BLS The Metro Marauder - Sat 14 May 22

[Islineclear3_1]

Yes maybe, I was with Phil and Steve, perhaps you were the other bloke or the man with the tank top

No I'm a bit old for tank tops...

 

[4SubAsociation]

4SUB Assocation and Network South East Society will be in Coach A

I must apolgise for stating that the NSERs where in Coach A when they where in Coach C. I was given this info in good faith and only found out when boarding te train they where not in said coach.

Overall though. The tour was great. I am looking into seeing if we can do anymore (as the 4SUB association)

 

[DaventryRabbit]

Any reports/pics on the last 0025 service?
Would love to have been on it sadly unable to though am have been on All Line Rover all Week. Report coming soon maybe....

 

[Mag_seven]

What was pleasing to see was the large number of photographers out to see this tour. There were more out and about yesterday than I've seen for some steam / heritage diesel tours.

 

[dan4291]

Had a great time on this tour. Very well organised by Southern, the BLS, NSE society among many others. Highlights for me included fast runs on the Dorking and Horsham line and also going fast through Gatwick Airport as a plane was landing and getting shook about over the points at the north end of the station (got it all in video too)! Got a salute from a 455 set parked at Selhurst depot too which was good fun. A very appropriate farewell for the 455's!

 

[gabrielhj07]

Had a great time on this tour. Very well organised by Southern, the BLS, NSE society among many others. Highlights for me included fast runs on the Dorking and Horsham line and also going fast through Gatwick Airport as a plane was landing and getting shook about over the points at the north end of the station (got it all in video too)! Got a salute from a 455 set parked at Selhurst depot too which was good fun. A very appropriate farewell for the 455's!

Any chance you could upload said videos? It sounds like it was a blast!

 

[gazr]

After being on The Powerful Pieman Panorama (try saying that quick three times!) all day, I wondered over the Victoria to see what was going on... I waited around and ended up taking the last 8-car (23:40 to Sutton), and last working out before midnight. I was too tired to wait around for 00:25 and also wanted a quick pint at my local...priorities I'd say there was about 10 people (all younger than the class 455/8!) at Victoria taking photos of the empty stock in P9, and I guess they waited for the very last working, as it looked like norms in the front coach of 5804 I was on. Hopefully SWR will do the class proud when their turn arrives.

 

[boiledbeans2]

I was at Victoria to see it arrive, about 19 late. Most of the enthusiasts there were under 18 and the atmosphere there was like a football match!

In your photo IMG_7512, I see on the TV screen on the far right, for the 19:36 West Croydon service, at the bottom it says "Class 455". I saw the same thing written on the older orange dot-matrix screens on that day (14 May).

Was this a one off addition on 14 May? I know that SE screens state the Class of train, but as an occasional Southern user, I haven't seen Southern screens state the Class of train.

If it was indeed a one off on 14 May, props to those who arranged it! Great attention to detail.

Great to see the large number of photographers out as well! I was at Waterloo East and Charing Cross. There was a small crowd at Waterloo East waiting for the train. And there was a large crowd at Charing Cross! Plenty of other photographers were also captured on video, based on the videos on this thread!

Anyway, on 14 May, I was on a Coulsdon Town train, and the PIS was showing "Welcome Aboard the Southern Service to London Bridge. The next station is Reedham. Welcome aboard this Class 455 Metro Marauder Railtour". I think it was a mistake, the Railtour part was confined to only Reedham station. The other stations didn't have the Railtour part.

 

[dan4291]

Any chance you could upload said videos? It sounds like it was a blast!

 

[gabrielhj07]

Fantastic videos!

 

[Bikeman78]

Hellfire. Brings back memories of belting through Gatwick at 80-90 mph on the Brighton fast back in the day. I don't remember the points being that rough though.

 

[AY1975]

Any reports/pics on the last 0025 service?
Would love to have been on it sadly unable to though am have been on All Line Rover all Week. Report coming soon maybe....

There's a pic of it in entry #902 on page 31 in the thread on Southern Class 455 withdrawals at https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/southern-class-455-withdrawal.228600/page-31

There are also several YouTube videos of their last day in service, including this one of the 00.25:

 

[thedbdiboy]

Any reports/pics on the last 0025 service?
Would love to have been on it sadly unable to though am have been on All Line Rover all Week. Report coming soon maybe....

Here you go - leaving Gipsy Hill as an ECS passes on the way to Streatham Hill

 

[XCTurbostar]

Just for those that haven't been following the Southern 455 thread, the tour pair - 455835 and 455841 were both sent for scrap at Newport today.

 

[mmh]

Really great to see so many forum members were either on or saw the farewell tour. It will be a day that will stay with you forever if my experience of being on the last Southern slammer is the same.

 

[TC_Design]

Hi Everyone,

If you missed out on carriage posters and window labels - the remaining stock is now live on our website: Traincrew Graphic Design- all profits going to the tours nominated charity.

Paul