• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

444's and 450's to be replaced? (answer: no)

Status
Not open for further replies.
159jim

159jim

Member
Joined
30 Aug 2009
Messages
347
Location
Salisbury/Bournemouth
Was reading through the transcript of SWT's recent live web chat. And one of the answers was that It is true that SWT 'have plans' to replace their Desiro fleet.

Could anyone shed some more light on these 'plans'?

Thanks,
Jim.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

F

Frontera2

Member
Joined
11 Dec 2007
Messages
206
It was a typo, it was meant to say "we do not have plans to replace our 444 / 450 fleet"
 
C

cjmillsnun

Established Member
Joined
13 Feb 2011
Messages
3,254
http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/archive.aspx?p=10

Question 36...

I suppose they've been in use for 9 years now. So due a refresh as a minimum but I doubt they'd have any plans for replacement.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Frontera2 said:
It was a typo, it was meant to say "we do not have plans to replace our 444 / 450 fleet"
Click to expand...

"There are now plans to replace the 444s or 450s"

I suspect that should be

"There are no plans to replace the 444s or 450s"
 
Last edited:
D365

D365

Veteran Member
Joined
29 Jun 2012
Messages
11,490
Just a poorly misplaced 'w' it seems. I find it slightly ironic that this 'engineer' is suggesting to replace pretty solid trains (unlike the 458s were...) which haven't even seen a decade*, when there are the 80s Mk3s in the area which are due for refurbishment. He doesn't appear to know that trains are 'engineered' to last 30+ years... Very confused post. Read the facts before commenting next time mate.

*though I think it was HSTed who once suggested it would be economically beneficial to scrap the fuel-hungry 185s and replace with 172s!
 
Last edited:
J

jopsuk

Veteran Member
Joined
13 May 2008
Messages
12,773
I wonder how much weight would be saved with different paint? I doubt it would be significant; after all airliners, where weight is more important, are more and more invariably white.
 
C

cjmillsnun

Established Member
Joined
13 Feb 2011
Messages
3,254
Also lead in the paint??? I thought that was banned well before the 444s/450s were even designed
 
starrymarkb

starrymarkb

Established Member
Joined
4 Aug 2009
Messages
5,985
Location
Exeter
jopsuk said:
I wonder how much weight would be saved with different paint? I doubt it would be significant; after all airliners, where weight is more important, are more and more invariably white.
Click to expand...

American were the only airline with polished metal, but it costs more to polish and maintain then the fuel saved. Plus it looked horrible when composite panels were used and the finish became worn.

They've now switched to a grey paint job
 
J

jopsuk

Veteran Member
Joined
13 May 2008
Messages
12,773
Hmm, there's not that many spotter-type questions. Most seem to be disgruntled commuters. There's Peter Skuce, of course, but whenever there's a similar thing done by any TOC, especially in the london area, there's questions from him. I think he got banned from here and booted from Wikipedia...
 
D365

D365

Veteran Member
Joined
29 Jun 2012
Messages
11,490
Oh yeah, I remember now, that's why he never posts here or there... But even he wouldn't compose such a ridiculous question, surely?!
 
Last edited:
J

jopsuk

Veteran Member
Joined
13 May 2008
Messages
12,773
No, his about preffering one type of loo seat to another.
 
M

Muzer

Established Member
Joined
3 Feb 2012
Messages
2,773
Ah! Well, that makes sense, I think :p

(Though do they need repainting? I still think the paintwork is looking good)
 
S

swt_passenger

Veteran Member
Joined
7 Apr 2010
Messages
31,474
If I ran their webchat I think I'd have stopped replying to the '450s to Portsmouth' questions about two years ago... I see that only the one (Q49) got through though, so maybe the coordinated campaigners of previous sessions have got bored?
 
Last edited:
N

northwichcat

Veteran Member
Joined
23 Jan 2009
Messages
32,693
Location
Northwich
The 450s could be 'replaced' in the sense that in CP5 some are set to get a pantograph fitted (due to AC electrification plans in the SWT area) and maybe the units to get a pantograph will be numbered as 350s?
 
Eagle

Eagle

Established Member
Joined
20 Feb 2011
Messages
7,106
Location
Leamingrad / Blanfrancisco
jcollins said:
The 450s could be 'replaced' in the sense that in CP5 some are set to get a pantograph fitted (due to AC electrification plans in the SWT area) and maybe the units to get a pantograph will be numbered as 350s?
Click to expand...

So what would you call the 444s that get a pantograph?
 
N

northwichcat

Veteran Member
Joined
23 Jan 2009
Messages
32,693
Location
Northwich
Eagle said:
So what would you call the 444s that get a pantograph?
Click to expand...

The 350/1s were originally intended to be 450s but had a pantograph fitted and were classed as 350/1s, so re-numbering a 450 with a pantograph seems fairly logical.

AFAIK there are no plans to allow the 444s run from OHEs.
 
Helvellyn

Helvellyn

Established Member
Joined
28 Aug 2009
Messages
2,019
jcollins said:
The 350/1s were originally intended to be 450s but had a pantograph fitted and were classed as 350/1s, so re-numbering a 450 with a pantograph seems fairly logical.

AFAIK there are no plans to allow the 444s run from OHEs.
Click to expand...
So that could be 450s to Weymouth and 444s back on the Portsmouth Direct. ;)
 
S

swt_passenger

Veteran Member
Joined
7 Apr 2010
Messages
31,474
jcollins said:
AFAIK there are no plans to allow the 444s run from OHEs.
Click to expand...

Huh? There would have to be if this Electric Spine OHLE plan proceeds. They provide the majority of the service through Basingstoke to Southampton.

Unless you think Waterloo to Weymouth should become solely 450 operated?
 
C

cjmillsnun

Established Member
Joined
13 Feb 2011
Messages
3,254
Muzer said:
Ah! Well, that makes sense, I think :p

(Though do they need repainting? I still think the paintwork is looking good)
Click to expand...

They definitely need a repaint. Areas (particularly around the roof on 450s are badly faded)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
jcollins said:
The 450s could be 'replaced' in the sense that in CP5 some are set to get a pantograph fitted (due to AC electrification plans in the SWT area) and maybe the units to get a pantograph will be numbered as 350s?
Click to expand...

I suspect they will remain as 450s and 444s somehow.
 
Peter Mugridge

Peter Mugridge

Veteran Member
Joined
8 Apr 2010
Messages
14,853
Location
Epsom
Eagle said:
So what would you call the 444s that get a pantograph?
Click to expand...

Dual voltage... :lol:

More seriously, people have suggested on here previously that they would be class 344; as there is a gap between 334 and 350 I don't see why not.
 
Eagle

Eagle

Established Member
Joined
20 Feb 2011
Messages
7,106
Location
Leamingrad / Blanfrancisco
Peter Mugridge said:
More seriously, people have suggested on here previously that they would be class 344; as there is a gap between 334 and 350 I don't see why not.
Click to expand...

Bit close to 345 (Crossrail stock) for my liking.

Then again I keep reading 373 as an Electrostar, and that'll probably get worse once the 374s are up and running :oops:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top