Ex SouthEastern Cl. 508s

[lookingforit35]

Other TOCs seem to manage, and they'd make it work if they were desperate enough

Maybe they are not as desperate as you might imagine.

 

[tbtc]

Would seem pointless to have a class that only works with 11 other units. IF it breaks down, chaos.

Like the three 321s at Northern?

 

[Peter Sarf]

It occurs to me that the reason the 313s got refurbished, in favour of 508s, is because the leasing company offered them on more favourable terms to Southern. From the leasing companies' point of view the 313s have more leasing potential than 508s for the reasons discussed before (they are more flexible). So in the the long term they could make more money out of 313s than 508s. No point resurrecting 508s and ignoring 313s unless there is definite demand now for both classes and also TOCs prepared to spend out now on refurbishing both classes. Sad but probably true ?.

 

[SprinterMan]

SWT could use the TSOs from the spare 508, refurbish them to their 455 counterpart standard and use them to lengthen the 455/7s to 5-car, so that they can run as 10-car units.

A bit off-topic: Will SWT get newer trains for suburban work or not? (just wondering)

A 3 car 508 does not have a normal TSO I don't think, it has 2 DMSOs and the centre car has all the transformers and electrical equipment and such aboard.

 

[swt_passenger]

A 3 car 508 does not have a normal TSO I don't think, it has 2 DMSOs and the centre car has all the transformers and electrical equipment and such aboard.

It would be more practical to just form some 10 car 508s as 4+3+3, by reinstating a few 4 car 508s. The equivalent number of shortened 455s could then also be formed as 4+3+3.

Still got all the problems of a small fleet that cannot multiple with other trains in the area, and the 12/15 units only produces 4/5 trains at ten car, so probably only 3/4 trains with down time for maintenance...

 

[Southern Dvr]

Lack of stock is 99% of the time due to a train fault. 508s cannot work with 455s or 456s. Would seem pointless to have a class that only works with 11 other units. IF it breaks down, chaos.

Didn't stop them going for the Class 442s!

Class 598s could easily have been deployed on London Bridge to West Croydon via Dulwich or South Londons or Tattenhams as these are all mostly self contained diagrams.

Also, whilst 508s cannot multi amongst Class 319s/455s/456s they can couple for rescue purposes!!