Class 458/5

[JonathanH]

458503 passed through Staines all very shiny and blue. Probably not so shiny on the inside...

Quite frankly I think they are dreadful trains. Certainly not a patch on the German engineering from a passenger point of view.

They just seem to be uncared for trains inside - the dirty floors, the scruffy toilets, it is frankly a disgrace that the ex-Gatwick units didn't receive any clean up in the toilets when the attention to the rest of the interior has been good. Carpet like the 450s would have been nice if they are eventually find their way back onto Reading services.

 

[user15681]

Can anyone confirm the formation of 458503 please?

 

[Goldfish62]

They just seem to be uncared for trains inside - the dirty floors, the scruffy toilets, it is frankly a disgrace that the ex-Gatwick units didn't receive any clean up in the toilets when the attention to the rest of the interior has been good. Carpet like the 450s would have been nice if they are eventually find their way back onto Reading services.

Yep, horrendously uncared for. I thought at least that the converted ones would have some refurbishment, but they haven't even been cleaned.

 

[Feathers44]

Saw my first of these today but only from the outside where they looked lovely and shiny and new. (One was poking its nose out from behind one of the sheds in Wimbledon while a pair of ex-460s were sitting proudly over towards the Richmond lines at Clapham)

 

[spark001uk]

There's a marked difference in the two types, the units made entirely from 460 stock look way better imo.

This clip I filmed last month shows one of each working a test run together.
http://youtu.be/xn5tKvLP5C8

 

[arty762]

Can anyone confirm the formation of 458503 please?

67603
74441
74003
74103
67703

also 458501 has left the shed as of Sunday at 1800 hrs , am assuming it is out for milage accumulation.

 

[user15681]

67603
74441
74003
74103
67703

also 458501 has left the shed as of Sunday at 1800 hrs , am assuming it is out for milage accumulation.

Thank you, much appreciated!

 

[387star]

Yep, horrendously uncared for. I thought at least that the converted ones would have some refurbishment, but they haven't even been cleaned.

Hmm so south west trains are not as perfect as I thought

I notice stations at weybridge etc are being repainted but have been in grey undercoat a while presumably this will change

 

[HarleyDavidson]

I've also noticed that the doors are being painted in a colour that can only be described as Aubergine. Odd colour choice, not bad though.

In fact I'd go as far as to say that I quite like the change from brilliant red.

 

[hassaanhc]

Hmm so south west trains are not as perfect as I thought

I notice stations at weybridge etc are being repainted but have been in grey undercoat a while presumably this will change

They have been repainting lampposts and canopy pillars in various places. Dark blue was previously used towards the bottom of both the lampposts and pillars, but now they are using grey.

 

[swt_passenger]

Hmm so south west trains are not as perfect as I thought

Isn't it just as likely that to get the completed trains back down south, and into passenger service as fast as possible, some work is being postponed until they have returned a few units to Wimbledon?

Surely the criticism should be directed at Alstom - SWT are the customer in this process...

 

[HarleyDavidson]

We won't mention one faux pas that they made at the works on the first one which was a tad embarrassing!

 

[387star]

They have been repainting lampposts and canopy pillars in various places. Dark blue was previously used towards the bottom of both the lampposts and pillars, but now they are using grey.

Shocking the grey looks awful

Do the government really want grey and white drab colours everywhere is it official that's the new colour palette

I also notice the wifi signs on the 444s are very small almost missable

 

[HarleyDavidson]

That's OK, the less people who use it means the faster connections for the likes of you & I who will.

 

[asylumxl]

There's a marked difference in the two types, the units made entirely from 460 stock look way better imo.

This clip I filmed last month shows one of each working a test run together.
http://youtu.be/xn5tKvLP5C8

Honestly, they could at least paint a black strip down the side to make the two types of window blend a little better.

 

[455driver]

Honestly, they could at least paint a black strip down the side to make the two types of window blend a little better.

Ah but who pays for the paint and the painter to apply it, these refurbishment contracts are tightly prescribed you know and the TOCs dont want to be accused of wasting money on unnecessary items.

 

[spark001uk]

You would have thought so! I mean fair enough the ribbon glazing conversion would have been expensive, but some black paint? Hardly!

I still can't believe the local news item last year on ITV about them, saying they were delivered with over 200 seperate faults on them! Really? Was it that bad?

 

[HarleyDavidson]

I've been sworn to secrecy!

 

[asylumxl]

Ah but who pays for the paint and the painter to apply it, these refurbishment contracts are tightly prescribed you know and the TOCs dont want to be accused of wasting money on unnecessary items.

Perhaps black vinyl could be cheaper?

Tell the execs they're go faster stripes and will reduce their delay minutes. Should be convinced then .

