was all that was needed, but on some occasions this switch from old to new (stock type) had to be done (on paper) at other locations. In these instances additional empty stock moves were pre planned to move the old order back to its home depot after its final planned working, followed by a return empty move from said depot to the other location with the new stock type in time for the next day start up. All of these such planned moves were overseen by the Control Office on the days concerned to ensure everything went as planned, or to step in and rectify things if the plan didn't go as required on the change over date.
Like many things in life, it was just part of our job, and so most of the detail has now long been forgotten/not kept.
WarrenTManager
Member
It’s coming home.
Islineclear3_1
Established Member
Apart from compressors, what other components did the 4SUBs donate to the 455's?
Truly remarkable, especially for the former Southern Region that the oldest 455's have lasted 43 years where some of their electrical components have come from 1956/7 built all-steel 4SUBs!
Truly remarkable, especially for the former Southern Region that the oldest 455's have lasted 43 years where some of their electrical components have come from 1956/7 built all-steel 4SUBs!
Mike_L_Surrey
Member
As built, the 455’s used EE507 motors from older stock.
Those motors were all replaced in the SWR 455’s in 2014-15 by new Vossloh-Kiepe motors which were lighter, more powerful & required less maintenance. The reduced maintenance aspect meant that the cost of this project was recovered within a few years.
I wasn’t aware that the Compressors were re-used from older stock or whether these were also replaced with new at some point.
WarrenTManager
Member
As far as I’m aware it was just compressors and motors at the time.
The oldest compressor I know of is a 1938 one.
Snow1964
Established Member
Bidstats has revealed the new nationalised SWR has leased the 455s for £46.2m for 3 years with ability to hand back sets at one months notice.
So looks like allowed for 455s to still be going until Spring 2028
So looks like allowed for 455s to still be going until Spring 2028
Class15
Established Member
No surprises there, SWR was likely going to collapse otherwise. Thanks for the update!
OneTrackMinded
Member
This is incorrect. In the document it states that length is for contingency reasons only so it's unlikely they will actually go on for that long.
The_Train
Established Member
- Joined
- 2 Jun 2018
- Messages
- 4,783
Any confirmation of which way around the final destinies of these carriages were in terms of which crusher they went to please?
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
I would hope that the £46.2 million is the maximum possible cost if every 455 remained until that end date and that when a unit is withdrawn with the one month notice the charge will cease for that unit from the date it is handed back?
Surely the DfT hasn't agreed a fixed cost of £46.2 million regardless of handback dates...?
Islineclear3_1
Established Member
dodger
Member
Afternoon
Just wondering if anyone could identify the units on 5B39 0915 Wimbledon Park to Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D. today. The camera didn't work, operator error.
Thank you in advance.
Dodger
Just wondering if anyone could identify the units on 5B39 0915 Wimbledon Park to Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D. today. The camera didn't work, operator error.
Thank you in advance.
Dodger
Matt Taylor
Established Member
It was 5732 according to Genius!
dodger
Member
Dont suppose you know which unit/s went back on 5Y51 14+32 Bournemouth Depot to Wimbledon Park yesterday adternoon please ?
dodger
Member
WarrenTManager
Member
It was released to traffic overnight. Ran 2C05/2C16 this morning and back to depot. Back out later on 2H97/2H64/2H63/2H72/2H71
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
There was a photo on Twitter earlier ( can't remember who tweeted it now so I can't find it again ) showing one driving trailer from 455 702 on a low loader; responses suggested it was en route to or from Brodie's for corrosion repairs.
Edited at 21.43 on 15/05/25... found it again...
Edited at 21.43 on 15/05/25... found it again...
Last edited:
Despite the recent uplift in 701 services, the 455 situation now appears to have become so bad that an entire afternoon/evening diagram has just been cancelled "due to more trains than usual needing repairs". This diagram I believe starts with 2S47 and is only booked as a 4 car anyway! On top of this, 2C55 is yet again reduced to 4 car (and will later be forming a "crowd buster" specifically diverted to pick up football fans at Brentford...)