 

[455driver]

Perhaps black vinyl could be cheaper?

Tell the execs they're go faster stripes and will reduce their delay minutes. Should be convinced then .

I like that idea!

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Hang on a moment.

A 458/5 is restricted to 75mph top whack, down from 90.
So shouldn't that be a go slower stripe?

 

[fgwrich]

Hang on a moment.

A 458/5 is restricted to 75mph top whack, down from 90.
So shouldn't that be a go slower stripe?

Perfect excuse for some heavy black paint then!

One thing I've noticed with the video and I'm not sure if it's been answered before - But given the little about of interior work that's been carried out on these units, is the former FC compartment on the former 458s now unclassified then? Seats remain, interior appears to remain the same, so what's going on with them? (Apart from possible retaining for a return to the reading services in the future!).

 

[Goldfish62]

Isn't it just as likely that to get the completed trains back down south, and into passenger service as fast as possible, some work is being postponed until they have returned a few units to Wimbledon?

Surely the criticism should be directed at Alstom - SWT are the customer in this process...

Presumably SWT are satisfied with the internal condition as they wouldn't have accepted delivery. Also, given that Wimbledon hasn't bothered with the internal condition of the 458s for the past 15 years, I doubt they're going to start now.

 

[swt_passenger]

One thing I've noticed with the video and I'm not sure if it's been answered before - But given the little about of interior work that's been carried out on these units, is the former FC compartment on the former 458s now unclassified then? Seats remain, interior appears to remain the same, so what's going on with them? (Apart from possible retaining for a return to the reading services in the future!).

Yes - the end sections are the original 2+2 with tables, (but with the doors removed perhaps?) and it's generally believed to allow for easy reinstatement of first class. It has been discussed two or three times earlier in the thread since it became apparent that the 460 conversions had the same sections provided with tables.

 

[hassaanhc]

Fifth consecutive weekday that only 5 out of 6 units have made it in service. 8502 seems to be the culprit.

 

[Juniper Driver]

Presumably SWT are satisfied with the internal condition as they wouldn't have accepted delivery. Also, given that Wimbledon hasn't bothered with the internal condition of the 458s for the past 15 years, I doubt they're going to start now.

That doesn't seem fair.I thought they were "freshened" up at Bournemouth.I think Wimbledon do a very good job on their trains.Who keeps painting these 455's? They look lovely.

Fifth consecutive weekday that only 5 out of 6 units have made it in service. 8502 seems to be the culprit.

Saw 502 being shunted about Wimbledon (under it's own power) just after 1330 so it does actually move.

 

[jopsuk]

Yes - the end sections are the original 2+2 with tables, (but with the doors removed perhaps?) and it's generally believed to allow for easy reinstatement of first class. It has been discussed two or three times earlier in the thread since it became apparent that the 460 conversions had the same sections provided with tables.

The 1st class reinstatement will occur when the Desiro City fleet are delivered and platform alterations (where possible) for ten-car to Reading operation are complete.

 

[387star]

Perfect excuse for some heavy black paint then!

One thing I've noticed with the video and I'm not sure if it's been answered before - But given the little about of interior work that's been carried out on these units, is the former FC compartment on the former 458s now unclassified then? Seats remain, interior appears to remain the same, so what's going on with them? (Apart from possible retaining for a return to the reading services in the future!).

They were refurbished with new seats only a few years back so makes sense to keep them

I miss the SWT interior decorative Vinyls that adorned 442s 458s and even lymington pier stock in the old days

 

[fgwrich]

Yes - the end sections are the original 2+2 with tables, (but with the doors removed perhaps?) and it's generally believed to allow for easy reinstatement of first class. It has been discussed two or three times earlier in the thread since it became apparent that the 460 conversions had the same sections provided with tables.

They were refurbished with new seats only a few years back so makes sense to keep them

I miss the SWT interior decorative Vinyls that adorned 442s 458s and even lymington pier stock in the old days

Largely what I thought - it just seems odd that all they've done is remove the doors and 1 Stickers/Antimacassars but left the rest of that section as it was in FC guise (the FC Seats in the 458s were replaced with the same Grammer seats as used by FGW/ScotRail/EMT in standard). Rather like Southern and the electrostar arrangements.

 

[Goldfish62]

That doesn't seem fair.I thought they were "freshened" up at Bournemouth.I think Wimbledon do a very good job on their trains.Who keeps painting these 455's? They look lovely.

I believe I was talking about 458s, not 455s. And about internal care, not repaints. Maybe it doesn't seem fair to you, but there have been enough comments on here and elsewhere about the lack of TLC with the 458s. And its the view of plenty of staff as well as others.